Summer Starts Here - Save up to 70%
Improve your towing experience with this shock absorbing upgrade kit for leaf spring trailer suspensions. Heavy-duty shocks reduce trailer bounce, chucking, and porpoising. Adjustable mounting brackets and hardware included. Fits 3-1/2" axles.
Features:
Specs:
This Comfort Ride suspension upgrade system greatly improves your towing experience. It serves as an add-on for your leaf spring suspension, and it provides a notably smoother ride, reducing chucking, axle roll-up, and suspension rebound. This means that you'll experience improved handling, even over potholes and uneven pavement. And the contents of your trailer will stay in place during travel.
While traditional leaf springs support your trailer to prevent bottoming out, they don't necessarily provide a comfortable ride. Due to the rigidity of the steel construction, leaf springs do a poor job of absorbing shock and bounce and limiting sway.
Adding these shocks to your existing leaf spring suspension offers a better solution. Gas-powered springs inside of the sealed cylinders compress and extend as you drive. The compression and extension of the springs creates enough force to offset the amount of incoming force or vibration that occurs when you tow over rough or uneven terrain. The result is a more comfortable towing experience.
Many trailers will have shocks mounted at around a 40-degree angle, but this positioning doesn't compensate very well for the up-and-down movement of the trailer's suspension. Roadmaster's patented adjustable frame brackets are specifically designed to allow these shocks to be mounted at an optimum angle between 20 and 40 degrees. As a result, these shocks will have the leverage necessary to limit up-and-down and lateral movement during both compression and rebound.
The Comfort Ride shock absorber system has endured rigorous testing to ensure its durability and longevity. This testing includes computerized Finite Element Analysis, which establishes guidelines to ensure superior product quality and safety. Roadmaster also tested these shock absorbers at the Navistar Proving Grounds, a private test facility that provides real-world handling and safety testing. The result is a safe, long-lasting product that you can trust.
Installation of the Comfort Ride system is fairly straightforward.
The included tie plates replace your existing U-bolt tie plates. You will need to retain your existing U-bolts and nuts for installation. Once the tie plates are installed, bolt the upper mounting brackets to your trailer's frame with the included hardware. Some drilling is required when mounting the brackets to the frame. Finally, attach the shocks between the tie plates and the frame brackets.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hello, neighbors, it's Brad here from etrailer, and today, I have Jeff from Roadmaster. And we're gonna be taking a look at something that a lot of people don't think about on their campers, and that's, well, suspension, you know And a lot of times people buy a camper and they go, "Well, it is what it is. That's the ride that we're gonna get." And that's not necessarily the case. Correct Absolutely. You can always turn around and increase the customer's ride on their fifth wheel or their travel trailer by just doing a simple modification and changing it out to slipper springs. There are other several products that you can look at as well.
So a slipper spring, for those of you that don't know, what exactly is that compared to a normal just leaf spring So a normal leaf spring, what you have is an equalizer that's in between that's connected with links. So typically, what happens is, is as the energy is being absorbed by one wheel, it's actually being transferred into the other axle and so on and so forth. So you get a lot of unnecessary movement back and forth, up and down, and outward as well. But what we'll primarily do is try to reduce all the shock that's going into the trailer. So is that leaf spring, as a slipper, it becomes almost floating, in the sense, correct Correct.
So basically, what it does, our picture that we have here is my unit after I did the install. So typically, what we do is remove the equalizer, we mount our slipper spring box, and then what happens is, is we have our slipper spring that goes into the box. And as that. As your wheel hits a bump, the spring actually slides in and out of the slipper spring box. So with the slipper spring, does that keep the axles a little bit more in line than a traditional leaf spring Jeff Yes, it does.
So whenever you hit a bump, what you're gonna notice is we have some slow-motion video as well, but when we hit a bump, you'll actually notice that the wheel, the axle's moving vertically instead of horizontally also. Brad As the way suspension should be. Jeff Correct, correct. So without a slipper spring or just normal suspension, you have a story with your own trailer, not that many miles on it, and maybe some issues with bushings. Yeah, so basically what happened here is you're looking at my newer fifth wheel that I have.
