Load Support Products

[LoNeStAr]

I am looking to add a little support to the rear of my truck for heavier loads and for when we purchase our travel trailer and I can’t make up my mind! I would like to know what everyone else is using and what you think of your decision if you would like to add any comments.

 

[SpeedyV]

For my needs, anything beyond the stock air suspension...should probably not be attempted with a 1/2-ton.

 

[Birdman_2000]

I bought the timber grove airbags. Been pretty happy with them.

 

[silver billet]

For my needs, anything beyond the stock air suspension...should probably not be attempted with a 1/2-ton.

I kind of wish I had gotten air, but read to many stories of harsh Canadian winters doing damage to them. Those coils sure ride nice unloaded, but could use some help eliminating bounce when loaded. Agree with your "attempted with 1/2 ton" thought, I would never have gotten helper springs to attempt to carry more weight, I just want to carry the same weight better ... if that makes sense.

 

[JJRamTX]

The Air Ride is sufficient for me since it levels even when I am 1000-1200 Lbs over my payload yellow sticker. It quits trying on my truck around 2500Lbs

 

[ClancyO]

I have the same question. Sumo/Timbrens, or for ~$100 more timber grove airbags. I have a 24’ 10k car hauler. So far I’ve only towed it empty about 350 miles. It’s chatty but not overly so. No issues with big trucks (even in a tunnel - 2 lane oncoming traffic) but I haven’t experienced high cross winds yet. I have a wdh but have not configured it yet, will do that this weekend (hopefully -assuming i get the trailer back from warranty work) and since I expect to have the trailer close to max (hoping for 9k, maybe 9.5 max) I will set the hitch up with 1k of tongue weight (Just me, a bag for 3 days, a 50lb dog, and 10 gallons of gas in plastic Jerry cans in the bed - I will not be over gross!). In fact, I plan to scale the rig fully loaded so I can lay a fresh Cat scale report on Johnny Law should be decide i look like an easy mark.

I won’t really know how it’s going to tow fully loaded until I’m committed, and that has me nervous since committed means 2100 miles cross country with all my worldly possessions in the trailer. (1 bedroom set, sans mattress/box spring, and all the other household stuff, + motorcycle and tools.)

I’ll have a better idea once I have the wdh set up. And bags offer the most versatility over the springs. I do expect to do more towing after I’ve settled out west, but hopefully no where near gross again.

From what I’ve read, people who start out with sumo/timbren often wind up with bags anyway, I just no experience with either and I’m hoping those who do have something constructive to add..

 

[Zeronet]

Used the Timbrens on my previous Ram (2015). My 2019 has the 4 corner air suspension so no need for them any more. Bought them mainly for towing a travel trailer with 850 pound tongue weight and 6700 pounds total plus a couple hundred pounds of cargo in the bed and back seat. They keep the truck nice and level with excellent control. Used them over 8000 miles of towing. Is the suspension firmer when towing? Sure but that’s kind of the point. Not harsh but firmer with less bounce than stock.

Will you feel them when not towing? I think it depends on how much weight you carry in the bed and how many rear seat passengers you have. If you have two rear seat adult passengers or say a tool box in the bed with a couple hundred pounds you will feel them engage more often like when going over speed bumps or railroad track humps. Still not harsh but you can feel it. If you travel with an empty back seat and nothing in the bed you will likely never notice them and you will have a completely stock ride under those conditions.

Installation is very easy, Maybe 5 minutes and no tools other than a jack to really seat them well.

Considered adding air bags as well but chose the Timbrens for their simple installation, no airing up/down and no possibility of failures/leaking.

 

[ClancyO]

So after a lot of reading and consideration I think I’ve decided on bags. (Correction: ordered air bags)

Sumo’s are $280-300 (blue - black) plus shipping. Timbrens are $275 (and I *think* equivalent to black sumos), shipping included. Timber Grove bags are $385 + shipping. For $100-150 difference I think the bags probably make the most sense. No load at 5-7 lbs and it’s like there not there. Loaded they offer some adjustability.

