Journey Better the Magazine // Issue Three

ISSUE THREE

SUSPENSION BUILT TO KEEP YOU OFF-GRID

HANDMADE. ZERO MAINTENANCE. LIFETIME WARRANTY. JOURNEY

FROM THE CEO

I’mas excited

about this third issue as I was when we rst launched the magazine. It’s been another incredible year for SuperSprings International, with changes in our structure, new products, and a continued momentum of growth with no signs of slowing down as we head into 2023.

It always gets me jazzed to see just how much our products are making a di erence, the various businesses and lifestyles we’re a part of, and how we make journeys better all over the world. What makes that even more thrilling is to think of how much opportunity ahead there still is, both domestically and internationally. As our President o en puts it, 9.9 out of 10 people still don’t even know we exist! This magazine is a power l reflection of the people getting to know us and how we’ve made a di erence in their lives.

In this third issue, you’ll see why our products barely get returned, meet more of our incredible sta , read stories of adventurers trusting us to be

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome to issue three of the Journey Better magazine! Since our last issue, we’ve again grown, changed, and gotten better as a company and team. With each day that passes, it’s incredible to see the work of everyone here at SSI produce fruits in droves. It’s all eled by a passion for one common goal: to make the journey better. That work begins inside of our own four walls, across multiple states and countries producing an incredible diversity of thought. It’s this diversity that has allowed us to achieve great things and make improvements not just for today’s trip, but for the journey ahead.

As you’ll read in this issue, we’ve hit some very exciting milestones over the last couple of quarters. We’ve added to our ever-growing list of RV OEM partners, expanded business to new countries internationally, and rolled out new videos in our learning series, just to name a few. You’ll see stories from actual enthusiasts on the road, and their experience installing and driving with SuperSprings International products. We alsodive into featuring an employee in each magazine, and in this issue, we take a look at resident rocket ship mainstay Harlene Jason.

their suspension upgrade, and get a look at how we continue support the commercial truck industry with their builds.

I’m thank l to our customers and partners for 25 years of business. I’m thank l for a dedicated team and leadership group that is obsessed with making every part of the journey better. Most of all, I’m thank l to be here doing what I love.

GERRY LAMBERTI Chairman & Chief Executive O cer

I’m extremely proud of our entire team, and hope this issue reflects not just the journey of our customers and team, but that it would make your journey better as you read it. I want to especially thank Brenda Ely, who has taken the Journey Better magazine that Tom and I dreamt up years ago and elevated it to the next level.

ADAM WEISNER President

COILS, CAMPING, & COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO A clip from Coil Spring Suspension Upgrade | Coil SumoSprings Install Watch the whole video - superspringsinternational.com/video

TO THE POINT OF NO RETURNS

Whenyou click “add-to-cart” you’re not planning on guring out returning that product two weeks later. You’re investing money, time, and e ort into making your journey better and anticipating a return isn’t what you had in mind. We’re obsessed with making the journey better, literally on your vehicle but also in your shopping experience and beyond. That’s why we focus on making it right the rst time around and put attention to detail in our product diversity and materials and invest in our employees knowledge and skill. It’s probably why we’re able to continue to boast a less than one percent return rate to this day.

SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTS RATE OF RETURN

be. We don’t want to be one size ts all, and we don’t want to be one product line for every adventure. We like custom. And we like better.

A good example of this and o en most talked about are our SumoSprings – the airbag alternative. We manufacture them in three di erent styles, three di erent densities, and with various spacer con gurations. What’s more, they are application speci c – trucks, RVs, vans, SUVs, overlanders and so on. So, when you go to look for your year, make, and model we’re showing you multiple options for an application that’s already been customized for that particular vehicle.

You know it doesn’t end at SumoSprings. We started our business over 25 years ago making the patented SuperSprings – our

namesake product, with over 50 SuperSprings kits for various applications. Then there’s our replacement coils, the SuperCoils, and our Coil SumoSprings to tighten up OE coil suspension, or the builder kits just on the o -chance we don’t have your vehicle listed. You get the point.

“It’s important to get the right one based on your setup, your vehicle, your lifestyle, the way you intend to use it.” - Adam Weisner, President

When you’re a kid, you get kind of tired of hearing your parents say, “ohhh they don’t make ‘em like they used to” every time they had to buy a new appliance or replacement tool. But as you get a little older and it’s your turn to run the house, you think back, and it makes a lot more sense. So, when there’s companies that put pride and strength behind their engineering and materials, you have a di erent sense of appreciation for the package that shows up at your front door. That’s why we torture our products, it’s why we stand behind them with a lifetime warranty, and it’s why we know we’re the real airbag alternative.

As tough as our SumoSprings are, the SuperSprings steel line is no di erent. We run our steel through a serious manufacturing process to ensure they’re ready for extreme conditions — shot peening. This process protects against stress, corrosion, cracking, and contact fatigue.

Not only are our products hand made with care and precise engineering, we do it in a way that means you can beat them to death and they’ll keep working for you, journey a er journey.

We’ve invested in creating ways to make the learning process and “what-to-buy” as easy as humanly possible. We have series of videos on learning that is ever growing. We have a quarter of a million social media followers with new content every day and respond to every comment and message. We have a website with pages dedicated to vehicles and lifestyles. We have this magazine that is published in house as a resource for the industry. We have a 30-day money-back guarantee to take any perceived risk out of the experience.

But, if on the o chance, we missed even with all our dedication to getting it right for you the rst time around, we’ve built an incredible team of support sta that make it really easy for you to return or exchange your suspension upgrade. Online chat, calls, email, social media messaging – you name it, we do it.

Journey Better isn’t just our tagline. It’s our obsession.

To contact SuperSprings International Customer Service team, call - 800.898.0705 email - support@supersprings.com or chat - superspringsinternational.com

LEVEL UP. STAY THERE.

