Which pin box?

Paul H · 02-03-2016, 09:58 PM

Hello all,

I have a 2012 Cougar 28 foot (half ton towable, if that helps) 5'er and am looking to change out the stock pin box for something that will protect the trailer from the bounce and chucking of the truck. I have looked at Reese Airborne, Mor Ryde and Trail Air. The sites I have found offer several different boxes but don't give any information on which pin box I would need. My fifth wheel is stored at my brother's place in another city for the winter, so I can't just go out and take measurements or look at model numbers right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Paul

jsmith948 · 02-04-2016, 06:06 AM

You will have to find the model number of your pin box in order to upgrade with the proper replacement pin box. You might try contacting Keystone CS. Once you provide them with your trailer's VIN, they should be able to give you the Lippert model number. The info is also located on your current pin box.

spicercars · 02-04-2016, 05:32 PM

Trail air is the only way to go in my opinion. I have had several of them over the years and been very happy. E trailer has great prices on them.

gearhead · 02-05-2016, 04:55 AM

I've got a 5th Airborne and it helped a lot. At the time I just didn't want to spend the dollars for the Trail Air. I'm thinking the Trail Air would be about the best you can get.

Pmedic4 · 02-05-2016, 01:21 PM

The model is fairly obvious on it the standard pinbox. I know ours, on the Cougar 291RLS is the Lippert 1621, but obviously can't say about yours. The replacement from a dealer, 'Rural King' has it for $878, but you have to pay shipping.

Paul H · 02-05-2016, 02:10 PM

So it looks like I'm driving to where it's stored at, lol. Okay, well thanks just the same. I do like the looks of the trail air, looks like it should isolate the trucks bumps and bounces very well, but, it is a little on the expensive side.

Thanks again!
Paul

cw3jason · 02-05-2016, 04:54 PM

I have the MorRide pin box. Eliminates chucking

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bobbecky · 02-05-2016, 06:55 PM

Unfortunately, the high end pin boxes are going to be much more expensive than the stock units that come on some 5th wheels. You have to decide what the value of reduced chucking, less wear and tear on the truck/trailer, and the improvement in control while towing versus not doing anything and putting up with the issues that caused you to investigate a new pin box. There is a reason for the higher price on some rigs that have upgraded things like this direct from the factory. We had a 25 foot 5th wheel with a standard pin box that just beat us up. When we upgraded trailers to our current rig which came with a MorRyde pin box, the difference was incredible.

Javi · 02-05-2016, 07:06 PM

If I was going buy a new pin box it would be a MorRyde.

SADLY · 02-05-2016, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

If I was going buy a new pin box it would be a MorRyde.

Comments in trailaire vs moryde ?

Paul H · 02-05-2016, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

If I was going buy a new pin box it would be a MorRyde.

I was looking at the Mor Ryde but wondered how much vertical dampening you would get. Looks like it would do well on the horizontal plane just not certain about the vert. Anyone with experience care to address my paranoia?

BTW, I do like the price a lot better!

Thanks!

Paul

bsmith0404 · 02-06-2016, 05:55 AM

I've towed a lot of different trailers that included several of the different pin box options you have to choose from, they all work. I have a Trailair Roto Flex on mine and it works great. From the trailers I've towed, I'd say the Roto Flex and the MOR/Ryde are about equals with MAYBE a slight advantage to the Roto Flex. They will both set you back about $500. The Trailair Tri Glide is probably the best on the market (my opinion), but I don't think the difference in performance is worth the extra $1000 on cost. The links below are youtube video that shows the causes of chucking and how the Roto Flex and MOR/Ryde systems work to eliminate them. They work in a similar fashion with the cushioning, but I think the rotary motion probably gives the Roto Flex has a slight edge in performance. I've never met an owner of either one that said they weren't happy with the performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTR4qFPa6P0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTowrVAteqU

PerryB · 02-06-2016, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul H

I was looking at the Mor Ryde but wondered how much vertical dampening you would get. Looks like it would do well on the horizontal plane just not certain about the vert. Anyone with experience care to address my paranoia?

BTW, I do like the price a lot better!

Thanks!

