Timbren SES help!

amabee · 11-16-2014, 12:16 PM

Ok, looking for thoughts/advice etc. Recently installed Timbren springs on the rear of our truck, not to sure what to expect, but what is going on so far is a long ways from from good. They did help with sway, but unfortunately we were quite often being bounced to death in the truck. I've really never had a trailer behave as badly as this. This was during a 180mile trip to the dealer to get some warranty work done.

There are only two things I can think of, one is Timbrens don't work as claimed, which is a little hard to believe given lots a good reviews of them.
The other is the rear of the truck isn't dropping as much, due the
Timbrens and is causing the trailer tongue to sit higher than it was before? The tongue of the trailer "looked" ok, but I have not measured it. This really is the only explanation I can come up with.

For those who have used Timbren's, did you need to make adjustments to your hitch after installing them? I really want these to work as they did a great job stopping sway, but had I possessed the tools at the time, I would have ripped these things off along the Interstate.

Grumpy · 11-16-2014, 12:26 PM

If you have your hitch adjusted/sized properly you shouldn't need them with a TT. Did your truck squat that much when you hitched up?

Collinp · 11-16-2014, 12:27 PM

I have the timbrens on my truck and I will say that the truck is rougher riding with the timbrens. I found out that I didn't have my hitch set up correctly after I installed the timbrens; I introduced the timbrens to fix a problem that was at least in part a hitch set-up problem. So...my hitch is set up correctly now and the truck rides rougher than I want but the other option of bouncing down the road is worse.

2014 Ram 1500 2X4
2014 White Hawk 27RBOK

amabee · 11-16-2014, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

If you have your hitch adjusted/sized properly you shouldn't need them with a TT. Did your truck squat that much when you hitched up?

Guess I should mention my reason for getting these was to try and cut back on the side sway caused by crosswinds etc.

If you mean did it squat a lot before the Timbrens, not an unusual amount, I spent a great deal of time at the CAT scale getting my hitch properly adjusted and it DID ride really good before adding the Timbrens. Beginning to think this was a $200+ mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Collinp

I have the timbrens on my truck and I will say that the truck is rougher riding with the timbrens. I found out that I didn't have my hitch set up correctly after I installed the timbrens; I introduced the timbrens to fix a problem that was at least in part a hitch set-up problem. So...my hitch is set up correctly now and the truck rides rougher than I want but the other option of bouncing down the road is worse.

I could handle a somewhat rougher ride, but I am bouncing down the road with them, never had this issue before.

Bodro · 11-16-2014, 01:43 PM

I have had two sets of Timbrens on two different vehicles and have been totally satisfied that they reduced the "squat" issue I was having. However the installation on my first vehicle wasn't done properly and I was getting severe bounce when driving with no load. It is important that after installing the Timbrens that there is at gap of up to 1" between the bump stop and the timbren. When loaded the Timbren will compress and make contact with the bump stop. I also had to adjust the height of the hitch. Call the company...I found them to be very helpful...check the website.

TCNashville · 11-16-2014, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodro

It is important that after installing the Timbrens that there is at gap of up to 1" between the bump stop and the timbren.

This is crucial with the Timbrens. If you don't have at least a 1in gap, you'll be bouncing off even the small bumps. I have them on my F-250 because my tongue weight is 1400lbs and I had some pretty bad sag. They don't really affect my no load ride unless I hit a really big bump, then I can feel them. I readjusted my WDH by tilting the hitch head back and had to go 1 chain link longer on my spring bars to make up the hookup height. My truck/trailer combo rides much nicer now with less sway and bounce.

**norty1** · 11-16-2014, 03:48 PM

Call the manufacturer,

They are very helpful in fine tuning the installation. They have spacers that will help take care of any height problems that prevent the Timbrens from doing the job.

When I am not towing, my truck does not even see the Timbrens.

amabee · 11-16-2014, 04:01 PM

They do have a good 1in gap with no load, the truck rides fine with no load.

Its when the camper is hitched up the trouble begins. I did add one more link on the bars, but it made no real difference, still bounced us all over at times. By this I mean my wife couldn't even send a text on her phone, because she couldn't hold it steady enough. I had to drop down to about 40-45mph at times to even make it tolerable.

I am wondering if the hitch height is the problem? The trailer was dead on level before, but I guess if the Timbrens are preventing squat, maybe it's no longer level. Hard to believe an 1" or so on hitch height could go from a good ride to almost out of control bouncing at times. I'll have to flip the shank over, as I am at the lowest point in the "up" position, that will lower the ball by 1 3/4". I did email Timbren to see what they have to say.

**norty1** · 11-16-2014, 04:03 PM

I will back off and just follow cause I pull a fiver and do not have any solutions. Sounds like you need some adjustments in the WDH.

TCNashville · 11-16-2014, 04:44 PM

amabee-sorry, I misread you're post and thought you were mostly referencing a no load ride. Question; When you're hooked up, do the Timbrens rest on the bumpstops with a little compression? If there is even the slightest gap, they will bump/bounce you right out of your truck.

amabee · 11-16-2014, 05:12 PM

Yes, they do sit down on the stops with a bit of a bulge. Whether its enough, I don't know. It really didn't feel like they were losing contact, or at least not that I noticed, just very bouncy.

