MAXLOADER OVERLOAD SPRING SUSPENSION UPGRADE:
โข TRUCK: 2007 GMC 2500HD CLASSIC, CC, 4X4, D/A
โข CAMPER: OUTFITTER APEX 8
For the last couple of years I have been trying to come up with the best rear overload spring installation to greatly minimize โrock & rollโ off-road and when transiting driveway approaches, etc when carrying our camper. I initially installed Air Lift 5000 lb air bags (individually plumbed and pressurized to about 65 - 80 psi to level the truck), Roadmaster Active Suspension (coil springs pre-tensioned to a 2mm gap) LINK, and Torklift Stable Loads. FYI, I also installed Firestone Level Right air shocks (they come fitted with Bilstein HD shock absorbers) to the front end of the truck (not needed to control rock & roll) for added insurance when carrying very heavy loads. LINK This combination worked very well on the highway and around town, but allowed a lot of โrock & rollโ off-road, etc. I was going to have the local spring shop install top-mounted overload springs, but decided not to because I didnโt want to have the truck frame welded on to install the spring brackets (the frame is boxed). Also, the cost of the installation was going to be almost $1300, which was more than I wanted to pay. I also wanted an installation that would keep a close-to-stock ride with the camper removed. So I kept looking and found the Maxloader overload spring system. Here is the link to the Maxloader site: LINK
The Maxloader Spring Support System:
Maxloaders, which are mounted between the axle and the truckโs spring pack, donโt require overload spring brackets to be installed and I paid $450 delivered (now $499) for the 3500 lb set from Tweetys LINK โ a price I found acceptable. Maxloaders are designed to engage once the main spring pack drops about ยพ inch under load (see pictures below), which lets the unloaded truck give a close to stock ride.
Installing Maxloaders will raise the rear end of the truck about 1-5/8 inches, since the four leaf Maxloader spring pack is 1-5/8 inches thick. Also, a set of 4 leaf Maxloaders, with new longer U-bolts (supplied), weighs about 108 lbs installed, which is lighter than the 125 lbs the 4 leaf top-load overload spring set was going to weigh.
In my installation, I left the airbags installed so I can level the truck from side to side with the camper loaded, if needed โ the drivers side is heavier than the passenger side โ but now carry only 5 psi in them unloaded (minimum required air pressure), which squeezes up to about 15 psi when the back of the truck drops with the camper loaded. To restore the air bags to their pre-maxloader height, I installed one inch spacers to compensate for the 1-5/8 inch "lift" created by installing the Maxloaders. A two inch spacer kit (made by Air Lift) can be sourced on Amazon. I used only half of the two piece two inch spacer to get a one inch spacer. LINK Also the stock size Rancho 9000 rear shocks appear to have enough stroke to accommodate the added lift from the Maxloaders, it is close, however, when the truck is empty. I also had to remove the Stable Loads, since they cannot be fitted with the Maxloaders installed.
Unloaded, with the Maxloaders installed, my truck measures 43.5 inches at the lip of the rear wheel wells. Loaded, with the camper wet and all gear, the truck measures 39-5/8 inches at the front wheel wells and 40-3/8 inches at the rear wheel wells โ the camper dropping the rear of the truck 3-1/8 inches, which leaves my truck bed almost level. When my truck bed is dead level, the rear wheel wells measure 1 inch higher than the front wheel wells. Under full load, with the Maxloaders installed and the required minimum air pressure in the air bags, the rear wheel wells measure 3/4 inch higher than the front wheel wells, leaving the bed only ยผ inch below level.
In order to allow an understanding as to whether Maxloaders may be an overload spring solution for others, let me give some indication of the load I carry. CAT Scale weights: Empty and camper ready the rear axle weight is 3080 lbs. Fully loaded with the camper wet and all gear, the rear axle weight is 6600 lbs (6900 lb GRAWR), giving a 3520 lb load added to the rear axle. I know the truck is overweight, so letโs please not get into a GVWR discussion.
Maxloaders are offered stock in two capacities: 2500 lbs and 3500 lbs (three leaves). I found that the 3500 lb capacity springs were not quite enough for my rear axle load, so I contacted Thad Taylor, owner of Maxloaders, and arranged to have springs with four leaves made. Thad was wonderful to work with, taking my springs with three leaves back and reworking them into springs with four leaves. He did this free of charge for me and I paid the shipping. I canโt say enough good about Thad and Maxloaders! If you have a heavy camper and want to try Maxloaders, call Thad (phone number is on the Maxloader web site) and arrange to have springs with four leaves made.