Paul

I installed a Mor-Ryde and it took most of the chucking away. It does basically nothing to help with vertical porpoising but I've never had an issue with that. Most chucking is caused by fore/aft inpulses, and the Mor-Ryde addresses that pretty well.

spicercars · 02-07-2016, 08:22 AM

To me vertical dampening is just as important as chucking. If you have ever pulled a 5th wheel with a pin box that controls vertical dampening and chucking like the trail air you will never want to pull one without. That's why they cost more. You are comparing apples to oranges in my opinion. If your in doubt and can afford it spend the extra money and buy what you want. You only want to buy one so make the right choice. Good luck

bobbecky · 02-07-2016, 09:21 AM

We have had great luck with the MorRyde, and no issue with the vertical bouncing. I suspect the vehicle suspension along with the shocks plays a big part of the bounce control. The chucking problem is mostly the front to rear stress on the hitch, which is addressed by the rubber suspension of the MorRyde pin box. I'm not sure, if starting with a fixed pin box, which way I would go looking for a better one. Too many choices

Javi · 02-07-2016, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SADLY

Comments in trailaire vs moryde ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul H

I was looking at the Mor Ryde but wondered how much vertical dampening you would get. Looks like it would do well on the horizontal plane just not certain about the vert. Anyone with experience care to address my paranoia?

BTW, I do like the price a lot better!

Thanks!

Paul

I've got a little free time today so I expand my original comment on the subject of pin boxes...

The first issue to be addressed is what is causing the chucking and rebound that you are experiencing. I my case the trailer sits very level and I have roughly 25% pin weight which helps prevent chucking. And we have the MorRyde CRE3000 suspension which reduces chucking because of increased travel and dampening provided by the rubber insert. The SRE4000 would improve on this even more with a redesigned system and travel increased to 4", and is an improvement I'm considering adding this coming year.

I stated that if I were going to buy an aftermarket pin box it would be the MorRyde, and strictly speaking with the CRE3000, I really don't experience chucking except in the most extreme circumstances and even then I have very little rebound. So I think the MorRyde pin box would serve me well as would the Trail-Air Rota-Flex.

If I were experiencing more rebound I would be looking at a system like the TrailAir Air-Ride which is designed to dampen rebound in an up and down direction and offer increased side to side and back-and-forth dampening than the MorRyde and TrailAir Rota-flex .

If all else fails... there is always the sledgehammer...

The Trail-Air Flex-Air which combines all the best to offer control of every aspect of the bumpy road..

I just don't feel that I need the "Sledgehammer" on this combination...

Paul H · 02-08-2016, 12:04 PM

Thank you for all the replies and good information. I am going to have to decide now which will suit my needs and work best in my situation. I pull with a 2006 Dodge 2500. Like most 3/4 tons it rides on the harsh side, which seems to exaggerate the vertical bounce.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the insight!

Paul

rhagfo · 02-08-2016, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul H

Hello all,

I have a 2012 Cougar 28 foot (half ton towable, if that helps) 5'er and am looking to change out the stock pin box for something that will protect the trailer from the bounce and chucking of the truck. I have looked at Reese Airborne, Mor Ryde and Trail Air. The sites I have found offer several different boxes but don't give any information on which pin box I would need. My fifth wheel is stored at my brother's place in another city for the winter, so I can't just go out and take measurements or look at model numbers right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Paul

Well a 10,000# GVWR 5er should not need a cushioned pin box. Look to the real issues first. TV Shocks, Enough TV, 5er towing level, 5er have shocks?

bsmith0404 · 02-09-2016, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Well a 10,000# GVWR 5er should not need a cushioned pin box. Look to the real issues first. TV Shocks, Enough TV, 5er towing level, 5er have shocks?

I agree that lighter trailers will have less chucking effects than heavier trailers, but they will still have chucking. I didn't notice any chucking when I towed an 8k lb trailer with a 2500, and I had a lot when I towed a 12k lb trailer with the same truck as well as with a new truck. I don't know where the magic cutoff point is as far as what trailer/truck combination should not experience chucking or need a cushioned pin box.

Pmedic4 · 02-09-2016, 01:33 PM

We noticed quite a bit of chucking on some roads when towing with our old 1500. With the 2500, didn't notice chucking at all. There were some instances when the 5er 'thunked' hard a few times, but assume that was more just quick stops and all. Our 5er is light, and when I weighed it 2 years ago with the 1500, it was right at 8400 pounds with a GVWR of 9000, so not much to bang around, but I'm sure it happens.

Lesson we learned on our recent 3 week trip, our TV has the built in brake controller, and had the setting at 7.5 on the brake. We were driving in some traffic in the Destin FL area, and had to put the brakes rather quickly on one occasion, and heard tires squealing on the stop. Looked over at my DW, and said "was that us?", and about 1/2 second later smelled the burnt rubber. I adjusted the brake controller down to a 7.0, and it didn't happen again.

There seems to be a great deal of information about the initial setting of the brake shoes, but just a little about the gain setting on the Electric Brake Controller, and I've followed that advice, but think personal experience in this case sort of help set a better level.

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