I recently talked to one of my dealers that was up in Northern California. He said, "Hey, did you turn around and put your system on yet" I said, "No, not yet, it's actually in my garage. I haven't put it on yet." He's like, "Well, what are you waiting for" I was like, "Well, just been really busy. Haven't had the opportunity to do it yet." He's like, "Well, are you getting ready to do any service" I was like, "Yeah, I'm gonna go pack my bearings." He says, "Well, when you do so," he says, "Do me a favor." He says, "Pull one of the bolts out." It goes for your existing spring. He goes, "Just kind of let me know what you see." So I went home, packed my bearings, did exactly what he said, pulled that bolt out, looked at it, and the bronzes bushing inside was completely wore out. And so once I determined that, I decided to go ahead and do the install on my own for the Comfort Ride system. So as far as. Okay, this is your own driveway, you did this yourself Jeff Yeah, it's actually at a campground in Needles, California. Okay, how bad was it to do So typically, I mean, we normally suggest for a double axle, eight hours; for triple axle, 10. In this case, because I'm very familiar with the product, I do it quite often, I was actually able to do it in under eight hours. Brad Okay, and as far as the kit, obviously, we have a triple axle here. So you have the two boxes. Does it also come with the shocks So the shock absorbers are separate, but a complete kit will be the slipper spring, the shock, the slipper spring box. And then you add the shock kit to it. And basically, what happens is, is we're looking at upwards of 80% increase in rideability for that trailer. Okay, and then as far as choosing a Comfort Ride, you know, say someone's kind of landed that they want to get the Comfort Ride, how do they determine which kit is right for them So if they wanted to look at which kit's gonna be proper for them, so we have the shock kit, which is separate from the slipper spring kit. What we need to know is diameter of the axle, okay So once we determine the diameter of the axle, that gives you the proper shock kit. And then what we need to know is the weight capacity of the spring. And once we have those two, we can set you up with the proper kit. Okay. Now, living with it, you know, a lot of times with suspension, people go, "Okay, it's, you know. Decent amount of money be putting in this, little bit of work to get it installed. Does it really make a difference" It makes a night-and-day difference. Especially when you're towing, you'll notice that you don't get the excessive wag out of your trailer when you're driving down the road. Especially if you're hitting bumps or potholes, you're gonna notice that there's a lot less energy being transferred into your coach. So a lot of times, people notice, "Hey, I got screws that starting to back out, or I'm starting to having to seal my coach more often." Because we're absorbing all that extra energy down here with the shock absorbers, we're noticing that that's not quite happening quite as frequently. Now, there's definitely a lot of different options when it comes to, you know, suspension enhancement. But why would someone want Roadmaster versus anything else that's out there Well, we are a US manufacturer. We manufacture everything ourselves in Vancouver, Washington. If you ever get the opportunity to come on out, we'd love to give you a tour. But more importantly, I say we do manufacture all this in-house, so it is made-in-the-USA product. We're very proud to advertise that, but we also back it with a lifetime warranty 'cause we are able to build that quality into the product. And that's peace of mind. I mean, one and done. Jeff Exactly. You buy it, you get to enjoy it. You know, the warranty's gonna outlast the trailer more than likely. Jeff Exactly. So that's pretty cool. So adding this Comfort Ride to a travel trailer is definitely gonna enhance your driving experience as more suspension is generally a good thing. You know, as you're towing down, your truck's gonna be squatting, and you have points that are gonna pivot. But each of those points are potentials for it to get to be a little bit harsher ride. And factory suspension on travel trailers are, well, they're pretty old-school, to say the least. Pretty old-school. Yeah, and this is a much better system. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, having slipper springs as well as the shocks, it's really gonna give you, well, a comfortable ride. Yeah, and we're giving the customer independent suspension axle to axle. Which is awesome. Yeah, and that's really using, you know, newer technology and putting it into stuff that should have caught up by now. But it's great that this is an option. So, you know, if you're really hauling quite a bit, you're not happy with the way that it goes down the road, this is gonna be a great option for not only your trailer, but all the contents inside of it. Jeff Exactly. And as far as the installation goes, if this is something that's maybe beyond your scope, you don't have the place to do it, the tools to do it, or even the want to do it, you can use our Dealer Locator. And that way, you can find someone close to your area to get this installed for you. Huge thanks to Jeff taking a second to give us a little bit of insight into the Comfort Ride for Roadmaster here. Definitely. Thank you. Thank you.
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (215 Customer Reviews)
Improve your towing experience with this shock absorbing upgrade kit for leaf spring trailer suspensions. Heavy-duty shocks reduce trailer bounce, chucking, and porpoising. Adjustable mounting brackets and hardware included. Fits 3-1/2" axles.Install wasn’t bad. Grand design welds a V bracket inside the spring hangers for more strength so that was my only challenge on install. This caused a problem on the center hanger as the spacer wouldn’t fit. Had to grind about a quarter inch off the spacer so it would fit as I could only bend the bottom of the hangers so much. Will be towing about 100 miles this weekend so it will be nice to hopefully not have broken drawers in the back of the trailer as well as shelves in the fridge door dislodged. I also did the X factor cross braces on the front and rear hangers for more strength. Will post back after we get more miles on it, but given all the other positive reviews I don’t think I’ll be unhappy.
Installed a year ago, I made a drilling template to help locate the frame mounting bracket screw holes. Installed a set on (2) fivers, spent average of 2.5 hours for total installation per fiver. Helped the ride of the trailer. Would certainly recommend the shock kit.
7-28-2023
1. The impression from "people" was usually "why shocks on a camper", which I would answer "why shocks on your car".
2. The ride was much better; as you may imagine driving your car without shocks. And the sway was minimized & the braking effectiveness increase.
3. We've sold that RV and on our new one already planning the install; and including the wet bolts and mod on the leaf-spring hangers.
We installed these on our 2022 Riverstone Legacy 39RKFB and without a doubt they have saved us on broken rims (many have this issue) and the ride was an instant upgrade. We drove a 6500-mile trip over the summer to ZION and Rockies and no issues at all. I installed them myself and recommend them as an inexpensive solution to expensive independent suspension.
