Timbren question

[daily_double]

I am thinking of installing Timbrens on the rear of my F350 dually. Do those of you who have them notice a harsher ride?

[sonuvabug]

Grit dog wrote:
... snipped ... Can't have your cake and eat it too.
Cheap, easy, comfortable...pick 2. I like Timbrens for their simplicity and ability, not the comfort.

I disagree. The Sumo Super Springs provided me with all three. A very impressive fix that was economical and works great ... both performance and comfort-wise.

My story ... Sumo SuperSprings

[ejfranz]

Another fan of Timbrens and I do not notice any harsh ride when unloaded.

[whizbang]

A few of the earlier posts on this thread compared air bags to timbrens. I have had air bags on two trucks and timbrens on one.

I much prefer the timbrens. I won't go into detail since I don't want to hijack the thread. However, the only time air bags are better than timbrens is when your camper is badly out of level side-to-side and your truck camper leans to one side.

[towpro]

Bedlam wrote:
Going to Energy Suspension stops reduces problem this because they compress more.

I ran the Energy Suspension blocks as uppers on my 2006 Ram 3500 SRW for 60K miles, and now my brother is using it (same blocks). They used to really squish pretty good with a load. I was thinking of putting them on my new 2015 ram, but I was not sure how they would hold up to the additional weight.

on my Dually I am carrying 1500 extra lbs.

On my SRW truck with 5th wheel loaded, it raised back end up to where it was level.

The new Rams 3500's with the auto air bag system ride level loaded.
mine already rides level with camper loaded, so not sure I need to do anything.

Have you run them on a dually?

[Bedlam]

What people are describing with the Timbrens is similar to the upper StableLoad spring pads - If you have them to too close to your overload spring, any large suspension movement will cause poor ride. Going to Energy Suspension stops reduces problem this because they compress more. I know Timbrens have two different densities of stops available for different loading capacity. The softer ones will be more compliant when contacted while the highest rated ones will resist that compression more. You need to choose your gap and density for the best balance between load handling and unloaded ride - It will be a compromise that needs to set by your conditions and sensitivity.

[jjj]

I had them for a year. They rode fine but when I hit a big bump it felt like they bottomed out and had a harsh thump coming out of the bump. I recently made my home made stable loads on my upper overloads and took off the timbrens. Now my overloads contact sooner and have no sag and rides fine just relying only on my factory suspension. It rides level and lost the thump on big bumps.

[SidecarFlip]

Fastbrit wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
The things remind me of the old Freightliner 'Velvet Ride' suspension. Thete is no give. Velvet ride allowed truck drivers to seriously overload without fear of a sagging suspension.. They rode like a lumber wagon as well

Give me air bags and an on board compressor anyday. I can tailor the ride to the load plus the air bags have travel, the Timbrens are just solid urethane blocks. No travel.

"Timbrens are just solid urethane blocks":S

What a funny guy!!!:W well....You should at least go to their website before making such a false comparison.

Air bag didn't do well on my setup. After some testing with different suspension improvement systems the timbrens at 4 corners and good shock was the most forgiving systems for a heavy camper.

Whatever...eh?

[stevenal]

When I first installed my Timbrens, I went for the Timbren instruction gap (1/2 or 3/4", don't remember which) when unloaded. The ride was really bad. I removed the spacer to increase the gap, and all was well, both with the camper and without. You need to avoid the situation where the Timbren is slamming the stop.

[Fastbrit]

SidecarFlip wrote:
The things remind me of the old Freightliner 'Velvet Ride' suspension. Thete is no give. Velvet ride allowed truck drivers to seriously overload without fear of a sagging suspension.. They rode like a lumber wagon as well

Give me air bags and an on board compressor anyday. I can tailor the ride to the load plus the air bags have travel, the Timbrens are just solid urethane blocks. No travel.

"Timbrens are just solid urethane blocks":S

What a funny guy!!!:W well....You should at least go to their website before making such a false comparison.

Air bag didn't do well on my setup. After some testing with different suspension improvement systems the timbrens at 4 corners and good shock was the most forgiving systems for a heavy camper.

[Americamper]

Mine rode like rocks.I followed the instructions .I ditched them after 8k miles.

[Grit_dog]

Having used most all sorts of rear susp band aids for load carrying capacity....Timbrens aren't to make the truck ride smoother, they're to keep the frame off the axle with a little cushion as a bonus. Can't have your cake and eat it too.
Cheap, easy, comfortable...pick 2.
I like Timbrens for their simplicity and ability, not the comfort.

[SugarHillCTD]

Beau Bo wrote:
After I installed them I didn't find the ride rougher but I did find it different. The sensation I noticed was that when hitting bumps, highway expansion joints, etc., it feels like a lurch or a launch out of the bump as the springs in the Timbrens decompress. I called Timbren and they sent me replacements with a lower spring rate (no cost to me) and although the sensation was diminished it is still noticeable to me.

I had them on our truck but went back to airbags because of that sensation.

I agree about the kind of a weird rebound when they decompress.

[daily_double]

OP here, I installed the timbrens and there may be a very slight more harshness but not that much. I'm glad I did it.

[MORSNOW]

SidecarFlip wrote:
The things remind me of the old Freightliner 'Velvet Ride' suspension. Thete is no give. Velvet ride allowed truck drivers to seriously overload without fear of a sagging suspension.. They rode like a lumber wagon as well

Give me air bags and an on board compressor anyday. I can tailor the ride to the load plus the air bags have travel, the Timbrens are just solid urethane blocks. No travel.

Not true, Timbrens are not solid blocks of urethane. They are made of rubber and have a hollow center allowing a shock absorbing cushion. I even have the HD version and have never felt I was riding on a "lumber wagon".

This thread has remained civil with users of Timbrens answering the OP's questions, no mention of air bags in their post.