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Envoy suspension help requested

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Monoposto_Racer 
#1 ·
Gent's

I was looking for some advice.. I have a 02 Envoy 4 wheel drive with the 4.2 in it. The question is what can I do to make it handle better with a trailer? I have 1500 lbs feather lite trailer and a 2900 lbs SRT-4 neon. It seems like the truck tends to wander all over. It has 75,000 miles it and the strut/shock have never been replaced. I bought some cheap rear shocks and poly airbags for the rear and it's better but it still doesn't sit right, even with the load transfer bars on. The truck is nose in the air.Which tends me to think springs? My thought is to drop the front suspension since I need struts anyway with SS springs. What should I do with the rear? Will this help? or am I making it worse?... The truck has the 17 inch wheels on it. Any suggestions will be helpful.

Thanks,
The newbie to envoy's
 
#2 ·
Well nose high will make it wander more than if she's level. Do you know the tongue weight of the trailer with Neon on it? ..... I would have expected the poly bags to level it out, with the tongue weight usually around 10% of the capacity or weight of the trailer. (So 400-450 lbs for that tailer). The bags if inflated correctly should handle it with ease.....what pressure are you inflating the bags to? (They max around 30-35 PSI, if they're the red Air-Lift bags).

Bring that nose down and it should be more stable. I would also replace all the shocks if there's 75k on them, the factory units are a little soft to begin with. (Bilstein HDs or any brand name should work wonders with float/lean).
 
#5 ·
Back the neon up a bit and try towing it around till it feels right. It looks a little forward of center and this amy be your problem. Only way to be sure is to move the weight of the car farther to the rear (or if available, get a hold of a scale....something a wearhouse would have to get the tongue weight measured ) and once you find the "magic" spot, mark it on ther trailer. Good luck and let me know what works.:m2:
 
#6 ·
:iagree:
The most important thing for you to do is to get the tongue weight right. Too much and you get the results you are reporting, too little and the rig goes unstable and takes you for a wild ride (I've experienced both). With the load equalizing hitch you can carry more tongue weight, but it doesn't look like you can "equalize" enough of it. Without the bars you probably shouldn't go much over 250# tongue weight, with them you can probably work with 500-600# ok. Weigh it and figure out where you are. You can usually rig up some sort of lever arrangement with 2x4s and a piece of pipe so you can use a bathroom scale. (Don't let the wife see you!) Trailer stability is a serious subject, so don't take it too casually. BTW, do you have sway control on that?
 
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