TruckSpring Times

Installing a Timbren Kit on a 2012 Ford F-150 is simple to do and only requires a few basic tools. Timbren offers 2 different kits for the rear of a 2012 Ford F-150. For this Timbren application the customer tows a horse trailer and frequently hauls heavy loads. We decided to go with the heavier Timbren kit FRTT1502D. Timbren Kit FRTT1502D fits 2009-2012 Ford F150's, both 2 or 4 wheel drive. The kit has a 7,000 lb maximum rating, which is more than enough for a F-150.

Below is a summary of what is involved for this 2012 F150 Timbren install.

1. Raise your 2012 Ford F-150 allowing the axle to hang freely.
2. Remove your existing bumpstop using a 13 mm socket.
3. Assemble Timbren rubber spring and bracket
4. Mount the Timbren spring using the existing holes in the frame with supplied fasteners.
5. Lower vehicle and your good to go!

The rubber Timbren spring for a 2012 F-150 is desinged to sit about an inch above the axle as you can see in the picture below. This allows the suspension to work as desinged from the factory without assistance from the Timbren kit. (The flaking on the spring is normal and will come off after a few car washes)

We connected the customers horse trailer to test out the install. As you can see the spring is now in contact with the axle, but is hardly compressed. The Timbren spring is hollow on the inside which allows it to have some 'give' and expand and contract with varing load conditions. When the horse trailer is loaded with horses the spring will compress and help support the tongue weight of the trailer and prevent the 2012 F-150 from sagging.

As you can see the 2012 Ford F-150 sits level and is ready for the road.


You can view the Instructions for Timbren Kit FRTT1502D

Order online at TruckSpring.com or call 1-800-358-4751.

Happy travels!

Timbren kits are great for supporting heavy loads on your trucks suspension. Timbren SES suspension kits do not change your ride when your truck is unloaded or when you are not towing your camper. Every wonder what a Timbren kit looks like in action? This new video from Timbren Industries shows a Timbren kit going down the road while loaded and unloaded.

You can order Timbren Kits online at TruckSpring.com or phone 1-800-358-4751. Free shipping in the contiguous U.S. and always quick.

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.

 

Do you notice excessive bouncing, sway or sag in your suspension while towing that camper, boat or equipment trailer with your pick-up truck? Adding a helper spring to your rear suspension will keep you riding smoothly while hauling those heavy loads.

A Timbren Kit Suspension Enhancement System is an affordable option for improving the suspension of your pick-up truck. Installing Timbren helper springs is easy, requires no special tools and can be done in just a few minutes by almost anyone.

A 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 was brought to us when its owner noticed that his trailer was causing his rear suspension to bottom out while negotiating the rough terrain of his job sites. He wanted to save his shocks the wear and damage from such rigorous use and the DR1525H4 Timbren bump stop for rear suspensions were the obvious answer to this problem.

When placed side by side, the difference between the OEM stop bump (left) and the DR1525H4 Helper Spring (right) is obvious.

We were able to install the Timbren helper springs into the Dodge Ram in about ten minutes using only a ratchet set. Upgrade your suspension and install a Timbren Kit in your pick-up truck in five simple steps.

1. 
   Raise the vehicle – Use your lift, jack or pit to give yourself room to work. Preferably, the vehicle should be raised so that the axle is able to hang freely.
2. Remove existing parts – Use your ratchet set to unbolt the preexisting bump stop assembly.
3. Assemble the helper spring – Assemble the Aeon rubber spring and bracket with the provided hardware. The spacer disc is only needed if the gap between the helper spring and the lower support is greater than 1 inch on ½ and ¾ ton pick-ups or ½ inch on 1 ton trucks. Important: This distance should be measured when the vehicle is unloaded.
4. Mount the assembly – Bolt the assembly to the frame assuring that the bracket is flush with the frame and the helper spring lines up directly with the lower support.
5. Lower vehicle – With your helper spring assembly securely fastened to the vehicle, you are ready to lower your truck and start enjoying the benefits of your newly upgraded truck suspension.

Do you have a 2011 F250 Super Duty pick-up truck? Are you looking for a smoother ride while pulling that camper, boat or trailer? If so, the Timbren FR250SDG SES Bump Stop Kit is the perfect solution for improving the quality of your ride.

This Timbren Rear Suspension Kit includes a rubber helper spring especially designed for the 2011 Ford F250 Super Duty pick-up. This rubber helper spring improves your ride and protects your vehicle by working with your existing suspension. The rubber helper spring will cushion your leaf springs from becoming damaged by the rigors of overloading, road shock, bottoming out and sway.

The Timbren Rear Suspension Kit solves several of the main problems associated with hauling a heavy load, such as suspension sag, body roll, rough ride and trailer sway.

A heavy rear load, such as a 5^th wheel trailer, can really abuse your truck’s leaf springs causing them to sag and even become damaged. With an 8,600 lbs. capacity the Timbren rear suspension kit protects your truck springs from damage caused by bottoming out on bumps my acting as a bump stop and restricting the range of motion available to the spring.

While taking a turn, the weight of your vehicle shifts, moving the center of gravity away from the center of the vehicle. The farther it moves from the center of the vehicle, the less stable the vehicle becomes. The rubber helper springs help to distribute weight evenly to all tires. This even distribution makes steering easier, decreases wear and tear on your breaks and tires.

