TruckSpring Times

Looking for the best in recovery ropes? Bubba rope has the answer. Many of the recovery ropes, straps and chains that you see on the market today will do the job, but have their downfalls. Ropes and straps can fray and lose their strength over time due to the exposure to water, mud and the sun. Tow chains are heavy, take up a lot of storage room and can be unsafe if not used correctly.

Bubba Rope is a one of a kind tow and recovery rope that is adapted from military specifications. Bubba rope uses a 100% double braided nylon rope that is dipped in a polymer base. This coating provides the recovery rope with a uv protected, water resistant, and abrasion resistant protection. The polymer base coating will give your rope a much longer life span that other ropes on the market that do not offer this protection.


Bubba rope also offers extra protection by coating the eyes of the recovery rope with a tough polymer coating. This coating is applied to the wear points of the rope and will prolong the life of your tow rope. They refer to this coating of the wear points as Gator-ized, as it looks and acts like the tough skin found on an alligator.


Bubba Rope has sizes and break strengths for just about every application.

Lil' Bubba - 1/2" x 20' - Gatorized 

Perfect for ATV's. Very compact ATV rope yet it packs a 7,400 lb. break strength. This 1/2" x 20' ATV rope is easily attached to the back of your ATV and includes a mesh duffle bag for easy storage.

Bubba Rope 7/8" x 20' - Gatorized 

The 20' size make this recovery rope perfect for rock crawlers. With its 28,600 lb. break strength it is well suited for the trail. Includes a duffle bag for easy storage.

Bubba Rope 7/8" x 30' - Gatorized 

The 30' size of the Bubba Rope is great for the mudder in you. The 30' length allows you to dig out of the big mud holes and gives you a little more flexibility.

Big Bubba 1-1/4" x 30' - Gatorized 

Designed for full size trucks and big SUV's. The Big Bubba packs a 52,300 lb. break strength and includes a large duffle bag for easy storage.

Jumbo Bubba 1-1/2" x 30' - Gatorized 

This recovery rope is perfect for landscaping companies, plow trucks and construction crews. This tow rope packs a 74,000 lb. break strength.

Extreme Bubba 2" x 30' - Gatorized 

They don't call it Extreme Bubba for nothing! The whopping 131,500 lb. break strength is perfect for semi trucks, municipal plow trucks, fire trucks and farm equipment.

All Bubba ropes are Made in the USA by Certified Slings and are guaranteed against defects for as long as you own the rope. You can order online by calling 1-800-358-4751 or 989-755-1611. You can view more information on recovery and tow ropes at TruckSpring.com.

Have you ever noticed that your truck is leaning hard to the outside of a turn when you are using your slip on truck camper or while hauling a top heavy load? Do you feel the loss of traction as that weight shifts? The answer to problems like these could be the Big Wig Sway Bar by Hellwig.

Issues like excessive body roll and loss of traction are caused by the extra weight in the back of your truck. Adding a substantial amount of weight to your truck can significantly change the way it rides, especially around corners. The key to this change in ride quality is the truck’s center of gravity. Adding a camper to the bed of your truck can add a few thousand pounds to its weight, even with the camper’s weight shifted as forward as possible, this can dramatically alter the vehicle’s center of gravity.

The change in ride quality is a result of the added weight being placed above the center of gravity. Normally a truck has its center of gravity towards the middle of the vehicle which results in a smooth even ride while taking a turn. Even under unloaded conditions, the weight of your truck shifts to the outside tires as the weight pivots on the center of gravity, much like a lever pivots on its fulcrum. Adding a sway bar, such as the Hellwig Big Wig, can help keep that weight from shifting, giving you better control around turns.

The added weight of a heavy road, like that of a camper, tends to create a combined center of gravity above and to the rear of its previous location. Adding weight to the rear of a truck essentially moves the fulcrum on the lever upward and backward. This change in ride quality occurs because the closer the force on a lever is to the fulcrum, the less force is needed to offset the weight on the opposite side. In other words, the higher the center of gravity is on your truck and camper the less force is needed before it experiences body roll during a turn. Take control of your truck’s center of gravity with the Big Wig and take corners with ease.

Body roll, aside from being uncomfortable to endure, can have some serious consequences. By shifting the weight to one side of the vehicle, weight is being shifted off of the other side. This can result in a loss in traction on that side’s tires. Hellwig Big Wig sway bars combat this loss of traction by increasing the rigidity of your truck’s body, thereby allowing for less body roll around turns.

