SumoSprings to stabilize loaded bed offroad?

[MatchingGladiators]

https://www.superspringsinternational.com/shop/ssr-407-40/
Does anyone have experience with these (or airbags)?
It looks like an easy way to upgrade the bump stops at least.

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[steveorama]

I'm going to bump this thread. I'm interested in getting Sumo Springs as well for this purpose.

I've searched online and this forum and I know these are typically installed by those that tow a lot. I have had my JT a year now and I have honestly towed twice, so that's not really my intended need. I can definitely see how these would help the few times a year I do tow anything though. I'm more interested in the extra payload support these could possibly provide. I do like to use mine as a truck and haul things periodically. I have a JTO, but installed the firmer JTR springs and shocks, but it still drops the back pretty good even with a little bit of weight. It seems like these would help with that. I also still like to use mine as a Jeep though too and do some trails when I have time. Looking at YouTube videos it seems like these help out off road as well compared to hitting the hard factory bump stops. Not as good as some of the hydraulic jounce bump stops, but still better than OEM.

I have a buddy who has these on his 4Runner and he really likes them. So after talking with him I started to do more research. I would probably install the fronts too like he did. Just curious to others who have installed them on their JTs. Most of the information I have found is shortly after they were installed and it would be nice to see how they are holding up and if they would benefit me in my use vs just a towing benefit.

 

[Papa Jawa]

Another product to check out from a company called Timbren. I haven’t purchased yet but I plan to.

Two different setups. An off-road setup and a highway tow set up. Timbren also sell just front or just rear.

Here is the link to the off-road full setup

https://timbren.com/i-30498051-jeep...ke=JEEP||model=GLADIATOR||submodel=ALL MODELS

 

[CoachA]

I installed a pair of rear Sumo Springs on my 2020 Gladiator Rubicon with stock rear suspension and 1.5” Terraflex leveling kit. I haul heavy loads in the bed and thought the beefed up bump stops might lessen the jolt of bottoming out on big hits with a loaded bed. So far, I am very pleased with how the Sumo Springs work. And, they take about 1 to 2 minutes to install.

 

[steveorama]

Another product to check out from a company called Timbren. I haven’t purchased yet but I plan to.

Two different setups. An off-road setup and a highway tow set up. Timbren also sell just front or just rear.

Here is the link to the off-road full setup

https://timbren.com/i-30498051-jeep-gladiator-front-rear-active-off-road-bumpstop-package.html#!year=2020||make=JEEP||model=GLADIATOR||submodel=ALL MODELS

I've looked at the Timbrens too while doing the Sumo Springs research. Seems like they are very similar idea, but are about $200 more than the Sumos for the F/R setup. Are they worth the extra money? They also say they are made of a natural rubber vs the poly-air-memory-foam or whatever the Sumos are made from. Just the visuals between the two though Timbren certainly looks "higher end".

I installed a pair of rear Sumo Springs on my 2020 Gladiator Rubicon with stock rear suspension and 1.5” Terraflex leveling kit. I haul heavy loads in the bed and thought the beefed up bump stops might lessen the jolt of bottoming out on big hits with a loaded bed. So far, I am very pleased with how the Sumo Springs work. And, they take about 1 to 2 minutes to install.

That's good to hear. That's mainly been my focus with these. I knew what I was getting into when I was getting back into a Jeep coming from a half ton, but it would be nice to have a better supported load when I'm hauling around something heavy in the back. Have you any issues off-road with them, like articulation wise? It seems to be the number one asked question online, but it never seems to be directly answered. Also are you running the blue 500lb or the black 1,000lb rear Sumos? It looks like only the HD yellow ones are available for the front application.

 

[CoachA]

I’m running the 1,000 lb. blacks. The difference in off-road articulation is close to non-existent. From this dullard’s subjective analysis, I’ve never taken measurements, the rear springs cannot compress quite as far as with stock rubber stops. The Sumo Springs feel a bit more progressive.
Somebody else mentioned Timbrens. I originally bought a pair of them for the rear, the ones supposedly appropriate for my Rubicon, but found them impossible to fit and returned them. Not definitively saying they won’t work. Could just be that I am too stupid or inept to install them correctly.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have sumo springs all around and love them. I tow, haul, overland, and do heavy rock crawling. Good products in my opinion.

Edit: They are not a band aid for the wrong spring choice. They just soften things in the rare occasion that the bump stops get used.

 

[BaliMawr]

I run firestone coil-rite in-spring airbags when I haul/tow. Works a treat for me- really solidifies the rear end under load.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I run firestone coil-rite in-spring airbags when I haul/tow. Works a treat for me- really solidifies the rear end under load.

BDS springs for a ram 1500 w/ a 3” lift in the rear for me. No need for air bags and they ride great empty and loaded down. I’ve never been further down than level with them.

 

[LostWoods]

I've looked at the Timbrens too while doing the Sumo Springs research. Seems like they are very similar idea, but are about $200 more than the Sumos for the F/R setup. Are they worth the extra money? They also say they are made of a natural rubber vs the poly-air-memory-foam or whatever the Sumos are made from. Just the visuals between the two though Timbren certainly looks "higher end".


