Great video! I like the details you went through with what you noticed with each component. The follow up after the 200 mile road trip was great feedback as well.
Thanks for the tips. I'm about to start this project in a few days. I didn't order a cross-member for the middle, but now I'm thinking I'll order one of those too. I thought I would need a different type in the middle but your install clearly shows that the same crossmember fits in all 3 locations. Thanks so much.
This was a great learning experience, we have a 2008 Prowler 27 feet regular pull trailer, we blew a tire off the passenger side back dual tire coming home from an outing! I want to up grade my trailer to all what you did, you gave me food for thought and tips on how to do this, thanks!
Nice video. One thing I would add maybe is get some 3/16 plate steel and weld them onto the ends of the front and rear hangers to box them in for some more structural strength
Rosie and I have been in a constant battle with our suspension on our Solitude 310 GK. We upgraded to 4000 LB springs after several failures. Then we upgraded to Mo- Ryde something-4000 ( supposed to be their best. Failed right out of the gate leaving us stranded in Shawnie OK. We had Mo-Ryde ship us the Cree 3000 and some nice folks in Shawnie put them on. Now we are back home and I am missing a nut and a Octagon Cam off the spring hanger on one side. Looking for a octagon cam replacement as we speak. Sure would be nice if these trailer manufacturers would do thing right from the start. Burlington Bill here ( singer songwriter) Here on youtube. Oh another upgrade was G-Rated american Tires!
Thank you for all the great information. I learned alot from watching your video. And I will do your recommendations on installing the cross braces and putting the holes in the wet bolts horizontal. Thanks again.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve had these X factor braces in my Amazon cart for months. I think I’ll go ahead and pull the trigger this winter to prep for spring. We recently bought a new dual axle camper and the parking spot for it is essentially a tight 90 degree turn in our driveway. The tire scrub and hanger flex just makes me cringe every time we return from a trip. Time to do something about it.
I have wondered if throwing some sand on ground in turning area. Allow tires to slide sideways a little. I love my pull through storage. But I will probably be leaving some sand behind at campgrounds.
Enjoyed your video. Just ordered everything. Doing one side at a time seems to be the safest way to do this. Any pointers you can share WRT support for the side you’re working on?
I had the camper unloaded (no need to make it heavy with water, etc), leveled, wheels chocked on both sides in both direction, then I used Jack stands to support the side when I removed the wheels just as overkill, a jack stand with a bottle jack built in (my personal favorite for working on the camper or truck) to support and raise the axle, and then I believe I also used a floor jack with the block on occasion to manipulate the leaf springs into place. It's been a few years, so my memory might not be perfect on where I was using bottle jack vs floor jack. Good luck! Still very happy I did it.
I sure wish you would make more videos. You are my favorite channel. It helps that we both have 311BHS RV's but I would still enjoy your content even if I had a different RV.
RH63, Thank you, that's very kind! I've been doing a lot of camping this year and less improving / fixing things. I'm open to ideas though if there's anything you'd like to see or want some tips on?
@@rvengineer2300 At the moment, I only have one issue in my RV and that is I can't receive any OTA channels. I traced every coax, I bought a new plate with the booster button in case the original was bad and I used a Klein Coax tester to follow which cable went to where. The only thing I didn't find was a coax that goes to the Winegard antenna on the roof. I don't know if there's a splitter in the wall somewhere or there wasn't a cable added when the RV was built. Short of taking the antenna off the roof, I'm stumped. Any ideas what I should try next?
@@robh063 Sounds like you've done everything I'd try. I'd also be reluctant to take the unit apart at the roof unless it was leaking. Maybe at end of season, put on your warranty work list? Else, get a lot of Dicor and get ready to scrape :) Good luck!
Thanks for your video. I found it interesting and helpful that this upgrade increased the stability of the trailer while your family moved around in the trailer. Just an unexpected added benefit of the upgrade. Great job.
Nice video and good information! I have a 2021 GD 303RLS the CRE 3000 was already installed at the factory, and so far I have put about 13k miles on it, and I decided to upgrade my leaf springs to 3k along with this project, all of the bushings were cracked just like yours in the video. Unfortunately I am not able to install the rear X factor due to the fresh water drain in the way. Morryde said its ok to install just the front and middle. Next project is installing disc brakes.