The Hellwig Big Wig is able to reduce the body roll of a truck more than a standard sway bar because it specifically designed for vehicles with a high center of gravity, such as truck campers or other heavy hauling pick-up trucks. The Big Wig can provide more than a 20% increase in stability because it has a wider diameter and heavy duty hardware. This extra width adds much to the roll stiffness of your suspension, creating a smoother more comfortable ride, even when hauling a few thousand extra pounds in the form of a truck camper.

Hellwig Big Wig sway bars are made in the USA by Hellwig Products and are guaranteed for the life of your vehicle. Buy a Big Wig sway bar and take control of your heavy duty or super duty pickup and truck camper.

Buy Hellwig Sway Bars online at TruckSpring.com or call 1-800-358-4751 to speak with a suspension specialist. Michigan Truck Spring has been installing Hellwig sway bars at thier shop for years and is an authorized warehouse distributor for Hellwig sway bars. 

Are you driving around on a leaking tire? Are you tired of checking your tire pressure every time you fill up on gas? Worse yet, are you driving around on partially deflated tires? Driving on underinflated tires costs you money and is potentially dangerous. A tire underinflated by only a few psi is in danger of failing and decreases both gas mileage and the life of the tire.

If you’re driving on a tire with a slow leak you don’t have to replace the whole tire. There is a cheaper and easier option to deal with that tire leak. Plug that leaking tire with a BlackJack Tire Repair Kit. Plugging your tire can be done in six easy steps with any BlackJack’s repair kits. These tire repair kits offer a permanent fix that is guaranteed for the life of the title. BlackJack Tire Repair Kits include all tools and materials necessary to plug a tire.

If you are unable to find the leak try BlackJack’s Pinpoint Leak Detector. It is easy use and will help you find that leak quickly.

It’s really that easy!

BlackJack Tire Repair Kits are designed to be easy enough for anyone to use. It is a permanent repair that only takes a few minutes to do, because you don’t have to remove the tire from its rim.

BlackJack tire repair tools and supplies can be used to repair a large variety of tires. From small ATV tires to large heavy duty truck tires, there is a BlackJack Tire Repair Kit to plug any leak. Buy a BlackJack Tire Repair Kit from Truckspring.com, your source for tire repair supplies.

Buy a BlackJack Tire Repair Kit online at Truckspring.com or call the experts at 1-800-358-4751.

When you’re pulling your boat, camper or trailer, do you have trouble changing lanes? Does merging onto the highway make you nervous? These problems are commonly associated with the extended blind spots caused by towing. Eliminate or greatly reduce those blind spots with a pair of CIPA towing mirrors.

Towing mirrors offer several advantages over standard OEM mirrors, especially during towing applications. Towing mirrors increase your viewing angle by extending your field of vision. Towing mirrors extend your field of vision because they are mounted farther from the vehicle than OEM mirrors. Furthermore, because towing mirrors have a larger reflective surface than standard mirrors, they allow the driver to see more of the road at once. With towing mirrors, you will have better control over your towable, making your drive a safer experience.

There are several options for towing mirrors which differ in size, permanence, application, quality and price. There is a towing mirror for virtually any condition. With so many options available, it is important to find the correct towing mirror for your needs.

Towing Mirror Hot Spots

If your truck came equipped with mirrors that have a large viewing surface, you may only need to widen your viewing angle a few extra degrees. Adding hotspot mirrors are ideal for accomplishing this task. Many stick or clamp directly to the existing mirror making them easy to attach.

If you need more viewing area but do not frequently have a trailer in tow, an attachable towing mirror may be right for you. Attachable towing mirrors are available in two options: universal towing mirrors and custom towing mirrors.

Universal Towing Mirrors

Universal towing mirrors attach to the preexisting mirrors by clip or suction cup. These towing mirrors can attach to nearly any vehicle and are usually less expensive than their custom fit counterparts. There are several varieties of attachable universal towing mirrors.

Custom Towing Mirrors

Custom towing mirrors attach by slipping over the preexisting mirror and clamping down via a thumb screw. These slip-on mirrors are a great option because they are made especially for your vehicle’s needs. These custom slip on mirrors will fit perfectly over the housing of your existing mirror because they are designed for specific makes and models. This perfect fit will reduce vibration of the viewing surface, giving you a clearer view of the road.

If you frequently have a trailer in tow it may make more sense for you to invest in a permanently mounted towing mirror. These mirrors are generally larger than their attachable cousins and often feature other benefits aside from the increased view. The two types of permanent towing mirror are mount mirrors and extendable mirrors.