That's good to hear. That's mainly been my focus with these. I knew what I was getting into when I was getting back into a Jeep coming from a half ton, but it would be nice to have a better supported load when I'm hauling around something heavy in the back. Have you any issues off-road with them, like articulation wise? It seems to be the number one asked question online, but it never seems to be directly answered. Also are you running the blue 500lb or the black 1,000lb rear Sumos? It looks like only the HD yellow ones are available for the front application.

I 100% recommend the Timbrens. In my experience, the natural rubber doesn't fatigue as much as SumoSprings so if you're on a longer trail and using the bumps at all the hits are reliably smooth.

Just be aware you need to buy their spacers on top of the standard kit if you're lifted at all so the price is actually even more. Still worth it IMO and they're what I'm sticking with until I finally swap in some air bumps.

 

[steveorama]

I’m running the 1,000 lb. blacks. The difference in off-road articulation is close to non-existent. From this dullard’s subjective analysis, I’ve never taken measurements, the rear springs cannot compress quite as far as with stock rubber stops. The Sumo Springs feel a bit more progressive.
Somebody else mentioned Timbrens. I originally bought a pair of them for the rear, the ones supposedly appropriate for my Rubicon, but found them impossible to fit and returned them. Not definitively saying they won’t work. Could just be that I am too stupid or inept to install them correctly.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure if the blue or black made a big difference or not. Watching SuperSprings YouTube videos they make it clear that the blue ones are the most popular choice and the softest option. Since I'm not usually towing much or in all actuality hauling heavy things very often I wasn't sure if it made that big of a difference. I guess it wouldn't matter either way then though since the bump stops wouldn't be engaged very often in everyday driving. My biggest concern between the two was really if I was running down a trail would the blue vs black make a difference in feel in those situations.

I have sumo springs all around and love them. I tow, haul, overland, and do heavy rock crawling. Good products in my opinion.

Edit: They are not a band aid for the wrong spring choice. They just soften things in the rare occasion that the bump stops get used.

How do they feel up front? I've seen most of the reviews in reference to the rear as they are usually used for the added towing benefit. As I'm thinking of the benefit they would add to overall payload and off-road use.

I also understand that they should be supplemental to your suspension setup and not a quick fix. I'm running Rubi takeoff springs and shocks on my JTO and I'm actually really happy with that setup for my day to day, but when you throw more than 200 lbs in the back the rear starts to squat exponentially after that it seems. I'm hoping to help even the load a little better especially for longer trips. I will most likely never overland in my "Overland" ironically.

 

[steveorama]

I run firestone coil-rite in-spring airbags when I haul/tow. Works a treat for me- really solidifies the rear end under load.

I've looked at airbags, but I like the idea that these are always there and don't require any maintenance or airing up if I spontaneously decide to load up the bed and go. I do think airbags would be a better fit though if I towed frequently or did more hauling. I already get overwhelmed with the wife and kids before a trip that I would prefer to have my to-do list before a trip be as short as possible and really like the idea that these won't need to be bothered with after install.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have them for off road use, meaning that occasional event where I go too fast. I’m typically cautious and slow off road. I like not breaking things. I had a descent in Moab in the last couple of weeks where I didn’t notice a huge rutted out 2’ vertical drop at the bottom of a 30’ high 35 degree pitch. It just dropped those two feet and all the weight hit the front suspension. It definitely hit the sumo springs. It felt gentle, considering, and in my opinion saved my knuckles. When I had rubicon springs, I noticed the slight rear sag as well, but not to the point of bottoming out. The new rear springs have prevented me from getting anywhere near the bump stops, even when loaded up plus trailer tongue weight. To answer your question directly. They feel great up front, but are seldom used.

 

[Suho]

I installed yellow and blue front and rear on my diesel gladiator to stop bottoming out the front end as much, and to help with towing at the upper limits. I definitely recommend them for the front since they completely resolved the bottoming issue when paired with a 1.5 inch leveling kit. Now any big hits are soft and there's no metal to metal contact like the OEM bump stops.

The rears don't seem to be as important unless you tow at the upper limits. I had a ~5000 pound trailer and still didn't quite contact the blue sumo springs while parked. I'm sure they helped on bumps but it wasn't really taking weight off the springs. They're relatively cheap though and extremely easy to swap in the rear so I would recommend them anyway.

I had them installed over the winter in upstate New York and had no problems with hard hits from cold bump stops. I imagine the harder rubber of the timbrens might be worse when it gets cold out.

 

[steveorama]

Thanks for the feedback y’all. I found a set of fronts on Amazon in the warehouse deals that were a return for half price. They arrived last night courtesy of Prime shipping and look brand new so that was a good deal. The blue rears appear to be on backorder at Supersprings and a lot other vendors. I ended up ordering the black rears off of Autoanything last night as they have a 21% off coupon right now for Memorial Day. The rears should be here in a week or so per my order information, no tracking as of yet.

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