SN Shocks

[Tonyf]

Hello again, it appears that Road King is out of business and the shocks for the Supernova's no longer available. Monroe and Gaberial both have shocks for the SN, anyone have experience with these? or can recommend some other brand for the SN? Thanks.

[pwerwagn]

You can still get road kings directly thru king shocks. They are just 2.5" or 3" king emulsion shocks, and they have the valving spec on hand if you call them.

--Jeff

[Tonyf]

Originally Posted by pwerwagn

You can still get road kings directly thru king shocks. They are just 2.5" or 3" king emulsion shocks, and they have the valving spec on hand if you call them.

--Jeff

Perfect, thanks. Will call them once I’m ready to do the shocks, my coach already has Monroe shocks upfront, but nothing in the back.

I added the Timbren rear suspension enhancers, part number RES001 for future reference . They are mainly rubber springs. Had to raise the MH so the suspension hung free, remove the stock bump stops, drill four holes on each side and install the Timbrems. Back end raised ~1.25 inches, haven’t drove it yet with the Trimbrens but will soon. They have a 8600 lb load capacity. Did not want air bags, such as airlift, as it’s more to break and fool with. Also was not spending all that cash for an aftermarket air ride retrofit.

Still gathering parts to add the shocks, should have everything next month.

[pwerwagn]

Originally Posted by Tonyf

Perfect, thanks. Will call them once I’m ready to do the shocks, my coach already has Monroe shocks upfront, but nothing in the back.

I added the Timbren rear suspension enhancers, part number RES001 for future reference . They are mainly rubber springs. Had to raise the MH so the suspension hung free, remove the stock bump stops, drill four holes on each side and install the Timbrems. Back end raised ~1.25 inches, haven’t drove it yet with the Trimbrens but will soon. They have a 8600 lb load capacity. Did not want air bags, such as airlift, as it’s more to break and fool with. Also was not spending all that cash for an aftermarket air ride retrofit.

Still gathering parts to add the shocks, should have everything next month.

Im curious how you like the Timbrens, report back when you drive it. Mine has rubber cushioned shackle hangers so the ride is great, but I need to lift the rear a touch when Im towing heavy. I havent had great luck with Timbrens on my trucks, and did air bags on my last Super C. This one is already way better than the Kodiak chassis was, so I contemplating replacing those IH bump stops with Sumo Springs version of the timbren.

When you talk to King, they should offer both a 2.5" version and a 3" diameter version (at one time they did). The 3" version is pricey, but definitely adds control. We run Kings on our race trucks, and it is amazing how much more control the larger piston gives us (one of the trucks had 4" diameter King Kong 5 tube bypasses...they are amazing).

Having said that, I have the 2.5" version on my supernova and they work great too.

--Jeff

[Tonyf]

Originally Posted by pwerwagn

Im curious how you like the Timbrens, report back when you drive it. Mine has rubber cushioned shackle hangers so the ride is great, but I need to lift the rear a touch when Im towing heavy. I havent had great luck with Timbrens on my trucks, and did air bags on my last Super C. This one is already way better than the Kodiak chassis was, so I contemplating replacing those IH bump stops with Sumo Springs version of the timbren….

Jeff you are talking about the Sulastic shackles I assume. Been looking at them but can’t find a lot of info with the exception of theirs. https://www.sulastic.com/en/

The ride with the Trimbrens improved some, a little less jarring. But still nothing to write home about. I’m the process of working thru shocks now, going with the standard replacement Monroe’s for the moment. I’m working thru it in stages, if I still don’t like the ride after the shocks, will look at the Sulastics maybe even circle back around to the Roadkings.

[pwerwagn]

Originally Posted by Tonyf

Jeff you are talking about the Sulastic shackles I assume. Been looking at them but can’t find a lot of info with the exception of theirs. https://www.sulastic.com/en/

The ride with the Trimbrens improved some, a little less jarring. But still nothing to write home about. I’m the process of working thru shocks now, going with the standard replacement Monroe’s for the moment. I’m working thru it in stages, if I still don’t like the ride after the shocks, will look at the Sulastics maybe even circle back around to the Roadkings.

No, they are not the sulastic or aerospace velvet ride's. I have used those on other trucks, they work pretty good for removing the small expansion joint type bumps. Those are a rubber torsion bushing inside a 2 piece shackle setup.

My setup, the full shackle assy is mounted to rubber shear blocks. I will take some pics.

Also, here is the new website to the road kings. King is marketing them as a different shock now, under hdshocks.

https://www.hdshocks.com/

--Jeff

[Tonyf]

Originally Posted by pwerwagn

No, they are not the sulastic or aerospace velvet ride's. I have used those on other trucks, they work pretty good for removing the small expansion joint type bumps. Those are a rubber torsion bushing inside a 2 piece shackle setup.

My setup, the full shackle assy is mounted to rubber shear blocks. I will take some pics.

Also, here is the new website to the road kings. King is marketing them as a different shock now, under hdshocks.

https://www.hdshocks.com/

--Jeff

Thanks, yes, some pictures would be great! Thanks for the link. Sulastic doesn't make a shackle for the 4200 series as the chassis uses a slipper on each end of the spring pack with a single axle-locater "spring" in the middle of the pack.

I'm going to reinstall the rectangular OEM "bump stops" and remove the Tembrens. It turns out that the OEM bump stop is not really a bump stop, but rather it's a rubber auxiliary spring with a 4500 lb rating similar to the Tembrens. Navistar part 3554205C2. Apparently, it was an option available from International which GS selected for the SN. The Trmbens, from what I can tell, were fully compressed, not sure they really did anything. Perhaps their load rating was overly optimistic. They appeared kind of flimsy as compared to the OEM ones.