BOTTOM LINE: Maxloaders have solved my rock & roll problems! The truck with camper now exhibits much less side to side rocking off-road, with much better suspension control. On the highway and around town the truck with camper exhibits no rear end sway or porpoising, with tight handling on curves, and no suspension harshness over bumps. Of course there is still some side to side rocking in the rough stuff, but nothing like before. Also, for off-roaders that do not have stock top-mounted overload springs that can be upgraded and who prefer to depend on โsteelโ rather than โairโ for overload support, Maxloaders remove dependence on air bags from the suspension equation to level the truck. Based on my experience, I am very comfortable in highly recommending Maxloaders as an effective overload suspension upgrade for those who want to minimize side to side rocking under difficult road conditions. Or want an overload suspension solution other than air bags that also allows for a close to stock ride with the overload springs installed.
THE INSTALL AND OTHER PICTURES:
My son and I installed the Maxloaders on my truck in my garage using common hand tools in about two to three hours. For detailed installation instructions see the Maxloader web site LINK. The following pictures show our Maxloader installation and the finished result.
The truck up on jack stands and the Maxloaders ready to be installed:
The Maxloader now installed under the the truck's spring pack:
The Maxloader urethane contact bumper pads that engage the truckโs spring pack:
The contact bumpers installed on the Maxloaders:
If desired, when the truck will be operated for long periods of time without the camper loaded, such as over the winter, the contact bumpers can be easily removed in about 10 minutes (4 nuts to be removed). Doing so will restore the original ride 100%:
Bumper pad clearance with the truck unloaded:
The Maxloaders now fully installed with no load on the truck:
The truck with the camper loaded and Maxloaders engaged. (note: The truck is sloped slightly toward the back because of the parking pad slope):
โข TRUCK: 2007 GMC 2500HD CLASSIC, CC, 4X4, D/A
โข CAMPER: OUTFITTER APEX 8
For the last couple of years I have been trying to come up with the best rear overload spring installation to greatly minimize โrock & rollโ off-road and when transiting driveway approaches, etc when carrying our camper. I initially installed Air Lift 5000 lb air bags (individually plumbed and pressurized to about 65 - 80 psi to level the truck), Roadmaster Active Suspension (coil springs pre-tensioned to a 2mm gap) LINK, and Torklift Stable Loads. FYI, I also installed Firestone Level Right air shocks (they come fitted with Bilstein HD shock absorbers) to the front end of the truck (not needed to control rock & roll) for added insurance when carrying very heavy loads. LINK This combination worked very well on the highway and around town, but allowed a lot of โrock & rollโ off-road, etc. I was going to have the local spring shop install top-mounted overload springs, but decided not to because I didnโt want to have the truck frame welded on to install the spring brackets (the frame is boxed). Also, the cost of the installation was going to be almost $1300, which was more than I wanted to pay. I also wanted an installation that would keep a close-to-stock ride with the camper removed. So I kept looking and found the Maxloader overload spring system. Here is the link to the Maxloader site: LINK
The Maxloader Spring Support System:
Maxloaders, which are mounted between the axle and the truckโs spring pack, donโt require overload spring brackets to be installed and I paid $450 delivered (now $499) for the 3500 lb set from Tweetys LINK โ a price I found acceptable. Maxloaders are designed to engage once the main spring pack drops about ยพ inch under load (see pictures below), which lets the unloaded truck give a close to stock ride.
Installing Maxloaders will raise the rear end of the truck about 1-5/8 inches, since the four leaf Maxloader spring pack is 1-5/8 inches thick. Also, a set of 4 leaf Maxloaders, with new longer U-bolts (supplied), weighs about 108 lbs installed, which is lighter than the 125 lbs the 4 leaf top-load overload spring set was going to weigh.
In my installation, I left the airbags installed so I can level the truck from side to side with the camper loaded, if needed โ the drivers side is heavier than the passenger side โ but now carry only 5 psi in them unloaded (minimum required air pressure), which squeezes up to about 15 psi when the back of the truck drops with the camper loaded. To restore the air bags to their pre-maxloader height, I installed one inch spacers to compensate for the 1-5/8 inch "lift" created by installing the Maxloaders. A two inch spacer kit (made by Air Lift) can be sourced on Amazon. I used only half of the two piece two inch spacer to get a one inch spacer. LINK Also the stock size Rancho 9000 rear shocks appear to have enough stroke to accommodate the added lift from the Maxloaders, it is close, however, when the truck is empty. I also had to remove the Stable Loads, since they cannot be fitted with the Maxloaders installed.
