Timbren Suspension Kit

[Mike Bolser]

Timbren Suspension Kit (DR2500CA)
http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/dr2500ca-timbren-suspension-kit-rear-dodge-ram-2500-3003-2011

Subject Vehicle

2007.5 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 TRX4. 
This truck has the red shocks which do tend to ride rougher than the standard shocks. 

Installation

Timbrens are basically replacement bump stops that bolt in place of the existing factory stops.  The factory bump stops are held on with two 15mm bolts that will be reused with the Timbrens.  You will need a 15mm socket, ratchet and long extension to bolt the Timbren rubber bump stop onto the new mounting plate.  You then use the two factory 15mm bolt to mount these in place of the removed factory bump stops.

Installation time: 20 minutes

Fully Loaded

Outback Sydney Edition 325FRE with a factory listed pin weight of 1685# and dry weight of 10207#

Once hooked up, I was pleasantly surprised at how level the truck sat with these installed.  First impressions behind the wheel, the truck rides nearly level and it was hard for me to detect any sag or nose up condition.  At highway speeds, the truck felt very stable with the 5er behind it with little sway or side-to-side roll. 

The difference cornering was amazing, very little body roll at all.  Leaving our favorite campground, there is a left hand turn that is unlevel leaning away from you as you turn.  When stock, you would take this corner slow and feel the truck lean and the suspension fully flex.  With the Timbrens installed, this corner felt very stable with a very controlled lean.  This was a profound improvement over stock.

Driving through town, normal city driving was predictable and stable. If you have your brakes set aggressively, this can cause a little porpoising with the Timbrens rebounding slightly.  Going through some rough construction zones, I did experience some bouncing with the 5er at lower speeds.  I consider this normal and acceptable given the conditions of the roads being quite rough.  Once we got on the interstate, the driving was very comfortable with no bounce or harsh ride even when entering\exiting bridges that are typically rougher than anywhere else.  With the ride being level and smooth, you could almost forget that the 5er was back there.

Unloaded

I did some driving around town with 1/2 tank of fuel and the 250# 5th wheel hitch in the back.  In this configuration, the Timbrens sit about 1" off the axle which is considered normal.  Through normal daily driving, I felt no change from the stock harsh ride.  Even when hitting rougher areas on the highway, I never once felt the Timbrens make contact with the axle, no harsh ride or rebound.

Light Load

With a 1/2 tank of fuel, the 250# 5th wheel hitch, about 300# of gear, the wife and 2 kids on board, we set out on a trip to Wisconsin.  Modest interstate bumps were normal with no noticeable change in ride.  Once I filled up, the harsh bumps entering\exiting bridges became noticeable and would cause some rebound from the Timbrens.  This was not so rough of a ride that it was jarring but it was still noticeable. Once we entered Wisconsin, there is a stretch of I90W around Madison that is probably the worst road I have ever driven on.  When entering and exiting the bridges, you could definitely notice the rebound of the Timbrens at 70mph.  Overall though, the ride was pretty much what I expected and within reason.

Final Thoughts


For $200, this was an easy install and provided the ride I expected, loaded and unloaded.  We shall see how this setup feels over the long term.

[kenz]

Interesting. Kind of like riding on a rubber cushion instead of air bags. And they seem to do a decent job and you can't beat the price. 

[Smitty]

Hey Mike, Was there a reason you added the kit?

[Mike Bolser]

Hey Mike, Was there a reason you added the kit?

There were two main reasons for trying this kit.  I wanted the truck to ride with less sag when towing the 5er.  I won't say I wanted it to ride level because there is really no adjustability like you get with airbags.  But for the money and ease of installation, I thought it was worth experimenting.

Second, I am worried that I am flexing the suspension too much on rougher highways and during off camber turns.  The highway to our favorite campgrounds has some bumps that can get the rig to porpoising 3 or 4 times and it gives me that uneasy feeling.

What has your experience been with airbags unloaded, light loaded and fully loaded? 

Mike

[Smitty]

Hey Mike, Was there a reason you added the kit?

There were two main reasons for trying this kit.  I wanted the truck to ride with less sag when towing the 5er.  I won't say I wanted it to ride level because there is really no adjustability like you get with airbags.  But for the money and ease of installation, I thought it was worth experimenting.

Second, I am worried that I am flexing the suspension too much on rougher highways and during off camber turns.  The highway to our favorite campgrounds has some bumps that can get the rig to porpoising 3 or 4 times and it gives me that uneasy feeling.

What has your experience been with airbags unloaded, light loaded and fully loaded? 

Mike

None...lol

I am assuming since my 5er is on the lighter side (8k - 10k) I have had no suspension problems on my truck. It sits even with the 5er hitched up. I did start to have some problems with some "waving" after hitting a bump. But, resolved that with new shocks.

[NickBeek]

I installed a set of these on my last Ford truck. It needed them while towing my camper or hauling firewood. I was pleased with the performance on that truck. The suspension on my current truck seems to be robust enough for what I do, so I haven't purchased a set for it.