Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby mtbikernate » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:50 am

I've been wanting to improve the handling of my trailer on gravel roads and have had this option on my radar. Never going to do any real off-roading with mine, but the bounce is irritating as hell on gravel forest roads. Have thought about installing shock absorbers, various helper springs, and so on. Wouldn't mind a couple inches of lift, as well, because that would help with clearances when pulling into rough sites.

I like that it wouldn't involve any welding to swap my trailer from leaf springs to timbrens. I think in the grand scheme, the costs of all the different options I'm looking at are fairly similar.

It'd be nice if one of the models would fit my existing hubs (and brakes).
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby saywhatthat » Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:41 pm

At the shop the have trashed at lest 3 sets . all the crap you have to add . It more about being hip to have them
[quote but the bounce is irritating as hell .Do the spring match the load.3500 spring on a 1000 lb load = bounce
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby working on it » Fri Mar 19, 2021 1:09 pm

mtbikernate wrote:I've been wanting to improve the handling of my trailer on gravel roads and have had this option on my radar. Never going to do any real off-roading with mine, but the bounce is irritating as hell on gravel forest roads. Have thought about installing shock absorbers, various helper springs, and so on. Wouldn't mind a couple inches of lift, as well, because that would help with clearances when pulling into rough sites.

I like that it wouldn't involve any welding to swap my trailer from leaf springs to timbrens. I think in the grand scheme, the costs of all the different options I'm looking at are fairly similar.

It'd be nice if one of the models would fit my existing hubs (and brakes).


* I looked at your Hiker trailer photo (on Flickr) to see what axle you have (I didn't see it named/sized in your posts); it appears to be a 3500 lb axle (it looks like it might be a Dexter, since the label looks like the one on mine, just guessing. I thought about using a Timbren axle-less assembly, when I replaced my original axle (too weak, too small, too rusted), but opted to custom re-make my own, with all new, better, leaf spring components that I bought separately (including reinforcing 1/4" angle iron, to beef-up the frame rails).

* I used a Dexter 3500 lb axle w/brakes, 3000 lb springs, new shackles, hangers, hardware, and made my own "active suspension bumpstop", to serve in place of shock absorbers, in lieu of using Sumo springs, air-ride bags, or Timbren's AEON springs. Their "bumpstops" are marketed toward the tow vehicles, or for heavy trailers than mine; their marketing name was coined after I named mine, but I was unaware of it, anyhow.

* The prime component that makes the Timbren suspension work so well is their AEON rubber springs, but I fabricated mine from Daystar progressive bumpstops (forJeeps?) Here are links to several threads here I'm pitching the benefits of using an active bumpstop if you already have a leaf spring suspension, and that (in the final thread), that the cost involved to make my custom install (not including the welder I had to buy to make it) was about the same as if I bought a complete Timbren axle-less assembly. But, I still like the easy access to replacement parts anywhere, that my leaf spring set-up allows.
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby mtbikernate » Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:00 pm

yes, I have a 3500lb axle. But 2000lb leaf springs. builder had supply problems with 2000lb axles during construction and made a substitution. Loaded trailer weight is around 1400lbs.

Pulls really well on pavement, but gravel isn't so good. Even going slow, there's a lot of bounce.

I could flip the axle to get some extra clearance, but that won't improve the ride. Might actually make the ride worse without something to smooth it out.
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby saltydawg » Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:17 pm

Shocks can help with bounce, but they can also introduce more shock loads to the trailer. But over all they should make it less bouncey, so can airing down the tires some.
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby mtbikernate » Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:52 am

saltydawg wrote:Shocks can help with bounce, but they can also introduce more shock loads to the trailer. But over all they should make it less bouncey, so can airing down the tires some.


I have "better" trailer tires on it, but they're still just trailer tires so I'm not sure that airing down is a great solution since I don't have a good air-back-up solution. especially considering the transitions between gravel and pavement that I'm encountering are pretty seamless. One place I've been transitions between interstate and gravel forest road in less than 1/4mi. It's kindof a weird spot with a freeway exit right there.
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby tony.latham » Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:56 am

I have "better" trailer tires ...


Are they radials or bias-ply? Radials will help a lot. I run mine at 25 PSI.

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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby mtbikernate » Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:26 pm

tony.latham wrote:
I have "better" trailer tires ...


Are they radials or bias-ply? Radials will help a lot. I run mine at 25 PSI.

Tony


they're Kenda K558 tires. 4 plies tread, 3 plies sidewall. plies are nylon. hitting google, looks like it's a bias ply tire.

I was thinking of eventually putting light truck tires on the trailer, similar to what I'm using on my truck. you're saying that doing so will help with handling before even touching the suspension?
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby tony.latham » Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:59 pm

mtbikernate wrote:
tony.latham wrote:
I have "better" trailer tires ...


Are they radials or bias-ply? Radials will help a lot. I run mine at 25 PSI.

Tony


they're Kenda K558 tires. 4 plies tread, 3 plies sidewall. plies are nylon. hitting google, looks like it's a bias ply tire.

I was thinking of eventually putting light truck tires on the trailer, similar to what I'm using on my truck. you're saying that doing so will help with handling before even touching the suspension?
Radials ride much better than bias ply.

Tony
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby mtbikernate » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:39 pm

tony.latham wrote:Radials ride much better than bias ply.

Tony


cool. I guess I'll give that a go before I mess with the suspension.

maybe flip the axle to gain the height I want. that change looks pretty inexpensive.
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Re: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension

Postby iconicflux » Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:04 pm

My Timbren Axle-less suspension arrived yesterday with one of the electric brake hubs damaged so I'm having to get a new one out.

The left side was packed perfect, the right side had no packing, just the hub/brakes and the other parts loose in the box and they were dirty, the instructions weren't where they should be, and the box had clearly been opened and then poorly retaped.
It very much looked like Timbren sent me a used axle. One of the parts was dented and cut. No idea how that would have even happen.

So now I'm going through the process of getting a new one. Ugh.

I'll let ya know how things go with this process.
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