Level your RAM 2500 and stay there when you’re loaded up or towing. Introducing the Journey Better Leveling Kits.

The all-new RAM 2500 leveling kit built for towing uses

THE INDESTRUCTIBLE UPGRADE

by David Guest of Camping Trade World

Tough, durable, long-lasting – these are all words we’d like to have associated with our products. But how many companies in the RV industry have actually proved it?

SuperSprings International put their money where their mouth is by testing their products to the limit and beyond.

We all test our products before they are released. O en it is a legal requirement, but it’s also very important for the integrity of your brand and company. You have to ensure that your products will perform for their intended target market, and perhaps even over-perform, depending on your standards. Over-performing is something that innovative suspension provider SuperSprings International (SSI) prides itself on. Not only are their products made in the USA by a team of highly skilled experts, but they have tested them to the extreme.

Heard that before?

Sure, you have, but we’re not sure you will have seen anything like the SuperSprings International torture test. To make sure that the company’s SumoSprings could o er unrivaled shock absorption, dampening, reduction of sag, body roll and sway drive a er drive, they set about creating...

A test that subjected them to things you would never wish on your worst enemy.

they then decided to drive some screws and a screwdriver through them to result in some serious punctures. The micro-cellular polyurethane they are made from is incredibly tough stu , but it can still be stabbed and drilled. Now with a thirst for destruction, the SSI team went at the SumoSprings with a hunting knife and made a series of rther cuts and punctures. A er that, it was time for some water damage – the springs were thrown into the lake time and time again to ensure they had been given the ll flooded treatment. So far, so destructive. On the drive back from the lake, the SumoSprings were tied to the back of the truck and literally dragged along the highway and several gravel roads. If the SumoSprings were a real-life torture victim, their secrets would be spilling out of them by

Despite catching re and a little cosmetic damage to the nish and color, the springs were still standing tall. This made the SSI team angry, so in retaliation, they crushed the springs under the ll weight of the truck by driving over them. Despite having several tonnes of truck parked on its face, the SumoSprings seemed to taunt:

It was time to get serious. The SumoSprings were marched out into

“That all you got?”

A er the grueling a ernoon of punishment that had been inflicted on the SumoSprings, you would think that there wouldn’t be much le to test, but you’d be wrong.

They performed exactly as if they had just come o the production line – a quite remarkable feat. In a comparison test with a new set, the only di erence was aesthetic, the two sets mirrored each other’s performance in reducing rear-end sag, decreasing vibration, stabilizing sway and so ening harsh rebounds. SSI had proven that the con dence they have in one of their flagship products was well founded and could well be a signi cant reason why they are proving such a popular add-on to RVs around the world – both with the industry and end users.

They were tted to a Ford truck in the SSI garage and then they headed out on to the open road to see how they fared. If the SumoSprings weren’t wearing a thin layer of sweat, dirt, and gunpowder, then they would have been none the wiser about what they had been through.

And if, by some unbelievable feat of misuse or accident, someone does manage to break their Sumo Springs beyond repair, SSI o ers a lifetime warranty on the products.

How’s that for peace of mind?

A TRUE REBEL

Sure, there were some battle scars, but these smart suspension solutions still seemed ready to l ll their primary purpose in life: making the journey better.

&

stranger to building the best of the best. That was proven again recently with their new Ford Transit 350HD all-wheel-drive RV – the Midas. SuperSprings International is proud to be the o cial suspension partner on this new Class-B+ motorhome.

Ti

For almost a decade, SSI has supported T n with various RV builds. From the Allegro Class A gas motorhome to the Wayfarer Class C, SuperSprings International has been a go-to when it comes to suspension. All Ti n Midas Class B+ motorhomes will come with front and rear SumoSprings suspension tted as standard equipment before leaving the plant in WinMeld, AL.

Speaking about the decision, Freddie Swinney, National Sales Manager for the Ti n group stated, “We’re excited to keep delivering leading quality RVs to the market. To do that, we’re passionate about every part of the experience, including the journey. By adding SumoSprings as standard,

Adding a t it and forget it suspension solution is in line with the approach of Ti n – customer rst, always. The Midas is packed ll of adventure, with a 4kW Onan Gas Generator, a powered patio awning, an outside shower, and optional Wi-Fi connectivity with LTE. Adding SumoSprings ensures the customer can enjoy a heavy RV with the support of lifetime warrantied suspension that requires no lines, doesn’t leak, and won’t ever need maintenance.

Adam Weisner, SuperSprings International’s President commented on the addition stating,

“Their dedication to the customer experience through quality, care, and service is legendary. Our passion is to innovate suspension that works – Ti n was one of the earliest to see what we had when Bob experienced driving a unit with our suspension on it. Our partnership has grown tremendously since then, and we’re proud to be standard equipment on their new Midas.”

n is no

“We’re making sure the customer’s journey is as good as at it can be and partnering with a company that believes the same.”

- Freddie Swinney, Ti n National Sales Manager

“Partnering with top tier brands like Ti n Motorhomes is in our DNA here at SuperSprings International.”

- Adam Weisner, SSI President

CUSTOMER REVIEWS STAN

It Works. Ride improved. I was skeptical. Cost is Worth it. Noticed so er, but rm cushioned ride immediately.

DON

Good, good stu . Very noticeable improvement in our Promaster 3500!

PAUL

Springs showed up within 3 days not 2 weeks as expected. Nicely done! Installation took me about 2 hours. Install was easy. We took the van on a 300 mile road trip the next week. Trip included driving in heavy cross winds (15-25 mph) and one encounter with a dust devil at 70 mph. Winds were noticeable however the handling was always solid. My wife does most of the driving due to her propensity for car sickness. She loves driving the van and was very happy with the springs performance. I would recommend this product to anyone wanting a bit more rmness in ride and handling. Well worth the money especially since DIY is very easy.