My future needs are likely backwards from most as I doubt I’m keeping this trailer after the move and likely downsizing it, or just doing occasional towing of family member trailers (likely w/o a wdh < 6k).

 

[TrackDay]

I bought the Timbren stiffer bump stops as a safety net but they don't prevent too much rear squat, they just lessen it.
The biggest change is my Equalizer WDH. That changed things. I tow a 24 ft enclosed with a 4400 lbs. car inside in the flatlands of the Midwest. The total weight is surely over 9000 lbs and it does just fine. Side winds will always be a little bit of a hassle if they are very strong, but other than that I'd never put more into my truck or get a heavier duty truck for the 5-6 times a year I tow.

 

[ClancyO]

Postscript: installed the timber grove bags tonight. The quality of this product is just stunning. Absolutely art for $385. Stainless hardware. Perfect fit.. which means it’s quite fiddly. Took a little over 2 hours and 30 minutes of that looking for a bolt that went missing only to be inside the sway bar mount on axle and needed my 11 yo little fingers to get it (stainless - magnet won’t work!). Also if you are going to do this job, do not attempt it without ratcheting box end wrench’s! (7/16, 1/2, 9/16). And install the inboard axle bolts on the bench! (Also required 11 yo fingers!). On the plus side, got some quality father/son bonding time!

Still waiting to get trailer back, still haven’t towed it with this truck, and now can’t really compare it to the way the 3.21, bighorn non-orp truck towed.

 

[silver billet]

I just checked out the Timber Grove product page. Have to admit they inspire zero confidence when they write very bizarre things like this:

Several customers utilize a WDH combined with our Air Spring Kits. It is our opinion that using both
are not necessary. WDH’s were the only product available years back, other than additional leaf’s or
stiffer coils. Arguably they all have pros and cons. Air springs are easier and safer to operate and
have greater lifting power and adjustability over those products.

What are they smoking.

 

[ClancyO]

They’re in Wisconsin - they haven’t legalized the devils lettuce up there yet. Maybe too much fermented cheese?

There’s a video of the install so you can see the product. I can’t speak to function yet, I’m just looking to be as safe and stable, yet leave the suspension as unaffected as possible. I have 7lbs of air in the bags now and you’d never know they were there.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Another vote for Timber Groves. Can go get a bed load of whatever I want, air the bags up with my phone, perfectly level or even get some rake back. The only downside is they lifted the rear .5-.75" even with 3-5 psi in them.

 

[ClancyO]

Another vote for Timber Groves. Can go get a bed load of whatever I want, air the bags up with my phone, perfectly level or even get some rake back. The only downside is they lifted the rear .5-.75" even with 3-5 psi in them.

Even on your rebel? I have the orp (supposedly 1” higher) and I still had 3/4” or more between the bottom mount and the axle, before I snugged it down. (I had it jacked up for first half of the install, so suspension wasn’t settled then). I didn’t take measurements before and after - should have, just didn’t think about it..

 

[silver billet]

They’re in Wisconsin - they haven’t legalized the devils lettuce up there yet. Maybe too much fermented cheese?

There’s a video of the install so you can see the product. I can’t speak to function yet, I’m just looking to be as safe and stable, yet leave the suspension as unaffected as possible. I have 7lbs of air in the bags now and you’d never know they were there.

I'm not worried about the install; I've tried Sumo Springs and have put them on and taken them off now 3 times so installing the Air system shouldn't be any more headache than that.

Can you honestly not tell they're there? Like you're being 100% truthful and not just using a little bit of creative hyperbole? Because I hear the same thing with guys towing large trailers bragging about the Hemi not knowing it's there, and I hop in my truck with a lighter load and she's revving out quite high... so yeah.I just want to know how accurate that statement is.

