New Truck Accessories!!!

I installed new equipment on the truck yesterday...ok, new toys perhaps. I put on rain deflectors and new Timbren springs.

The rain deflectors were more along the lines of toys. I had them on a previous truck and it was nice to be able to crack the window and not worry about rain entering. It also cuts down on the low frequency noise that occurs when you open a window at faster speeds. Photos of the vents are on facebook.

The second install was a Timbren Suspension Enhancement System. It is a set of rubber helper springs that will smooth out the ride when under load. I purchased from eTrailer even though there were a few places that were cheaper. We have had great service from eTrailer in the past and wanted to use them again. As advertised, etrailer honored their lowest price pledge.

The installation was simple. It seems like it took longer to get the cover off of the sticky tape on the rain deflectors than it took to install the springs. It took no more than an hour to install the springs. The instructions say to lift the truck so the axle hangs freely but that wasn't necessary. There should be about 1/2 inch clearance when installed and that was enough to get the springs in for mounting. One side was a little tighter and required a little wiggling, but I managed without lifting. I probably could have taken the hitch out of the bed along with the box of tools and gotten a tad more clearance. Probably also would have helped if I had parked on a level surface. The hardest part of the install was turning the wrench to get the nut off to remove the OEM bumper and then turning the wrench to get the nut on the Timbren springs. There is not much clearance which. The passenger side had enough clearance to get a ratchet on, but it was not very effective. I found myself wishing I had a set of magical ratchet-wrenches that Craftsman makes. Maybe some day I'll get some, but I managed with plain wrenches. It was also dark when I installed them which goes to show the ease in getting to the parts.

I chose the Timbren system for the low maintenance required. They simply replace the OEM bumper and that's it. At a minimmum, air systems require inflation tubing and adding air more frequently than never (the amount of times you have to add anything to the Timbren springs = never). For lower maintenance on the air systems you would have to add compressors and remote monitoring/adjusting systems. Overall, I'll take the easy option. It's also cheaper.

I have one photo of the springs here and there are a few more on facebook. I'm looking forward to getting back on the road in a few weeks and seeing how the new springs work out. I'll try to remember to update on how the ride changes under load.

-Steve