SSR-313-54

Rear SumoSprings are a maintenance-free suspension enhancement built to create a better journey. Handmade from micro-cellular polyurethane, they are designed to reduce rear-end sag and increase load carrying ability while decreasing vibration, stabilizing sway, and so ening harsh rebounds.

The SSR-313-54 has a 2,800 lb capacity when compressed at 50%. The Yellow SumoSprings shouldn’t be compressed past 55% of their original height in order to keep ll memory rebound.

PRIMARY APPLICATIONS

> RAM ProMaster 1500 4 X 2 (2014 - present)

> RAM ProMaster 2500 4 X 2 (2014 - present)

> RAM ProMaster 3500 4 X 2 (2014 - present)

KEEP THE TRAVEL. SOFTEN THE STOP. JEEP BETTER.

SumoSprings are a suspension enhancement built to create a better journey. Manufactured from our micro-cellular polyurethane, they are designed to reduce rear-end sag, decrease vibration, stabilize sway, and so en harsh rebounds.

GLADIATOR (2019 - 2022)

WRANGLER JL (2019 - 2022) & JK (2007 - 2018)

Fits Gladiator, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, and Patriot models with coils.

WRANGLER TJ (1997 - 2006)

For more information visit superspringsinternational.com /coil-sumosprings

ZERO-MAINTENANCE. LIFETIME WARRANTY. USA MADE.

(800) 898-0705

superspringsinternational.com

SSR-407-40

MEET THE TEAM HARLENE

N ext up let’s hear from Harlene, who just celebrated her 16 th anniversary with SuperSprings International, as she shares what her SSI journey has looked like.

Before starting with the company, Harlene knew that she wanted to work somewhere that was family oriented and didn’t think of their employees as just a number. Then a friend told her about a small company that was looking for someone to process and ship orders and got Harlene connected with Gerry Lamberti, our CEO. Harlene went in for an interview and she recalled, “The interview was amazing, and I immediately felt like I was a part of the family. I was even invited to a picnic a couple of days later, even though they just met me. It was fantastic. I felt like I was nally home.”

When she rst started, Harlene was one of four people working in the o ce as well as two warehouse associates. “I am not even sure I had a title. I pitched in where it was needed. I was customer service, l lled orders, shipped, processed invoices, accounting, inventory, you name it, I did it. Truth be told, I loved every minute of it.” She got to see how the company progressed from dealing with the great recession of 2008 and the explosion of an online market, and grew while she taught the newer employees our culture and goals. She stated,

That much insight into how the business was run gives Harlene quite the edge in her current roll as SuperSprings International’s Quality & Safety Manager. “Having history with the employees and each department has helped me create training plans, quality and safety procedures, and collect feedback from the sta .”

Where’s your favorite place in the world?

My favorite place in the whole wide world is being with my family. Wherever they are, that is where I want to be.

What is one food that you cannot resist? Fish and chips!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The ability to cure disease.

What is the one thing, you can’t live without? Hope

When asked about what she likes most about her job, Harlene stated, “I feel like I know everything, having been here for so long, but everyday I am surprised by what the sta is doing and creating. Our customers also o er insight to new and fresh ideas. Their feedback is essential. Through all of this, I learn more and more about myself.” Harlene’s best career lesson is to be flexible and give input because not every issue or solution is black and white. And what keeps Harlene coming back to SSI? Her colleagues! “They don’t make this feel like just a job. They challenge me to be creative, nd resolutions, and strive for improvements.”

Harlene has had a passion for writing since she was nine years old and hopes to be published one day. She also enjoys listening to music, especially Prince and collecting fashion dolls, which started when she was ve and she now has about 1500 and counting.

Harlene’s personal mantra:

“I am where I am meant to be when I am meant to be.”

“With each moment, we pivoted, became stronger, and came together as a family would.”

Fun Facts About Harlene:

“It's enriching to hear people's experiences with our products; chatting with them daily has allowed me to realize that no matter what you're driving or how you're driving it, our products can make all the di erence between a bad journey and a better one.”

- Josh, Social Media Community Manager

TRI-STATE ENTERPRISES

THIS QUARTER’S FEATURED DISTRIBUTOR

Sky Padgett, our Director of Sales, caught up with Brett Vann from Tri-State to nd out more about the company. Here’s how some of their conversation went.

Sky: Who is Tri-State and what do you do?

Brett: Tri-State is a distributor of automotive Accessories, Parts, Chemicals, and 12 Volt across a large portion of the central & southern United States.

Sky: What makes Tri-State di erent and stand out from the rest?

Brett: We believe that our people is the key that helps Tri-State stand out from the rest. Most distributors in our market have the same product and similar pricing, but you can never truly mimic people and the relationships built.

Sky: How long have you been working with SuperSprings International?

Brett: 15+ Years

Sky: What challenges are you looking to solve for your customers by using our products and solutions?

Brett: Helps to increase load capacity & levels the customers truck to create an overall safer driving experience.

Sky: What does Tri-State like most about our products?

Brett: Very little return issues & customer satisfaction.

Sky: What separates our products from similar alternatives that you carry?

Brett: Ease of installation & little to no maintenance required.

Sky: Tell us something about Tri-State that you’d like to be known!

Brett: We are “People Driven”. We value the partnerships we have built & developed with our: customers, vendors and our dedicated team of employees.

ARE YOU OVERLOADING YOUR SUMOSPRINGS?

In the fourth episode of our Video Learning Series, Adam discusses what we recommend for compressing each of the SumoSprings densities and what if any impact there might be if you overload them.

The Blue SumoSprings shouldn’t be compressed past 70%, Black 65%, and Yellow 55%, of their original height in order to keep ll memory rebound. If SumoSprings are compressed more than the reccomended amount this could cause internal damage to the spring, resulting in failure of the SumoSpring.