Mount Mirrors for Towing

Extendable Towing Mirrors

Extendable towing mirrors are the ultimate in tow mirror options. These towing mirrors extend telescopically, which moves the viewing area as far as possible from the vehicle. With their large viewing surface and far distance from the cab, these mirrors offer unsurpassed visibility for when you really need it. Our extendable towing mirrors have the benefit of a fold-away design that allows you to fit in tight spaces. These mirrors offer several other features, such as electric adjustment and heated mirror surface. Extendable mirrors are fit for specific applications so they require no drilling to install. However, because these mirrors have so many features they are among the more expensive towing mirrors.

We carry many different types of towing mirrors and it is very important that you select the correct one for the make and model of vehicle and the right one for your needs.

If you have any questions about towing mirrors, please do not hesitate to call our experts at 1-800-358-4751.  You can order towing mirrors online at TruckSpring.com

Does your camper weigh down your truck’s back end? Does your camper cause your rear suspension to sag noticeably or bottom out as you pass over pot-holes, bumps and other road hazards? Even a super duty pickup can use some extra help when hauling that extra weight. If you are noticing these types of problems, it’s possible that your rear leaf springs could use some extra help. The Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Spring Kit could be the perfect solution to these problems.

We had a 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty Pick-up in the shop that had a 2010 Palomino Maverick 8801 slip in Truck Camper. The F-350’s rear springs held the camper well enough while it was sitting in the garage. But once it hit the road the pick-up’s ride was noticeably rougher and the extra weight caused the springs to excessively bounce when rebounding from large bumps. The camper also made the pick-up much more top heavy which caused sway as it negotiated corners. The obvious solution to this problem was to support the leaf springs with a Ride-Rite Air Bag Kit from Firestone.

The Firestone 2520 – Ride-Rite Rear Air Spring Kit is the perfect answer for this situation. The addition of these air bags can help in several ways. First, it reduces the amount of sway by reducing the amount of travel in the leaf spring. By keeping the spring from collapsing the pick-up is held level through turns, even with the uneven weight distribution. Second, these air bags smooth out the ride of the pick-up by allowing the driver to adjust the inflation of the air spring. This adjustment allows the driver to specifically match the cushioning of the spring to the weight of the load.

The OEM bump stop did not properly cushion the F-350's leaf springs while the Maverick Palomino Truck Camper was in place. Nearly twice the size of the OEM bump stop, the Firestone 2520 Air Springs removed a significant amount of travel from the leaf springs. Removing this travel smooths out the ride and increases the lifetime of the leaf springs by keeping them from bottoming out over rough surfaces. By investing in the Ride-Rite Air Spring kit, this customer saved himself the cost of future repairs.

The Firestone 2520 truck suspension air bag kit fits a 2011 Ford F-250 or F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks, 2WD or 4WD applications. These air springs are to be used on vehicles with a gasoline engine only. This kit fits trucks with factory installed 5th wheel or Gooseneck hitches.

Buy a Firestone Ride-Rite Air Spring Kit for the 2011 Ford F-350 from Truckspring.com, your source for truck suspension parts.

Firestone Ride-Rite Air Spring Kit – Rear

• Part #: 2520

Buy online at Truckspring.com or call 1-800-358-4751 to order Firestone air bag kits.

Even super duty vehicles need some help with their suspension when hauling a heavy equipment trailer or other loads. A heavy haul can cause costly damage to even the toughest work truck’s suspension. A Timbren Leveling kit is a cheap and easily installable solution to expensive and dangerous problems down the road.

A 2010 Ford F-550 Super Duty was recently brought to us for this very reason. This truck has been in use for hauling heavy equipment with a trailer. Even with its heavy duty suspension, it was in need of some extra leveling support to reduce the amount of roll and sway experienced while driving. The Timbren FRSDD Bump Stop was installed as an answer to this issue.

Once the Timbren FRSDD helper springs were installed, there was an immediately noticeable difference. The OEM bump stops, while of a heavy duty quality, could not compare the new helper spring. By adding the Timbren spring, we had removed the several inches of slack that had existed between the leaf spring and the OEM bump stop. As a result the Timbren Kit provides cushioning and support to the suspension at all times, as opposed to the OEM Bump stop which only will provide relief when the spring is about to bottom out. By avoiding this shock to the leaf spring, years can be added to your truck’s suspension.

The FRSDD Rear Timbren Kit fits:

• 2007 – 2011 F-450 Super Duty Cab & Chassis
• 2007 – 2009 F-550 Super Duty
• 2007 – 2011 F-550 Super Duty Cab & Chassis

Buy the Timbren Rear Helper Spring kit for the 2010 Ford F-550 Super Duty from Truckspring.com, your source for helper springs, air bags, and other truck suspension parts.