I subscribed as you do an outstanding job of speaking and presenting the steps of the work. We are looking at upgrading our GD 21G and this is what I want to do. My only decision is if I do just the center axel or do center and rear. Still researching my options. Again, great work and production.
Great Video! My experience with mass-production what day of the week it was built and the difference between the attention to quality in the person on either side of the line. You can tell buy just looking say how your tail lights are assembled. Quality control is lacking in the mass-produced RV Industry. Stoney Burk 2015 Keystone Fuzion 404.
I had a rear hanger failure 2 weeks ago and the inside wet bold brass sleeve that have been there for about 30000 kms was exactly like yours, half of it missing and I do grease them like every 5000 to 7000 kms.
I saw a video that had round spacers which allow you to clamp all the way about the spring hanger. I wonder if they added that feature after you install led your cross brace.
I noticed that too. I went to the website and looked through the install instructions. There were actually three installation variants addressed - one was the full strap version. They illustrated that as the center support, with the others for forward and rear having different end bracketing for correct track and a drop down variant. I did not see the half bracket strap variant - but it could be due to when they were produced or some other factor.
I believe we have the same camper. I was wondering if you could go more into how you lifted the camper. Looked like you used the equalizer jacks and blocks on one side. Did you do that all the way around? Then use jacks and stands to manipulate the axles? Thanks!
I had the camper unloaded (no need to make it heavy with water, etc), leveled, wheels chocked on both sides in both direction, then I used Jack stands to support the side when I removed the wheels just as overkill, a jack stand with a bottle jack built in (my personal favorite for working on the camper or truck) to support and raise the axle, and then I believe I also used a floor jack with the block on occasion to manipulate the leaf springs into place. It's been a few years, so my memory might not be perfect on where I was using bottle jack vs floor jack. Good luck! Still very happy I did it.
@@rvengineer2300 Thank you. I hadn't heard of these until the shop foreman tried to sell me on some. After I saw what he was charging I thought I can definitely do this. Just wasn't sure on lifting one side at a time and getting everything to line up.
Well done video. My 2017 Road Warrior triple axle toyhauler came with CRE3000 equalizers but stock shackles and no wet bolts?? I purchased the Morryde heavy duty shackle kit with wet bolts. Additionally I purchased the Morryde X Factor crossmember but had to purchase separately the CorrectTrack adapter plate kit to mount the crossmember. I get a tremendous amount of stress on the suspension during tight turn backing with 3 axles. I see you installed 3 of the crossmembers. I am debating where to install and how many crossmembers I will eventually install. I have some obstacles (sewer drain lines) that wiil not allow crossmember install at all 4 locations (front, rear spring hangers and both CRE3000 equalizer locations in between) I also notice you have installed disc brakes. Did that come on your rif or was it an upgrade also you installed? Can you share details? Thanks
I agree the stress seemed to be worst when backing. I've very happy with the product 2 years in. I made another video about the disc brake installation. I did it all myself. The wiring was probably the trickiest part because I wanted to use some existing wires to the pin box. I found a great diagram that helped me out a lot that I cite in the video. In general, suspension, terrible tires, and braking systems seem to be not robust enough if you really want to use your camper. I feel a lot more confident towing knowing I've made the upgrades (even though the second you touch something, Lippert won't warranty it). Good luck!
Scott, good question. Reason 1 is clearance to the tire on my rig. Depending on leveling, the zerk can be hidden behind the tire, making access difficult. Reason 2: In genral more road debris will end up on zerk if it's close to the tire. To the inside, they are protected some. The X Factors have to be to the outside, but they have good clearance to the tires. Happy camping!
I bought a 2014 8.5X16 CargoMate, and put wet bolts in, and found that one nylon bushing in the equalizer was MISSING!? As soon as I can I'm upgrading to that equalizer and bronze bushings also.
Hi Jack, yes I did put 3 on. I think it does make a difference. Stability on rough road feels better and tight backing also better. The Middle seemed to be the most important, at least based on how bent mine were. I've also heard of a lot of people breaking the rear brackets, so I'd rate that one high too. If I bought another camper tomorrow, I'd install them again. Good luck!
