2011 XLT wallowing on highway

Purchased a 2011 XLT Premium 2WD (no air suspension) with 68k miles a few months ago to replace a 2003 EB 4.6. Upon driving on the highway I was immediately displeased with the handling, it had a pronounced wallowing, floating drive. Around town it bounces over any significant bump. It is nothing like my 2003 was, which had a firm, stable ride even after 170,000 miles on the '03. The struts appear ok, no leaking, tires seem to be wearing evenly, but I took the '11 to the shop anyway, they said the struts were ok and it was just the normal ride for the vehicle. I am not comfortable driving the vehicle at highway speeds, I feel the risk of over-correction is too high. I assume the answer is strut replacement, but is this something others have experienced? And the obvious question, which struts?

I had very similar characteristics in my 09 4WD when I replaced the factory rear air struts with OEM non air coils with factory shocks. The truck floated around like crazy and felt unsafe almost.

Come to find out one of my shocks was completely toast and we could not tell until I dissembled the coil strut.

I replaced both rear shocks (need a coil spring compressor) with Bilsteins and the truck rides great now.

Yep, shocks.

Big fan of Bilstein.

Yep, 68k miles is pretty new for needing new shocks but a bouncy ride like that is definitely shocks. It's possible for them to be toast with no visible defect, the only way to be sure is to pull them out.

Do you replace the entire strut assembly including the spring, or just the gas shock?

If you don't have a spring compressor (a big one, the rental ones at AutoZone or the ones at Harbor Freight typically aren't big enough) then you can order them preassembled online and replace the whole assembly. I used to drop the shocks on my Tacoma by using the control arm and a bottle jack to compress/decompress the spring, but that might not be advisable on a bigger vehicle and spring like the Expedition.

I don't intend to do the work, I'm just buying the parts.

To test the shocks in each corner just open a door, stand on the door sill holdong the grab handle and bounce up and down on it.... you'll see if the shock is good or toast.

Wallowing can also be alignment, unbalanced tires, out of round wheels etc


You could also check to make sure opposing corners have identical shocks installed, theyre supposed to be done in pairs but you'd be surprised


Oh and if you have LT tires and have been to an incompetent mechanic lately, they may have "helpfully" aired you down to 32-35 psi (matching weight ratings on LT tires of the same size are only achieved somewhere between 45 and 55 psi)

deweysmith said:

If you don't have a spring compressor (a big one, the rental ones at AutoZone or the ones at Harbor Freight typically aren't big enough) then you can order them preassembled online and replace the whole assembly. I used to drop the shocks on my Tacoma by using the control arm and a bottle jack to compress/decompress the spring, but that might not be advisable on a bigger vehicle and spring like the Expedition.

Click to expand...

On an expedition you need a 2x6 acting as a lever cupped in a floor jack just to get the ASSEMBLED shocks and springs and a dropped control arm back position.

Adieu said:

Oh and if you have LT tires and have been to an incompetent mechanic lately, they may have "helpfully" aired you down to 32-35 psi (matching weight ratings on LT tires of the same size are only achieved somewhere between 45 and 55 psi)

Click to expand...

Yeah, 32-35 warm is ridiculously low. I keep mine at 45 warm.

deweysmith said:

Yeah, 32-35 warm is ridiculously low. I keep mine at 45 warm.

Click to expand...

No thats cold pressures.

With LT tires any door sticker recommendations for P tires go right out the window, except the rated weight you're inflating them to.

In the case of my size, 35 psi P tires translates to 52-53 psi LT load E tires....