Does anyone else have an occasional rough ride?

[zazu87usf]

Backstory: I have had transmission and ride issues since not long after I got the truck. Transmission ended up being replaced and the very hard shifting is gone, but I still have the occasional rough ride. Sometimes the ride is as smooth as butter and other times I can feel every little crack in the road. There's not many points that connect the suspension to the frame so I am thinking it may be a bad driveshaft? Could the shifts slamming cause damage to the driveshaft splines? I'm ruling out the suspension because it does ride great 50% of the time. Any other ideas on what it could be? Of course dealer says they can't replicate.

'22 1500 Laramie w/ 4wd (no air suspension).

 

[Wirerat]

Backstory: I have had transmission and ride issues since not long after I got the truck. Transmission ended up being replaced and the very hard shifting is gone, but I still have the occasional rough ride. Sometimes the ride is as smooth as butter and other times I can feel every little crack in the road. There's not many points that connect the suspension to the frame so I am thinking it may be a bad driveshaft? Could the shifts slamming cause damage to the driveshaft splines? I'm ruling out the suspension because it does ride great 50% of the time. Any other ideas on what it could be? Of course dealer says they can't replicate.

'22 1500 Laramie w/ 4wd (no air suspension).

Are you still on the oem tires? A simply thing to try is rotate the tires and see if there is any change. Just to eliminate balance or a tire issue.

 

[zazu87usf]

Are you still on the oem tires? A simply thing to try is rotate the tires and see if there is any change. Just to eliminate balance or a tire issue.

Yeah all still stock and tires rotated with the last oil change which made no difference. The rough ride is occasional and random so nothing to do with speed/rpm, temperature, tires, suspension (unless something is barely loose). And it sometimes will be smooth and then switch to rough in the middle of a drive and I can feel the moment it changes. My only thought is that the splines in either the front or rear driveshaft aren't sliding smoothly. Not sure what else would cause bumps from the road to translate to the cab if the suspension is working.

 

[DEG]

Though all of my Ram's have rode pretty good for a truck my 2012 and 2017 with 20 inch wheels rode a little rougher than my 2001 and 2003 with 18 inch wheels. My 2023, with 22 inch wheels, rides a little rougher than all of them.

I've also noticed the lower profile the tire, the bigger the change in tire pressure with temperature changes. Is it possible you are getting a rougher ride on warmer days?

 

[Kicker]

Do you have hemorrhoids? (just joking) The temp could have a lot to do with it as already stated.

 

[CalvinC]

What makes for a good ride is highly subjective, but the fact that you say you observe a distinct change in this ride quality, in real time, presumably on the same surface and speeds, is concerning.

There should not be any elements to the suspension that are active, unless you have the air suspension - do you, by chance?

The other thing that could be happening would be drive shafts or hubs engaging unexpectedly. That I would more suspect happening at the front axle disconnect, sometimes those fail and the front hubs can sort of be semi-engaged.

Is this ride issue akin to like a vibration? Is there any noise with the windows down?

 

[kdoublep]

Are you roadforce balanced? I would start there if you're not.

 

[Rick3478]

Backstory: I have had transmission and ride issues since not long after I got the truck. Transmission ended up being replaced and the very hard shifting is gone, but I still have the occasional rough ride. Sometimes the ride is as smooth as butter and other times I can feel every little crack in the road. There's not many points that connect the suspension to the frame so I am thinking it may be a bad driveshaft? Could the shifts slamming cause damage to the driveshaft splines? I'm ruling out the suspension because it does ride great 50% of the time. Any other ideas on what it could be? Of course dealer says they can't replicate.

'22 1500 Laramie w/ 4wd (no air suspension).

Sort of a long shot, but ... don't know what kind of valving is in the struts or shocks. Any chance one or more of them might have a stray bit of dirt or a weld spatter ball floating around inside, randomly plugging or jamming?

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

 

[zazu87usf]

Though all of my Ram's have rode pretty good for a truck my 2012 and 2017 with 20 inch wheels rode a little rougher than my 2001 and 2003 with 18 inch wheels. My 2023, with 22 inch wheels, rides a little rougher than all of them.

