Upgrading Truck Suspension: Load Capacity and Proper Installation

A truck suspension system is essentially vital to the performance, safety, and reliability of your vehicle. However, it is paramount to know that an upgrade will be beneficial if you are considering carrying heavy loads or going off-road.

So much has been said about the load capacity of a suspension system and how well an upgraded truck suspension will perform. The truth is that engineers have put so much thought into the design of a vehicle, from analyzing the shocks, springs, and performance in different load capacities and terrain.

Simply put, a standard suspension may be suitable for road cruising and carrying lightweight loads. However, if you need to have an all-around performance vehicle, you should consider upgrading your suspension.

Here in this article, we will be focusing on the suspension enhancement system and how to perform a proper installation, specifically on the Timbren SES.

What are the Components of a Suspension System?

A suspension system, irrespective of the brand or type, has three essential components that make them similar in its operation. They are designed to support the vehicle, absorb shocks, and turn the car in response to the steering.

 

These are some of the significant components:

• Linkages
• Springs
• Struts and Shock Absorbers 

Linkages

The linkages help to join the mainframe of your vehicle to the knuckles of the wheel. It’s what controls the gear and makes them fix in the right position. They make your gear be fixed at different gears position. Over time, your car linkages can be worn out, making it difficult to change gears, hence putting stress on other components. When your gear is bad, your car could have transmission oil leakage, make a grinding noise, or you could have challenges changing gear. When any of this happens, make plans to go for repair.

Springs

Springs provide support to the weight of your vehicle while acting as a link that enhances flexibility between the body of your vehicle's frame. It stores energy that impacts against the irregularities of the road. The spring compresses and expands, especially when bumped on rough roads. Irrespective of the spring you choose, they are bound to fail over time when worn out or overly exposed to hazardous environments or water. When this happens, your vehicle will sag, your tires will be worn out unusually, and you may hear unsettling noise.

Struts and Shock Absorbers

Struts are like shock absorbers in operation. While structs are designed to withstand bumps, shock absorbers are designed to absorb shocks. All work together to reduce the effect of spring after a bump, hence preventing your car from bouncing repeatedly.

The shocks and structs are lubricated with thick oil for smooth operation. However, this oil could leak out or becomes less effective, hence leading to failure. So, if you noticed an unusual bouncing of your car, unusual tire wear or your vehicle tip to one side, plan to work on your shock. 

 

What Suspension Kit is Best for You?

Many challenges faced by car owners today are how they choose to tune their vehicles. Most people tune for comfort rather than performance, while others do otherwise. Well, automakers have made it easy by leaving rooms for an upgrade.

Truck suspension upgrades have become a norm for most car owners. A proper and well-installed upgrade offers lots of benefits in terms of performance and safety.

As we all know, suspension upgrade is complex, and most car owners don’t fully understand how it works. Luckily enough, many companies have offered a complete suspension kit to remove the hassle you face in searching for parts.

There are lots of suspension kits that can cover all your needs without having to surf the market looking for individual components. One of those is the timbren suspension kit.

Timbren SES Kit 

Timbren SES is designed to improve the performance of your vehicle by preventing body roll and control sway. It uses an Aeon rubber spring. This rubber spring is packed with unique features which make it suitable for suspension enhancement.

It helps to improve the spring rate by increasing resistance while it is compressed, giving you a smoother ride at all times. 

The self-damping feature present in the Aeon rubber helps with the vibration as a shock absorber. The material is easy to maintain, and installation is a breeze.

They are made to improve your driving experience by keeping the two front tires well griped on the road. 

It's suitable for heavy-duty hauling and perfect for snowploughs. Major applications can be seen in the front axle, light-duty rear axle, heavy or medium-duty rear axle.

How to Install the Timbren SES Kit?

Here is an easy step-by-step guide to install your Timbren SES kit. Remember to read the instructions carefully before commencing installation.

Step 1: Wedge the Back and Front Tire

Wedge your tires to prevent them from rolling while you are carrying out the installation. This is an important aspect to note. This must be considered each time you park your car for repair.

Step 2: Raise the Vehicle above the ground

Jack the car up to allow the axle to hang freely. It would be advisable to use a hydraulic floor jack because it is more durable and sturdier.

Step 3: Remove OEM bump stop

Remove the manufacturer's bump stop. Some bump stops are held by friction inside the bump stop cup. You would need to pry with your flat head screwdriver to remove it.

Step 4: Assemble the Aeon Rubber and Spring

Drop the bolt inside the rubber spring through the internal washer and from the top of the spring.

Step 5: Place the metal spacer on top of the rubber Timbren springs

Place metal spacer in a way that allows the bolt to feed through the spacer. Remember that some kits come with spacers for apparent reasons. 

Those kits that come preassembled have no spacers included in the package. However, quite a number of SES kit that can fit a vehicle with a straight axle comes with spacers.

Right in the kit, you will find two different bolts—Short and long. Use the shorter one when there is no spacer and the longer one when a spacer is included. This is to say that you can use a spacer and a longer bolt together if there is too much space between the rubber spring and the axle. However, if you don’t have enough space, use the shorter one.

Timbren recommends having ½ to 1- ½ inch space between the contact point and the spring. The Timbren spring should measure 7- ½ inches long after installation. Anything more would require a spacer.

Step 6: Mount the Timbren assembly using the existing holes

Install the Timbren assembly using the existing holes in the frame. Make sure the thread from the Timbren supplied bolt matches that of the bum stop.

Step 7: Lower the Car

Tighten all bolts and replace the tires if removed during the installation. After that, lower the car.

Does a Suspension Upgrade Increase Your Truck's Towing Capacity?

Knowing your car towing capacity is essential to understand how much weight you can tie to your vehicle. To simply put, towing capacity is the amount of weight you can pull with your car without compromising its safety or ripping off the warranty due to damage.

  

Yes! Your towing capacity includes everything you have in the truck, both you and every single weight you have subjected the vehicle to. All these affect the towing capacity. 

To know your towing capacity, you must first know the car GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) and the car curb weight. 

Your GCVWR is the maximum amount of weight of both the loaded tow vehicle and the loaded trailer the vehicle can safely handle. At the same time, your curb weight is the weight of the car without any load. Subtract the GSCWR from the curb weight to knowing your vehicle towing capacity.

If you plan to increase your towing capacity, the first thing to do is get a proper upgrade to your suspension system. This might cost you some extra cash, but it's better done now than later because an unsuitable suspension can harm your vehicle and your safety.

Upgrading your suspension will improve the towing capabilities by evenly distributing the weight on all the axles. It will also bring more weight to the vehicle's front, making the car more balanced to absorb all bumps as it moves.

 

Should You Upgrade Your Truck's Suspension?

Upgrading truck suspension is vital to the safety of your vehicle. However, it is also important that you know the best SES kit, understand how this is done, and how much load you can subject to the vehicle. 

Here is a quick guide video that demonstrates how to install a Timbren GMRCK15S