I want to do this upgrade - maybe doing all three cross-members (equalizer brackets and front and rear leaf brackets). @ 2:50 you mention needing longer bolts to take the cross members. I am looking at buying the heavy-duty wet bolt upgrade kit and see it comes with all the parts - so, those work with the cross members, yes? Will, they work if I don't upgrade the cross members? I get the reasoning of "why would you do the upgrade and NOT stabilize the brackets - getting all the frame wiggle on those welds?" Seems the best move is to order all as one (around $400 on amazon for CRE3000, shackle kit, and a single cross member. Add $120x2 for the additional cross-members) - $650 I'm pulling a smaller trailer under 7,000, so this may be overkill, BUT I'm pulling it over 5k miles a summer (Texas to Wyoming). How often do you lube those bolts?
Michael, thanks for the questions. The MORryde X Factor comes with the properly sized wet bolts. You need the included extended size only if you do the X Factor. I really should have cleaned up enough to take a video of how bent my center brackets were. I talk about it in the video, but we are talking about a light 5th wheel camper ~11k unloaded, 13k at my heaviest recorded and I had to get another jack to align the center X Factor set. The heavy duty shackle upgrade from MORryde has everything you need except the extended bolts that come w/ X Factor if you decide to add that. You can do the shackles w/o doing the X Factor. You can see in the video how damaged my brass bushing were, so I think at least new bushings should be evaluated. Whether or not you need the shackle upgrades is more a preference since you'll have it all taken apart anyway. If it was my dollars, I'd do the X Factor and bushings only if I was trying to save money, but the $100 for the shackle upgrade is *relatively* small when you think about what you spend on a camper, diesel, truck, etc. The $100 includes the bushing, so really it's even less of an add on. I use the Lucas X-Tra Heavy Duty Grease (green). Once the wet bolts are properly lubed, I give them 1~3 pumps (just until I see it ooze) at end and middle of my camping seasons. I'm doing 5k to 8k / year. One final thought, on really light campers, sometimes the bushings aren't even metal, they are plastic / nylon. If that's the case, the I could see the shackles being more important. Hope this helps!
@@rvengineer2300 Sorry to bug you with more questions - but, seems good advice that might help others. Am I able to do the MorRyde CRE3000 and shackles first (the parts are here) THEN do the X Factor crossmember afterwards? Perhaps a stupid question - does the rig need to be jacked up to do the X factor? Guessing "Yes" because you are taking a chance the center bolt holding the equalizer on the rig doesn't shift it out of place Also, I am considering - all the time and effort - picking up some new leaf springs. The standard 1,350# capacity 4 leafs are what's on it and what I can replace them with. but their max is 7,000 lbs (all 4 together) which is our trailer max. Should I consider going up with a heavier spring OR "No, because the ride will be too stiff - they are designed for a weight range." Also, @8:18 nut has to be on inside/zerk(?) lube access to outside. Seem that might be a tight access for a torque wrench - but I trust it is for a reason...
@@idsullymichaels You can do the shackles and CRE3000, then go back and add the X Factors, you'll just be repeating some of the work at the CRE3000 center attachment when you put the longer wet bolt in. You definitely want the trailer properly supported. Mine has 6 point leveling and then I used some jack stands as well for extra support. You'll need jacks on the axles too move the suspension up and down to align things. Leaf springs I think is a preference. I haven't heard of many tailers failing bc of them (I'm sure you can find examples if you look hard enough, but it seems there are weaker points in the suspension like the hanger brackets). It will probably ride stiffer, but not sure how much you'd notice and depends on how you load the truck and trailer. I personally would put replacing leaf springs low on my list unless I saw an issue or excessive corrosion. Tires, drum brakes to disc brakes, supporting the hanger brackets all rate much high on my list. Drum brakes may be ok on your size trailer, but I hate the bearing design x drum brakes bc as the bearing heat under normal usage, some of the grease always turns to oil and leaks onto the drum. It's like they just get a little worse with every single use. I'm also sure there are people that swear by their bearing maintenance and have no issues, but I'll take my stopping power of disc brakes any day. I'd also probably upgrade my truck suspension bf looking at trailer leaf springs. I added the rear suspension airbag system to my truck. That does way more for comfort than anything to the trailer. Good luck!
Thanks for making this video. I have the same fifth wheel as you and am considering adding these to my suspension overhaul that is in the works. When I spoke to the MORryde rep today about these cross members, she informed me that they wrapped around the leaf spring and equalizer hangers rather than needing to attach any hardware in the inside of the hangers as you have done. This would be needful as I am having some V clips welded on between the hangers for that lateral support. When you did this upgrade, did you have that option? I see you don’t have those V clip’s between your hangers allowing you to attach these cross members as you have. Also, what has been your experience since installing them?