 Memorial Day has come and gone, that means summer has finally arrived. This is the time to get those campers, boats and trailers out of storage and back on the road. Unfortunately, this means added wear and tear on your pick-up truck’s suspension.

Have you been noticing that extra strain on your truck suspension lately? Are you bottoming out your leaf springs every time you pull your trailer? Is there a noticeable sway in your ride when you pull your boat? Does pulling that huge camper make you nervous around turns? If this is the case, your problems can be solved by adding a Timbren Suspension Enhancement System to your truck’s rear suspension.

We recently installed the Timbren GMRCK15S Rear Bump Stop in a 2002 GMC Sierra 4x4. The owner of this truck had been towing a 21 foot 5th wheel trailer and had noticed that his leaf springs were bottoming out. Concerned that the shock would damage his vehicle, he brought it to our truck suspension experts. Adding a Timbren kit to his vehicle’s suspension system was our answer.

Upon inspection of the Sierra, we found evidence of trouble already brewing. We noticed that his pre-existing bump stops were grossly inadequate for the load he was carrying. These bump stops were literally rotting off of their mounting brackets and took only a slight amount of pressure to snap them off completely.

Timbren kits are a popular addition to a truck’s suspension for several reasons. Adding a Timbren kit can go a long way to improve the quality of your vehicle’s ride by increasing the stability of your leaf springs. By decreasing the leaf springs’ range of movement, the Timbren helper spring cushions the impact on your suspension system, resulting in more road shock being absorbed by your suspension and less shock absorbed by you. Further, by replacing the pre-existing OEM bump stop, the Timbren kit protects your vehicle from the damaging effects of overloading. This protection increases the life of your vehicle and its suspension system.

The GMRCK15S fits 1999 – 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, two wheel and four wheel vehicles. This kit will fit regular or 3 door models but it will not fit XFE models.

Buy the Timbren Rear Helper Spring Kit for the 2002 GMC Sierra 4x4 from Truckspring.com, your source for truck suspension parts.

Rear Timbren SES Kit

• Part #: Timbren GMRCK15S

 

 

Buy online at Truckspring.com or call 1-800-358-4751.

 

Does your pick-up truck’s suspension need some extra help while pulling your trailer or hauling a heavy load? Don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to improve the quality of your ride? Then the Firestone Ride-Rite air spring kit could be the suspension enhancement option you are looking for.

We recently installed the 2525 – Firestone Ride-Rite air spring kit in a 2009 Ford F-150 4x4. The owner of the F-150 drove from Montreal, Quebec to our garage in Saginaw, Michigan. Why did he make the 613 mile (987km) drive? Because we had the best prices on parts and installation he could find. He needed extra support for his suspension while towing his camper and wanted the features that the Firestone Ride-Rite air spring can offer.

The 2525 air spring offers many advantages over traditional leaf springs. This kit employs the Firestone FIR6781 double convoluted air helper spring. These air springs (also known as air bags) use compressed air, sealed in a fabric reinforced rubber bellows which has two convolutions. The main advantage of an air spring is that it can be adjusted by adding or removing air from the bellows. Because the air spring employs a sealed chamber of air, the compression of the bellows will increase the amount of pressure on the spring. This causes the amount of cushioning to increase with the amount of weight on the spring, providing a level and more comfortable ride while giving your leaf springs a longer life.

Theres no comparing the OEM bump stop with the Firestone Ride-Rite double convoluted air bag. Not only is the air spring much larger than the bump stop, but it utilizes compressed air to cushion your ride, rather than the OEM's rigid rubber cushion.

The Firestone 2525 Ride-Rite air spring kit includes all the parts needed to install the air spring. This air bag kit includes the following items for quick installation:

• 2 Firestone FIR6781 Double Convolution Air Springs
• 2 sets of top and bottom mounting brackets
• 1 roll of air line
• 2 separate inflation valves for manual inflation
• All necessary mounting Hardware

 

 

The 2525 fits 2009 – 2011 Ford F-150s and is for rear suspension applications. Buy a Firestone Ride-Rite Air Spring Kit from Truckspring.com, your source for truck suspension parts. We stock most major brands of helper air bags and air spring kits.

Firestone Ride-Rite Rear Air Spring Kit

• Part #: 2525

Firestone Double Convoluted Air Bag

• Part #: FIR6781

Buy Firestone air spring kits at Truckspring.com or call 1-800-358-4751 if you have any questions. 