Unloaded, with the Maxloaders installed, my truck measures 43.5 inches at the lip of the rear wheel wells. Loaded, with the camper wet and all gear, the truck measures 39-5/8 inches at the front wheel wells and 40-3/8 inches at the rear wheel wells โ the camper dropping the rear of the truck 3-1/8 inches, which leaves my truck bed almost level. When my truck bed is dead level, the rear wheel wells measure 1 inch higher than the front wheel wells. Under full load, with the Maxloaders installed and the required minimum air pressure in the air bags, the rear wheel wells measure 3/4 inch higher than the front wheel wells, leaving the bed only ยผ inch below level.
In order to allow an understanding as to whether Maxloaders may be an overload spring solution for others, let me give some indication of the load I carry. CAT Scale weights: Empty and camper ready the rear axle weight is 3080 lbs. Fully loaded with the camper wet and all gear, the rear axle weight is 6600 lbs (6900 lb GRAWR), giving a 3520 lb load added to the rear axle. I know the truck is overweight, so letโs please not get into a GVWR discussion.
Maxloaders are offered stock in two capacities: 2500 lbs and 3500 lbs (three leaves). I found that the 3500 lb capacity springs were not quite enough for my rear axle load, so I contacted Thad Taylor, owner of Maxloaders, and arranged to have springs with four leaves made. Thad was wonderful to work with, taking my springs with three leaves back and reworking them into springs with four leaves. He did this free of charge for me and I paid the shipping. I canโt say enough good about Thad and Maxloaders! If you have a heavy camper and want to try Maxloaders, call Thad (phone number is on the Maxloader web site) and arrange to have springs with four leaves made.
BOTTOM LINE: Maxloaders have solved my rock & roll problems! The truck with camper now exhibits much less side to side rocking off-road, with much better suspension control. On the highway and around town the truck with camper exhibits no rear end sway or porpoising, with tight handling on curves, and no suspension harshness over bumps. Of course there is still some side to side rocking in the rough stuff, but nothing like before. Also, for off-roaders that do not have stock top-mounted overload springs that can be upgraded and who prefer to depend on โsteelโ rather than โairโ for overload support, Maxloaders remove dependence on air bags from the suspension equation to level the truck. Based on my experience, I am very comfortable in highly recommending Maxloaders as an effective overload suspension upgrade for those who want to minimize side to side rocking under difficult road conditions. Or want an overload suspension solution other than air bags that also allows for a close to stock ride with the overload springs installed.
THE INSTALL AND OTHER PICTURES:
My son and I installed the Maxloaders on my truck in my garage using common hand tools in about two to three hours. For detailed installation instructions see the Maxloader web site LINK. The following pictures show our Maxloader installation and the finished result.
The truck up on jack stands and the Maxloaders ready to be installed:
The Maxloader now installed under the the truck's spring pack:
The Maxloader urethane contact bumper pads that engage the truckโs spring pack:
The contact bumpers installed on the Maxloaders:
If desired, when the truck will be operated for long periods of time without the camper loaded, such as over the winter, the contact bumpers can be easily removed in about 10 minutes (4 nuts to be removed). Doing so will restore the original ride 100%:
Bumper pad clearance with the truck unloaded:
The Maxloaders now fully installed with no load on the truck:
The truck with the camper loaded and Maxloaders engaged. (note: The truck is sloped slightly toward the back because of the parking pad slope):
Hellwig makes a great spring set for 3500 pound additional load;
Even easier is their 2500 pound additional load spring pack;
Either set-up will run about $250 to $300 for a set and takes about 2 hours to install. They also keep the original ride height and are adjustable for what ever load you want by pretensioning the U-bolts. You can set one side separate from the other side to balance the ride height from left to right.
Even easier is their 2500 pound additional load spring pack;
Either set-up will run about $250 to $300 for a set and takes about 2 hours to install. They also keep the original ride height and are adjustable for what ever load you want by pretensioning the U-bolts. You can set one side separate from the other side to balance the ride height from left to right.
