You’re here because you want to know if upgrading your van’s suspension with SumoSprings is worth it. If that’s the case, check out our complete SumoSprings review below where we discuss our experience with this product after 3 years on the road.
In this post, we discuss:
- What SumoSprings are
- How they help your suspension
- What to know before purchasing
SPOILER ALERT: SumoSprings are 100% worth it. SumoSprings drastically smooth out your ride, reduce sway, and give you more control as you drive on uneven terrain. For the price you pay, they provide fantastic value.
So if you’re ready, let’s get to it.
SumoSprings are our #1 value pick for upgrading a camper van's suspension. They stabilize sway, decrease vibration, and reduce rear-end sag. Best of all, they are easy to install yourself. Click for Ford Transit models.
What Are SumoSprings?
SumoSprings are essentially oversized bump stops that replace your vehicle’s factory bump stops. Below is a size comparison between the old bump stop (brown) and the SumoSpring replacement (yellow).
As you can see, SumoSprings are over twice the size.
But there is more to SumoSprings than simply their size. Where bump stops exist to prevent dangerous impact between a vehicle’s main body and its chassis, SumoSprings also improve the vehicle’s overall suspension and ride quality.
How SumoSprings Improve Suspension
Most vans aren’t manufactured with the intent that they’ll be converted into a heavy RV and driven off-road. So you might find that your vehicle’s factory suspension system just can’t effectively support the van’s heavy payload and provide the smooth and stable ride you expect.
That’s where SumoSprings come in.
When you replace a factory bump stop with a SumoSpring, you’ll notice that there’s less air space between the vehicle’s body frame (top) and it’s chassis (bottom).
You can see this example in the above picture.
Exact distances will vary.Depending on the vehicle type and overall weight.
SumoSprings are purposefully engineered to come into contact much sooner than a factory bump stop. This is so that the SumoSpring can begin to absorb the impact from the chassis earlier than a traditional bump stop.
The result of this effect is a vehicle that experiences:
- Less verticle movement
- Less side-to-side sway
- Less body rolls
- Improved load support
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Are SumoSprings Worth It?
Ok, you’ve made here through the boring details and just want to know whether or not SumoSprings are worth it. And we have to say…
Absolutely. 100x YES!
SumoSprings significantly calmed our ride when driving across uneven terrain. Less side-to-side sway, smoother rides, and less jarring jolts.
They’ve not only helped to improve our riding comfort but they’ve also made driving off-road easier.
Before SumoSprings
We drove our first 30,000 miles without SumoSprings and still vividly remember the very real hesitations we had when we drove on uneven ground and bad terrain.
The long list of “bad terrain” that hampered our driving included:
- Bumpy dirt roads
- Gnarly gravel roads
- Pot holes (hello California!)
- Speed bumps
- Exiting bumpy driveways & lots
- Taking 90-degree turns faster than 15mph
- High wind environments
When we drove on any of the above terrain, the body of our van would experience tremendous movement. From harsh up-and-down movement to intense side-to-side sways it sometimes felt like our van was on a ship in the middle of a hurricane.
And all this movement sometimes caused our clothes and food to get thrown from their cabinets out onto the floor. It wasn’t uncommon to have a huge mess in the back when we finally arrived at our destination.
A Good Analogy: Imagine a bobble head figure. When you shake the body, the oversized head bobbles from side-to-side with exaggerated movements. Imagine sitting inside the bobbling head as it sways back and forth. That's what we felt in our camper before installing our SumoSprings
After SumpSprings
With added suspension support from our SumoSprings, we are much more confident when driving on unmaintained roads.
Our rides are considerably smoother with less side-to-side sway because the SumoSprings pick up the weight of our camper and dampens it’s overall movement.
No longer are we weary of driving our Transit camper van off-road. We drive much more confidently and this has allowed us to get deeper into nature to enjoy a more diverse range of camping opportunities.
And for roughly $300-400 (prices vary depending on the vehicle model), SumoSprings are some of the cheapest camper van suspension upgrades you can make that have an immediate and noticeable impact on your driving experience.
No expensive installation required: We installed both the front and rear SumoSprings in less than two hours at a Walmart parking lot.
Before Buying SumoSprings (What To Know First)
There are three important things to know BEFORE buying SumoSprings.
1. SumoSprings Are Vehicle Specific
SumoSprings are generally not interchangeable between vehicle types. This is because each vehicle’s size and specs are a little different.
Therefore, let us help you select the proper SumoSprings for your camper van. We help you do this in the section below.
2. Rear vs. Front SumoSprings
Different SumoSprings are provided for the rear and front of a vehicle. In SOME cases (like with Mercedes Sprinter vans) the rear and front SumpSprings can look similar.
But for most vehicles (like the Promaster and Transit vans) the front SumoSpring is actually a coil spring. This is a foam ring that gets inserted in-between the front coil and helps to provide additional support.