If you see that your SumoSprings are being overloaded please contact us to see how we can best help you, you may need a di erent density or type of SumoSpring.

SumoSprings can compress to:

To contact SuperSprings International Customer Service team, call - 800.898.0705 email - support@supersprings.com or chat - superspringsinternational.com

“Remember that SumoSprings are not a primary suspension solution, they have been designed and engineered to work in concert with your factory susension.” - Adam Weisner, President

Adam has been nctionally driving the company direction and revenue of SSI since August of 2021. The company previously restructured to include ve distinct business units all reporting to Adam, who continues to run the daily business. Adam reports to Gerry Lamberti, who remains the company Chairman and CEO.

Since joining the company 4 years ago (Aug 2018), Adam has driven rapid growth and streamlined the company to be nimble in the face of a global pandemic and consequent economic inflation. During those 4 years, the company has grown in revenue by almost 3x, by nearly 4x in net pro ts, added multiple RV manufacture original equipment relationships including Winnebago and Thor, and has built a brand that amassed more than 90M impressions in 2021.

Speaking on the change, SuperSprings International CEO, Gerry Lamberti commented, “We have all witnessed the impact that Adam has had on the leadership in the company and the magni cent changes he has implemented so success lly.” Lamberti continues,

ADAM WEISNER AS

2021 was the company’s third record-breaking year in a row, recording ll year growth of 39%. Under Adam’s continued leadership, the plans for the ture are much of the same – to grow the business at an impressive pace and advance on the company goal of becoming the best-known suspension brand in the world.

Adam Weisner states, “The last 4 years have been an incredible journey. I am humbled and grate l to everyone at SSI and especially to Gerry for placing his trust in me to help lead the company in this next chapter.”

“I have never been so excited about the ture of SSI as I am now.”

“The last 4 years have been an incredible journey. I am humbled and grate l” - Adam Weisner, President

Adam Weisner, formally Chief Commercial O cer, is now President of SuperSprings International.

ALL THAT THE SUN SHINES ON IS BEAUTIFUL, SO LONG AS IT IS WILD. ”

JOHN MUIR

We wanted to start o by saying this:

If you are looking for a suspension upgrade for your RAM Promaster or any van for that matter you've stumbled onto the right place. I want to tell you about SuperSprings Helper Springs. This is everything you're looking for as far as upgrading your suspension. I mean, there is always more to do with your suspension, but for now, I feel like this should be the foundation of your upgrade. Meaning, start with these and build onto them. We are going to install rear SumoSprings on top of these when the time comes. As for right now, the installation of the SuperSprings has changed the game. Our RAM Promaster 2500 drives the way it did Pre-Build. It’s amazing!

INSTALLATION ON PROMASTER 2500

First o , CONGRATS!!! You've purchased yourself a sick ass suspension upgrade for yourself! Grab a friend and some good tunes if you want to. This install is so easy you really don't need someone else, but, it's always more n to throw tools around the room with a buddy if things go to shit than to do it alone.

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED:

• A ¾" wrench

• A ¾" socket with ratchet (or just 2 of these without the wrench)

• A big ass "C" clamp

• Bottle Jack (If you have the factory jack get rid of that shit and get a bottle jack, please! The factory jack is for shit!)

That's it!!! Yes... You read it right. That's all you need for this install. Crazy right?

THE INSTALLATION

Before you install the springs gure out how much pre-load tention you want applied to the existing leaf springs. This sounds more

complicated than it is. The way we did it was the more weight your rig is carrying the more tension you're going to want to put on there. See diagram below of bolt placement for reference.

We went with a medium load tension because we are under max by say like 800 lbs. Our buddy JC with the 3500 in our video went with max pre-load tension because he was just under capacity. The amazing thing about these springs is that the adjustments are ridiculously easy to make if you aren't satis ed with the ride. You can see how easy the adjustments are in the video.

Now that you've gured out the settings you want to roll with here are the steps (It doesn't matter which side you start with):

STEP 1 - CRANK ON THE E-BRAKE AND JACK THAT PUPPY UP

Tools Needed - Bottle Jack

Pop on the e-brake and jack up your van. You only need to jack it up enough for the tire to be slightly o the ground. USE A BOTTLE JACK!

If you don't have a bottle jack for your van yet, please, go and get one!!! I can't stress this enough! The factory jack is a big steaming pile of shit and can not be trusted! I know this through experience.

STEP 2 - REMOVE THE ROLLERS

Tools Needed - ¾" Wrench & Socket with Ratchet

Here all your doing is prepping your new springs for an easy install. Take o those rollers with your ¾" wrench and ratchet and put them somewhere to have easy access for when you need to put them back on.

STEP 3 - PLACE THE SPACER

Parts Needed - The black spacer that comes with the installation kit Take your black spacer and place it over the "U" bolts that are holding your factory leaf springs to your axle. Just make sure it is centered side to side.

STEP 4 - PLACE THE SPRING

Parts Needed - The SSA11 SuperSpring

Place the spring on top of your spacer and center it all to the factory leaf springs. If you have any obstructions front or back you can move your leaf spring forward and back like we did in our video. The key to doing this is to make sure your front roller has at least a ¼" of un-obstruction forward and back and your rear roller has ¾" of un-obstruction forward and back to roll.

STEP 5 - PUT YOUR FIRST ROLLER ON Tools & Parts Needed - Roller & Hardware and Wrench & Ratchet

Choose a side of the spring you want to start on and grab the roller, bolt, and nut that you took o in step 2. Pull the spring down so the bracket is on both sides of your leaf springs and the hole is low enough to place the roller under your leaf springs (this can be done with your hand) and put the roller, bolt, and nut in the bolt hole according to your Pre-Load Tension decision and crank them on.

