Today, we’re going to talk about the limitations of Chevy Colorado pickup and how to overcome the problem of capacity. There are several truck suspension helper springs available for the consumer. But only one gives you the biggest bang for your buck.
Why does your Chevy Colorado need helper springs?
If you’re planning to use your Chevy Colorado as a tow vehicle, you’re probably going to need some suspension helper springs. Why? Let me explain:
Even though the leaf spring rear suspension has a towing capacity of 7,700 lbs and a maximum payload of 1576 pounds, the rear suspension on the Colorado has its limitations.
Here’s why:
Today’s pickups are made to ride like a Cadillac. (Hey, no one wants their pickup to ride like a lumber wagon!) But a smooth, ‘Cadillac’ ride is a trade-off. In order to get great ride quality, you lose carrying capacity.
So, it should come as no surprise that the weight of a heavy trailer will make your Colorado sag in the rear. When this happens, the weight of the vehicle shifts backward reducing the amount of traction on the front tires which will impact steering ability.
You’ve probably seen this sort of thing on other vehicles towing camper trailers. Maybe your own tow vehicle does it, even though it isn’t anywhere near its rated towing capacity. If the back end of your tow vehicle squats lower than the front end when it’s hitched to a travel trailer, you’ve got yourself a problem!
At the end of the day, too much weight on the rear suspension can cause sag and squat resulting in instability and loss of control. As you’ve probably guessed, instability while towing is dangerous and will require you to slow down to a crawl.
Which helper springs fit your new Chevy Colorado?
It’s not uncommon for the rear end of a Chevy Colorado to droop after a load of 200 – 300 pounds has been added. And the sag becomes increasingly obvious as you near the maximum load rating. Here are some of the most common solutions for the leaf spring suspension on your Chevy Colorado:
Add-a-leaf
Add-a-leaf products (like SuperSprings) help to level the load. Unfortunately, they cost about $600.00 US for the pair. And they’re capacity is limited to approximately 1,500 lbs additional.
Airbags
Airbags (like Air Lift) were originally designed as an alternative to leaf springs. Air bag products help to level the load but they’re expensive, costing anywhere from $1,000 - $1,500. They usually require professional installation which adds to the total cost (approx. $2500.)
Timbren SES
Timbren SES use Aeon® hollow rubber springs made from natural rubber. They were designed as an alternative to air bags and leaf springs. The rubber springs replace the bump stop on trucks, vans, and SUVs. Timbren’s Chevy Colorado helper springs are affordable, easy to install, and can add an additional capacity of up to 6,000 lbs.*
* Helper springs and suspension upgrades do not increase the GVWR set by the manufacturer.
Which Chevy Colorado helper springs are the best choice?
A quick comparison will illustrate why Timbren SES upgrades are the best choice:
Add-a-leaf
- Price: $500
- Progressive spring rate: NO
- DIY installation: NO
- Improved ride quality: NO
- Durability: NO
- Lifetime Warranty: NO
- 100-day money back guarantee: NO
Airbags
- Price: $2500
- Progressive spring rate: NO
- DIY installation: NO
- Improved ride quality: YES
- Durability: NO
- Lifetime Warranty: NO
- 100-day money back guarantee: NO
Timbren SES
- Price: $297
- Progressive spring rate: YES
- DIY installation: YES
- Improved ride quality: YES
- Durability: YES
- Lifetime Warranty: YES
- 100-day money back guarantee: YES
Needless to say, a ‘best choice’ product always gives you the biggest bang for your buck!
Why do Timbren SES helper springs give you the best value?
A quick observation suggests that DIY Timbren SES part # GMRCCA is the easiest to install. It offers the best price, the most capacity (up to 6,000 lbs), and maximum stability by eliminating roll and sway. And if you were to take a closer look, you’d notice that Timbren SES wins big points for:
- best ride quality loaded or unloaded
We highly recommend Timbren SES suspension upgrades for the 2024 Chevy Colorado! In fact, they fit perfectly on older models such as Chevy Colorado 2016, 2017, 2018, etc.
Think about it: Timbren SES products have been around for over 50 years and are still the best and smartest choice hands down!
Part # GMRCCA is perfect for towing with your Chevy Colorado.
“Whether we’re towing with our GMC Sierra or our Toyota 4Runner, Timbren SES kits have been a game changer by reducing sag in the rear plus helping the tow rig gain maximum control. Over a year with SES and we would never go back.” @ClicOutdoor
For more information about Timbren SES products, please visit Timbren.com
