If you’re planning to use your GMC Sierra 1500 as a work truck, you’re probably going to need some sort of suspension upgrade. If you’re wondering why, let’s discuss this important matter. We’ll begin with the independent suspension on the front end.
What is an independent suspension?
Independent suspensions – sometimes called a ‘wishbone’ because the upper and lower control arms often look like a wishbone on a turkey – most often combine coil springs together with upper and lower control arms. This construction allows the wheels to act independently of one another. If one side hits a bump or a dip, it acts independently of the other side. This helps smooth out the ride and keep the truck from rocking side to side like it does with a solid axle suspension. Nearly all pickups today have independent front suspensions, and the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup is no exception.
On the other hand, the rear suspension is comprised of three leaf springs mounted between the frame and a solid axle. As strong as you might think they are, the rear suspension on the GMC Sierra 1500 has its limitations:
The Problem
- Front suspension
Like most pickups today, the Chevy Sierra 1500 is designed to ride like a luxury sedan. However, increased ride quality means reduced load-bearing strength. Accordingly, when the front-end squats, the weight of the vehicle shifts forward which reduces the amount of traction on the rear tires. Furthermore, too much weight on the front end can throw the steering out and damage the suspension.
- Rear suspension
Over the years, suspensions for pickups have evolved. Even though that may be true, the rear suspension on the GMC Sierra 1500 continues to favour a leaf spring setup rather than a coil-over. Believe it or not, with enough added weight, the rear end will squat. When this happens, the weight of the vehicle shifts backward reducing the amount of traction on the front tires which will impact steering ability. Not only that, too much weight on the rear suspension can cause instability such as roll and sway. As you’ve probably guessed, this instability is dangerous and will require the driver to slow down to a crawl.
The Solution
In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as a suspension that squats. But in the real world, we’ve grown used to watching the front-end of our pickups sag under the weight of a plow. And we fully expect the rear-end to sag when we hook up a heavy trailer.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. At Timbren, we believe that each problem contains the seed of an effective solution. Timbren SES products are designed to make suspensions work better by addressing the miseries associated with the above-mentioned problems.
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1. Load leveling
Timbren SES products will keep your pickup level even under the heaviest loads. Why? Because of the progressive spring rate of the Aeon® hollow rubber springs. As the load increases, so does the resistance provided by the Aeon® springs! This is a characteristic that is unique to Aeon® hollow rubber springs.
2. Smoothness
Unlike air ride suspensions that require an additional shock absorber, Aeon® hollow rubber springs absorb road shock while under load allowing the existing shock absorber to deliver a ride that is soft and smooth.
3. Strength & reliability
There’s a reason why Timbren products come with a lifetime warranty. It’s because Aeon® springs are “stronger than steel, and more reliable than air.” Once again, the progressive spring rate of an Aeon® spring makes it possible to carry far more than steel helpers. *Timbren SES kits can provide half tonne pickups with up to an additional 8,000 lbs. of carrying capacity and up to 12,000 lbs for 3500 models.
The strength and simplicity of an Aeon® spring provides you with a suspension system that requires zero maintenance. Unlike an air bag setup, a Timbren SES kit has no pipes, hoses or compressors that increase the likelihood of system failure. Thus, the Timbren SES product is deemed “more reliable than air.”
As you can see, if your GMC Sierra 1500 has become your work truck, you’re going to need the best helper springs on the market. And, rest assured, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get the very best!
Remember: A helper spring with the unique combination of strength, stability, smoothness, and reliability under load is the key to your complete driving satisfaction of your GMC Sierra 1500... And it’s only available with Timbren SES upgrades.