For maximum suspension benefit, we recommend picking up a pair of BOTH rear and front SumoSprings.
3. Three Different Colors (And Densities)
Rear SumoSprings come in 3 different material densities and each density is identified by a different color. The heavier your vehicle, the better off you are going with a denser material.
BLUE – For lightweight vehicles. These are not intended for camper vans or RVs.
BLACK – For medium and heavy vehicles. This is the color (density) we chose for our camper van and it fits our needs perfectly.
YELLOW – For greatly overloaded vehicles.
Good to know: Our camper van weighs ~8,000lbs and we were recommended to go with the medium density (Black color) springs. If your van is heavier than that, the yellow models may be best for you.
Where To Buy SumoSprings
If you are driving any of these commercial vans, we will list out which model SumoSprings you need.
- Mercedes Sprinter 2500
- RAM Promaster (1500/2500/3500)
- Ford Transit (150/250/350)
The product display below you can find links to purchase the rear SumoSprings for your specific van.
SumoSprings are our #1 value pick for upgrading a camper van's suspension. They stabilize sway, decrease vibration, and reduce rear-end sag. Best of all, they are easy to install yourself. Click for Ford Transit models.
In the product display below, you can find links to purchase the front SumoSprings for your specific van. Note: The RAM Promaster and Ford Transit use the same front “coil” SumoSprings.
Don't forget about the front suspension. The front and rear SumoSprings work together to reduce overall sway and road vibrations. RAM Promasters & Ford Transits share the same "Coil SumoSprings", but the Mercedes Sprinter uses a more traditional SumoSprings model.
SumoSprings FAQ
Get answers to the most commonly asked questions below.
Do SumoSprings Really Work?
Yes, they do! SumoSprings remove much of the unwanted bumps, jolts, and sways from your ride. Picking up a pair of front and rear SumoSprings will do wonders to improving your ride and enjoying your travels when on uneven terrain.
Are SumoSprings Vehicle Specific?
Yes. Whether you are driving a Mercedes Springer, Ford Transit, Dodge Promaster, or any other vehicle you will need to find the specific SumoSprings model for your vehicle. We make several model recommendations in the above table of our SumoSprings review based on which vehicle you are driving.
Do I Have To Purchase BOTH Front And Rear SumoSprings?
No, it is not required to purchase both front and rears. If you can only get one, get the rears. But the sales representative that we spoke with highly recommended us to purchase both the fronts and the rears for the best suspension results.
Do SumoSprings Increase Ground Clearance?
Yes & no. SumoSprings may help you regain any ground clearance you may have lost due to having a heavy camper van. But they will not help you achieve any higher clearance then when your vehicle first came off the factory line.
In our case, our Ford Transit regained roughly 3/4″ of clearance after installing our SumoSprings.
But this was due to our front Coil SumoSprings helping to relieve weight pressure off our front strut springs and had nothing to do with our rear SumoSprings.
How Long Do SumoSprings Last?
SumoSprings are backed by a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. They do not leak air, don’t require compressors, and don’t require any maintenance whatsoever. They just work.
Are SumoSprings Good For Towing?
Yes, they are! Because SumoSprings help support heavier payloads by reducing squat and sway, these helper springs are a perfect answer to help manage your ride when towing large, heavy objects behind you.
SumoSprings vs. Timbrens: Which Are Better?
To be honest here, we have never tried Timbrens. Although we’ve read users generally prefer SumoSprings instead, especially among the RV and campervan community.
But if you’re looking for a decent comparison check out this post from TruckSpring.
Looking for other suspension upgrade options? Check out our 7 top camper van suspension upgrades for more info.
How To Install SumoSprings On Your Camper Van
We had no previous SumoSprings experience and it took us about 2 hours to install both the rear and front SumoSprings.
And we went pretty slow.
This video from Carey On Vagabond does an awesome job at explaining the installation process for both the rear and front SumoSprings on their Promaster camper van.
Enjoyed reading? Check out our DIY “Build A Camper Van” guide for more similar content.
Conclusion: SumoSprings Won't Dissapoint
Dollar-For-Dollar The Best Vehicle Suspension Upgrade You Can Make Right Now
For the most cost-effective camper van suspension upgrade, we think purchasing a pair of front and rear SumoSprings are the best way to go. In our opinion, SumoSprings are much more worthwhile than investing in a 4×4 camper van.
They’re not expensive, easy to self-install, and dramatically change the feel of your ride.
Whether if you’re looking to get SumoSprings for your Sprinter, Promaster, or Transit, we say just stop thinking about it and pick them up today. You won’t regret it.
These are some of the best camper suspension upgrades you can make right away to improve your ride.
We hope you enjoyed our SumoSprings review.
If you have any specific questions about our experience with SumoSprings, please let us know in the comments below.
Happy driving!
