Harsh ride in a 08 Edge SEL

[jlineman]

I have raised this question before and still not happy with the ride of my 08 Edge SEL. The car came with the Michelin Latitude Tour HP. At 44,000 miles I changed to the Michelin Latitude Tour and didn't get any better ride with those. I cut a deal with the tire store and now have the Michelin LTX-MS. They ride a little better than the other two but the car still rides harsh. I was hoping for a softer ride from one of these but not so. Frustrated I went to the Ford dealer and drove a used 08 Edge and a used 2010 Edge to see how they rode...same thing! I understand that the Edge does not have a full length frame and this is a short wheel base vehicle but I can't imagine why Ford would not produce the Edge to have a smoother ride. My main complaint is driving on the highway. You can feel most seams with a bang, bang, bang. According to the dealer there is nothing wrong or wore out with the struts and shocks and this is just the way the Edge rides. Anyone with the same thoughts and anyone with any suggestions to improve the ride?

[carbonedge+]

I have raised this question before and still not happy with the ride of my 08 Edge SEL. The car came with the Michelin Latitude Tour HP. At 44,000 miles I changed to the Michelin Latitude Tour and didn't get any better ride with those. I cut a deal with the tire store and now have the Michelin LTX-MS. They ride a little better than the other two but the car still rides harsh. I was hoping for a softer ride from one of these but not so. Frustrated I went to the Ford dealer and drove a used 08 Edge and a used 2010 Edge to see how they rode...same thing! I understand that the Edge does not have a full length frame and this is a short wheel base vehicle but I can't imagine why Ford would not produce the Edge to have a smoother ride. My main complaint is driving on the highway. You can feel most seams with a bang, bang, bang. According to the dealer there is nothing wrong or wore out with the struts and shocks and this is just the way the Edge rides. Anyone with the same thoughts and anyone with any suggestions to improve the ride?

What brand of tires were on the used '08 and '10 that you drove? If they were also Michelins, then I wouldn't expect much difference (same for changing from the Tour HP to the Tour; can't be much difference).

 

My '07 came with Continental ContiContact (sp?). Wasn't a bad tire, just didn't last very long.

 

I wouldn't describe the Edge as a harsh ride unless you're comparing it to passenger car. I've driven pickups and SUVs most of my driving life (and rode in them prior to that) so for me the Edge is not harsh. I'm currently running a set of Toyo Versado CUVs and they have a much cushier ride than the Toyo Open Country HTs I had after the Continentals. Personally, I like the Open Country HTs better.

 

As I mentioned in your other post, I think the LTX MS is too much of a light truck tire for the Edge. The tire itself is probably heavier than and equivalent size passenger tire. I loved my LTX MS on my F150 and Explorer when I had them, but I wouldn't put it on the Edge.

 

My personal opinion is that you have the wrong tire. Nothing against Michelin but I think you need to try another brand. If you don't like Toyo, try the Cooper CS4. I'm running that on the wife's Sienna and it's been the best tire we've had on that vehicle (that's a whole other story on trial and error on finding the right tire...95k miles and 6 sets later...needless to say the van was literally eating any tire that was put on it...)

 

Good luck on finding the right tire...or a smoother vehicle...

[akirby]

What did you drive before? I suspect your expectations are out of line for a modern unibody vehicle on relatively low profile tires. The ride is extremely smooth to me, especially compared to previous SUVs.

 

What size wheels do you have now? If you have 18s or 20s you could try going to a 17 - the taller sidewall will help some.

[Feirstein]

Yes, the trend in the industry has been toward larger wheels and tires with low profiles. This trend has resulted in much heavier wheel/tire assemblies. These require higher levels of dampening, ie, stiffer shocks. The end result is that it is more expensive to replace the wheels and tires (size and limited choices), the ride has gone down hill, and fuel economy (extra weight) and road performance has actually been harmed. But just look at many of the posts on this forum from Edge owners that just love the look of huge wheels. In my opinion we might be better off with 16 inch wheels using a tire size that is not somewhat unique to the Edge. But it looks like the car companies have decided that the customer wants huge wheels, so huge wheels we do get.

