2015 Expedition Limited Poor Ride Quality

[aquariumdoctor]

Is anyone experiencing poor ride quality in their 2015 Expedition?

 

[mreed112]

My 2015 King Ranch rides great on the standard 20" tires. What is your specific issue?

 

[aquariumdoctor]

Front end is stiff and feel every bump in the road. Wondering if lighter ecoboost V6 required lighter springs or softer shocks? It is the standard wheelbase, not the L version.

 

[black 4x4]

Check the alignment. If it's off it'll cause the very same problem.

 

[montecarlo31]

Front end is stiff and feel every bump in the road. Wondering if lighter ecoboost V6 required lighter springs or softer shocks? It is the standard wheelbase, not the L version.

The EB is only ~55 lbs lighter and I am not sure that includes the CAC. that being said 55 lbs is not a whole lot and results in darn near perfect 50/50 weight distribution which is huge for a SUV. The front springs are very stiff at about 698 lbs per inch while the rear are much softer at 230/380.

 

[mreed112]

Spring rates are meaningless without knowing the leverage ratios of the front and rear suspensions. What is important are #/in rates at the wheel. My guess is that the front to rear wheel rates are much closer.

My 2015 King Ranch is short wheelbase. My ride comfort seems fine on the very rough roads we have in SE Michigan

The lower section height tires on 20 or 22 inch wheels may be causing some of the harshness that you are experiencing. You may also want to make sure your tire pressure are correctly set. I suspect that the main reason the CCD suspension is required with the 22" wheels is to control ride harshness with the low aspect ratio tires.

 

[black 4x4]

Did you guys hear an old saying when you hear a sound hoof look for the horse not the zebra?

Like mreed112 said check the tire pressure make sure it's not set too high and get the alignment checked. Start from there.

Your spring rates shouldn't even be the last thing the worry about unless someone changed them with aftermarket ones.
My 2014 Ford Flex with factory 20 inch rims rides smooth as butter.
Here are some alignment examples.
I had a 2003 Audi A6 got the struts replaced and from the mechanic's shop to alignment shop I thought I was going to lose my fillings. Smallest crack on the road was an earthquake. Once the alignment was done it ride became as amazing as the the first day out of the lot.
Around Christmas I bought new tires for my (now sold 1994 explorer) truck used the rattle like the doors were about the fall off in every pothole. Got new tires and alignment and truck started the drive like new.
Just recently I was in my friend's 2005 BMW 5-Series with stock 17 inch rims and same thing...car was jolting in every crack. Told him that it was his alignment causing that and he argued with me fora minute then let the wheel go and showing me how perfect it was tracking the road I told him that wasn't always the indication, went to the shop got aligned and car started drive like how a bimmer should drive.

All it takes is one good pothole and your alignment is off by couple of degrees and that's enough to ruin your ride.

 

[aquariumdoctor]

Thanks guys for the input. I did check the air pressure and even lowered it from 35 to 30 lbs and that did help cushion the ride, but started getting feathering on outer edge of tires from it, so went back to 35. I'll take it in for an alignment and hopefully that will fix the problem.

 

[dlcorbett]

Did the alignment work? Im guessing the ride is different now than when you first got the truck.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Is anyone experiencing poor ride quality in their 2015 Expedition?

I ordered / purchased a 2015 Expedition Limited with the standard 20" wheels, and without the load leveling shocks or optional adjustible suspension.

I now have 2,100 miles on the vehicle. It has an excellent ride quality and I have received several unsolicited positive comments from passengers on how quiet and smooth the ride is. (I live in the Midwest with very poor roads in my area.).

What are your complaints?