STEP 6 - PUT YOUR SECOND ROLLER ON Tools & Parts Needed - Same as Step 5 and a Big Ass Clamp

Now its time to get your clamp on this thing. Before you crank it down, make sure your spacer is still in the correct place. Now grab your clamp and wrap it around the SuperSpring and your factory

springs and start cranking it down. You want to pull it down so the hole you decided on for pretension lowers past your leaf springs enough to slide the roller and bolts through. Once you've done that put the nut on and crank that shit tight! Once it's cranked on remove your clamp. That's it!

STEP 7 - LOWER YOUR RIG

It's time to lower you van! Keep an eye on it when it's lowering to make sure the brackets aren't going to scrape on anything. We had a bit of an issue with our trailer hitch, but, most installs are not going to have any issues. CONGRATS!!! The rst side is done!

STEP 8 - RINSE AND REPEAT FOR THE OTHER SIDE

This is a rinse and repeat of all the steps for the second side. At this point you're going to be a pro at this, so, have n with the second side. For shits and giggles you could time yourself, too. You'll be surprised at how fast and easy these are to install.

CONGRATS!!!

You are all done with your kick ass rear suspension upgrade!!!

Seriously, enjoy the ride it is going to roll like brand new!

Now on to the front.

INCREDIBLE RAM PROMASTER SUSPENSION UPGRADE

FRONT SUSPENSION INSTALLATION GUIDE

This isn't going to be super long because the installation of the Coil SumoSprings are ridiculously easy. Here is a quick video of us installing them in our RAM Promaster 2500.

WHAT COIL SUMO SPRINGS DO

The front coil SumoSprings reduce the compression of your springs and struts by 30% which increases the life of your front suspension system incredibly, so, for the price of the parts and the labor involved in installing them is hands down (in my opinion) worth every penny and second of time!

CSS-1195

INSTALLATION

INSTALLING YOUR COIL SUMOSPRINGS

This is seriously the easiest install you could ever do for yourself. I could try to. milk it and get wordy and drag out the steps just to ll up space, but, I'm not going to.

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED:

• Bottle Jack

• Hands

That's it!!

THE INSTALLATION

Here we go! Brace Yourself!!!

STEP 1 - CRANK ON THE E-BRAKE AND JACK THAT PUPPY UP.

Tools needed - Bottle Jack

Just like we did with the installation of the SuperSprings, start by popping on the e-brake and jacking up your van. You only need to jack it up enough for the tire to be slightly o the ground. USE A BOTTLE JACK! If you don't have a bottle jack for your van yet, please, go to Walmart and get one!!! Again, I can't stress this enough! The factory jack is a big steaming pile of shit and can not be trusted!

STEP 2 - WORK THAT COIL SUMOSPRING INTO YOUR SPRING

Tools & Parts needed - Hands and Coil SumoSpring

All you're going to do here is take the Coil SumoSpring and bring it up to your spring and work it in. Push the top in rst and work the bottom in a er turning the Coil SumoSpring as you work it in.

STEP 3 - LOWER THE JACK.

It's time to lower you van! Keep an eye on it when it's lowering to make sure the Coil SumoSprings don't pop out. CONGRATS!!! The rst side is done!

STEP 4 - RINSE AND REPEAT FOR THE OTHER SIDE!

This is a rinse and repeat of all the steps for the second side. At this point you're going to be a pro at this, so, have n with the second side. For shits and giggles you could time yourself, too. You'll be surprised at how fast and easy these are to install.

THE TEST DRIVE

Now we're gonna go take this baby for a spin! The ride is seriously so smooth, we are going over bumps and it’s like nothing. Even though we didn’t have any obvious issues before, the ride di erence is huge. There were some bumps on the road but having this in the back country is going to be awesome. Within ve minutes of driving it there was such a noticeable di erence!

FINAL THOUGHTS

We've been rolling with these now for six months and we are still amazed at how much this has changed the game! This was by far the easiest upgrade we've ever made on our van and for the amount of reward with extending the longevity of our front end suspension we have no regrets about doing it. Along with the rear SuperSprings the feel of the van is now at pre-build levels.

CONGRATS!!!

You are all done with your kick ass front suspension upgrade!!!

ABOUT JESSIE, BILLY & SEDONA OF NOMATTER WHERE VAN

Hi! We are Billy and Jessie, a full-time #VanLife couple, along with our pup Sedona. We have been living in our self-converted Promaster since May 2019 & see no end in sight. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, the open road has called to us for a very long time. As Adventurers through & through, we enjoy everything from hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, paddle boarding, and cra making. If you see us while traveling, come and say hello! We love meeting fellow Adventurers. See you down the road. Follow their travels and van life journey on YouTube and Instagram @NomadderWhereVan.

REBEL SPACER KITS FOR LIFTED TRUCKS

JOURNEY BET TER

For trucks with 2 " lift

SSP-002

Upper SumoSpring

Lower SumoSpring

Steel Spacer

Lower Mounting Bracket

SUMOSPRINGS REAR BUMP STOPS

by Bryce Campbell of TrailTundra.com

negates excessive bouncing, and virtually eliminates rear-end sag. In my case speci cally, my truck sagged noticeably with a bed rack and roo op tent permanently mounted. A er installing a set of SuperSprings SumoSprings, that sag was eliminated entirely.

Besides your driver’s seat and steering wheel, your Tundra’s suspension is likely the part of your truck that you feel the most. Given the capability of our trucks, especially with regards to payload and towing, it’s no surprise that many people experience suspension sag, sway, and/or increased bounce.

Whether you’re hauling a bed rack and roo op tent, a few sheets of plywood, or towing a camper, the leaf springs underneath our trucks are under immense stress. Throw in some o -road driving or poorly maintained streets, and you have a recipe for spinal aggravation! Maybe it’s time you consider upgrading your bump stops.

WHAT ARE SUMOSPRINGS?

