last week i put Timbren helper springs on my truck. i wanted to add carrying capacity without so much sag, but i didn't want to add height or make the unloaded ride stiffer. the kit comes with the rubber springs, mounting brackets, hardware, and a pair of solid 1 inch spacers. they bolt in easily where the factory rubber stops mount. the spacers are optional. i originally put them in, and the truck sat directly on the timbrens, and the ride was, umm, stiff. so i removed the spacers which put the truck back on the leaf springs, and gave me about a 1/2 inch gap between the timbren springs and the stops. this gave me back the original ride (unloaded). haven't been able to load it down with wood yet, can't wait to try it.

i bought part number DR1525H4 for my 01 4wd from Colter Distributing. $154.95 w/free shipping.

one thing that i thought need attention. you bolt the rubber spring to the frame bracket and there is a nut welded onto the bracket. there seemed to be a very tight locking ring or unthreaded secton or something at the top of the nut. the bolt would thread in the bottom easily but wouldn't go all the way through easily. i knew i might take the spacers back off and i didn't want to strip the bolt, so i ran a tap through the nut to open up the top of it. then i used locktite and a locknut just for good luck.

 

kool i just had these things that extend the springsm dont know if they actually do anything lol

 

follow up.. these things are awesome. load er down boys, she'll not squat now.
i'll get a firewood hauling picture one of these days.

 

That's a kill deal. I need the same. Just to be clear (sorry if it's dense) but these are bolt in? No drilling required?


Thanks,
Matt

 

correct. you unbolt the rubber bump stops, and bolt in the timbren rubber springs in their exact same place. no drilling nor bashing nor having to think too hard. the only little thing i had to do, that i shouldn't have, was the timben mounting plates had a little slag or something in their tapped holes, and i had to run a tap through it to clean it out.

 

Hmm, thats interesting.

So the ride is the same with them intalled the way you have it, even if you hit like a good sized pot hole?
Id like to do somthing to mine, as it looked kinda dorky when I had 2000+ lbs back there.

 

depends on the size of the pot hole, and how much gap you have between the rubber springs and the bump stop ledge. i have about a 1/2 inch gap, and can take a decent bump with normal spring travel absorbing the bump, and maintaining normal ride. but, if the pothole is deep enough for the rubber spring to hit, you'll feel it.

when you load the truck down, and the leaf spring collapses down, and the rubber spring comes into play and starts to help carry the load. now you've got a pretty firm ride.

with a full load of firewood, i now only get a couple inches of squat, instead of about 8 inches.

 

well after 5 years, i finally got around to posting some pics.

this is 17 rounds of green white oak, 18 inches long and about 18 inches in diameter. the bed's not completely full, but it was a heavy-*** load, probably around 1500-1700 pounds.

with timbrens - the bed only squatted about 2-3 inches.
without timbrens - it'd be about dragging the ground and looking like crap.

 

Nice! Not only does it look like crap when you go too nose high, the truck handles worse the more the rear end sags. Ironic considering that with a load is when you most need everything working its best. $150 isn't too bad at all. I was very seriously considering those before I bought my air bags.

 

truck looks good and those helper springs really make a big difference. I dont have any but i have the same drag the ground look you use to when loaded.

I hauled alot of oak last year for the first time with my truck and man is oak ever heavy.