Suspension Inspection - Six Years/25,000+ Miles

[Scott'n'Wendy]

While talking bolts...I thought I could fit this picture in here.....

[Jlawles2]

I think the trailer axle industry looks at how it was done last year and says "No bad news or reports, change the date on the drawings and keep on producing". There is so little in the trailer industry for change and pushing change so why would they make design changes.

[Guest]

This is what I always think about. Moving the problem till you find the next weakest link. And giving yourself more grief. You guys that worked in the auto industry know the amount of testing that goes into designs before they are released to production. A lot of trailer mods are just guys spit-ballin' ideas...no testing....
MorRyde says the xfactor makes the trailer 94% stiffer or stronger...no idea how that number was derived.

Scott,

Our chassis if designed by the auto industry would be modeled, then by verifying (verification) to measuring the deflection either over the road or on a test fixture. After that validation testing would be performed to test the assembly under a variety of conditions over the road. I suspect these systems are modeled only with minimal verification or validation. We function as the validation group. For an aftermarket part like the X Factor, the system was most likely measured with some verification and validation. This was necessary with the taller 4000 series equalizer from MorRyde.
Its true the intent may be to have a system with designed in flex, but some modifications such as the V Clips are an afterthought to correct for a light weight chassis and a weak rear hanger where suspension system dynamics was not fully understood. Anyone have a trailer from around 15 years ago or older with a broken hanger? Those trailers were heavier and more robust.

Jim

[Guest]

It is almost impossible to get an accurate assessment of how much benefit is derived from installing these. In “theory” this looks like a good thing to do. It is often referenced that this should be most important for the centre hanger . . . but, no one has ever reported breaking a centre hanger (on this forum). Broken rear hangers have been reported, but only on the tall “Correct Track” LCI hangers. Solitudes have tall hangers, but have factory installed V Clips. How much benefit are these braces on short hangers is unproven (as far as I know).

Rob

Rob,

The only benefit I can see from the X Factor bracket on the center hanger is to have peace of mind after seeing how much lateral motion is present there. Far more motion than the front or rear on my short hangers. It may also be possible to improve handling since it would stabilize lateral motion on both axles since they both terminate there. This would explain why the center hangers move far more than the others.
The X Factor can be installed on the front and rear hangers too but its the V clip that is most important on the rear hangers. But folks can always add both. Our rig does not have V Clips and has the X Factor only on the center hanger. Avoiding panic stops ( or hard test stops) can greatly reduce strain on the rear hangers. The tall hangers are a bad idea from LCI where I know you would agree a sub-frame is the better approach in adding height.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

From the MORryde website . . . this shows installation of the various types of cross braces.
https://morryde.wpenginepowered.com/...booklet_v9.pdf

Rob

[TucsonJim]

Cate&Rob - Interesting that your post shows the bolts coming from inside the channel and the nuts on the outside. That's how I mounted mine so I could get the proper torque on the nuts. The instructions show the opposite.

Also, the ends of mine are welded in place, where your picture shows a bolted on end piece.

Next, with the outer portion of the hanger not being vertical, The bottom of the wet bolt splines are showing a couple thousandths. So this means that the tension on the bolt is primarily at the top. But X-factor or not, when the hangers are not sitting vertical, the majority of the tension on the bolt will be at the widest part of the hangers.

Jim

[Scott'n'Wendy]

in any system/assembly, reinforcing the part that failed moves the "weakest link" to somewhere else in the system.

This is what I always think about. Moving the problem till you find the next weakest link. And giving yourself more grief. You guys that worked in the auto industry know the amount of testing that goes into designs before they are released to production. A lot of trailer mods are just guys spit-ballin' ideas...no testing....
MorRyde says the xfactor makes the trailer 94% stiffer or stronger...no idea how that number was derived.

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda

You make a good point . . . in any system/assembly, reinforcing the part that failed moves the "weakest link" to somewhere else in the system. I am not saying that the MorRyde braces will cause any harm . . . I am just wondering how much good they really do.

The complication of requiring/forcing a vertical inner hanger side (that Jim discovered) has not been mentioned anywhere that I know of. The installation picture in post 109 shows how to clamp to a hanger with a V clip inner brace. There is no way that hanger inner side is moving to vertical . . . which means that the nut may not reach the shoulder on the bolt . . . just an "observation".