I do notice a difference in tight back in turns and in general, based on how much the middle bracket was bent I feel safer. I drive it ~1,200 miles in a few weeks, so that will be a real test as some of the roads I'll be taking aren't the best. I'll update after that.
What a great video. Being a Auto tech is well explained. Was searching for info on the x-factor to put on my trailer. Is there a reason you went with the cre3000 instead of the LCI version?
Honestly, I didn't put a ton of research in the CRE3000 vs LCI. I figured going all MORryde would fit well together and in general, I like their build quality.
I was thinking about doing this, but with only one xfactor for the middle piece. Is there value in doing just the one or do you think it needs to be all three? I have a GD 2400bh.
Based on my sample size of 1 (my 5th wheel), the middle seems to be the most important one to do. That also seems makes sense from a geometry standpoint as well. If I was going to do 1, I'd make it the middle. Whether you need all 3, that more a matter of preference. Good luck!
Great video. I am about to order the parts for my 311BHS and want to confirm my measurements. Did you order the version for 35” spacing? That is what I measured out but want to make sure.
I think that would help if your main concern is the weld breaking. What you would lose is the side to side stability where the bars essentially act like stabilizer bars in a vehicle. Up to you to decide if that's worth it.
Always safest to assume it only takes away based on the weight it adds. Tires, axles, and Pin box are typically near their limits at max CCC, so I wouldn't push it.
i just purchased the crossmembers for my grand design , i was courious on your installment ,while installing did your crossmembers match up true from one side to the other ? mine arent true ?
In what direction? In 'H' (up and down), my middle ones didn't align, so I had to jack them into alignment. If you are talking about in 'L' (front to back) I didn't have any real issue, but it could maybe be how you temp tightened the outer bracket that goes over the hanger bracket? Good luck!
Do you have any wobble in your shackles? I just installed the wet bolt kit with 1/2 thick shackles...and my shackles have some slight wobble. Torqued the nuts to 50ft lbs just like the instructions said...I know these components need to have room to move obviously bc of how trailer suspension works...just seemed a bit strange
@@rvengineer2300 ok,then I feel much better. Lol... I'll check torque after my next haul. I put all this on my carhauler. Lol... I don't even own a rv. I figured it'd still help the ride. Definitely way better build quality over stock. And should last a whole heck longer
RV’s, trailers, horse trailers, it’s generally all the same under built stuff. I once tried to stop a car haller with 3 vehicles loaded bc he had lost a tire and was riding on the rim. Upgrading and an umbrella policy are always worth it. And never cheap out on tires (tires were my 1st commodity as an engineer)
@@rvengineer2300 ohh yea definitely. I'm ways overkill when I mod and tinker. Just for the safety aspect. I don't want any problems while pulling a trailer!
I personally like to use the "Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty" grease that comes in the green can. Easily found at walmart. Most other common one is the Lucas "Red N Tacky #2."
Great video! I like the details you went through with what you noticed with each component. The follow up after the 200 mile road trip was great feedback as well.
Great video. You were undoubtedly picking up some side to side motion while parked due to the bushings being smashed. Great upgrade information.
Thanks for the tips. I'm about to start this project in a few days. I didn't order a cross-member for the middle, but now I'm thinking I'll order one of those too. I thought I would need a different type in the middle but your install clearly shows that the same crossmember fits in all 3 locations. Thanks so much.
This was a great learning experience, we have a 2008 Prowler 27 feet regular pull trailer, we blew a tire off the passenger side back dual tire coming home from an outing!
I want to up grade my trailer to all what you did, you gave me food for thought and tips on how to do this, thanks!
Good luck and thanks!
Nice video. One thing I would add maybe is get some 3/16 plate steel and weld them onto the ends of the front and rear hangers to box them in for some more structural strength
Rosie and I have been in a constant battle with our suspension on our Solitude 310 GK. We upgraded to 4000 LB springs after several failures. Then we upgraded to Mo- Ryde something-4000 ( supposed to be their best. Failed right out of the gate leaving us stranded in Shawnie OK. We had Mo-Ryde ship us the Cree 3000 and some nice folks in Shawnie put them on. Now we are back home and I am missing a nut and a Octagon Cam off the spring hanger on one side. Looking for a octagon cam replacement as we speak. Sure would be nice if these trailer manufacturers would do thing right from the start. Burlington Bill here ( singer songwriter) Here on youtube. Oh another upgrade was G-Rated american Tires!
