Torklift StableLoads deception

adding leaf springs results in additional load carrying capacity that need never be adjusted or repaired for the life of the truck

Right on the first part (assuming all other components are up to it), but maybe not right on the second part.

Wintersun,

I am not trying to pick a fight here so please read this as just a question.

But, you started this thread and that is fine, but in the past if anyone asks about air bags, stableloads or any other suspension aids you always come in promoting Supersprings. Do you have some kind of connection to Supersprings that you cannot help yourself from promoting?

Saying you like your Supersprings in your application is one thing but starting a new thread to bash a company that many people find quite good is a little suspect.

I have purchased and use Torklift tie-downs and Fastguns on my camper and they perform well though I did have to make some modifications with a cutting saw and grinder to get them to fit on my 2011 truck. As a result I continue to get promo offers from the company including one today for their Stableloads.

I took a look to see what their pitch was and found that they provided a summary chart comparing their Stableloads to air bags, new shocks, and an anti-sway bar. They somehow managed to omit the one true alternative to Stableloads which is adding more load capacity with more leaf springs as with the SuperSprings products.

The Stabiloads do reduce motion by restricting the range of motion of the leaf springs on a truck but they do nothing to safely increase the actual load capacity of the truck which requires adding more support. Only Supersprings or air bags provide additional load support.

[COLOR=]Only Supersprings or adding leaf springs results in additional load carrying capacity that need never be adjusted or repaired for the life of the truck. Anytime a solution is accompanied by a new point of failure or interferes with the factory engineering of the suspension I have learned from experience to avoid it and find another one.

Air bags can add side to side weight distribution and can be also adjusted for load. I see nothing in Torklifts advertising that their products replicate that. Getting the overloads to engage earlier is good, I use Energy Suspension Bumpers and they work great. However, I see nothing that indicates Torklift products are defective or they use deceptive advertising. I have used them since 2005 and find they are solid cabover camper mounts. Prior I used the competition, HappiJac, and did not feel that they provided the superior frame mounting that Torklift does even though HJ seems to think their products are frame mounted.

Additional load capacity is for the truck engineers and marketing folks to decide, not the addition of another spring.

I had a heck of a time getting the Torklift tie downs to fit on my 2011 Ford F-350. And on my 2000 Ford the fast guns snapped letting the Lance camper I had flip off the truck when I had a blow out, so I don't know how good they are either.

wintersun wrote:
...Only Supersprings or adding leaf springs results in additional load carrying capacity

Your post is misleading.

A truck is built with a given load capacity, and we can surmise that the engineers at the factory (GM, Ford, RAM) "certify" a truck to haul a given amount of weight, hence the number we all know as the GVWR, which is on the door jamb sticker, or a sticker somewhere on the truck.

Throwing more springs (a SuperSpring product) under a truck doesn't give the truck the ability to add "additional load carrying capacity" as you say in your post above.

Adding any suspension enhancing product does NOT give the truck the ability to exceed the design limits of the truck (i.e., carrying MORE weight than the GVWR limit of the truck).

Dakota98 wrote:
Forgive me, but I see nothing in Torklifts description of stableloads to indicate that they are marketing them to be a "replacement" for airbags or additional overload springs, but an enhancement to stock suspensions in the area of stability.

This is correct. A Stableload activates the overload spring sooner, so the truck doesn't sqaut as much with a load on it.

Forgive me, but I see nothing in Torklifts description of stableloads to indicate that they are marketing them to be a "replacement" for airbags or additional overload springs, but an enhancement to stock suspensions in the area of stability.

QUOTE: Source, Torklift web site.

Your vehicle factory suspension was designed by the vehicle engineers to carry the payload on the leaf spring suspension.
Overloads such as airbags can help a vehicle that is towing or carrying a heavy payload by keeping the vehicle level.
Leveling improves braking by shifting more weight onto the front wheels due to a forward shift in the center of gravity.
Airbag overloads can also help by keeping the vehicle front alignment closer to specification as again the vehicle is closer to a stock level stance.

As stated above, the StableLoad dramatically improves vehicle handling characteristics by "reactivating" the stabilizing affect designed into the rear springs by keeping them actively under load the way your vehicle factory engineers designed them to operate. The StableLoad accomplishes this and functions equally as well when used with or without airbag overloads. For vehicles that do not yet have airbag overloads we recommend starting with the StableLoad prior to investing in airbags.