SuperSprings International’s SumoSprings are polyurethane bump stop replacements that physically replace the factory bump stops. As your rear suspension compresses, they provide much-needed consistent resistance to prevent harsh bottom-outs and let your truck’s suspension respond more appropriately.

The compression resistance helps reduce side-to-side sway,

FOR 2ND GEN TUNDRA

INSTALLATION

Though this installation does require removing both rear wheels (and may appear technical), both sides can quickly be done within 45 minutes. Ensure you have replacement U-bolts (if you have old/damaged ones – I replaced mine with a set from Toytec) and at least two jack stands. And, always use redundancy when jacking up your truck.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

> 19mm Socket (axle U-bolt nuts)

> 22mm Socket (wheel lug nuts)

> Socket Wrench/Impact Gun

> Breaker Bar and/or Torque Wrench

> Jack and Jack Stand(s)

> Blue Thread Locker (included with kit)

> (8) 9/16 x 2 ½ x 7 ½ U-bolts

> Wheel Chocks

SSR-610-40

STEP 1. LIFT REAR OF YOUR TRUCK

Begin by placing your truck on a level surface. Chock the front tires and engage the parking brake.

Once in the air (with e-brake applied), loosen the wheel lug nuts with your 22mm socket wrench and breaker bar (but do not entirely remove them). Begin li ing the rear of your truck by the axle (to prevent the suspension from drooping on the side you’re working on).

Once the wheel is no longer making contact with the ground, place a jack stand underneath the axle and lower the truck onto it. Use your hydraulic jack as a safety by raising it, so it barely makes contact.

STEP 2. REMOVE REAR WHEEL

Altogether remove the lug nuts and place them aside. Remove the wheel and place it underneath the frame rail as another failsafe.

STEP 3. REMOVING FACTORY U-BOLT

With the truck on the ground, crawl underneath and undo the two U-bolts holding the leaf spring to the axle bracket using your 19mm socket wrench. Once the nuts are removed, the U-bolts will hang o the leaf springs. Be sure to save your washers and nuts.

The U-bolts may need to be replaced, so you can dispose of the stock set if so. When the U-bolts are manufactured, the threads are rolled (not cut), and they can distort when torqued, especially over time. Mine were worn and needed to be replaced. I ordered a replacement set from Toytec Li s, but you could always purchase a set from your local suspension or frame shop.

STEP 4. REMOVE FACTORY BUMP STOP

With the U-bolts and axle bracket removed and loose, wiggle the factory bump stop out.

STEP 5. INSTALL THE NEW BUMP STOP BRACKET

Now, unscrew the SumoSpring from the metal bracket it’s attached to. Place the SumoSpring bracket on the leaf spring in the same position as the factory bump stop. Using the U-bolts (new or used), attach the axle bracket back on and hand-tighten the nuts. Position the bracket so that the SumoSpring itself will contact the same area as the factory bump stop. This should be pretty easy to center.

1 3 5

STEP 6. INSTALL SUPERSPRINGS SUMOSPRINGS

Apply the included Blue Thread Locker to the SumoSprings bracket screw and screw on the new bump stop. Hand-tighten only and do not use tools. Remember that Blue Thread Locker has a 24-hour cure time, so try to minimize heavy use during that period. Torque the axle U-bolts to 74 /lbs with a torque wrench.

Remember to retorque the U-bolts a er 200 miles. With the new bump stop attached to the bracket and the bracket attached to the leaf spring, put the wheel back on and hand tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Remove the jack stand and slowly lower the truck back to the ground. Torque speci cations di er depending on your wheels.

WHAT TO EXPECT – REVIEW & IMPRESSIONS

My truck constantly has hundreds of pounds of weight in the bed with a rack and roo op tent. On top of that, my factory leaf springs have 180,000 harsh miles on them. I’ve found that the SuperSprings SumoSprings have restored a factory ride to an otherwise bogged-down rear end.

You’ll notice the rst change when you nally get them installed as soon as you hit the road. If your truck sagged before, like mine, that is now a thing of the past. As soon as you get in and leave your driveway, you’ll feel it on the rst bump. I was genuinely shocked at how much of a di erence the SumoSprings made. Small bumps are rm, not harsh, and without the bounciness, I experienced before.

Even with hundreds of pounds in my bed and 180,000 miles on my factory leaf springs, my truck now feels like it has just le the showroom. There is no endless bouncing when I cross a set of train tracks and less sway when I accelerate around a bend on the interstate on-ramp. In short, my truck, with constant weight in the bed, feels as though all the weight has disappeared.

As for o -road performance, you might anticipate that something designed to eliminate sag and bouncing would harshen your o -road ride. However, I’ve found that it does the exact opposite, especially on a Tundra with well-used leaf springs. Obviously, I haven’t gained suspension travel, but I certainly haven’t lost any. Bottoming out still occurs, though much more gently. Make no mistake, SuperSprings SumoSprings will not make your truck ride like a long travel whoop cruiser. In fact, in some instances, it may ride harsher, such as with an empty bed. But they will absolutely so en the blow from your truck’s added weight, whether it’s a roo op tent, a bed rack, tongue weight from a trailer, or even worn leaf springs.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The bene ts to a set of SuperSprings SumoSprings are simple: no more squatting, alleviating excessive bouncing, practically eliminating side-to-side sway, an easy DIY install, and a limited lifetime warranty. I’d highly recommend them to anyone whose Tundra is under added pressure.

YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS & WE’VE GOT ANSWERS

We want to address some of the most common questions we hear from you. If you have a question you think would be help l for a wider audience that we can answer in ture issues, let us know by emailing marketing@superspringsint.com.

CAN MY KIT BE RETURNED AFTER BEING INSTALLED?

Actually, yes! If the product is still in good condition and within 30 days of being delivered. We don’t want you stuck with something that you don’t like or can’t use for whatever reason and what better way to be sure than installing and trying your kit out? Please see more on our return policy at superspringsinternational.com.

