Front shock upgrades

[Eric91Z]

I am just wondering if there are any upgrades yet for shocks on the MM? My biggest "gripe" about the ride of the MM when I had one for a couple days was that the front end was a little floaty/loose on the highway. It would bounce up and down more than I would like for a highway ride. It was not an issue at all for cornering or in-town driving, but was on the highway and I will be doing a lot of highway driving when I finally get one.

I have done a search on here and I am not looking for new springs or to lower the car, just want better shocks to help control the front end (and help handling over all). I think new shocks all around with larger sway bars, control arms, and the Watts linkage would make for a great handling MM and good ride on the highway, too.

So any thoughts? I have tried doing a search and have not found anything. I would love for Bilstein to come out with a HD setup for the MM.

[ADE 1000]

Thats odd, I find the front end on my Marauder to feel quite planted on the highway.

Perhaps it was an issue with the particular Marauder you drove?

[Pantherman]

There was a change in shock part numbers late in 2003. I've owned both levels. My later ones have distinctly more control.

[2003_MM_FYRE49]

There was a change in shock part numbers late in 2003. I've owned both levels. My later ones have distinctly more control.

Do you know when that change occured?

[Patrick]

I have an 03 and the front is OK but at 70 - 75 mph the rear floats a bit. I am going to put the rear sway bar on.

[Eric91Z]

The car I drove was a dealer 2004 that was a demo car. It could very well be that it more than it's fair share of launches wearing out the front shocks, but the front end definitely bounced once or twice when going over bumps/etc on the highway. It would tighten up if you accelerated or when cornering. It was only an issue at highway speeds when hitting bumps. Definitely could have just been worn out factory shocks, but the car only had 5500 miles on it.

[valleyman]

I have exceeded the statutory speed limits in California and ain't no part of my car that ever feels anything but firmly and resolutely planted to the ground.

[GordonB]

Eric91Z,
Suggestion: Try driving another members car with MODS. I did the rear control arms and the rear sway bar upgrade with Rear Poly bushings from Dennis Reinhart on one car and the Addco bar from Summit Racing on the other car. The tails of both my cars (HeHe!!!!) are as firm as can be. And I have NOT done the Watts Linkage yet on either car. Try these mods FIRST -- bang for the buck.
Later you can do an upgraded Front sway bar with poly bushings.
GordonB

[Pantherman]

Do you know when that change occured?

The on line parts catalogs I've checked show a shock number change at 12/01/2003. That means early 2004 cars would have the old shocks. The price dropped, so cost reductions were probably involved, but I do like the new valving better.

[Eric91Z]

Anyone near Iowa with suspension mods that would be willing to give me a ride in their car sometime or, heaven forbid, let me do a little test drive? I am thinking that some of the Minneapolis/St. Paul people would be good resources and it would be a good excuse to go to the Mall of America to let the wife go shopping... :cool4:

[SergntMac]

The car I drove was a dealer 2004 that was a demo car. It could very well be that it more than it's fair share of launches wearing out the front shocks, but the front end definitely bounced once or twice when going over bumps/etc on the highway. It would tighten up if you accelerated or when cornering. It was only an issue at highway speeds when hitting bumps. Definitely could have just been worn out factory shocks, but the car only had 5500 miles on it.
Eric...Every part installed on the production line has a part number on it. Get your MM up on a lift and check the front suspension for part number or tags, we can check those numbers to see if you have MM or GM shocks. Here's a sample of a OEM production line part number, aka an "engineering" part number for front shock/spring assemblies installed on the production line.

3W3D-180B036-AC

There have been production line screw ups, about a year ago, one triggered a TSB for low riding GMs. You may have to pull the front tires to see the tags, but they'll be on the lower ends of the spring and shock. Let us know what you find?