I've also noticed the lower profile the tire, the bigger the change in tire pressure with temperature changes. Is it possible you are getting a rougher ride on warmer days?

Do you have hemorrhoids? (just joking) The temp could have a lot to do with it as already stated.

Doesn't matter if it is warm or cold outside. Sometimes is smooth in cold, sometimes rough. Same with warmer temps.

What makes for a good ride is highly subjective, but the fact that you say you observe a distinct change in this ride quality, in real time, presumably on the same surface and speeds, is concerning.

There should not be any elements to the suspension that are active, unless you have the air suspension - do you, by chance?

The other thing that could be happening would be drive shafts or hubs engaging unexpectedly. That I would more suspect happening at the front axle disconnect, sometimes those fail and the front hubs can sort of be semi-engaged.

Is this ride issue akin to like a vibration? Is there any noise with the windows down?

No air suspension. My initial thought is one of the driveshafts. Does the 4wd lock in the transfer case or front diff? I have used 4wd recently with no issues popping up (warning messages, etc.) but that use didn't change the rough ride afterwards. I do think it is something in the driveline but not sure where.

Are you roadforce balanced? I would start there if you're not.

Tires are balanced and the rough ride is not speed dependent. It rides perfectly smooth some days so it's not the tires.

Sort of a long shot, but ... don't know what kind of valving is in the struts or shocks. Any chance one or more of them might have a stray bit of dirt or a weld spatter ball floating around inside, randomly plugging or jamming?

I have thought about the shocks possibly being the culprit. I am planning on adding the Mopar 2" lift and some 33s but wanted to fix this issue before doing so.

 

[CalvinC]

Does the 4wd lock in the transfer case or front diff? I have used 4wd recently with no issues popping up (warning messages, etc.) but that use didn't change the rough ride afterwards. I do think it is something in the driveline but not sure where.

Both technically. But anytime the truck is in 2WD the tcase is to be unlocked (un-clutched, technically if you have the 4Auto case).

But then there is also a Front Axle Disconnect that keeps the front wheels from spining the front differential, and therefore keeps the front propshaft from spinning between the front differential and transfer case. It's a drag-eliminating measure for MPG, but sometimes, though rarely, the FAD actuator can fail.

To test, next time you are in a period of experiencing the rough ride, immediately throw it into 4Auto (not 4High) and see if the roughness goes away immediately upon engagement. If it does, it is most likely the FAD actuator.

 

[zazu87usf]

Both technically. But anytime the truck is in 2WD the tcase is to be unlocked (un-clutched, technically if you have the 4Auto case).

But then there is also a Front Axle Disconnect that keeps the front wheels from spining the front differential, and therefore keeps the front propshaft from spinning between the front differential and transfer case. It's a drag-eliminating measure for MPG, but sometimes, though rarely, the FAD actuator can fail.

To test, next time you are in a period of experiencing the rough ride, immediately throw it into 4Auto (not 4High) and see if the roughness goes away immediately upon engagement. If it does, it is most likely the FAD actuator.

So just to clarify, the FAD locks in any 4wd mode (spinning the driveshaft) but the transfer case only locks in 4high/low. If that's the case then why can't you feel the front driveshaft start spinning if you are driving fast? That's a lot of rotational inertia to all of a sudden start spinning and I would think you would feel a jerk/clunk.

 

[Ramroo]

Are you sure it is not going from blacktop to concrete?
You feel and hear all the changes in concrete as opposed to blacktop.

 

[zazu87usf]

@CalvinC so I just took this video. In 2WD I can freely turn the driveshaft by hand, but when I drive it still turns. It's not locked but my guess is there is too much friction in the diff to turn the spider gears and not the pinion? Does yours do the same?

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[CalvinC]

Hmmm….. I would have not expected to see the prop shaft moving in 2wd if FAD is working. But I have no idea because it’s hard to see down there while driving . Will have to rig something like this to check. Don’t have a GoPro at the moment though…

Curious, was this observation during one of the rough riding periods?