CAN SUMOSPRINGS BE CUT TO FIT BETTER?

No, SuperSprings International does not recommend making any kind of modi cation to its products, especially without seeking technical assistance from an SSI team member rst. If there is an issue preventing installation, or a er installation, please reach out to the team.

HOW LONG DO SUMOSPRINGS LAST?

Although there is not a set life expectancy for SumoSprings, they are designed for and manufactured to withstand extreme conditions. The ability of the SumoSprings to compress, resist and rebound is a main reason why we see such a low warranty rate. Long story short; expect to have your SumoSprings for a long time!

DO SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTS WORK WITH OTHER AFTERMARKET SUSPENSION PRODUCTS?

Yes! All SSI products are engineered to work in conjunction not only with original components, but other non-factory upgrades as well. However, our suspension solutions are designed to t original equipment only. For instance, a SuperSprings kit would not t onto an a ermarket leaf pack with speci cations that di er from the original manufacturer. If you are unsure if an SSI product would be installed in the same area as another part or component, please reach out to the team.

REAL LIFE STORIES FROM THE ROAD

REDUCING ROAD SHOCK & VIBRATION FOR RVs

by Jerry Neal of iLoveRVlife Watch

his review video below

Whenwe purchased our new Montana 5th wheel, we knew something had to be done to protect our investment. We have plenty of experience from the impact of rough roads we experienced with over 8 years of travel and 60,000 miles from our previous 5th wheel. Experience from the shock of pot holes, bridge access and departure, on top of the miles and miles of uneven Interstate concrete, found the constant impact either breaks or adds substantial wear to our RVs.

“ The roads had been beating it to death!”

We started our investigation at the rst of the year for a system that would signi cantly reduce the shock and vibration at the 5th wheel axle. We considered the complex installation of shocks or air bags to the 5th wheel axles, but nding the ease of installation, reasonable cost, and test data results for SuperSprings International’s Trailer SumoSprings, we had to install these units on our Montana.

WHAT ARE SUMOSPRINGS?

SumoSprings are made from a micro-cellular polyurethane. The Trailer SumoSprings are designed to remove road sway, hop, and vibration. The two key bene ts for SumoSprings was no maintenance and the airless air springs increase of overall driver control and ride comfort when towing.

Our goal a er the installation of the Trailer SumoSprings was to keep suspension rebound to a minimum when navigating rough roads for a much smoother ride.

Trailer SumoSprings can be installed on various axle con gurations including spring-over axle, spring-under axle, and for trailers frames that have springs o -set from the axles. For springs o -set from the axle, an optional contact plate is available from SuperSprings International for these installations.

A set of SumoSprings comes with all parts needed for a each axle –two micro-cellular polyurethane springs, all hardware with brackets, bolts, spacers, thread lock tight, even a gas line kit for when trailer installations require moving the propane gas line to make space for the springs.

WHAT CONVINCED ILOVERVLIFE WE NEEDED SUMOSPRINGS?

I was a large infrastructure engineer in the telecommunication industry for over 30 years. I held a number of roles where my teams were responsible for the entire communications of large cities and worldwide communications for some of the largest US based corporations and government installations. Part of our operations included labs to test products prior to use.

I was impressed that SuperSprings International went steps above other RV suspension manufacturers, scienti cally proving that their products work. Viewing their website, I found charts (below) and a video (right) showing their testing process and results.

68% AVERAGE REDUCTION IN G-FORCE

462% HIGHER DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SECOND 4-5

OVER

“They put their money where their mouth is and I was sold.”

INSTALLING THE TRAILER SUMOSPRINGS

Before I installed them, I brought my back jacks up so that all the weight was on the axles so that I could measure how much space there was between the axle and trailer. This allowed me to make sure that about a quarter to half an inch of the SumoSpring would be engaged and have some tension before I headed down the road.

Now I had a gas line on the driver side of my 5th wheel that I had to move over about an inch and SuperSprings International provides a kit for this but I didn’t need it, I just reversed my clip which gave me plenty of room for the springs to operate and not rub up against the line.

Once I got the bottom brackets loosely attached to the leaf spring I measured the gap. The springs I got are 4" tall and I had a 3 ¾" gap which t the SumoSpring, without the use of any spacers, perfectly. I took the brackets back o and assembled them with the SumoSprings and the provided bolts then mounted them to the leaf springs and nished tightening them down. Overall I am very impressed with how simple the installation was and that they even provided extra parts and brackets for moving the gas line.

I was so con dent in this product that I put a ll glass of water on the table inside our camper and drove down the road. My wife, Joan, was not as sure about it and let me know that I would be cleaning it up myself. But sure enough when I pulled over and went in to check on it, it was in the same place. I thought that was pretty incredible.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Bottom line, Trailer SumoSprings work. We found SumoSprings to be a ordable and easy-to-install giving our Montana 5th wheel a noticeable improvement when traveling on rough roads. To learn more about Jerry & Joan’s RV adventures, visit iLoveRVlife.com

Not an inch moved or a drop spilled.

AROUND THE GLOBE NEWS FROM PANAMA

FULL TORQUE 4X4, PANAMA

by Galileo Ariel Patiño, General Manager at Full Torque 4x4

WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT

Full Torque 4x4 is a 100% Panamanian Family-owned company specializing in distribution, sales, and installing accessories and components for the 4x4 vehicle market. We currently have ve years in this segment, but we have a forty-year trajectory for heavy-duty trucks' spare parts business. We import products from di erent markets specialized in various types of vehicles, ranging from products for the USA market vehicles and the most common vehicles in the Latin American market, the Asian market vehicles, like the Australian or Thailand.

