Fifth Wheel air bag hitch?

Perry Sims · December 22, 2017

I have a 2015 Jayco fifth wheel, GVRW 14,000. I pull it with a 2016 Ford F250 diesel, with Firestone Air bags on rear truck axel. My hitch is a Curt 20K that is less than 5 years old. My issue is the rough ride I get on the highway, so rough that the ceiling fan in the rear living room has snapped the fan blades during travel. I drive only US Highways and interstates. I will be taking 2 long trips in the spring, and would like to resolve this issue as much as I can before I go. My fifth wheel came with the Mor Ryde hitch pin and the Mor Ryde 3000 suspension add on. Should I consider upgrading to the Mor Ryde 4000? Or go with an air bag hitch? Or simply the TrailAire pin that has an air bag and a shock absorber on it? I drive under 65 always, and just don't think it should be this rough. Please help!

hone eagle · December 22, 2017

Cant speak from any expireance with mor-ryde suspension, and the air pin box needs too much air pressure at heavy pin weights and end up only acting like solid rubber. (according to Henry the forum air bag guru)That leaves a air bag(s) hitch.There is also a air cell hitch.

Air bag hitch should help a lot .

Loading the trailer froward to increase pin weight (as much your truck can endure) should help with 'chucking' if that is the issue.

Ray,IN · December 22, 2017

Pin weight when 5er is loaded to GVW may be the problem.( the necessity of air bags begs the question) A 5er's pin weight runs about 20-25%, which means if your 5er is loaded to its GVW of 14,000#, the pin weight(if trailer is evenly loaded) will be approx. 3,500#. How much hauling capacity remains after your model truck is fully-loaded, ready to hook up and travel? Keep in mind towing/hauling specs may be derived from using a 150# driver, no passengers, nothing in the bed, 1/2 tank fuel. This means an actual scale weighing is mandatory to obtain an accurate hauling/towing capacity.

This towing calculator may prove quite useful.

remoandiris · December 22, 2017

5 years ago I was able to find a used Airsafe 25K hitch. Made a big difference in the ride quality.

If you're doing a lot of bucking and chucking, make sure the truck and trailer brakes are sync'd. If your trailer is evenly loaded and within the towing capacity of the truck, about the only thing left is a hitch.

Personally, I think if you NEED airbags on a 2016 truck, you have too little truck for the trailer. And THAT may be the root of your problem. No air hitch will solve that problem. Get your LOADED truck and trailer weighed at a CAT scale. That is the only way to know.

richfaa · December 22, 2017

We have the Mor Ryde IS suspension on the RV We have the Mor Ryde hitch on the RV.. We have firestone airbags on the truck. We have the Trail saver BD 3 hitch in the truck. The issue for a smooth ride is determining the PSI in each device.It is trial and error. The Montana 5th wheel is 16K GVW and since we are long timers we run close to that. The pin weight is @3200lbs +/-..The last addition was the Trailer saver BD 3 hitch that improved the ride significantly . All of those additions that were not inexpensive added up to what we feel is the most comfortable ride we can get.

It is very important to find the proper PSI in each device and may take awhile.

The air bags are adjusted to keep the rig level which IMO is critical to a good ride. The IS suspension contributed to the easing of the bucking and chucking and the trailer saver eliminated it under normal conditions. Many of the conditions on our highways are not normal and one can experience conditions that will overcome all of those devices. You do need to weigh everything to determine the weight distribution .My guess is you are over on Carry Capacity of which pin weight is part of.That may be the issue you need to deal l with a good weigh in will tell the story.

NoDirectionHome · December 22, 2017

If you're breaking fan blades in your rear living room, it has nothing to do with your hitch. You may be bottoming your trailer's suspension, have too stiff a supension, or you may need appropriate damping on that supension.

Kirk W · December 23, 2017

On 12/21/2017 at 7:47 PM, Perry Sims said:

My issue is the rough ride I get on the highway, so rough that the ceiling fan in the rear living room has snapped the fan blades during travel.

Welcome to the Escapee forums! I hope that some of the suggestions have been helpful as we do have many contributors here with a lot of experience. Please do let us know if you have seen anything useful and give us some direction if you need something different or more specific. We are happy that you are here.