CTS Sports Package Suspension

[BrianB13]

I have a 2004 CTS with Sports/Luxury Package with stock 17" rims. It has a very stiff ride. On rough roads, it pretty much sucks. I'm taking it in to Cadillac next week to have it checked. I haven't heard of anyone complaining about the ride quality of CTS's with the sports package. I have owned a couple of Corvettes which I fully expected to ride rough but I didn't expect a non CTS-V model to rival that ride. Any complaints about ride quality? I know suspension has to be stiff for performance reasons. I'd like to put on 18" or larger rims but I'm afraid that will just make the ride suck that much more.

[70eldo]

Wow, you must be the very first complaining about a rough ride with the sport/lux version. I have been content with the balance of comfort and sport that the CTS provides.
Maybe you just need to get used to it? Or you should get the shocks from the base version. They should be softer.
Hope you will enjoy your daddy afterall!

[the cadillac kid]

Originally Posted by 70eldo

enjoy your daddy

..i dont know how they do it on that side of the pond, but over here... thats just freaky


( i know u meant "caddy" ..lol i just hadta mess w/ u a bit )

[BrianB13]

Thanks. I'm going to look into changing the shocks/struts/springs to the base version. You're are right. I've had the car for three weeks now and have only dirven it less than 500 miles so I need to get used to it as well. I'm really looking forward to doing a lot of mods to it.

[Wrestler07]

Originally Posted by BrianB13

Thanks. I'm going to look into changing the shocks/struts/springs to the base version. You're are right. I've had the car for three weeks now and have only dirven it less than 500 miles so I need to get used to it as well. I'm really looking forward to doing a lot of mods to it.

Welcome to the board and mod hell... there's no shortage of ideas here!

[dkozloski]

The first thing you need to do is set the tire pressures to the specifications on the tag on the drivers door. Many ignorant people go by the specs on the tire which is the maximum pressure allowed.

[RobertCTS]

You didn't say how many miles on the car. Struts could be bad. A lot of us have upgraded to stiffer FE4 struts and CTS-V sway bars. To most of us it's all about handling.

[Flyin-Ryan]

Also keep your eye out for Hotkchis or eibach sway bars if you really want to have fun on the twisties

[AznPrydeRegalRyde]

Originally Posted by Flyin-Ryan

Also keep your eye out for Hotkchis or eibach sway bars if you really want to have fun on the twisties

For some reason Im gonna guess that he's not interested...I have no idea why


You're the first person I've ever heard not liking the CTS sport suspension. The CTS sport suspension is the best in its category imo. Combines the ride quality of a typical caddy with the handling of a 3-series. It really does handle 95% as well as a 3-series, but without the rough ride.

[dkozloski]

Originally Posted by AznPrydeRegalRyde

For some reason Im gonna guess that he's not interested...I have no idea why


You're the first person I've ever heard not liking the CTS sport suspension. The CTS sport suspension is the best in its category imo. Combines the ride quality of a typical caddy with the handling of a 3-series. It really does handle 95% as well as a 3-series, but without the rough ride.

I'll bet he can feel the pea under 10 mattresses too.

[BrianB13]

I have set the tire pressures according to the door label. I never run tires at max pressure. I run these tires at 33 PSI as minimum pressure is 30 PSI so I don't have to check them constantly.

[BrianB13]

Originally Posted by dkozloski

I'll bet he can feel the pea under 10 mattresses too.

Very funny!! A friend of mine has a 2005 BMW 330i and it rides a lot better than my CTS does. I want a good handling car but not at the expense or ruining my back which I have hurt running this car on fairly rough roads. I'll see what Cadillac says about it on Tuesday.

[BrianB13]

Originally Posted by RobertCTS

You didn't say how many miles on the car. Struts could be bad. A lot of us have upgraded to stiffer FE4 struts and CTS-V sway bars. To most of us it's all about handling.

The car has 29K on it. I bought this car bacause I want a good handling car as I live in a rural mountain area with plenty of winding roads. I have run a corvette and a lowered Mustang Cobra over these roads with no complaints. I'll find out Tuesday if the struts are bad.

[keeton]

Originally Posted by BrianB13

The car has 29K on it. I bought this car bacause I want a good handling car as I live in a rural mountain area with plenty of winding roads. I have run a corvette and a lowered Mustang Cobra over these roads with no complaints. I'll find out Tuesday if the struts are bad.

The CTS does not have struts. Ours is a more advanced double wishbone suspension with separate shock absorbers. Struts can be found on Toyotas. I seriously doubt that your shocks are faulty, unless they are visibly leaking.

If you want to soften the ride a bit - and for a lot less cost than "downgrading" the suspension - is to get a set of 16" wheels from the base CTS and a set of the standard 225/55/16 tires. Many CTS wheel sets are for sale on eBay as most are upgrading in the other direction. The extra sidewall height will help cushion the ride at the expense of turn-in feel of the steering.

[intrlude]

I thought that a strut was a combination of a shock absorber with a spring perched on top. Which also saves space vs. a separate shock/spring from let's say a truck setup.