Timbren Industries makes helper springs for front and rear suspensions of trucks, SUVs, and vans. Most of the time they’re installed on the rear suspension for towing and hauling. But folks in the snow removal business need Timbren bumpstops all the way around. Also, there are many other reasons why it would make sense to install a set on the front suspension.
Today we’ll talk about why you would need to consider helper springs for the front.
Have you considered bumpstops for the front suspension of your 4x4?
Squat happens. And it’s a sure sign of potential damage to your half-ton rig.
If you already use your pickup truck for snow plowing, are you’re aware of the damage it can cause? Here are two good reasons you might want to think twice about using your truck as a snowplow:
-
You could ruin your transmission:
If you’ve done any research about using your half-ton or midsize truck as a snowplow, you’ve likely seen that putting a snowplow on your truck can wreak havoc on your transmission. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the transmission fluid.
- You could damage your suspension:
Believe it or not, using your half-ton or midsize pickup as a snowplow can screw up your suspension. That’s because the front of your pickup has to handle a whole lot of weight. Not only is the plowing equipment heavy, but you’ll also have to contend with the weight of the snow which will cause serious squatting – a sure sign of possible damage.
New Flash: You’d be wise to install a set of Timbren SES front suspension upgrades!
Your truck squats because snow-plow blades are so freaking heavy!
Snow-plow blades can weigh anywhere from 400 lbs to over 1000 lbs. Half-ton trucks typically use 6.5’ - 7’ plow blades that weigh approximately 400 lbs. Three quarter and one-ton trucks can handle snow-plow blades that are up to 8’ wide and weigh approximately 800 lbs.
Here’s the thing: Virtually every half-ton pickup has an independent suspension on the front. An independent suspension is designed for comfort, not strength. Therefore, this type of ‘wishbone’ setup isn’t designed to carry a big heavy plow. In fact, the heavier the plow, the more damage to your suspension.
Which front bumpstops for trucks are worth considering?
The most common helper springs for front leaf spring suspensions are:
- Add-a-leaf products like Hellwig and SuperSpring
- Airbags like Air Lift and Firestone Ride-Rite
- Timbren SES hollow rubber springs
Your half ton pickup likely has an independent suspension on the front end. Since add-a-leaf products are designed to work with leaf spring suspensions, we can rule out Hellwig and SuperSpring.
So, you have basically 2 alternatives: Airbags and Timbren SES. Which one is better-suited for snow removal?
- Air Lift and Ride-Rite products for front coil suspensions provide an additional 1000 lbs of capacity.
- Timbren SES products for front independent suspensions provide an additional 14,000 lbs of capacity.
Isn’t it obvious why Timbren SES front suspension upgrades are the industry standard for snow removal? Reliable Timbren SES products are the logical choice for the front suspension of your half ton truck.
What are Active Off-Road Bumpstops?
Active Off-Road Bumpstops are not designed for hauling, towing or snow removal. As the name suggests, Timbren’s off-road bumpstops are meant to be used out on the trails where there’s rough, off-road terrain. The original bump stops on your 4x4 are not suitable for off-roading because of the harsh jounce every time it bottoms out.
Active Off-Road Bumpstops reduce the stress on both you, the driver, and your suspension. This allows you to safely spend more time out on the trails. With Active Off-Road Bumpstops, you can hit the trails without taking damaging hits to your suspension.
Because of their unique ability to absorb road shock, Aeon® hollow rubber springs are the reason that Timbren off-road products can help you navigate even the toughest and most challenging terrain.
What makes Timbren SES the obvious choice for your front suspension?
What's so special about Timbren SES? In order to understand why Timbren SES upgrades are the obvious choice, 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.
A progressive spring rate (or variable spring rate) constantly increases as the spring deflects under load. Here are some of the benefits that you will enjoy using Timbren SES upgrades:- No more sag & squat when you hook up the trailer
2. Hysteresis (self-damping)
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 two characteristics – progressive spring rate and hysteresis - offer some unique advantages:
- They automatically adjust to the load, preventing sag and squat
Remember, every set of Timbren SES DIY helper springs comes with a Lifetime Warranty and a 100-Day Money Back Guarantee.
For more information on Timbren helper springs, visit Timbren.com
