How to Reduce Severe Chucking and Jarring Issues with a 2013 Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Trailer

Question:

I have a 2013 Montana 5th wheel which has sever chucking back and forth when towing. Our last coach had the Trailair Tri-Glide air ride pin box which in our case was the smoothest toeing pin box we ever experienced. I understand it has now been discontinued do to pins breaking at the pin head. Is this true and of so, what is the best recommendation to eliminate this constant chucking? Our present coach currently has the Mor/rydeinch pin box but is not solving this issue. Ive contacted several different manufacturers regarding their pin boxes and each states theirs is the bestinch which in our experiance turns out to be typical sales marketing BS. Hope you can give some suggestions related to your experience with this issue so as not to waste our time and money. Thank you.

asked by: Dean

Expert Reply:

You are correct, the Lippert Tri-Glide has since been replaced with the Lippert Trailair Flex Air in favor of a more streamline design with less moving parts. In regards to comparing the Trailair to the MORryde, the Trailair uses an airbag with shock absorber and the MORryde uses a rubber spring. The Trailair will provide a smoother ride and have more adjustments but the MORryde will be a bit more durable. They are both great options for you but it really just depends on preference.

With that being said, it's not as easy as changing out the pinbox to get rid of all your chucking and jarring problems. There are several other factors at play such as how level the trailer is in regards to the tow vehicle, the distribution of weight across the trailer, and also perhaps the most important is the type of 5th wheel hitch you have. If you have say a slide bar locking jaw on your hitch that is certainly an area that can be improved. The new Curt A-Series 5th Wheel Hitch like part # C16180 has interlocking 1" thick dual jaws which do a phenomenal job of holding the kingpin tightly and reducing chucking and jarring. Therefore, I recommend reviewing the above before changing out your pin box that way you can rule out any issues before you spend a large chunk of money on a new pin box.

If you want to switch over to a Trailair Flex Air 5th Wheel Pin Box then I would need to know the model number of the pin box you have now. If it is a 1621 which is the most common then part # LC328492 would be just what you need.

expert reply by: Conner L