Thank you for all the great information. I learned alot from watching your video. And I will do your recommendations on installing the cross braces and putting the holes in the wet bolts horizontal. Thanks again.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve had these X factor braces in my Amazon cart for months. I think I’ll go ahead and pull the trigger this winter to prep for spring. We recently bought a new dual axle camper and the parking spot for it is essentially a tight 90 degree turn in our driveway. The tire scrub and hanger flex just makes me cringe every time we return from a trip. Time to do something about it.
Agreed. Those tight turns are what got me thinking about the upgrade as well. I'm glad I did it. Good luck!
I have wondered if throwing some sand on ground in turning area. Allow tires to slide sideways a little. I love my pull through storage. But I will probably be leaving some sand behind at campgrounds.
Enjoyed your video. Just ordered everything. Doing one side at a time seems to be the safest way to do this. Any pointers you can share WRT support for the side you’re working on?
I had the camper unloaded (no need to make it heavy with water, etc), leveled, wheels chocked on both sides in both direction, then I used Jack stands to support the side when I removed the wheels just as overkill, a jack stand with a bottle jack built in (my personal favorite for working on the camper or truck) to support and raise the axle, and then I believe I also used a floor jack with the block on occasion to manipulate the leaf springs into place. It's been a few years, so my memory might not be perfect on where I was using bottle jack vs floor jack. Good luck! Still very happy I did it.
Good Morning Thank You. I have the MORryde in boxes just waiting for warmer weather. Jack
I sure wish you would make more videos. You are my favorite channel. It helps that we both have 311BHS RV's but I would still enjoy your content even if I had a different RV.
RH63, Thank you, that's very kind! I've been doing a lot of camping this year and less improving / fixing things. I'm open to ideas though if there's anything you'd like to see or want some tips on?
@@rvengineer2300 At the moment, I only have one issue in my RV and that is I can't receive any OTA channels. I traced every coax, I bought a new plate with the booster button in case the original was bad and I used a Klein Coax tester to follow which cable went to where. The only thing I didn't find was a coax that goes to the Winegard antenna on the roof. I don't know if there's a splitter in the wall somewhere or there wasn't a cable added when the RV was built. Short of taking the antenna off the roof, I'm stumped. Any ideas what I should try next?
@@robh063 Sounds like you've done everything I'd try. I'd also be reluctant to take the unit apart at the roof unless it was leaking. Maybe at end of season, put on your warranty work list? Else, get a lot of Dicor and get ready to scrape :) Good luck!
Thanks for your video. I found it interesting and helpful that this upgrade increased the stability of the trailer while your family moved around in the trailer. Just an unexpected added benefit of the upgrade. Great job.
Thanks!
Nice video and good information! I have a 2021 GD 303RLS the CRE 3000 was already installed at the factory, and so far I have put about 13k miles on it, and I decided to upgrade my leaf springs to 3k along with this project, all of the bushings were cracked just like yours in the video. Unfortunately I am not able to install the rear X factor due to the fresh water drain in the way. Morryde said its ok to install just the front and middle. Next project is installing disc brakes.
Thanks for the feedback and good luck!
Good Mornng. Thank you for getting back so fast and Thank you again. Jack
I subscribed as you do an outstanding job of speaking and presenting the steps of the work. We are looking at upgrading our GD 21G and this is what I want to do. My only decision is if I do just the center axel or do center and rear. Still researching my options. Again, great work and production.
Great Video! My experience with mass-production what day of the week it was built and the difference between the attention to quality in the person on either side of the line. You can tell buy just looking say how your tail lights are assembled. Quality control is lacking in the mass-produced RV Industry.
Stoney Burk 2015 Keystone Fuzion 404.
I had a rear hanger failure 2 weeks ago and the inside wet bold brass sleeve that have been there for about 30000 kms was exactly like yours, half of it missing and I do grease them like every 5000 to 7000 kms.
Very well detailed upgrade. Thank you
A bit confusing. You said not to have the hole in the wet bolt in the up or down position but to the rear. Did you mean to have the hole on the side?
I saw a video that had round spacers which allow you to clamp all the way about the spring hanger. I wonder if they added that feature after you install led your cross brace.