**Crabman** · 11-16-2014, 05:39 PM

Sounds to me like the Timbrens are bouncing off the axle when towing the trailer. I have them on my 1500 which I used to use to tow our TT and did not have the bounce, but my tongue weight was very heavy so the Timbrens were likely well seated on the axle. I have experienced the bounce going over bumps when my truck was only partially loaded down with weight (not towing), and the Timbrens were not fully resting on the axle. As said unloaded there should be a 1 to 1.5 inch separation between the Timbrens and the axle....Not sure either what the fix would be.

campingn.c. · 11-16-2014, 06:10 PM

I'm currently fighting a similar issue with my truck. I don't have Timbrens installed but the truck rides horrible with the trailer attached. I've gone up one link and that's when it started. I too think my trailer is too nose high now, but having a hard time believing that's what's causing it to ride bad.
If you readjust for level come back and give us an update please.

TCNashville · 11-16-2014, 06:49 PM

From the info I've gathered on this Forum about WDH's, the front of the trailer should be slightly nose down, spring bars [or equivalent] should be angled slightly down at the ends, return the front of the TV back to manufacturers spec [ie Ford is 50%] and the rear will take care of itself. Nose high trailers are more prone to sway. I purchased the Timbrens to alleviate sag. I knew I was going to change the dynamics of the hitch after the Timbrens were installed. It took me a few times to get it where I thought it was right. Interested in what the Timbren people say.

amabee · 11-16-2014, 06:51 PM

Will definitely provide updates. Beginning to wonder if its a combination of sitting a little high on the tongue and slightly less tongue weight than normal. We did take some things out as it was going in for service. It is not completely unloaded but the tongue is, I am sure, lighter. Those two factors together could, I suppose, make the Timbrens bounce off the axle in certain situations. Not sure that theory gives me a clear idea as to how to fix it. Lowering the ball almost 2" seems like a lot, but that may be the only solution. I am also curious what Timbrens customer service says, hopefully they have a solution.

Seann45 · 11-16-2014, 07:07 PM

Timbrens wont help sway... they are for load...
What is your tongue weight? it should be 10-15% of your total trailer weight.. this is the best way to reduce sway.. the closer to 15% the better... How tight do you have your equalizer bars? maybe tighten them up a few notches..

amabee · 11-16-2014, 07:25 PM

Just going off the Timbren website, they help eliminate roll and sway and they do. We had a good 25+mph crosswind, I should have felt that in the truck, but didn't. They did reduce the sway, if it weren't for the bouncing these things would be great. Some sections of highway were fine, felt like we were on a sheet of glass, smooth as could be, then we hit what are actually newer sections and the bouncing started again. I've driven this road w/out the trailer and these places are bouncy no matter what, but with trailer it was magnified multiple times. I have also pulled this same trailer on this road w/out the Timbrens, rode fine.

The WDH was set up using a CAT scale, normally the TW sits around 700lbs, trailer weighs roughly 5100lbs loaded. The spring bars are set to return the correct amount to the front axle. Keep in mind, this is a 1/2 ton pickup, not exactly the stiffest suspension.

I really don't know what the TW was we took it to the dealer yesterday, but when we brought it home brand new, it was only 450lbs and sitting slightly nose high and it rode ok, not great, but nothing like it did yesterday. The Timbrens changed something dramatically for this to happen.

Camper_bob · 11-16-2014, 10:35 PM

When I installed my Roadmaster Active Suspension last year (I was debating between this and the Timbrens) I emailed my hitch manufacturer and asked about it. They said that ANY suspension modification to the truck required a "from scratch" setup after the parts were installed on the truck. I installed the RAS and re configured my setup as it I were installing it the first time, and it worked well for me. If I were you, I would pretend like I was installing a brand new hitch, set it up from scratch according to the instructions.

TCNashville · 11-17-2014, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

If I were you, I would pretend like I was installing a brand new hitch, set it up from scratch according to the instructions.

That's exactly what I did. The Timbrens do help with sway because it ties the rearend together by putting pressure on the bumpstops [axle] to alleviate side to side motion. Wait and see what the Timbren people say as they are very helpful. You may be onto to something with regards to the reduction of tongue weight. Make sure when you readjust your hitch, you're fully loaded. If you can't get them to work, hopefully you can return them. In that case, you might consider the RAS system, heard great things about it.

amabee · 11-17-2014, 04:43 PM

First, thanks to everyone who has replied, I really appreciate it.

The bummer is that right now our camper is at the dealer so I really can't play around and try to figure this out. I do know when I go pick it up, I will have all the tools needed to adjust the hitch and/or remove the Timbrens and put the old bumpstops back in if need be. I won't make another 180mile trip like we had Sat. It may take awhile for me to get good communication with Timbren, I'm hard to reach during the day, so it will probably be one email a day, but hey its cold and I have plenty of time.

While I do wonder about the height of the hitch ball, its still hard to believe an inch or so could make this much difference, but I guess it could be just enough to cause the Timbrens to bounce off the axle.

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