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Bouncy Suspension Model S
- Thread starter TommyMax
- Start date
Am curious, what does bouncy mean to folks?
* It floats, like on a cloud but doesn't settle?
* It bounces, like on a rubber with every hard hit?
* On turns, it lurches or lofts?
From my limited experience, there are a few factors.
If the air suspension is under loaded, you'll get more of a floaty cloud feeling (old Lincoln town cars had this). The same thing can be said of tires with lack of pressure, the sidewalls are more prone to flex. The solution is of course to increase the pressure in the tires, and to crank up the air pressure in the air suspension (go to high).
If it bounces, like on a rubber ball (not sure how that would feel through the yoke, but you'd definitely feel the shocks through a normal steering column) then it could be too much air pressure. Tire pressure set to the near maximum (50 PSI) plus a heavy load on the suspension with no give (think about riding on the bumper stops).
Then there is the "it keeps bouncing after a hit" which is usually a sign of the shocks (not springs) being worn and not having any dampening. On new cars, not thinking this is a problem but if you've ever blown shocks ... The springs settle but still work.
Finally, the lurching / lofting is typically due to a sway bar suspension issue (disconnected because you off road or the bar fell or was bolt worn / loose) if you're noticing it in corners. We'd also use things like a cross-linked suspension setup (either oil or electronically) to stiff the suspension on one side of the vehicle when taking turns but passive on the straight-ways with the problem of keeping up with with long turns, or sharp switch backs.
Setting a car right, for all conditions can be tricky. We'd always like a stiffer suspension (with little rebound) on the track, but too stiff makes it a chore to drive on any major highway in CA. But we'd always start with the tires (contact patch) and suspension height next (sag height) then look at the conditions and/or needs for rebound.
* It floats, like on a cloud but doesn't settle?
* It bounces, like on a rubber with every hard hit?
* On turns, it lurches or lofts?
From my limited experience, there are a few factors.
If the air suspension is under loaded, you'll get more of a floaty cloud feeling (old Lincoln town cars had this). The same thing can be said of tires with lack of pressure, the sidewalls are more prone to flex. The solution is of course to increase the pressure in the tires, and to crank up the air pressure in the air suspension (go to high).
If it bounces, like on a rubber ball (not sure how that would feel through the yoke, but you'd definitely feel the shocks through a normal steering column) then it could be too much air pressure. Tire pressure set to the near maximum (50 PSI) plus a heavy load on the suspension with no give (think about riding on the bumper stops).
Then there is the "it keeps bouncing after a hit" which is usually a sign of the shocks (not springs) being worn and not having any dampening. On new cars, not thinking this is a problem but if you've ever blown shocks ... The springs settle but still work.
Finally, the lurching / lofting is typically due to a sway bar suspension issue (disconnected because you off road or the bar fell or was bolt worn / loose) if you're noticing it in corners. We'd also use things like a cross-linked suspension setup (either oil or electronically) to stiff the suspension on one side of the vehicle when taking turns but passive on the straight-ways with the problem of keeping up with with long turns, or sharp switch backs.
Setting a car right, for all conditions can be tricky. We'd always like a stiffer suspension (with little rebound) on the track, but too stiff makes it a chore to drive on any major highway in CA. But we'd always start with the tires (contact patch) and suspension height next (sag height) then look at the conditions and/or needs for rebound.
I drove my P85D last night after months of only driving the Plaid. I was shocked just how much better it was at dampening. Dips and potholes that shake the Plaid with an initial impact didn’t register on the older car.
Merle I’m not sure how to answer your question, but to me there is not enough dampening or just deadening of minor dips and bumps and then the larger ones cause a bouncing effect.
I can’t believe that the new suspension that is adjustable couldn’t offer at least as smooth a ride as the old one that isn’t adjustable.
I’m starting to believe James May was right about car makers and the Nurburgring.
Merle I’m not sure how to answer your question, but to me there is not enough dampening or just deadening of minor dips and bumps and then the larger ones cause a bouncing effect.
I can’t believe that the new suspension that is adjustable couldn’t offer at least as smooth a ride as the old one that isn’t adjustable.
I’m starting to believe James May was right about car makers and the Nurburgring.
Been watching this thread for a while and hate to admit but the ride on my previous '20 Raven LR+ w/ 19s was better than my current Plaid on 19s. Don't know what they did to the suspension or chassis but its way too bouncy over even minimal road imperfections. Very reminiscent to my first Tesla ownership experience with '19 Model 3. Not happy. 