Rob

[Yoda]

Yoda

These braces will transfer side load from one hanger to the other hanger on the same axle. I would think that cross bracing to the frame would be more useful. With your 2x2 cross bracing above the MorRyde cross brace, do you have an option of attaching to this . . . maybe a bolted connection through the coroplast at the centre?

Rob

There will be several inches between the cross brace and the X-factor and the cross brace is offset. A cross brace for the forward hangers could not be installed, otherwise tank maintenance (removal) could not occur. Also as my frame is now much stiffer the welder and I discussed that given this the hanger welds might see additional loading and the x-factor would help reduce this. Thoughts?

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda

These braces will transfer side load from one hanger to the other hanger on the same axle. I would think that cross bracing to the frame would be more useful. With your 2x2 cross bracing above the MorRyde cross brace, do you have an option of attaching to this . . . maybe a bolted connection through the coroplast at the centre?

Rob

[Cate&Rob]

The online MorRyde installation instructions show a clamp that spans both hangers for installation where there is a V Clip brace in place already.

Rob

[Yoda]

It is almost impossible to get an accurate assessment of how much benefit is derived from installing these. In “theory” this looks like a good thing to do. It is often referenced that this should be most important for the centre hanger . . . but, no one has ever reported breaking a centre hanger (on this forum). Broken rear hangers have been reported, but only on the tall “Correct Track” LCI hangers. Solitudes have tall hangers, but have factory installed V Clips. How much benefit are these braces on short hangers is unproven (as far as I know).

Rob

However in my case the flexing of the rear hangers. center hangers, and front hangers transferred through the 2x2 sub frame to flex and crack the frame web at critical locations above theses connection points. I now have cross bracing of the 2x2 to prevent this, but I feel the x-factor will support things even better - especially at the center long hanger that the Ez-flex attaches to as it's only 2" wide.

Just my thoughts
Keith

[Cate&Rob]

I was thinking along the same lines. I thought maybe the xfactor wasn't ideal. But, searching the internet did not yield any negative reviews so they must work. They've been out for a while so if there were issues it would be known about.

It is almost impossible to get an accurate assessment of how much benefit is derived from installing these. In “theory” this looks like a good thing to do. It is often referenced that this should be most important for the centre hanger . . . but, no one has ever reported breaking a centre hanger (on this forum). Broken rear hangers have been reported, but only on the tall “Correct Track” LCI hangers. Solitudes have tall hangers, but have factory installed V Clips. How much benefit are these braces on short hangers is unproven (as far as I know).

Rob

[Yoda]

The "job" of the x-brace is to stop hanger flex from side to side. "Forcing" the outer hanger leg to be bent a little really should not hurt the hanger or cause other issues as it will not have the opportunity to flex with the brace in place. If there are V-clips installed I think it would be impossible to install the x-brace. The x-brace seems good for those than can not get the v-clip installed. I would like to see the x-brace to be able to connect both sides of the spring hanger together, not sure how this would be done.

Brian

Brian the wet bolt connects the opposite hanger. To do what your thinking the top x-factor bolts could be changed out for all thread and extended to the outboard hanger and a second bracket placed on the outboard hanger like is in place on the inboard one using a double nut approach. Would be tough on my style hanger due to needing another hole drilled, but not impossible.

Keith

On edit - to really work the outboard hanger leg would need two brackets - bolted inside and outside to sandwich that connection and transfer both directions of force, like the current connection does.

[TucsonJim]

Thanks - That is what I thought the instructions said to do. There was a post over on IRV2 where the guy preset the length then had trouble installing. Did you notice any curve to the hanger before you tightened the top x-factor bracket. Install looks good.

Keith

Once I started to tighten the Wet Bolt, the inner hanger pulled parallel to the X-factor end brace very easily. I was actually surprised at how easy the braces were to install.

I did have a lengthy conversation with the other moderators about bolt placement on the two sections of the brace. If you install the bolts as shown in the instructions, you push the bolt in from the outside, and then put the nut on inside the channel. This prevents getting a torque wrench on the nut, so you'd have to hold the nut with a wrench and torque the bolt from the outside. We all agreed that it would be better to install the bolts and nuts where the nut could be torqued and not the bolt.

Jim