Why does my ute sit so low when towing a trailer?
Is your rear end starting to sag?
Does your pickup sag too much when you hook up a trailer? Perhaps you’re wondering, “Shouldn’t my new ute have better rear springs?” What’s the deal...?
Even though your new ute has a maximum towing capacity of 10,200 lb (4,627 kg), that doesn't mean you’ll somehow avoid rear suspension squat.
Here’s why: Your pickup most likely came with a leaf-spring suspension. Leaf springs have a linear spring rate. In other words, their spring rate remains the same as it compresses all the way down until they bottom out.
On the other hand, Aeon® hollow rubber springs – like the ones found in a Timbren SES kit – have a spring rate that increases as it continues to compress. What does this mean?
It means that Timbren’s Aeon® rubber springs are actually stronger than steel springs!
Why is rear-end sag such a big deal?
Has the word ‘sagging’ ever been associated with something positive? If your ute or vehicle displays rear end sag when towing a trailer, it’s imperative that you find a proper solution.
Truck sag (aka truck squat) is the visible effect of weight on the rear axle causing the front end of the vehicle to point upwards while the back end hangs down. Some folks underestimate the severity of driving a vehicle in this position. Here are 5 reasons why truck sag is a big deal:
- Too much sag causes misalignment
- Misaligned tyres will cause uneven tyre wear and decrease fuel mileage
- Braking distance will be increased, i.e., it will take longer to stop.
- Steering will feel loose, causing you to lose proper control
- Your headlights will be aimed up in the trees instead of on the road
Timbren SES suspension upgrades are designed to fix the problem in under 30 minutes.
What's the best way to prevent rear-end sag?
There are two very good methods to prevent rear-end sag:
- Air bags
- Timbren SES
What are the differences between air suspension and rubber springs?
Technology
Fundamentally, airbags are… well, rubber bags designed to hold air. The bag expands just like a balloon as air is forced into the rubber bladder.
Timbren SES uses Aeon® hollow rubber springs. There is no compressed air forced into an air bag. The rubber spring does the work. When the load is applied, rubber spring begins to expand as the spring starts to compress.
Installation
Both systems are reasonably straight forward. But if you tried to install an airbag system and then followed up with a Timbren kit, you would be struck by two things:
- The airbag kit has a lot more components than the Timbren SES kit does.
- The average airbag kit takes about 3 hours to install; the average Timbren kit takes about 30 minutes.
Adjustability
The most obvious difference between Timbren SES and air bags is the manner in which they adapt to various road and load conditions.
Airbags can be manually altered to maintain ride height and, to some degree, driver preference.
Timbren rubber springs, on the other hand, automatically adjust to variable loads and road conditions. In other words, these rubber springs are self-adjusting. It’s the progressive spring rate built right into Aeon® hollow rubber springs that enables them to adjust automatically.
Maintenance
With Timbren SES, the hollow rubber springs require zero maintenance. Any tweaking or adjusting is done during installation.
On the other hand, airbag maintenance must be performed as often as required to ensure the airbag doesn’t dip below 5 psi to prevent any damage. In other words, the bladder that holds the air will start to leak which would dramatically compromise the effectiveness of the entire system.
Price
Even though we’re comparing price, we are not going to make any judgments regarding cost vs value. (Sometimes a product that costs more is considered to have greater value which, in this case, isn’t necessarily true.)
- Most Timbren SES kits cost about $300.00.
- Airbag kits are priced somewhere between $500 - $1000.00.
What is a suspension enhancement system?
The phrase “Suspension Enhancement System” is the name Timbren chose to describe their new product. Because it’s a fairly long name, it was soon shortened to the acronym “SES.”
For the past 55 years, Timbren has designed over 400 kits to fit virtually every truck, van, and SUV that rolled off the assembly line. Why so many kits? Well, since each kit replaces the bump stops on every truck, van, and SUV, every SES kit has been engineered to make the installation as simple and easy as possible.
Timbren puts in the work so you don’t have to.
People will often refer to Timbren SES kits as bump stops. Make no mistake! The Suspension Enhancement System is much more than a bump stop. Bump stops are designed to prevent metal from hitting metal. A Timbren SES kit does much more.
Timbren SES suspension upgrades improve the ride by
- Absorbing road shock
- Leveling the load
- Stabilizing the suspension
And the benefits? Timbren SES delivers...
- Smooth, comfortable ride
- Greater control
- Maximum safety
Are SES suspension upgrades the best way to prevent rear-end sag?
When compared with other products, most people choose Timbren SES upgrades. Why? Because they’re bulletproof. Which makes them reliable. If you want plain and simple without all the bells and whistles of an air bag system, Timbren’s SES no-maintenance system is your ticket to happy and safe towing.
Timbren SES suspension upgrades give you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to keeping truck stable. Here are several reasons why Timbren SES suspension upgrades are the best solution for rear-end sag:
- Affordable
- Easy to install
- Absorbs road shock
- Levels out the trailer
- Stabilizes the trailer
- Stronger than steel
- More reliable than air
- Very low maintenance
- Prevents roll and sway
- Help maintain control
- No BS Lifetime Warranty
- 100-day Satisfaction Guarantee
Remember: when buying your Timbren SES suspension upgrades, your towing experience is only as good as the weakest link. So, after fixing your ute’s suspension, take a good look at your trailer’s suspension as well and ask yourself “Is my trailer’s suspension up for the task?” If not, no worries! You can also get trailer suspension upgrades from Timbren.