 

If you want a softer ride switch to the standard 17 inch wheels with a tire known for its ride qualities, coupled with shocks designed for the lower mass of the reduced wheel and tire assembly. Your dealer will have a listing of the proper OEM shock for that application. I don't have an issue with the ride of my 07 with 18 inch OEM wheels and Hankook Dynapro HP RA23's.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Feirstein

[gary255]

I have to agree with jlineman. As much as I like everything else about this vehicle the ride is quite harsh. Excessive road noise also seems to be an issue. Not complaining, just stating my feelings. This is my wifes ride. I drive a Chevy Trailblazer short wheel base and the ride is much smoother and more quiet. She loves everything about the Edge so I guess that's all that matters.

[akirby]

One person's harsh is another person's firm and controlled. It all depends on what you were used to.

[fishx65]

Having had both a 2010 and 2011 SEL, I can tell you that your Edge rides a lot softer then the 2011 and up. The Edge seems light in the rear and can hit pretty hard back there while driving down bumpy roads. I was gonna try some Monroe Sensatracs in the back of the 2010 but never got the chance. I think my 11 rides awesome on the highway but the ride I get on most of Michigan's famous, torn up, city streets leaves a lot to be desired. I would guess that Ford uses the cheapest junk shocks they can get away with so it might be worth changing out the rears.

[jlineman]

 

I'll try to answer all the questions in this one reply or post. The original tires that came on out 2008 Edge were the Michelin Latitude Tour HP. P245-60-R18. SO..after reading reviews on Tire Rack I replaced them with the Michelin Latitude Tours. Supposedly they rode better? I frankly did not notice any difference in the ride but did notice some increase in tire noise. The salesman at the tire store explained why and it had to do with the outside stipes on the tire. As mentioned I cut a deal and went to the LTX- MS in the original P-245-60-18s. These seem to ride better and more quiet than the other two and with out pushing their courtesy, I'll stay with these. I have read good reviews on the Toyo tires but if the LTX-MS tires hold up for 50 to 60,000 miles will probably not get a chance to try them? As I mentioned earlier I drove a 2008 Edge and a 2010 Edge both with Perelli ( I can't spell) tires and neither rode any better than mine. SO...I guess it comes down "That's just the way things are" Short wheel base, lack of insulation and no full length frame.

I am in the same boat as one of the other posters...I asked my wife if she wanted to look around for a different car and the answer was "NO" I like my car and it's paid for" Good enough for me.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

[akirby]

Short wheel base, lack of insulation and no full length frame.

 

Nope. It's bigger, heavier wheels with lower profile tires and the associated suspension changes. Has nothing to do with the lack of a frame or the wheelbase. Lack of insulation will cause more noise - that's what the MKX is for.

[Waldo]

Nope. It's bigger, heavier wheels with lower profile tires and the associated suspension changes. Has nothing to do with the lack of a frame or the wheelbase. Lack of insulation will cause more noise - that's what the MKX is for.

 

Agree the lack of a frame is not part of the equation, but the shorter wheelbase certainly is. A longer wheelbase can almost always be made to ride better. However that's not really the root of the problem. The Edge was designed to be Ford's "sporty" SUV", with a powerful engine and sharp steering. It's based on a Mazda chassis which was also originally designed for sportiness. That means low recession rates in the suspension, small bushings and aggressive suspension geometry. All of those are things that will hurt the ride and no changes of tires or shocks is ever going to overcome that.

 

Having said that though, there is always some improvement in ride when you switch to lighter wheels. I noticed a pretty good improvement in my Focus when I changed to aftermarket wheels that were 7lbs lighter each. So given that your tire shop has been good to you, see if they can give you a good deal on some wheels that are lighter. I wouldn't bother for less than 5lbs a wheel though.