I noticed that too. I went to the website and looked through the install instructions. There were actually three installation variants addressed - one was the full strap version. They illustrated that as the center support, with the others for forward and rear having different end bracketing for correct track and a drop down variant. I did not see the half bracket strap variant - but it could be due to when they were produced or some other factor.
I believe we have the same camper. I was wondering if you could go more into how you lifted the camper. Looked like you used the equalizer jacks and blocks on one side. Did you do that all the way around? Then use jacks and stands to manipulate the axles? Thanks!
I had the camper unloaded (no need to make it heavy with water, etc), leveled, wheels chocked on both sides in both direction, then I used Jack stands to support the side when I removed the wheels just as overkill, a jack stand with a bottle jack built in (my personal favorite for working on the camper or truck) to support and raise the axle, and then I believe I also used a floor jack with the block on occasion to manipulate the leaf springs into place. It's been a few years, so my memory might not be perfect on where I was using bottle jack vs floor jack. Good luck! Still very happy I did it.
@@rvengineer2300 Thank you. I hadn't heard of these until the shop foreman tried to sell me on some. After I saw what he was charging I thought I can definitely do this. Just wasn't sure on lifting one side at a time and getting everything to line up.
I'm upgrading my new Grand Design 25g with the CRE3000 and wet bolts now. My new bushings are cracked already.
You supplied more helpful details than any other installation video I've seen....thanks..
Thank you so much!
Well done video. My 2017 Road Warrior triple axle toyhauler came with CRE3000 equalizers but stock shackles and no wet bolts?? I purchased the Morryde heavy duty shackle kit with wet bolts. Additionally I purchased the Morryde X Factor crossmember but had to purchase separately the CorrectTrack adapter plate kit to mount the crossmember. I get a tremendous amount of stress on the suspension during tight turn backing with 3 axles. I see you installed 3 of the crossmembers. I am debating where to install and how many crossmembers I will eventually install. I have some obstacles (sewer drain lines) that wiil not allow crossmember install at all 4 locations (front, rear spring hangers and both CRE3000 equalizer locations in between)
I also notice you have installed disc brakes. Did that come on your rif or was it an upgrade also you installed? Can you share details?
Thanks
I agree the stress seemed to be worst when backing. I've very happy with the product 2 years in. I made another video about the disc brake installation. I did it all myself. The wiring was probably the trickiest part because I wanted to use some existing wires to the pin box. I found a great diagram that helped me out a lot that I cite in the video. In general, suspension, terrible tires, and braking systems seem to be not robust enough if you really want to use your camper. I feel a lot more confident towing knowing I've made the upgrades (even though the second you touch something, Lippert won't warranty it). Good luck!
Why do you have the shackle grease fitting facing inward? Seems you should have them all excisable pointing out making it easier to grease
Scott, good question. Reason 1 is clearance to the tire on my rig. Depending on leveling, the zerk can be hidden behind the tire, making access difficult. Reason 2: In genral more road debris will end up on zerk if it's close to the tire. To the inside, they are protected some. The X Factors have to be to the outside, but they have good clearance to the tires.
Happy camping!
I bought a 2014 8.5X16 CargoMate, and put wet bolts in, and found that one nylon bushing in the equalizer was MISSING!? As soon as I can I'm upgrading to that equalizer and bronze bushings also.
Good morning. Again Did you put three cross bars on your unit and did it seam a benafit. Jack
Hi Jack, yes I did put 3 on. I think it does make a difference. Stability on rough road feels better and tight backing also better. The Middle seemed to be the most important, at least based on how bent mine were. I've also heard of a lot of people breaking the rear brackets, so I'd rate that one high too.
If I bought another camper tomorrow, I'd install them again. Good luck!
I want to do this upgrade - maybe doing all three cross-members (equalizer brackets and front and rear leaf brackets). @ 2:50 you mention needing longer bolts to take the cross members.
I am looking at buying the heavy-duty wet bolt upgrade kit and see it comes with all the parts - so, those work with the cross members, yes? Will, they work if I don't upgrade the cross members?
I get the reasoning of "why would you do the upgrade and NOT stabilize the brackets - getting all the frame wiggle on those welds?" Seems the best move is to order all as one (around $400 on amazon for CRE3000, shackle kit, and a single cross member. Add $120x2 for the additional cross-members) - $650
I'm pulling a smaller trailer under 7,000, so this may be overkill, BUT I'm pulling it over 5k miles a summer (Texas to Wyoming).