All travel trailers should be equipped with shock absorbers. Roadmaster nailed it with the brackets which fit perfectly. Be sure to order the longer u bolts.
This is a great kit! Everything needed is included. Be sure to purchase the heavy duty wet bolt kit for the shackles.
OMG! After having the trailer bottom out on the stock springs while traversing a RR crossing, this system has proven to be amazing. Returning from a VA campground I crossed multiple RR crossings and traveled some rough pavement. I found I had left a bottle of shower soap on the ledge in the shower! It was still there when I set up in my yard. Not possible with the stock suspension!
Along with the new springs....everything works as advertised. Well satisfied. No complaints.
I had to modify the one set of shock brackets to fit, as I have raised the trailer 5 inches
to match up with the 4 inch raised truck.
Otherwise...no swaying....no bouncing........no problems.
Thanks etrailer for your help.
After much research and evaluation I found the Road Master to be my first choice for our 2023 Grand Design Reflection Tandom Axle RV. The engineering, manufacturing and quality is demonstrated in this product. The components are heavy duty with clear instructions. I’ve not had the opportunity to install yet however before we embark on a 2 month tour, I’m confident in this added suspension package to assure a safe, comfortable ride.
The suspension system is amazing! It feels like the 5th wheel is riding on coil springs. The shock absorbers make such a noticeable difference; why these aren't installed at the factory will forever puzzle me.
Installation was straight forward. The length and quality of current U-bolts allowed for reuse.
I was skeptical about the fasteners, until the first one was torqued to specs...it was soon apparent that the provided hardware was more than adequate for the job.
I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this system again, and I promote it as often as possible.
Thank you, and all the etrailer staff!
This kit made a huge difference in the ride of our fifth wheel and we would recommend the product.
Best upgrade you can do on your toy hauler! It’s a little stiff at first unloaded but man what a difference when fully loaded! Smithed out the ride tremendously even on the washboard highway! A huge piece of mind when comparing it to the stock set up. Definitely recommend it!
This is a great product, it smothered out my fifth wheel nearly eliminating the chucking.
The cabinet doors aren't flying open and everything rides much smoother!
So far so good on my 2015 Open Range 3X427BHS!
Overall, the old suspension system was just rusted and worn out and the tires were a maximum of 1" apart, which made me really nervous while pulling. It was tough to remove, but nothing a little WD-40 and some praying couldn't fix!
Installation was pretty straight forward using the included directions and [online video] University. Looking forward to seeing how it rides this weekend on our next trip.
I was looking for shock absorbers when I discovered this kit. I installed it in about a day and a half. The instructions are pretty good if you read them and follow them. We took the trailer about 100 miles last weekend. It seemed to ride smoother with this kit. Overall, I'm happy with it.
Less bouncing, furniture doesn't move around when traveling on rough roads, better stability.
It works well, it was easy to install but the screws that go to the frame loosen with the vibration of the road even using Loctide 271 red, I had to stop on the road to tighten them every 2 hours. As soon as I returned home, I welded them and the problem was solved. The next problem was that the assembly was very close to the ground. I had to raise it about 2 inches more for safety. In conclusion, I give it 4 stars because the comfort is excellent and the price is a little high. taking into account all the extra work it took me until I got a proper balance.
I spent considerable time researching how to improve the towing experience of my 5th wheel camper without breaking the bank. This is an excellent product and it performed exactly as I had hoped. It improved my trailer's handling over the very rough roads we travel in just about every state in our country. If you are looking to improve your towing experience, then this is a reasonably priced product.
Sent the double axle not triple axle
great product, I'm a fabrication/designer, well thought out and much better than the original factory suspension. I also added structural kickers to the suspension hangers to help side load generated while turning and not relying on the hangers for strength. I also replaced the original factory u bolts, might as well have all new going back on
With all the proper tools, the install was only like 4 hours. I did this outside on a gravel driveway and then took to my local fire department where it was level to install the shocks. The ride difference was noticed immediately.
Great kit, really beefy high quality components, nice powder coating. Because my axles are above the leaf springs which I believe is relatively rare, the kit needed some modification, not too bad if you're handy and have additional tools. This kit is a no brainer for axles underneath leaf springs, pretty much bolt on from seeing the eTrailer videos, dramatically improved ride quality on my 20 mile test drive, looking forward to our next trip.
Great addition to my camper. After being frustrated with broken leaf springs, stuff broken in the camper and being jarred from pot holes, I installed these shocks to help the ride. Easy to install (just takes time) and a great addition.
Just finished installing the Roadmaster shock system on my Momentum 398M tri-axle. The kit arrived well packaged and all items were included. The instructions that come with it are pretty straight forward and easy to understand. This would probably be a lot quicker install with some helping hands, but I did it by myself in about 6 hours. The hardest part of the entire setup is all of the overhead drilling, but with a little redneck ingenuity I was able to make that bearable. As far as this kit goes, the ordering process and the outstanding customer service from Angela W, etrailer.com rocks!! This could be the start of a wonderful relationship..
Do you have a question about this Trailer Suspension Part?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer.com we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.