 The EH3050 e-Hitch is a rigid mount coupler is designed for industrial and aviation ground support applications. Ideal for luggage towing in airport operations, this e-Hitch coupler has many features that ensures quick and secure coupling. These features combine to create a superior coupling device that gives the user the ability to customize their towing experience.

The new EH3050 e-Hitch features a 2.125 inch (54mm) heat-treated and high-strength pin which features an internal spring and integral keyway. By placing the spring on the inside of the pin, the spring is protected from impact during coupling or operation. The integral keyway allows the pin to be locked in the ‘up’ position with the 1/8 turn of the fold-down handle. The handle can easily be reversed to convert from fold-down handle to a rigid handle. By employing the integral keyway in combination with the frame-mounted key, the need to hunt for the keyway while in operation is eliminated, which leads to quicker operating coupler.

The frame of the EH3050 e-Hitch also provides some protection to the working parts. The frame is made from high-strength cast steel to be resistant to wear and powder coated to resist corrosion. The powder coated finish is available in yellow or white. The throat area of the e-Hitch slopes inward (negative slope), this design reduces play between the coupler and the drawbar, effectively minimizing drawbar bouncing or chucking.

This coupler’s mounting pattern allows for a range of weight capacities. Its maximum drawbar pull (DBP) ranges from 30,000 lbs. (13,610kg) to 50,000 lbs. (22,680kg) Its maximum vertical load is always 500 lbs. (227kg). Because the EH3050 e-Hitch features a “flex-mount” bolt pattern, these weight capacities depend on how the coupler is mounted. Further, this allows the e-Hitch to replace several different couplers and pintle hooks.

IMPORTANT: There is no secondary lock mechanism. This coupler is not designed for over-the- road applications.

The EH3050 e-Hitch Replaces the following Holland Products

Couplers:

• EH-20 Series
• EH-40 Series

Pintle Hooks:

• BH-200RN8
• BH-50mmRN
• PH-10RP
• PH-T-60-AOL-8
• PH-30RP

Buy the SAF-Holland EH-3050 e-Hitch Coupler for Industrial and Aviation ground support from Truckspring.com, your source for coupling products.

e-Hitch Coupler - Yellow Finish

• Part #: EH3050-13

e-Hitch Coupler – White Finish

• Part #: EH3050-14

Buy online at Truckspring.com or call Michigan Truck Spring 1-800-358-4751. They are an authorized SAF-Holland warehouse distributor.

Periodically inspecting your suspension air bags can increase their life and make operation safer. Luckily, there are nine easy steps to making sure that your air springs are undamaged and operating correctly. These steps can be taken while the vehicle is in for periodic maintenance. The total inspection takes a matter of minutes to complete. Finding and correcting problems with your air springs before you hit the road will save you time and money.

1. Inspect the outside diameter of the air spring. Make sure to check the bellows for signs of irregular wear or heat cracking.
2. 
   Inspect the airlines to make sure there isn’t contact between the air line and the outside diameter of the air spring. While in operation, contact between these parts can create friction and rub holes in the spring very quickly.
3. Ensure that there is sufficient clearance around the total circumference of the air bag while it is inflated to its maximum size.
4. Look for debris buildup around the air bag's piston. The piston is the bottom component that plunges the air from the bellows on reversible sleeve style air bags.
5. Make sure the correct ride height can be maintained. Any vehicle featuring air bags have an established ride height specified by the original equipment manufacturer. The ride height should be specified in the vehicle’s service manual. Make sure that the ride height is within ¼ inch of the specified height. This measurement can be taken while the vehicle loaded or empty.
6. Inspect, clean, and if necessary, replace leveling valves or height control valves. These valves play a large part in ensuring that the total air spring system works as required.
7. Make sure your shock absorbers and end connectors are not worn or broken. Be on the look out for leaking hydraulic oil, as this can be a sign that your shocks are damaged. If this is the case, you must replace your shock absorbers immediately. Your air bag can overextend and become damaged if the shock absorber does not limit its rebound.
8. Check all mounting hardware to make sure that they are tightly fastened. If nuts and bolts are loose, you should re-torque them to the tightness specified by the manufacturer, being careful to not over tighten.
9. Clean the air spring with the approved cleaning products, such as soap and water, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, and methyl alcohol. Non-approved cleaners include abrasives, open flames, all organic solvents and direct pressurized steam cleaning.

Important: Never service the air suspension on a truck or trailer with the air springs inflated. 

Firestone Air Bags and Air Spring Kits