How often do you lube those bolts?
Michael, thanks for the questions. The MORryde X Factor comes with the properly sized wet bolts. You need the included extended size only if you do the X Factor. I really should have cleaned up enough to take a video of how bent my center brackets were. I talk about it in the video, but we are talking about a light 5th wheel camper ~11k unloaded, 13k at my heaviest recorded and I had to get another jack to align the center X Factor set.
The heavy duty shackle upgrade from MORryde has everything you need except the extended bolts that come w/ X Factor if you decide to add that. You can do the shackles w/o doing the X Factor.
You can see in the video how damaged my brass bushing were, so I think at least new bushings should be evaluated. Whether or not you need the shackle upgrades is more a preference since you'll have it all taken apart anyway.
If it was my dollars, I'd do the X Factor and bushings only if I was trying to save money, but the $100 for the shackle upgrade is *relatively* small when you think about what you spend on a camper, diesel, truck, etc. The $100 includes the bushing, so really it's even less of an add on.
I use the Lucas X-Tra Heavy Duty Grease (green). Once the wet bolts are properly lubed, I give them 1~3 pumps (just until I see it ooze) at end and middle of my camping seasons. I'm doing 5k to 8k / year.
One final thought, on really light campers, sometimes the bushings aren't even metal, they are plastic / nylon. If that's the case, the I could see the shackles being more important.
Hope this helps!
@@rvengineer2300 Sorry to bug you with more questions - but, seems good advice that might help others.
Am I able to do the MorRyde CRE3000 and shackles first (the parts are here) THEN do the X Factor crossmember afterwards? Perhaps a stupid question - does the rig need to be jacked up to do the X factor? Guessing "Yes" because you are taking a chance the center bolt holding the equalizer on the rig doesn't shift it out of place
Also, I am considering - all the time and effort - picking up some new leaf springs. The standard 1,350# capacity 4 leafs are what's on it and what I can replace them with. but their max is 7,000 lbs (all 4 together) which is our trailer max. Should I consider going up with a heavier spring OR "No, because the ride will be too stiff - they are designed for a weight range."
Also, @8:18 nut has to be on inside/zerk(?) lube access to outside. Seem that might be a tight access for a torque wrench - but I trust it is for a reason...
@@idsullymichaels You can do the shackles and CRE3000, then go back and add the X Factors, you'll just be repeating some of the work at the CRE3000 center attachment when you put the longer wet bolt in.
You definitely want the trailer properly supported. Mine has 6 point leveling and then I used some jack stands as well for extra support. You'll need jacks on the axles too move the suspension up and down to align things.
Leaf springs I think is a preference. I haven't heard of many tailers failing bc of them (I'm sure you can find examples if you look hard enough, but it seems there are weaker points in the suspension like the hanger brackets). It will probably ride stiffer, but not sure how much you'd notice and depends on how you load the truck and trailer.
I personally would put replacing leaf springs low on my list unless I saw an issue or excessive corrosion.
Tires, drum brakes to disc brakes, supporting the hanger brackets all rate much high on my list. Drum brakes may be ok on your size trailer, but I hate the bearing design x drum brakes bc as the bearing heat under normal usage, some of the grease always turns to oil and leaks onto the drum. It's like they just get a little worse with every single use.
I'm also sure there are people that swear by their bearing maintenance and have no issues, but I'll take my stopping power of disc brakes any day.
I'd also probably upgrade my truck suspension bf looking at trailer leaf springs. I added the rear suspension airbag system to my truck. That does way more for comfort than anything to the trailer.
Good luck!
Thanks for the Great video. Great Tips and Pointers!
Thanks for making this video. I have the same fifth wheel as you and am considering adding these to my suspension overhaul that is in the works. When I spoke to the MORryde rep today about these cross members, she informed me that they wrapped around the leaf spring and equalizer hangers rather than needing to attach any hardware in the inside of the hangers as you have done. This would be needful as I am having some V clips welded on between the hangers for that lateral support. When you did this upgrade, did you have that option? I see you don’t have those V clip’s between your hangers allowing you to attach these cross members as you have. Also, what has been your experience since installing them?
I didn't know anything about V Clips when I did the install. Still really pleased with the upgrade. No issues.
How’s the trailer doing since installing the crossmembers? Considering install them on my trailer
I do notice a difference in tight back in turns and in general, based on how much the middle bracket was bent I feel safer. I drive it ~1,200 miles in a few weeks, so that will be a real test as some of the roads I'll be taking aren't the best. I'll update after that.
