Truck ride quality with airbags vs. timbren helper springs

[Gronk1]

I have Air Lift bags with a remote compressor & Bilsteins. I also have valves inside the fuel fill door in case the compressor or batteries in the remote ever die. I run 5-8 lbs when empty, seems to help the ride (also dropping air pressure in the tires. With the trailer, I run 50 to 70 lbs. depending on road conditions & how heavy I load.
I had Firestones on my old F250 where the cages collapsed-went to Air Lift on it & the dually & have had no problems.
I've run I40 from California thru Flagstaff (nasty A.. road) in the winter, with & without bags. I don't come down as hard on the overloads with bags, a little more bounce, but better than feeling I was bouncing off the frame

[msutoad]

I have Air Lift bags with a remote compressor & Bilsteins. I also have valves inside the fuel fill door in case the compressor or batteries in the remote ever die. I run 5-8 lbs when empty, seems to help the ride (also dropping air pressure in the tires. With the trailer, I run 50 to 70 lbs. depending on road conditions & how heavy I load.
I had Firestones on my old F250 where the cages collapsed-went to Air Lift on it & the dually & have had no problems.
I've run I40 from California thru Flagstaff (nasty A.. road) in the winter, with & without bags. I don't come down as hard on the overloads with bags, a little more bounce, but better than feeling I was bouncing off the frame

Thanks for that info. I know one of the challenges is air pressure in the rear tires. I run closer to max psi given I’m a SRW and I’m always pulling heavy. I don’t want a rear tire blowout because of under inflation for sure. When I’m not pulling I lower the pressure to 70 I’m the rear which is much nice than closer to 80.

I will be on that I-40 stretch you spoke about in the spring so good info also, THX!!

Jason

[Mike Clay]

I have Air Lift bags with a remote compressor & Bilsteins. I also have valves inside the fuel fill door in case the compressor or batteries in the remote ever die. I run 5-8 lbs when empty, seems to help the ride (also dropping air pressure in the tires. With the trailer, I run 50 to 70 lbs. depending on road conditions & how heavy I load.
I had Firestones on my old F250 where the cages collapsed-went to Air Lift on it & the dually & have had no problems.
I've run I40 from California thru Flagstaff (nasty A.. road) in the winter, with & without bags. I don't come down as hard on the overloads with bags, a little more bounce, but better than feeling I was bouncing off the frame

I also have a 2015 F-350. After reading your post I searched the Bilstein website. They have so many options. Can you remember which of their products you used? Thanks. Mike

[Gronk1]

I also have a 2015 F-350. After reading your post I searched the Bilstein website. They have so many options. Can you remember which of their products you used? Thanks. Mike

I believe they are 4600 series... stock, no lift. Can't remember the part #, & receipt is long gone, sorry.

[Mike Clay]

Thank you.

[RoJoSo]

I don't have any experience with air bags, but I installed Timbrens on my previous truck. Since they don't engage when not towing, they didn't affect that ride at all. They actually improved the ride with 3,000 lbs. pin weight on the rear axle and stopped the bottoming-out feeling on those bad transitions you mention (yes - we've done a lot of towing on I-95 between Augusta, GA, and Aberdeen, MD, which includes the beltways around DC and Baltimore).

Rob

I too run with Timbrens. Like Bob mentioned, when I'm not weighted down, then I'm riding on my original suspension. Also I don't need to worry about air leaks
or having the proper inflation, or worry about any failures. Nothing really to fail on the Timbrens. One less issue to worry about.

[Mike Clay]

I too run with Timbrens. Like Bob mentioned, when I'm not weighted down, then I'm riding on my original suspension. Also I don't need to worry about air leaks
or having the proper inflation, or worry about any failures. Nothing really to fail on the Timbrens. One less issue to worry about.

Do the Timbrens perform the same function as SumoSprings? I’ve been reading as much as I can trying to determine what to do with my truck to prepare to pull a fifth wheel. Both the SumoSprings and Timbrens seem to get good reviews. I have not seen anything that describes how they differ.

I have a 4,500 lb gooseneck equipment trailer that I use to transport a 10,000 lb track loader. Also a gooseneck stock trailer, gooseneck hay trailer, etc. When hauling heavy loads my truck feels like it is bottoming out. I can live with it infrequently hauling hay, moving equipment, etc. locally but I don’t want to spend a lot of time on the road pulling a fifth wheel long distances without addressing my suspension.

[RoJoSo]

Do the Timbrens perform the same function as SumoSprings? I’ve been reading as much as I can trying to determine what to do with my truck to prepare to pull a fifth wheel. Both the SumoSprings and Timbrens seem to get good reviews. I have not seen anything that describes how they differ.

I have a 4,500 lb gooseneck equipment trailer that I use to transport a 10,000 track loader. Also a gooseneck stock trailer, gooseneck hay trailer, etc. When hauling heavy loads my truck feels like it is bottoming out. I can live with it infrequently hauling hay, moving equipment, etc. locally but I don’t want to spend a lot of time on the road pulling a fifth wheel long distances.

They do perform the same function. Sumo offers several spring weights. Timbrens are a heavier spring.

This link will answer many of your questions
https://www.truckspring.com/timbren-vs-sumosprings.aspx

As stated in my signature, I use the - Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System R250SDG
They are a heavier spring which is what I was looking for.

[Mike Clay]

They do perform the same function. Sumo offers several spring weights. Timbrens are a heavier spring.

This link will answer many of your questions
https://www.truckspring.com/timbren-vs-sumosprings.aspx

As stated in my signature, I use the - Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System R250SDG
They are a heavier spring which is what I was looking for.

That was a great help. Thank you.

[DECelt]

I don't have any experience with air bags, but I installed Timbrens on my previous truck. Since they don't engage when not towing, they didn't affect that ride at all. They actually improved the ride with 3,000 lbs. pin weight on the rear axle and stopped the bottoming-out feeling on those bad transitions you mention (yes - we've done a lot of towing on I-95 between Augusta, GA, and Aberdeen, MD, which includes the beltways around DC and Baltimore).

Rob

Agree 100%. The Bilsteins will virtually eliminate the oscillation and the Timbren springs stabilize and prevent the bottoming out of the leaf springs. The Timbren will also help to extend the life of your shocks. We've towed heavy on the NH to FL route....at the limit of our SRW "1 tons" for years with this exact setup (and without) and it is night and day. I did add sumo springs to my 310GK and they also help to eliminate excess oscillation in the rear of the trailer, but only by shortening spring travel. I would say they are not as good as trailer shocks, but a lot easier to install if you have nothing there to begin with.

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