The FR250SDG Timbren Rear Suspension Kit is easy to install. It requires no special tools or skills, does not use air lines, and bolts to your frame using existing holes. Each kit comes complete with all necessary parts and instructions for easy installation on to your 2011 F250. Additionally, the instructions can be found on Timbren's website.

Buy the Timbren FR250SDG Rear Bump Stop for the Ford F250 Super Duty Pickup Truck, an inexpensive solution for some expensive problems. Truckspring.com is your source for truck suspension parts.

Manufacturer Suggested Sales Price: $259.95
FREE shipping
Buy online or call Truckspring.com at: 1-800-358-4751.

Do you have a truck and it sags more than you like when  towing a trailer or a hauling a bed full of supplies?  Ever wonder what is the best solution to get rid of the suspension sag, so your truck drives normally?

• air bag kits or non-air suspension kits?
• Air Lift or Timbren?
• Firestone air springs or Hellwig helper springs?

These are common questions and we will touch on a few of the pros and cons of each to make your buying decision a little easier.
 
Which is better? In our experience over the years, we've found that both air suspension kits and kits that don't use air will reduce suspension sag.  If you search the web, you'll find truck, motorhome and SUV owners around the world using one or the other, that would recommend either of them to friends.  Rather than ask which is better, perhaps a better question is “Which suspension kit is better for me?”

Pros and Cons? Lets take a quick look and a few of the pros and cons of each kit to help you weigh your decision.

 

AIR SPRING KITS:

 

Firestone Ride-Rite
Firestone Coil-Rite
Firestone Sport-Rite
Air Lift Load-Lifter 5000
Air Lift 1000
Air Lift Ride-Control
Hellwig Air Springs

 Pros:

Air adjustable: A little obvious, but this is the major plus that a non-air kit can never overcome, the ability to adjust your truck to the desired ride height. Hook up your trailer, truck sags a few inches, no problem. Inflate the air springs until your truck is level. Done towing and just using the truck for the daily commute? Simply remove the air pressure until air springs are at the minimum required air pressure, and your good to go.

Level Side-to-Side: Have a motorhome with a tank full of water on one side, or a pickup with a slide in camper and your leaning to one side? With air springs, you have the option of running a “T” fitting and inflating both the air springs equally, or running the air lines separately  to each bag which allows you to increase the pressure on one side over the other. This allows you to level out the side with the water tank, etc.

Cons:

 Air Leaks, holes, etc.  Yes, using air to level your truck is a major plus, and the advantages do outweigh the disadvantages, but air does require more attention and opens the door for cons that a non-air load leveling kit will never experience. When dealing with air, you have the potential to run into leaks, damaged air line, holes in air springs etc. These problems can all be easily repaired, and are not very common in the big picture, but they do happen. If you're planning on extensive travel, it's never a bad idea to have a spare air spring and some air line. Replacement air springs and air line are readily available and not very expensive.

Time to install: You will have to allow yourself a few more hours to install an air suspension kit. The instructions get better every year and now include detailed images, and many kits are no-drill, bolt on installations, but it still can be time consuming. They are not technically difficult to install, but it can take some time to cut, run the air lines, etc. Click to view the Air Lift 57275 installation instructions for the Chevy 2500HD and GMC Sierra 2500HD.

Maintaining Minimum Air Pressure: This is about as easy as it gets, but is one of the major causes of air spring failure. All kits require a minimum air pressure, usually 5-10 PSI. While its easy to check them while filling up for gas or washing your truck, people tend to forget. Running air springs without the minimum air pressure can cause them to tear or rub against something causing a hole. The best solution if your concerned about this, is an air compressor kit. This gives you the ability to monitor the air pressure from inside the cab and takes all the guessing away.

NON-AIR SUSPENSION
LOAD LEVELING KITS

Timbren Kits
Air Lift Air Cell Kits
Firestone Work-Rite Kits

Pros:

 Install and forget: Once you install a rubber or urethane suspension kit, your done. No worrying about air pressure, leaks, etc. They are maintenance free, and are great for company trucks, when other employees may be driving them.

Easy to install: Installation for these kits usually takes about an hour, and can be done with simple hand tools. For most installations you simply unbolt your existing rubber bump stop, and bolt the rubber spring in its place. For a sample installation, view the Timbren GMRCK25S Installation Instructions for the Chevy Silverado 2500HD and Sierra 2500HD.

Cost: These kits typically are $180-$300, depending on your appliation. Cost to install is also less than installation of an air spring kit, if you're not planning on doing it yourself.

Cons:

 Not Adjustable: While these suspension kits are progressive, and will stiffen up when a load is placed on them, you do not have the ability to adjust it to the exact desired height as you do an air bag kit. The rubber or urethane springs will expand and contract with the varying load conditions, but you cannot control the ride height or the stiffness of the springs.

Summary

 Both air adjustable and non-air suspension kits will help reduce suspension sag, prevent body roll, reduce sway, and help level out your vehicle.  Adjustability, maintenance, installation time, and cost differentiate the various kits.  We hope this helps clear up some of the differences between them. 

Positive feedback can be found on both types of kits.  Feel free to post your comments on the experiences you have had with either of the two, that may help someone else decide “Which suspension kit is best for me?”