Trying various tire pressures and slightly raising the front seats to absorb some of the ride only helps a little.
Trying various tire pressures and slightly raising the front seats to absorb some of the ride only helps a little.
Jabbahop
Member
totally agree. ask service whether there was something they could do and they said no. I am hoping enough of us bring it up that they do some software fix to make Comfort actually comfortable.Been watching this thread for a while and hate to admit but the ride on my previous '20 Raven LR+ w/ 19s was better than my current Plaid on 19s. Don't know what they did to the suspension or chassis but its way too bouncy over even minimal road imperfections. Very reminiscent to my first Tesla ownership experience with '19 Model 3. Not happy.
I just don’t get how Tesla can go backwards on the suspension and the drivers console UI interface too. Those are two big areas of the car and if they were much improved would be a much better ownership experience. Two of the biggest weaknesses of the Model S.
Aggmeister2010
Active Member
They tested the Refreshed S at the Nurburgring. They did not do that for the first one. Guarantee that had an impact on the 'stiffness.'
James May from Top Gear already famously hated cars were developed on the Ring back before The Grand Tour, and he explained it pretty well when he tried the Aston Martin Virage:
To him, if something was designed on the Nordschleife to be able to put the fastest lap there, it was unusable for daily use, because designers were too obsessed with the Ring and not enough on real-world driving. If you make suspensions stiffer and lower to go faster on the Ring, then you lose comfort and practicability for daily use.
trayloader
Member
I drove the Paid for 2000miles
And I drive a P90DL as my daily.
The PLAID is another league. They learned from all their predecessors. So much for that.
Its the opposite of "bouncy".
And I drive a P90DL as my daily.
The PLAID is another league. They learned from all their predecessors. So much for that.
Its the opposite of "bouncy".
Hmm - so, the rest of us in this thread all must have defective suspensions then. Unfortunately, Tesla refuses to say that and says it is normal. If this is normal, not sure how anyone could be good with that on a $95k plus car.
I'm not sure how some of the cars have perfect suspensions and others like ours are bouncy. I think it is a perception issue? Still hopeful software can fix it. It really seems to be a dampening/rebound issue. If my old P85DL can dampen better with a basic air suspension, surely an adaptable one can do the same or better.
Waiting for the update.....
Aggmeister2010
Active Member
Almost certainly has to be a dampening issue. And/Or a result of the car being tested at the Nurburgring......Ring testing always seems to ruin cars
I am glad I found this thread. My 2022 MS is awful at speed bumps [and I go thru many daily just to arrive at my condo complex]. I go slow and it is still horrible. I went in for service yesterday and took a ride both with the tech and his superior. They both said it was within range. The latter said that Tesla may come out with a software fix. I do not have a problem with that aspect of the car otherwise. I am sure that if I reduced the air pressure in the 19 tires it might alleviate the situation, but that may cause other negative issues. I drive in the Comfort mode. I have been driving a 2001 V6 Honda Accord for the last twenty two years and I had higher expectations from Tesla. Still an amazing vehicle, but with many unnecessary and frustrating flaws.
Zcd1
Active Member
emailforbrett
Member
Suspension, horn button, turn signal buttons. Fix those three things and this car is perfect, in my view. I know they won’t be fixed, but the car as a whole makes up for it. I wouldn’t dream of getting rid of it.
Had a P90D loaner this week and it had a significantly better ride than my 2022 S. On the bumpy road near my house the P90D absorbed the bumps while the 2022 bounces over them and feels unsettled. My wife also noticed this as the passenger. I assume the recent update that allows for suspension tweaking is an acknowledgement that something's off but I wish they would fix it. It's the #1 reason I haven't canceled my Lucid order.
trayloader
Member
Sorry not at all.
The opposite is true. The P90DL swings and bounces, no matter sie supspension or cool is too direct while the 2022 is horizontally damped and each axle feels completely independent. German.
Aggmeister2010
Active Member
I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. I came to my P90D from an E39 M5. They weigh about the same, but the M5 was WAAAAAAAAAAY better in the corners.
My P90D glides over bumps much more comfortably than a Plaid, but it feels much less settled in hard cornering than the Plaid. IMO, the Plaid could be over-dampened, whereas the P90D was definitely under-dampened.
I am installing the Unplugged Performance shocks on my P90D to firm it up some because it does feel unstable horizontally in corners. Since the Plaid has electronically adjustable dampening, it should be pretty straight forward for Tesla to adjust the comfort level without impacting ride height.
