Nearing maximum capacity

[Zpilgrim]

I was wondering if anyone has installed the Timbren suspension system on their truck? I read a few reviews most people seem to like them because they’re easy to install and they definitely dampen up the ride when you’re close to your weight limit. However, somebody did mention that the ride for the trailer itself stiffened up to a point where their furniture inside the trailer was jostled around considerably. Has anyone had any experience with this? I have an F350 super duty and I had noticed especially on a bumpy road. I-10 in New Mexico really has some heavy bumps.  I could feel my rig wander a little bit when I hit those bumps at 70 miles an hour. Plus sometimes I could feel a little sway on sharp curves. I don’t really like that feeling so I’m wondering if it’s really the truck suspension or the trailer suspension. Has anyone had any experience with this. I have an 2010 Excel 30RSO that has a dry weight of 12,400 pounds so if 20% of the weight of the trailer transfers to the Bed I’m getting close to capacity. I’m sure the shock absorbers on my trailer are probably the originals. 

 

[Kevin D Pem]

You can't know your weight, or loading by how it handles!!!
Have you scaled your rig???

 

[Zpilgrim]

You can't know your weight, or loading by how it handles!!!
Have you scaled your rig???

Not sure I understand. While handling is part of the question, one clearly notices a difference in handling towing 13,000 plus pounds. The main question remains and that is has anyone beefed up their rear suspension and noticed a difference in the condition of content. Stiffer suspension of a tow vehicle most likely results in some difference in stress to the frame of your load. So again has anyone that beefed up their suspension noticed a significant difference transferred to their load?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

What I meant is, how do you know how close you are to your limits without running your rig on the scales?

How can you diagnose your problem without proper procedure?

Typically the trailer follows, and if anything helps the truck mellow out. That of course depends on how the trailer is loaded.

Another cause of handling issues is not taking road conditions and speed into the equation!!!

What is the saying? "You can't throw enough money at something to overcome . . ."

 

[Zpilgrim]

Well, I guess I’m just using the specifications from Ford concerning the weight that you could put on the truck. And then using the trailer specifications from the manufacture and I think that it’s very likely that I could add 400 pounds of additional weight to the trailer between clothes, Food, and other necessities. It’s certainly not a perfect number but the manufacturer says that the trailer weighs 12,400 pounds dry I guess from that point all it takes is math assuming 20% of the weight of a trailer is on the hitch. It’s not hard to come up With a figure that is somewhere close.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

This may be apples to oranges but I had air shocks on my old Dakota and it made the ride rougher at times (have to maintain min 10psi laden or not) but most trailers I pulled it made little to no difference and I typically kept at least 15% of the weight on the tongue so it tracked straight under all conditions.

Given your GCW when the road turns to crap, it sounds like you just need to slow down.

Weighing the rig so you know your weights at every axle as equipped rolling down the road would be a good step to see if something is awry. It's only $13 at many CAT scales so it would be money well spent.