Should I use the spacer or not?

I don't drive my truck w/o a trailer very much. The overloads are sitting 1/2" from the pads with my heavy flat bed empty. I do haul 4- 3x3x8 or 4x4x8 bales of hay 6+ times/ year and other crap. I am also installing new rear sway bar links and new rear bilstein shocks to help with the side to side rocking as they are OEM.

 

I'd run that 1/2" gap for now and see how it goes. It will beat you is they touch unloaded.

Do you have the heavy service Timbrens? Or just the standard ones?

 

I did get the heavy service ones, they are big! Was also thinking that w/o the spacer it would allow the shocks to work too. Idk how they would do any compressing with the timbren resting on the bump stop.

 

You want a .75-1.25" gap while unloaded or the ride will be horrible.

Those heavy service cushions are stiff! I think too stiff for a pickup, but you'll find out soon enough. Timbren will swap them out for you if not happy.

Don't wast the money on the rear sway bar yet. You will have no side to side rocking with those Timbrens.....

 

So I have 1 side done using the whole set up to see what it is like visually and do the jump up and down method. I don't like it. It sits too high and is stiff. The metal spacer is 5/8" thick. The rubber spacer is 1" thick. Remove which one? Do I need a shorter bolt? Use more washers? Appears that the bolt will bottom out before it tightens.

 

Use whatever combo gets you a 1" gap unloaded. You may need shorter bolts or stack a few washers under the bolt head.

 

Ok thanks. I will cut the bolt in lieu of stacking washers. Currently have it set up w/o the metal spacer. It's is a pretty choppy ride, a kidney buster for sure.