Okay I tried out my new StableLoads.
My truck a 2011 3500 SRW Duramax, had always done pretty good without any extra modifications. When I haul my TC fully loaded I am close to my GVWR. My truck camper weighs around 3500 pounds wet. My ride was comfortable on smooth roads but with bumps I would see some purposing and on big bumps I could feel my truck hitting the stops on the rear axle. When making turns I would definitely get some sway port to starboard. I took corners slow for that reason. All that being said I did fine with the 11'3 TC at 3500 pds without any modifications.
I had considered buying these earlier but to me it looked like there would be no way to get the wedges in because my lower overload was so close to the spring pack. Well I talked with them and they said they would work on my truck.
So I start the install and right away there is no room to get the low profile hex nuts through the lower leaf spring holes. . So I had read here to jack up the truck. I called the TL tech line and the said yep that's what to do. Just jack it up under the receiver hitch. I jacked it up and I was able to insert the bolts on the rear fairly easy but still it was close. The front ones I could not get installed without cutting one half inch off the bolts. This created no problem and I still had plenty of thread left. It was a tight fit and I had to have the truck jacked to where the wheels were barely touching in the rear. I even used a crow bar and cheater bar to get the cut off bolts through the holes on the front of the leaf springs.
I ended up installing all three wedges in the rear and two in the front. In my case, it will always be necessary to jack up the rear of the truck to engage and disengage my TLQD. But that is about a one minute job with my floor jack. I will only use these when hauling my TC because they make for a very stiff ride when unloaded. So installation was not hard, after you get one on the rest are a piece of cake. All though it was not quite as easy, at least for me as it was in the Torklift Video. My main issue was getting those bolts through the holes. I have mentioned to Torklift they should supply 2 sets of bolts one set about a 1/2 shorter for people with a setup like mine.
So I engaged the TLQD and took off empty. My truck rides stiff empty of course, being a 3500. But rides way stiffer with the TLQD engaged. When empty it raised the rear of my truck 1 inch. The stiffer ride is clearly noticeable and if I am not hauling my TC I will disengage the TLQD.
Now I loaded up my TC and it raised the rear of my truck 3/4 of an inch verses not engaged. Then off I went. I took a 45 min or hour drive on some bumpy paved roads, bumpy gravel roads and also some highway. The question is do they work and the answer is yes. They definitely make the ride more stable. When hitting bumps in the road it seems to have eliminated the porpoising. When turning corners it reduced the sway by probably 55 to 65 percent. I also went over a double set of rough railway tracks by my house at 50 mph and was very pleased at the improvement. The truck didn't come close to bottoming out as it might have without the TLQD.
It doesn't quite handle like a sports car now but I don't feel as though I should slow way down for corners like I used to. In fact with the TLQD engaged I would say that is what you notice the most, is you can drive your truck very much like you would without a camper on.
So anyway, had I purchased these at retail I would be a happy camper. Of course getting them for free I am a super happy camper. As far as jacking the rear end of the truck for engaging and disengaging the TLQD, that is a non issue for me. I have a floor jack and my truck is parked in my shop all the time. It literally is about one extra minute.
Here are a couple of pictures that will show you what I was dealing with.
Rear leaf spring about a 1/2 inch or less gap to begin with.
Front leaf spring almost no gap at all.
Dave
My truck a 2011 3500 SRW Duramax, had always done pretty good without any extra modifications. When I haul my TC fully loaded I am close to my GVWR. My truck camper weighs around 3500 pounds wet. My ride was comfortable on smooth roads but with bumps I would see some purposing and on big bumps I could feel my truck hitting the stops on the rear axle. When making turns I would definitely get some sway port to starboard. I took corners slow for that reason. All that being said I did fine with the 11'3 TC at 3500 pds without any modifications.
I had considered buying these earlier but to me it looked like there would be no way to get the wedges in because my lower overload was so close to the spring pack. Well I talked with them and they said they would work on my truck.
So I start the install and right away there is no room to get the low profile hex nuts through the lower leaf spring holes. . So I had read here to jack up the truck. I called the TL tech line and the said yep that's what to do. Just jack it up under the receiver hitch. I jacked it up and I was able to insert the bolts on the rear fairly easy but still it was close. The front ones I could not get installed without cutting one half inch off the bolts. This created no problem and I still had plenty of thread left. It was a tight fit and I had to have the truck jacked to where the wheels were barely touching in the rear. I even used a crow bar and cheater bar to get the cut off bolts through the holes on the front of the leaf springs.
I ended up installing all three wedges in the rear and two in the front. In my case, it will always be necessary to jack up the rear of the truck to engage and disengage my TLQD. But that is about a one minute job with my floor jack. I will only use these when hauling my TC because they make for a very stiff ride when unloaded. So installation was not hard, after you get one on the rest are a piece of cake. All though it was not quite as easy, at least for me as it was in the Torklift Video. My main issue was getting those bolts through the holes. I have mentioned to Torklift they should supply 2 sets of bolts one set about a 1/2 shorter for people with a setup like mine.
So I engaged the TLQD and took off empty. My truck rides stiff empty of course, being a 3500. But rides way stiffer with the TLQD engaged. When empty it raised the rear of my truck 1 inch. The stiffer ride is clearly noticeable and if I am not hauling my TC I will disengage the TLQD.
Now I loaded up my TC and it raised the rear of my truck 3/4 of an inch verses not engaged. Then off I went. I took a 45 min or hour drive on some bumpy paved roads, bumpy gravel roads and also some highway. The question is do they work and the answer is yes. They definitely make the ride more stable. When hitting bumps in the road it seems to have eliminated the porpoising. When turning corners it reduced the sway by probably 55 to 65 percent. I also went over a double set of rough railway tracks by my house at 50 mph and was very pleased at the improvement. The truck didn't come close to bottoming out as it might have without the TLQD.
It doesn't quite handle like a sports car now but I don't feel as though I should slow way down for corners like I used to. In fact with the TLQD engaged I would say that is what you notice the most, is you can drive your truck very much like you would without a camper on.
So anyway, had I purchased these at retail I would be a happy camper. Of course getting them for free I am a super happy camper. As far as jacking the rear end of the truck for engaging and disengaging the TLQD, that is a non issue for me. I have a floor jack and my truck is parked in my shop all the time. It literally is about one extra minute.
Here are a couple of pictures that will show you what I was dealing with.
Rear leaf spring about a 1/2 inch or less gap to begin with.
Front leaf spring almost no gap at all.
Dave
