Timbren's... Any Good?

[CORVAIRWILD]

My friend has a 2007 Chevy 1500 Silverado 4x4 excab 6" bed, and he will be towing a 6000 lb trailer (loaded), and thinks he should install Timbren's. I think they're highly overrated, or promoted. He normally travels empty. I think they just are rubber bumper snubbers, and will do nothing to prevent or arrest sway as their pamphlet claims. Truck also has new oversize tires, prolly load range D's.

The trailer is an aluminum 20' V nose (24' total), and he'll be using it to tow snow sleds or ATV's.

We just towed a Hyundai Sonata on my dolly, and at 30mph he had a death wobble. I only own 3/4 ton trucks, and have towed alot and never had that prob. I was driving w him, and watched the Hyundai steering his pickup, scary!

Suggestions?

 

[NVW]

http://www.activesuspension.com/

Turbine Doc swears by this, he's pulled 18k loads behind his 1500 6.5

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

http://www.activesuspension.com/

Turbine Doc swears by this, he's pulled 18k loads behind his 1500 6.5

They WORK! I have a set on my BURB and LOVE em.

 

[handcannon]

I have a big question about the active suspension. I have a K2500 pickup, 8400 GVW, which has overload springs on it. These overloads set above the main springs, and don't come into play until a certain amount of weight makes the rear of the vehicle settle down, bringing them into contact with the overload brackets on the frame.

I've carefully looked over the website and I like the theory behind the active suspension, but for this instance I have a "show me, prove it" attitude.

The active suspension requires that these overloads be removed as they both utilize the same space/location on the stock main springs. The overloads are there for a reason, to compensate for those times when a heavy load is hauled, without making the unloaded times spine jarring. Removal of the overload will negatively affect the load carrying capacity of the pickup. I find it hard to believe that the active suspension can replace the lost load carrying capacity. I DO use that load capacity from time to time, usually when I'm hauling firewood. Not too long ago I had a real heavy load in the back of the pickup that was proven to be just over 8K pounds. Putting the load in the back of the pickup I knew it was a very heavy load, but not that it was that heavy until I weighed part of the load and figured out the real time weight.

Has anybody out there removed the overloads and installed the active suspension without negatively affecting the load carrying capacity?

Can anybody out there show me, prove to me, that my thinking is flawed? If I didn't occasionally utilize the overloads I'd have no reservations about trying the active suspension. With my back problems I'm into smooth suspensions, just not into the marshmallow ride of the big luxury sedans (despise it), or the spine jarring ride given by the real heavy suspension.

Don

 

[RI Chevy Silveradoman]

Paul had a set on his truck and he uses it for towing almost daily. Maybe he will chime in.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

I still think they're HIGHLY overrated! I also kinda' wonder about single leaf overload spring seen on many 3/4 and 1 ton pickups. 1 leaf? Really? Seems one would need 2 or 3 extras. I suppose GM or Ford or Chrysler engineers know the exact load carrying cap of any given leaf, be it a thick short one, or a long skinny one. I don't think the single extra leaf will make any kind of noticeable diff in ride harshness.

I do recall reading a late 80's Chevy truck brochure mentioning the longer leafs (on the totally redesigned trucks) giving a smoother ride as they distribute the load over a longer spring. I can believe it, as my newer gen Subs ride ALOT smoother than my OBS Subs, and the 6.5 runs ALOT smoother than the 6.2's.

 

[Pepperidge]

I like my timbrens...they do decrease sway(IMO) the rubbers are configured in a bellows pattern and each stage adds more rigidity as needed as you place heavier loads on the truck...They are much cheaper than airbags/ride rites, but if I had to do it over again, I would consider bags in the equation...

 

[Adirondack Man]

Guys,
I am Corvair wild's buddy. Thanks for all the good info. I ended up purchasing Firestone Airbags and an onboard compressor at a trade show this weekend. They should arrive in the next two weeks. I am pumped to install them. I also purchased a set of Daystar airbag cradles for them. That way I do not have to worry about strapping the suspension if I ever put the truck on a lift.

 

[NVW]

Welcome to TTS.

I have airbags and find they help my ride, especially now that my truck in on the overloads without them.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

View attachment 37194View attachment 37195View attachment 37196View attachment 37197I'm glad Adirondackman joined up! He says he's my friend. I didn't know I had any friends!

I am considering air bags for my '93 Silverado 3/4 ton 4x4 ex cab 8' bed 6.5 Tdiesel. I went to an RV show yest, and really like the CampLite all aluminum truck slide in camper. But $20,000, so I'll prolly keep looking at used ones, But I'm sure they all have rot, oh well... Here's my next road trip plan...

 

[Adirondack Man]

Sweet set up. An aluminum slide in sounds like the way to go if for nothing else than the weight savings.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

$3500 for a used wood one or $20,000 for aluminum??? yeesh!!!

 

[DieselCash]

$3500 for a used wood one or $20,000 for aluminum??? yeesh!!!

That is cheap for a new camper of that size. Compare the other campers of the same length.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

$3500 would get the wife mad, $20,000? I should make a video, but the blood from my split head would be ugly