In Full Torque 4x4, we carry di erent products, including bumpers, tires, suspensions, and more. Always keeping each user's unique necessities in mind, we focus on getting to know our speci c customer's needs and then proceed to o er our recommendations accordingly. We are talking about hard-working users to weekend warriors and race-ready enthusiasts.

Panamanian automotive market strongly depends on reliability because you o en see pickup trucks are an individual's property rather than company-owned fleets of pickups. Panama has a substantial Agricultural production segment of the market operated by small family businesses who rely on their daily driver pickup truck as their primary method of transportation to carry vegetable and animal-based products.

SUMOSPRINGS – THE PERFECT COMPANION FOR THE HEAVY WORKER

We actively work hard to educate and empower the market about the di erence between OEM and heavy-duty suspensions. Consequently, the word has rapidly spread that Full Torque 4x4 is the go-to place to get anything you need to improve your vehicle's work capacity in any way necessary. We've come along with many customers loading their cars almost every day and needing something to help them relieve the workload. So we did our research and found the perfect solution, SumoSprings.

The Agricultural Market customers di er signi cantly from those who go Overlanding every couple of weeks, thrilled about adding upgrades to their vehicles; we are talking about heavy work users aiming to nd reliable, cost-e ective solutions. Sumosprings are a perfect t! They have gained such acceptance from these customers, who are very satis ed with the product and its performance, allowing them to carry their products more comfortably on their Hilux, Np300, Triton, Dmax, and other vehicles daily.

Our brand strives to become not only a top-of-mind provider but also to understand the market entirely. We took the matter into our own hands. We visited potato crop elds in one of the leading agricultural production areas of the country to appreciate their work process, what they needed and how they used their vehicles daily. Then they conducted a product test on their pickup truck, took it to their crop elds, and documented the installation process. The video proved how easy and fast it is to install SumoSprings and compare the vehicle's before and a er experience using the product on one of its rides.

A er sharing the video and shop installations on social media, owners of all vehicles in our country are spreading their voices about the bene ts of using SumoSprings. We now get requests from all over the country to buy the product for the heavy-duty work user or even leisure-loading campers to have n on weekends.

BUILDING BETTER TRUCKS

A story about being part of an industry that makes a di erence.

Tom Bateman, Director of Marketing

Royal Truck Body in Carson, California has been in business since 1971. They produce work truck solutions for numerous industries and pump out a minimum of 25 nished trucks a day. So, the next time you’re flying down the 101 freeway, pay attention to the tailgate of that white F-350 in front of you – it’s probably a Royal truck.

With over 200 employees and a 50-year history, Royal has become the go-to for many because of their approach to the truck build – get it all in one place. Rather than sourcing your boxes from one company, your ladder from next door, and your rack from 6 states away, Royal builds a nished truck to the specs you give them. That means the customer, whether it’s a one-o need or a fleet of 20 trucks, gets exactly what they need from one place from a company with a trustworthy name to back it up.

We sat down with Marc San Paolo, the Manufacturing Manager for the Carson facility to get an idea of what makes Royal Truck Body di erent, and why he’s spent his whole professional career with them.

“I think in this industry, it’s about the people that work for you. We take care of our people rst and foremost. People stay here at Royal because of our culture; we have a lot of veterans out there – been here 10, 15, 20, 30 years.

There’s a common theme at Royal Truck Body. This isn’t just another job or something to do until the next best thing. It’s become part of people’s story, part of what has de ned their direction and part of how they’ve built a career in an industry that makes the world go round.

I was working at a record store, and I was dating a girl whose father was the head of engineering at Royal Truck Body. Her dad told me if I wanted to keep dating his daughter, I needed to get a better job.”

For Marc, like many of the 200+ Royal employees in Carson, it started with a want to better themselves –to go from sur ng, living in a van, and eating dollar noodles every night – to building a career that could support a family in a stable industry and make a name for themselves. “This is a place for growth”, Marc continued. “I came in as a gopher – just running errands for purchasing. That was August 24, 1994. And then yeah… just started moving up the ranks and took on more responsibility.”

“I was a surf-rat growing up. I was scraping by, ya know –Top Ramen nights! But I had a Volkswagen bus, surfed every morning, and could sleep in that bus wherever I was at!

We’ve got guys that started out as sweeping the floors and now they’re master welders.”

lungs. Yet thanks to the ladder rack on his Royal-built work truck, he lives to tell the story.

Beside the obvious cool factor of building trucks for explosive experts who blow up buildings and trees, another favorite among the Carson team is the SWAT type vehicles that raid drug labs. We’re talking ll Breaking Bad vibes here – walk-in trucks complete with storage for automatic weapons and a shower to rinse o the meth cloud they just walked through. That’s about as badass as a truck build can get. Nobody puts it better than Marc did:

tires. Work trucks, you might say, are our forté.

Marc noted. Why is that bene cial? Well, if you’ve ever had to deal with xing a sagging work truck, the most common remedy is to have 2 of your drivers caravan to the nearest spring shop, drop the saggy truck, wait a week for a spring rebuild, lose all that time on building the rest of the truck body, then go back – 2 drivers again –and pick up your less-saggy truck. Not a bad solution and not an uncommon one, but de nitely not the best.

“I have to remind my employees and I tell them, look man, you’re part of a story...

“We’ve had big advancements on labor time… I mean massive. It’s just very quick – almost plug and play”

“WE BUILD COOL STUFF FOR PEOPLE THAT BUILD COOL STUFF.”

weight – you feel it – the smoother it is.”

Creating a better journey isn’t just a tagline or catchy bit of marketing for us; this is our passion, and it goes way beyond the truck and enjoying the ride more. We’re determined to be part of people’s stories in a way that makes the whole experience better. For Marc and the folks at Royal Truck Body, that means, “No hassles and no hiccups along the way. No obstacles and nothing that hinders performance, or the business, or n.”

What does Journey Better mean for you?

LIBBY, MONTANA Kootenai Falls Suspension Bridge