If you 100% cannot tell the spings are there when at 5 psi, I might look into these too. I returned the Sumo Springs, they drove worse unloaded than a 2019 2500 I was in the other day (rental).

 

[ClancyO]

Total mileage on this truck is STILL under 600. Since I’ve added the bags, I’ve done 2 short errands, maybe 15 miles. Doesn’t feel any different than before the bags, but admittedly 15 of 600 miles isn’t much. This truck has ORP, and as such rides more like a truck than my bighorn w/o the orp rode. *If* you don’t have orp, you *might* feel them. I still have zero miles towed with this truck (should have trailer back next week). Empty my trailer is ~4K - you don’t ever forget its there (at least not with the bighorn 3.21 truck.). I’m gonna scale it empty on the way back from picking it up so I can have a baseline.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Even on your rebel? I have the orp (supposedly 1” higher) and I still had 3/4” or more between the bottom mount and the axle, before I snugged it down. (I had it jacked up for first half of the install, so suspension wasn’t settled then). I didn’t take measurements before and after - should have, just didn’t think about it..

Yes sir. I was in the process of getting my suspension how I wanted it so I was taking measurements all the time. They may have settled down to about 1/4" now, but they definitely do give a bit of lift. My only regret is I went with the wireless Airlift compressor so I don't have manual control over the bags unless I unplug it like I did with my old compressor. So I think the compressor says 5 psi and it's actually 7-8 (even 2-3 pounds gives a noticeable lift with an empty bed).

Overall, I wouldn't change it. Nothing like being able to get a pallet of sod in the bed and have it be level and feel secure.

I'm not worried about the install; I've tried Sumo Springs and have put them on and taken them off now 3 times so installing the Air system shouldn't be any more headache than that.

Can you honestly not tell they're there? Like you're being 100% truthful and not just using a little bit of creative hyperbole? Because I hear the same thing with guys towing large trailers bragging about the Hemi not knowing it's there, and I hop in my truck with a lighter load and she's revving out quite high... so yeah.I just want to know how accurate that statement is.

If you 100% cannot tell the spings are there when at 5 psi, I might look into these too. I returned the Sumo Springs, they drove worse unloaded than a 2019 2500 I was in the other day (rental).

You can barely tell. I agree with @ClancyO that if you don't have the ORP you might feel them stiffen up the rear end a bit. Now if you pump them up to 20 psi with an empty bed you'll definitely feel the difference.

 

[ClancyO]

I just have the manual fill. And several low pressure tire gauges. Once upon a time I REALLY wanted on-board air (lots of beach driving, helpful when airing back up), but my wife forbade me from taking the new truck on the beach (honestly, it has to be the most evil thing you can do to a vehicle!) and soon I’ll live to far from a beach to matter. And given how much I plan to tow/haul, manual was ideal.. But if any of that changes I could be persuaded depending on how much it affects my new appreciation for load capacity.

 

[california hauler]

I have the Timber Grove bags as well and I'm am very happy with them.

I did not buy their air system, the auto-leveling version is nice but it is crazy expensive, and the cheaper one is under featured compared to other options. I bought the Air Lift EZ Mount Wireless One (gen2) and I'm very happy with it. ~$400 on Amazon and the ease of use and adjustability from phone or remote is well worth it compared to manual adjustments from the campsite, road, or home.

I installed both myself, I agree the TG bags are very well built and the fit is almost too good. The compressor was easy to install, most of the time was just deciding where to put it. Picture shows it on passenger side near the rear tire and rear mount of the running board/step.

 

[ColoradoCub]

I recently bought a set of Timber Groves from a forum member that is swapping his 1500 for a 2500. There really is no equal. The WDH is great for leveling the truck with my camper but when I put my atv in the bed that weighs 700 lbs and then hook up the camper those bars just can’t compensate. I find a balance between a little air in the bags and WDH and it works out great. Nothing I hate more than tow a trailer with my *** end sagging and the nose of the truck pointed in the air!