The Timbren suspension looks easy enough and on Ebay I found it for $165.

Has anyone else use it? Or should I spend more and get air bags?

 

This was discussed recently.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=297059

I refered to Timbrens as over-priced bump stops and one reply said that they liked them.

For a true ride that is adjustable for weight there is no substitute for air bags (and they don't wear out)

 

I can only give you my OPINION on this...


I first installed timbrens on my truck, they work fine for keeping your bed off your rear wheels when you load it down. They don't really change your factory ride until you envoke a lot of rear suspension travel then they can be kidney bashing as Colorado Osprey pointed out that they are the same concept as bump stops.

Now some people swear by them, and that is great. The way I use my truck, I needed something more. Within 30 days I had the Firestone Airbag system with the on-board compressor, and never looked back.

I think the answer to your question is what you intend to do with your truck. If you are going to be at or near load limits of the bed, and or towing I would go with the airbags. If you are just looking for a quick and easy system for keeping it off the frame then go with the timbrens.

Some advice.... what ever system you decide to go with, I would get rid of the " P " series tires that came from the factory and invest in a good set of LT's Your handling and control is much better when loaded with LT's as most if not all of them are 10 ply.

Good Luck

P.S. I have somewhat of a install how to for the airbags in my gallery. And there is a tread on it....

http://www.f150online.net/forums/sho...ht=voodoochild

 

I will only use my truck to pull a toy hauler to the dunes 5-6 times a year. I use my truck usually as a way to get to work.

I have 20 inch wheels and P305-50R-20 Nitto Grapplers on the truck. I assume they are heavier rated.....???

 

Thanks for bringing this up again, that was me asking.

After talking with some other F250 and 2500 owners that tow with heavy loads (my 5er) it was told to me that the airbags can actually cause a rougher ride in certain situations then then timbrens.

Gasp right?

Here's why. When towing a heavy load and using an air king pin or air hitch you don't need airbags as much....at low speeds the king pin pushes down on the trucks suspension and hits the over load stops...when using the airbags the bags bounce the load back up too quickly thus causing chucking at low speeds.

I am going to pick up the timbrens to balance out the overload stops to make them smoother to level out vs the quick spring of the airbag.

Man I've had a few beers so I hope that came out right.

To the OP, where did you find Timbrens at that price?

 

I searched ebay. This is for a 150.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...spagenameZWD1V

Just search for Timbrens Suspension.

I found this for a 350...will that work for a 250?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...4316QQtcZphoto

 

If this is happening you have too much air in the bags. The bags are designed to help your susupension with the load, not replace it. If you have the pressure too high, you are correct it will ride like a tank and your shock absorbers cannot do their job.

Airbags can increase your bed/tongue load capacity by an additional 5000#'s. This would be at 100psi, for a moderately heavy load or a pin weight of around 2000# like is common in a 20,000lb trailer we only put 40-60psi in the air bags. Mind you this is in a newer 1 ton dually. If I was using the bags on an F150 it would be likely that the bags would never be inflated past 50psi in any situation. I have seen F150's with 4500# slide in campers that only needed 45psi in the bags to level it out. This 4500#'s is much more pin/tongue weight than any F150 should handle...even most 1 ton's are stressed at this point without air bags.

 

Yeah my note wasn't that clear.

Here is what I have, 2006 F250 PSD, stock rear suspension. My 5er has a dry pin weight of 1250 lbs. Loaded am sure I am around 1500-1800lbs, haven't actually weighted the loaded pin weight yet. Dry 5er is 8400, loaded it is 10K ish.

When dropping the kingpin on the hitch, it drops my rear end a solid 2 inches. Not bad right? At slow speeds I got lots of movement in the rear, at higher speeds my 5thAirborn King Pin box absorbs 90% of the movement. So that is why I was looking at putting on the tembrins to help with the lower speeds bumps. When I look at my spring bars, I see that the stops are hitting bars. What I was trying to explain is that when using Airbags it is known that they rebound quickly, causing some chucking and vertical movement. Agree that would be too much air. But b/c I am not using Airbags, I was looking at using the timbrens.

How is that? Did I explain that right?

 

If I get this right your upper springs (over-load) are hitting the bars which they are designed to due under a load. This is the only way they can compress and actually give you support. This is not the bump stops which are located between the frame and axle on the inside of the frame rail.

Since you have over-load springs I do not recommend adding anything Timbrens or air bags unless your pin or bed load deeply compress the overloads down to within 2" of the bump stops. The over-load springs are already doing what you are trying to accomplish. The only thing I don't like about over-loads is the noise as they get loaded and un-loaded in driving over bumps.

I also do not like having multiple cushion areas like your Air-Pin box in addition to air bag suspension. It just gives the ride too much oscillation on bumps. An upgraded heavy duty rear shock will help eliminate some of this suspension oscillation movement.

2" of rear drop when loaded is not excessive and in my opinion you are not in need of upgrading the suspension with Timbrens or airbags. I do recommend that you might upgrade the shocks though.

 

Ok you got my point, you hit it dead on. Great explanation back. I talked with Timbren today and they had me convinced that I needed their part with the "lift" spacer which would give me 1" of clearance without a load. My rear does drop 2" when loaded and it drives me crazy to see it that low. My F250 already has the Rancho Shocks, which ones shoould I get then? Blistens or Ranchos?

Thanks again for the great insight.

 

Rancho...er....or should I say White Monroe shocks should do just fine. What you needed is larger shock body to stay cooler longer and valving appropriate for the driving style. The Rancho 5000 or 9000 should be fine. The 2000 is valved the same as the Monroe Gasmatic which is a little light. I do not belive that the 2000 is even available for the Super Duty so you should be fine.

FYI but not needed info:
There is only 4 major shock manufacturer's in the world...but many labels.
Monroe, Gabriel, KYB and Bilstein. Casing design is a dead give-a-way of the the shock manufacturer.

Here is a list of most shock labels:
Apexi, Bilstein, Boge, Cofap, Crown, Edelbrock, Eibach, Fabtech, Gabriel, Ground Force, Hotchkis, Koni, KYB, Monroe, Pro Comp, Rancho, Roush, Sachs, Skyjacker, Tokico andTrailmaster Shocks

 

I will try and get a photo of the overload bar while sitting with the king pin attached so you can seed the sag i am dealing with.

I know I am not using the proper descriptions of the parts down there.

 

Don't forget about Showa

Aaron

 

I picked up my 5er today from the service folks

When I dropped the pin on the truck, wow it sags, it has to be more than 1500lbs

My overload bumps were actually touching the springs but the rubber bump stops on the inside still have 3 inch of air between them.

That 5th Airborne is amazing...

Truck pulls fine, just need a little umph back there to get me levelish.

 

Ok, against better judgment I did buy a set of Timbrens..

I had them with me as I pulled my 5er to Loyd Park down 360...and if anyone knows that road they know its a POS. While at the camp site, I put the Timbrens on. Drove home and I have to say, I was impressed as hell with how they worked. When I dropped my 5er on the hitch to hook up, it only dropped about an 1 compared to the 2+ without. The ride was 10X better.

I am going to get some new shocks.

My question now is, if I didn't want Rancho 9000 that were adjustable but I wanted an adjustable shock, which one? Are Blistens adjustable?

Why do all the shocks say "off road" and not "towing"

Cheers