2005 Escalade need stiffer suspension for towing

[drhill]

I have an 05 Escalade AWD that I'm looking to tow more with. I'm selling my 03 8.1 2500 suburban which towed great but isn't as good of a daily driver. The Escalade has always rode too soft for my tastes, towing or not. Had it for 4 years and put brand new expensive oem autoride shocks on it when I first got it. Didn't help. hit some bumps driving 40 or 50 down the road and my wife says it's like a carnival ride! She's right - it handles like a wet noodle. If I floor it from a stop it'll chirp and spin the front tires a bit, and when towing a trailer it's hard to get off the line somewhat quickly without chirping the front tires.

I've seen the suggestions of bilstein shocks or airlift bags in other threads. if my shocks were worn out I could see that helping but they're not. I want it ALOT stiffer, any replacement rear springs I could try? Anything else I'm not thinking of that could help? The bushings all look to be in good shape and it doesn't have any other weird handling characteristics. I had an 06 2wd Escalade for a while and it handled like a wet noodle too...

 

[Fless]

This may not get you off the Tilt-a-Whirl but be sure that the front jounce stops are contacting the lower control arms at ride height. That's a fulcrum point in the front suspension and having a gap or no jounce stops there can cause ride and handling issues.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Wish I had ANY idea about what the available GMT800 rear coil springs rates / heights were ...

 

[drhill]

Wish I had ANY idea about what the available GMT800 rear coil springs rates / heights were ...

If you have this info It would be much appreciated, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

 

[Marky Dissod]

If you have this info It would be much appreciated, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

'fraid I'm being utterly sincere.
I know that GMT800 front torsion bars come in many different spring-rates,
but I've still yet to learn anything about GMT800 rear coil spring rates.

 

[strutaeng]

How much are you towing and what is your pin weight?

The airbags will certainly help to keep the coil springs from compressing, but I don't think they'll do much on bumps where the suspension actually relaxes to the max. IDK.

 

[swathdiver]

I have an 05 Escalade AWD that I'm looking to tow more with. I'm selling my 03 8.1 2500 suburban which towed great but isn't as good of a daily driver. The Escalade has always rode too soft for my tastes, towing or not. Had it for 4 years and put brand new expensive oem autoride shocks on it when I first got it. Didn't help. hit some bumps driving 40 or 50 down the road and my wife says it's like a carnival ride! She's right - it handles like a wet noodle. If I floor it from a stop it'll chirp and spin the front tires a bit, and when towing a trailer it's hard to get off the line somewhat quickly without chirping the front tires.

I've seen the suggestions of bilstein shocks or airlift bags in other threads. if my shocks were worn out I could see that helping but they're not. I want it ALOT stiffer, any replacement rear springs I could try? Anything else I'm not thinking of that could help? The bushings all look to be in good shape and it doesn't have any other weird handling characteristics. I had an 06 2wd Escalade for a while and it handled like a wet noodle too...

So just so I'm clear, how old are your springs front and rear and how old are your shocks front and rear?

What tires are you running?

Old stuff doesn't perform as well as new stuff. You may not need different stuff, just new stuff.

 

[dps01]

This may not get you off the Tilt-a-Whirl but be sure that the front jounce stops are contacting the lower control arms at ride height. That's a fulcrum point in the front suspension and having a gap or no jounce stops there can cause ride and handling issues.

Agreed.

When my 03 Z71 was leveled, the front jounce stops no longer contacted the LCA.

Replaced them with Timbren front jounce stops that are much firmer / longer and are in contact with the LCA.

Also using Bilstein 5100 series shocks @ all 4 corners with Airlift bags in the rear springs.

Firmed up the ride considerably.

FRONT:


Others have suggested replacing original rear springs with Z71 springs to improve ride.

Timbren makes bump stops for the rear as well.

REAR: