What makes Hellwig leaf spring suspensions redundant?
The main reason you need to install truck helper springs for towing or hauling heavy loads is due to the fact that all trucks, vans, and SUVs come straight from the factory with either leaf spring or coil spring suspensions. Adding more leaf springs sounds like a bad idea.
Find out why adding Hellwig leaf spring helpers to your suspension is a redundant and useless idea.
Why Hellwig leaf springs?
So, what are Hellwig Leaf Springs? Basically, Hellwig has been making add-a-leaf products since the early 1940s. Aside from airbag systems, they were pretty much the only game in town. It’s no wonder that most people think of add-a-leaf or airbags when they’re looking for a set of helper springs.
Hellwig Leaf Spring suspension helpers fit easily over the existing leaf spring suspension of your truck. The following installation instructions are taken from a Hellwig EZ-990 instruction sheet:
- Place the spring on top of the mainspring with the long end toward the rear of the vehicle.
- Slide the spring back and forth so the hump doesn’t touch the factory vehicle U-bolts but to maximize the distance between the leaf tips and the underside of the vehicle.
- Place the U-bolts with the short legs on either side of the hump as shown in the diagram. Using the included cross bars, washers, and nuts, tighten to the recommended torque.
- Use the longer legged U-bolts on the outside cups of the spring as shown in the diagram. Attach them once again using the crossbars, washer, and nuts. It may be necessary to either jack the vehicle up by the frame allowing the suspension to droop or use a C-clamp to compress the spring to start the nuts.
- Adjust the crossbars on the end of the springs so that the adjacent leaf tip will not contact the crossbar when the spring is deflected. It may be necessary to move the spring stack fore or aft for best alignment.
- Adjust the U-bolts at the spring end to desired preload. The minimum tension adjustment is having enough tension on the end U-bolts so that they do not loosen or rattle and move when the vehicle is driven over rough or bumpy surfaces. Maximum adjustment is when the leaf cups are 1/4” from the main spring.
- When adjustment is complete, double-nut to lock in adjustment.
- Lower the vehicle to the ground and check your installation for clearance on all undercarriage components, wires, fuel, brake, and air conditioning lines.
As you can see, installing this add-a-leaf system is fairly simple and straightforward. Installation takes the average person about 2 hours.
Are Hellwig leaf spring suspensions redundant?
Hellwig leaf springs were designed to increase the spring capacity* of the truck’s suspension to help prevent sagging, squatting. That sounds great! But here’s the problem:
Hellwig leaf springs aren’t any stronger than the original leaf spring suspension that came with the truck. Why? Because of their linear spring rate.
Here’s what we’re saying: There are better ways to increase the spring capacity* of your truck. Timbren SES suspension helper springs have a progressive spring rate designed to maximize load stability, ride quality, and keep the truck level under load.
*Note: Increasing your truck’s spring capacity does not increase the GVWR set by the manufacturer. In other words, you must stay within the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating – the maximum weight a vehicle is designed to carry – which includes the net weight of the vehicle with accessories, plus the weight of passengers, fuel, and cargo.
Let go of the past and embrace the future.
Does it make sense to add leaf springs to a leaf spring suspension, especially when you know that the linear spring rate of a leaf spring suspension is the reason why we’re adding an upgrade in the first place? We don’t think so...
Timbren truck helper springs are the alternative to older, more conventional systems. Timbren hollow rubber springs are made of natural rubber and are actually stronger than steel.
In order to understand why Timbren SES are superior to Hellwig leaf springs, you need to understand two innate characteristics of an Aeon® hollow rubber spring - used in every Timbren SES product:
Unlike metal springs that have a linear spring rate, Aeon® rubber springs have a progressive spring rate, a rate that increases as more weight is added to the truck.
Unlike metal springs that need shocks to absorb the energy created when they compress, Aeon® rubber springs are self-damping, able to absorb the kinetic energy by themselves.
These 2 characteristics offer some unique advantages:
- Their progressive spring rate means they automatically adjust to the load, preventing sag and squat
- Increased stability (reduced roll and sway) when towing or hauling super-heavy applications
- Self-damping means they act like a shock absorber providing the smoothest ride even with the heaviest loads
- A soft, quiet ride empty or loaded
- Prevents damage to your suspension
- Installs quickly and easily
- Reasonably priced
- Comes with a Lifetime Warranty & a 100-Day Money Back Guarantee
By comparison, Timbren SES rubber suspension helpers make Hellwig Leaf Springs seem totally redundant! Go big or go home! Maximize your truck’s capacity for hauling and towing.
For more information about Timbren SES visit Timbren.com