[pwerwagn]

Originally Posted by Tonyf

Thanks, yes, some pictures would be great! Thanks for the link. Sulastic doesn't make a shackle for the 4200 series as the chassis uses a slipper on each end of the spring pack with a single axle-locater "spring" in the middle of the pack.

I'm going to reinstall the rectangular OEM "bump stops" and remove the Tembrens. It turns out that the OEM bump stop is not really a bump stop, but rather it's a rubber auxiliary spring with a 4500 lb rating similar to the Tembrens. Navistar part 3554205C2. Apparently, it was an option available from International which GS selected for the SN. The Trmbens, from what I can tell, were fully compressed, not sure they really did anything. Perhaps their load rating was overly optimistic. They appeared kind of flimsy as compared to the OEM ones.

Bingo! Mine still retains the slipper style leaf, and the shackle assembly (I.E frame mount) is mounted to this large plate assembly that has vertical shear blocks. The rubber absorbs the smaller stuff. The shear blocks are adjustable, so I can change ride height up or down. For the life of me, I cannot remember what it is called though!!!

My old Kodiak chassis super c had those same overload's similar to what the SN has (mine has the same square ones, assuming the same as yours). I put air bags on the back of that RV and running ~30psi was just enough to get the rubber overload to not make contact with the top spring plate. Surprisingly, it helped the ride a ton and also quieted it down a bunch inside. I've thought about doing small secondary air bags somewhere in the back, just so I can level it out when I'm towing heavier loads. I do get a little bit of squat since those rubber shear blocks deflect more than the spring alone would.

[Tonyf]

Originally Posted by pwerwagn

Bingo! Mine still retains the slipper style leaf, and the shackle assembly (I.E frame mount) is mounted to this large plate assembly that has vertical shear blocks. The rubber absorbs the smaller stuff. The shear blocks are adjustable, so I can change ride height up or down. For the life of me, I cannot remember what it is called though!!!

My old Kodiak chassis super c had those same overload's similar to what the SN has (mine has the same square ones, assuming the same as yours). I put air bags on the back of that RV and running ~30psi was just enough to get the rubber overload to not make contact with the top spring plate. Surprisingly, it helped the ride a ton and also quieted it down a bunch inside. I've thought about doing small secondary air bags somewhere in the back, just so I can level it out when I'm towing heavier loads. I do get a little bit of squat since those rubber shear blocks deflect more than the spring alone would.

Pretty cool! On a whim, I contacted Timbren and told them I wasn't happy with the RES001, and that they were coming back. They put me in contact with one of their engineers and we are working to find a solution, currently looking at the BDR750 in conjunction with the OEM rubber spring. The BDR750 fits between the bottom of the frame and the axle, has a 15,000 lb capacity, so shouldn't flatten out as much as the RES001. It's for a Durastar, (or a Ford, pick one ) which the 4200 is, but aftermarket suppliers seem to get confused on the naming and numbers.

I did attach a picture of the compressed Timbren RES001, just for kicks.

If the this go around with the Timbrens doesn't work out, I've been thinking about making my own brackets for air bags. They would mount similar to the Timbren BDR750, that is use the existing OEM rubber spring mounting holes with an L-shaped bracket for the top and clamp to the axle at the bottom. I've found a couple individual air bags that may work. Not a direction I wanted to go but seeing little options.

[pwerwagn]

Originally Posted by Tonyf

Pretty cool! On a whim, I contacted Timbren and told them I wasn't happy with the RES001, and that they were coming back. They put me in contact with one of their engineers and we are working to find a solution, currently looking at the BDR750 in conjunction with the OEM rubber spring. The BDR750 fits between the bottom of the frame and the axle, has a 15,000 lb capacity, so shouldn't flatten out as much as the RES001. It's for a Durastar, (or a Ford, pick one ) which the 4200 is, but aftermarket suppliers seem to get confused on the naming and numbers.

I did attach a picture of the compressed Timbren RES001, just for kicks.

If the this go around with the Timbrens doesn't work out, I've been thinking about making my own brackets for air bags. They would mount similar to the Timbren BDR750, that is use the existing OEM rubber spring mounting holes with an L-shaped bracket for the top and clamp to the axle at the bottom. I've found a couple individual air bags that may work. Not a direction I wanted to go but seeing little options.

Wow, that sucker is compressed!! Im curious how you like the 750's. It would be awesome if the 750's mount would end up working for air bags later!!

[Tonyf]

New Timbren BDR750A rubber springs arrived and installed. It raised the MH about 1.5 inches in the back. Once the springs fully seat and wear in, it will probably be close to an inch. The OEM rubber springs are lifted up about 1/4 inch about their seat. Haven't driven it yet, been working on other stuff, but time will tell. The BRD750A fits the International chassis not the BDR750, the A has a little longer ears to bolt up to the OEM rubber springs.

[pwerwagn]

Good info Tony! Are those timbrens the Oval shaped ones?

It sure looks like you could easily mod those timbren brackets to fit airbags at a later date if you wanted.

--Jeff

[Tonyf]

Originally Posted by pwerwagn

Good info Tony! Are those timbrens the Oval shaped ones?

It sure looks like you could easily mod those timbren brackets to fit airbags at a later date if you wanted.

--Jeff

Yes sorta, they more rectangular than oval. Probably not enough height for airbags, but you never know.