Best helper springs for your GMC Sierra
Looking for a helper spring to install on the rear suspension of your GMC Sierra? Find out whether or not your truck will need spring helpers, and if so, which ones are best for your truck.
What are suspension upgrades?
An upgrade for a truck suspension could mean a number of things such as:
- A complete modification (mod) of the shocks, struts, sleeves, springs, mounts, and the truck’s ability to raise or lower the body of the truck.
- The addition of off-road bump stops to help soften and stabilize the ride.
- The addition of helper springs to increase spring capacity.
Do you have a truck that goes off-road and needs an upgrade from factory bump stops to off-road bump stops? Or does your truck require helper springs to assist with towing and hauling?
Today, we’re going to focus on helper springs that assist with towing and hauling by increasing spring capacity. One of the products that we recommend are Timbren SES suspension upgrades.
(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.)
Why would my GMC Sierra require a suspension upgrade?
Here’s what you should know about half-tons: Light-duty, full-size 1500 GMC Sierras aren’t designed to carry heavier loads – even though you’d expect them to.
Okay. So why is that?
The trucks of today are designed to ride like a Cadillac (or a Lincoln if you’re into Fords). Their designed to look sexy and offer all the bells and whistles of a luxury car. And that includes the nice, soft, Cadillac ride!
But when you soften the ride of a truck, it comes at a price: reduced carrying capacity.
If you load 2,000 lbs onto the bed of your half-ton truck, you haven’t necessarily overloaded it. But if you back away from the truck about 10 feet and look at it from the side, you will notice that the back is sagging. And this will only get worse as you continue to load it up day after day, year after year.
Here’s the thing: your truck should remain level even when loaded. Sag and squat is a recipe for disaster, especially when you’re towing a trailer.
If you’re driving around in your GMC Sierra every day without a load, you won’t need helper springs. But if you’re loading it up or towing a trailer causing the rear of the truck to squat, you will definitely need a set of helper springs. One of the products that we recommend are Timbren SES suspension upgrades.
Where is the best place to install a suspension upgrade?
If you have no tools or skills related to modifying a truck’s suspension, we recommend that you have your suspension upgrades installed by a professional. Because if they’re not installed properly, it could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
If, on the other hand, you have the tools and the skills to modify the suspension, you only need to know where the helper springs are supposed to be installed.
The best place to install a suspension upgrade under you truck is somewhere between the frame and the axle (assuming your truck has factory leaf springs). One of the helper springs we recommend are Timbren SES suspension upgrades. On your GMC Sierra, part # GMRS15 replaces the factory bump stops located on the frame, just above the U-bolts.
What is the best suspension upgrade for my GMC Sierra?
Here are three of the most popular suspension helper springs on the market today:
- Add-a-leaf
- Air bags
- Timbren SES
Let’s compare and see which one is best:
Add-a-leaf products (like Super Springs) help to level the load. Unfortunately, they cost about $800.00 for the pair. And they’re capacity is limited to approximately 5,000 lbs additional.
Air bags (like Air Lift) help to level the load but are expensive, costing anywhere from $1,000 - $1,500. And they’re capacity is limited to approximately 5,000 lbs additional.
Let’s compare Super Springs and Air Lift with Timbren SES suspension upgrades:
Timbren SES product - part # GMRS15 - retails for approximately $300.00 and provides up to 8,000 lbs of additional capacity. Without question, we recommend Timbren SES suspension upgrades for your GMC Sierra.
Are Timbren SES upgrades the best choice?
Above, we compared Add-a-leaf products & Air bags to Timbren SES suspension upgrades.
So, which one of the three is best?
A quick observation suggests that Timbren SES products have the best price and the most capacity. And if you were to take a closer look, you’d notice that Timbren SES wins big points for:
- best ride quality loaded and unloaded
- best added stability
- best warranty
So, just in case you missed it, we highly recommend Timbren SES suspension upgrades for your GMC Sierra 1500.
Think about it: Timbren SES products have been around for over 50 years and are still the best and smartest choice hands down!
For more information of Timbren SES products, please visit Timbren.com
