Hi Guys, I am considering replacing the stock air bags (which bleed down/leak) with Sumo springs on my 2020 Ford 450 chassis Leprechaun Class C. Rumor is the Sumo springs make the rig more stable. I would appreciate any info/advice. Thanks in advance! Bill

Yes, in general Timbrens or Sumos will be more "stable" than airbags.And IMO, they are a good option, especially for vehicles that need suspension help and are the (nearly) same weight all the time with no need for adjustability.Couple things to consider:1. Are your springs sacked out or way overloaded already? Sumo or Timbren will help, but may/will make the ride even harsher likely. Harsher than airbags.2. How much weight do they need to carry? Sumos have a couple models, soft and firm I believe. Timbrens are just firm. 3. Double check your actual dimensions between mount and bump stop pad surface and teh dimensions of the product and its adjustability to make sure you're going to be able to achieve the desired effect. ( I say thsi because obviously your camper is sagging if you need these, so you don't really have "original" ride height to go by.)

Personally, I think I would prefer the adjustability of the air bags, but I don't have any first hand experience with Sumo Springs.

I put a set on our F250 and don't notice them when running empty as there is a small gap before they engage and then being progressive, the initial resistance is minimal but they do firm up the ride when heavily loaded.On a Class C, the adjustability of airbags isn't important as the loading will almost always be pretty much the same. With a big truck camper, adjustability is much more important as the support when you have 4000lb in the bed will result in a very stiff ride when empty but that never happens with a Class C.With Sumos, there is nothing to adjust or to fail, so I think it's a great option for a Class C.

Added a set of the HD rear Sumos to my 2017 Sprinter cab chassis, and the difference between them and the OEM bump stops is noticeable. I have a set of HD Sumo fronts, and am still waiting for a chance to add them. They mitigate things like curb roll, and make the unit feel a little more stable on the freeway in crosswinds or big rig bow wash. On my chassis, the rear HD Sumos just make contact with the axle, where the OEMs didn't, they had a visible gap between the frame and the axle of about an inch.

Added sumos to the front of my 97 f53 and timbrens to the rear and have been well satisfied the improvements in handling.Just FYI I did try the sumos on the rear and the ride was very rough that's when I changed to the timbrens. I would recommend either or a combination of both.

Sumo Springs to replace air bags | Good Sam Community

Grit_dog
Navigator
May 23, 2022
Yes, in general Timbrens or Sumos will be more "stable" than airbags.
And IMO, they are a good option, especially for vehicles that need suspension help and are the (nearly) same weight all the time with no need for adjustability.
Couple things to consider:
1. Are your springs sacked out or way overloaded already? Sumo or Timbren will help, but may/will make the ride even harsher likely. Harsher than airbags.
2. How much weight do they need to carry? Sumos have a couple models, soft and firm I believe. Timbrens are just firm.
3. Double check your actual dimensions between mount and bump stop pad surface and teh dimensions of the product and its adjustability to make sure you're going to be able to achieve the desired effect. ( I say thsi because obviously your camper is sagging if you need these, so you don't really have "original" ride height to go by.)

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