Suspension upgrade

[DeanV]

Anyone have any experience or opinions about the Roadmaster Comfort Ride slipper springs/shock absorbers? After watching the video from the manufacturer, I am impressed by the engineering. Kind of a poor man's independent suspension. Looks like a decent shade tree mechanic with the right tools could easily handle the install.

[mmartin_tdc]

I just did those to my Crusader 260RLD. I am mechanically inclined but not a professional mechanic. Easy enough for me to do in my side yard, by myself. I did one side and then the other side so I didn't have to worry about getting the axles aligned again. I did check when I was done and I was within 1/8". My creeper got a workout going under the trailer for this project, but if I needed to, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

[NJBreeze]

I'm thinking about doing it on mine. End alignment though is a question that I have.

If the "box" connects to the old Equalizer mounts that would seem to say your going to get good alignment. From there you have to perfectly drill those holes so it doesn't mis-align that box. Lastly do the slipper springs fit firmly because if they don't then that is what hold those axles in on each end that goes into the box.

I could do it myself but I'm not going to bother. Getting too old for that stuff.

I looked at the Lippert one with the airbags but it raises the trailer 2", what were they thinking with that?? 2nd thing I don't like is airbags. I has them on one of my trucks and they leaked and also you have to monitor the air pressure.

Finally if you were thinking Moryde then think about late 2022 or 2023 per what they told me when I called them.

[DeanV]

Alignment is probably not much of an issue if the axles are currently in alignment. The replacement springs use the existing shackles on the front for the lead axle and the back for rear axle. The leaf springs fit in a slot in the axle when you reinstall the u-bolts. That keeps everything squared up. The movable end of the springs that are riding in the new "box" in the center are only moving as a result of spring compression as you go over road bumps, heaves, etc. This way the two axles stay independent of each other and do not transfer load forces between them.

[SilhouettePenny]

You can get a small amount of axle alignment adjustability by filing down the center bolt head on the spring pack or slightly enlarging the hole on the spring perch. After measuring from the front axle outer most point to the king pin if you are off by 1/4" then simply move one end forward 1/8" and the other end backward the same amount and tighten the u-bolts. Re-Torque these nuts several times many days after the fact because those 7 inch long fasteners will stretch.

[GPs37FLH]

Originally Posted by DeanV

Anyone have any experience or opinions about the Roadmaster Comfort Ride slipper springs/shock absorbers? After watching the video from the manufacturer, I am impressed by the engineering. Kind of a poor man's independent suspension. Looks like a decent shade tree mechanic with the right tools could easily handle the install.

This past summer, I installed on our 5'er the Roadmaster Comfort Ride shocks and replaced the factory installed equalizers and shackles with LCI's Road Armor kit. Both upgrades, along with the MorRyde Rubber Pin box upgrade I did myself too have made a major improvement in the ride quality and towing experience. Much smoother and noticeably less bumpy.

There are two or three good content videos for how to do the installation. Two are from eTrailer, one on YouTube and the other on eTrailer's web site. As you've already discovered, as long as you've got the right tools, its a relatively easy upgrade to do yourself.

Now, there're three things you need to be aware of they don't tell you in the installation instructions for the shocks. First, you CANNOT install the shocks upper frame brackets to a tubular RV frame with the provided self tapping screws. It requires an I-beam frame to install them. My 5'er had a tubular frame rail welded to the I-beam frame where the equalizer hangers were. I had to pay a professional welder to install the upper frame brackets to the tubular frame rail. Worked perfectly.

Second, you'll likely need to replace the U-bolts attaching the axles to the Roadmaster tie plates. Because the tie plates are so much thicker than the tie plates from the factory, the factory U-bolts won't be long enough to install. You should see at least a couple inches of the bolt threads once you put the tie plates in place. I bought two, longer replacement U-bolt kits on Amazon. Each kit comes with four U-bolts and nuts, but don't forget like I did that you need two U-bolts per tie plate. Initially thought one kit would do the trick for a dual axle install.

Lastly, carefully check the area around the frame where the equalizers are for any propane, brake or sewer lines that're installed. I had a sewer line that obstructed the area where the shocks on the drivers side were bolted to the frame. I had to cut out a three or four foot section of that line and re-route it away from the drivers side a couple of feet with some PVC elbows and pipe from Home Depot.