Suspension Enhancement Recommendation with Better Ride Quality than Timbren on 1999 Dodge Ram 3500

Question:

Hi Folks, upon the recommendation of an installer I purchase a set of Timbren tdrtt3500 for my 99 Dodge 3500 truck with flatbed as the flatbed installer did not install it to the correct height. If I put 1 ton of materials on the flatbed it would rub on the tires creating marks in the tires. After installing the Timbren product my ride has become unbearable. I feel every bump in the road with no load and the uneven transitions on the freeways are horrible. A recent 6 hour round trip with a lite load left me with a headache and sore back. I need an alternative quick. A progressive alternative might work or an air bag might work, I dont know. I just know this was the worst investment I ever made and am paying for it daily. Your help and guidance would be appreciated. Thanks.

asked by: Mark F

Expert Reply:

I definitely feel your pain. I installed Timbrens on our 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 and while they do an excellent job with heavy loads, the unloaded ride was not something to be desired. My kit came with a 1 inch spacer that I had to take out. Your kit doesn't come with a removable spacer, so your next best option would be to go with a different system.

If you have room on the outside of your frame just above your axles, then I recommend moving to air bags with the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Springs, # F2071. These mount to the outside of the truck frame and to the top of the leaf spring stack. I'm not sure how your flat bed mounts or if you have a gooseneck hitch installed, but the frame bracket on this kit will take up about 10 inches of space on the frame. Air bags give you easy adjustablilty, so you can air them up when hauling and let the air out for daily driving. I attached an installation video on a 1999 Dodge for you to check out.

If frame space is not an option, then I recommend going with a leaf spring setup in the SuperSprings Leaf Spring, # SSA25. This is an additional leaf spring that sits on top of your leaf spring stack and provides additional support to your factory springs. In my opinion this doesn't do as good of a job eliminating sag like Timbrens or air springs, but it will definitely be an improvement over the factory suspension and the unloaded ride quality will be better than Timbren.

expert reply by: John H