Outstanding information thanks a ton for posting!
That might be the problem if you were able to push them by hand I would think 🤔 they need to be driven in to the spring eye
What a great video. Being a Auto tech is well explained. Was searching for info on the x-factor to put on my trailer. Is there a reason you went with the cre3000 instead of the LCI version?
Honestly, I didn't put a ton of research in the CRE3000 vs LCI. I figured going all MORryde would fit well together and in general, I like their build quality.
I was thinking about doing this, but with only one xfactor for the middle piece. Is there value in doing just the one or do you think it needs to be all three? I have a GD 2400bh.
Based on my sample size of 1 (my 5th wheel), the middle seems to be the most important one to do. That also seems makes sense from a geometry standpoint as well. If I was going to do 1, I'd make it the middle. Whether you need all 3, that more a matter of preference. Good luck!
Looks pretty dry how often do you grease it ?
Great video. I am about to order the parts for my 311BHS and want to confirm my measurements. Did you order the version for 35” spacing? That is what I measured out but want to make sure.
Micah, yes I ordered the 35".
So all 4 wheels do not need to be up. Thank you. Didn’t want to buy a bunch jacks that ill never use again. USMC/USAF Ret.
Correct, one side, then the other. Just takes a little patience. Good luck and thank you for your Service!
What about if I weld some tubing in as bracing? Instead of buying the morryde braces?
I think that would help if your main concern is the weld breaking. What you would lose is the side to side stability where the bars essentially act like stabilizer bars in a vehicle. Up to you to decide if that's worth it.
That was a Great Video ! Having done all this except the X- factor brace, looks like I have one more thing to add to my MHC list.
Any thoughts on how the crossmember adds or takes away from CCC of the trailer?
Always safest to assume it only takes away based on the weight it adds. Tires, axles, and Pin box are typically near their limits at max CCC, so I wouldn't push it.
i just purchased the crossmembers for my grand design , i was courious on your installment ,while installing did your crossmembers match up true from one side to the other ? mine arent true ?
In what direction? In 'H' (up and down), my middle ones didn't align, so I had to jack them into alignment. If you are talking about in 'L' (front to back) I didn't have any real issue, but it could maybe be how you temp tightened the outer bracket that goes over the hanger bracket? Good luck!
do the cross braces come as a set of 3 or 3 individual ones when ordering ?
Jim, they were sold individually. I bought 3 because of the 2 axle setup on my camper.
@@rvengineer2300 thats what I thought they should be sold as a set of 3 or 4 depending on how many axles .
Do you have any wobble in your shackles? I just installed the wet bolt kit with 1/2 thick shackles...and my shackles have some slight wobble. Torqued the nuts to 50ft lbs just like the instructions said...I know these components need to have room to move obviously bc of how trailer suspension works...just seemed a bit strange
There is definitely a little movement to allow for the suspension to flex. I'd just reconfirm the torque after your next trip for piece of mind.
@@rvengineer2300 ok,then I feel much better. Lol... I'll check torque after my next haul. I put all this on my carhauler. Lol... I don't even own a rv. I figured it'd still help the ride. Definitely way better build quality over stock. And should last a whole heck longer
RV’s, trailers, horse trailers, it’s generally all the same under built stuff. I once tried to stop a car haller with 3 vehicles loaded bc he had lost a tire and was riding on the rim. Upgrading and an umbrella policy are always worth it. And never cheap out on tires (tires were my 1st commodity as an engineer)
@@rvengineer2300 ohh yea definitely. I'm ways overkill when I mod and tinker. Just for the safety aspect. I don't want any problems while pulling a trailer!
Excellent video. Thank you
What is the recommend grease to use?
I personally like to use the "Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty" grease that comes in the green can. Easily found at walmart. Most other common one is the Lucas "Red N Tacky #2."
Did this lift your trailer any?
I didn't measure before and after. I didn't see any noticeable difference, but I can't be certain.
Your bushings probably wore out prematurely because the force was not evenly distributed due to the misalignment.
Glad I am not camping with this guy! Wow my kids make motion in the camper.?
I would never do any of this
Yeah I know, like riding around in a Dodge with the mirrors stuck out and fog lights on in the daytime..Lol.
Why bother watching then, another keyboard warrior with nothing to add