What is Your Rear's Measurement?

[howson]

Of the TRAILER for anyone with their mind in the gutter...

I've been in a PM discussion with a forum member and frankly I was surprised by the difference in the height from the ground to the bottom edge of the trailer. Note I have the MORRyde IS suspension on my trailer.

What I'm asking for, regardless of year or trailer model, is for forum members to post what they find on their trailer. For standardization, please do the measurement with stabilizers (or levelers) retracted and slides in. For 5vrs, a measurement when you're connected to the truck will suffice (I don't expect or want you to mess with the levelers when not connected to your tow vehicle!)

Thanks in advance for your help--the member and I are trying to determine if this is a "MORryde" thing or if that's the way it normally is on GD trailers.

The pic below is my trailer. Note I put the tape measure body on the ground with 0 at the top, so it's kind of backwards looking at it.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I was sure this thread was going to ask for a side to side measurement...lol


I'd measure my rear for you Howard, butt, there is too much snow here yet...

[Yoda]

Of the TRAILER for anyone with their mind in the gutter...

I've been in a PM discussion with a forum member and frankly I was surprised by the difference in the height from the ground to the bottom edge of the trailer. Note I have the MORRyde IS suspension on my trailer.

What I'm asking for, regardless of year or trailer model, is for forum members to post what they find on their trailer. For standardization, please do the measurement with stabilizers (or levelers) retracted and slides in. For 5vrs, a measurement when you're connected to the truck will suffice (I don't expect or want you to mess with the levelers when not connected to your tow vehicle!)

Thanks in advance for your help--the member and I are trying to determine if this is a "MORryde" thing or if that's the way it normally is on GD trailers.

The pic below is my trailer. Note I put the tape measure body on the ground with 0 at the top, so it's kind of backwards looking at it.

My hiney measures.......well we wont go there but long ago DW said its Cute Back on topic - street side 29" to center of trim screw. Curb side 28 3/4". This is unloaded sitting on level (side to side) concrete not hooked up.

Keith

[Guest]

I'm interested in this measurement for the 2600RB with 4400lb axles and sitting level. I would like to compare this to the earlier models with 3500lb axles.

Nice topic.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Howard,

Side-to-side measurements to ground will have a lot to do with side-to-side weight difference in the trailer. For example, my Reflection 303 with storage cabinets, pantry,stove, fridge, bathroom, etc all on the street side weighs 800 lbs more on that side. You will recall the many discussions about loaded spring arch height, changing spring strength on that side and/or adding spacer blocks to get the trailer closer to level, for rigs with conventional suspension. Your MORryde suspension may have adjustments for this. Remember that this will be different if the trailer is basically empty or loaded for camping.

Rob

[howson]

Cate&Rob -- there is an adjustment (one hole). What's interesting is that each wheel's independent suspension height / shock compression is slightly different. I'd never contemplated or looked at it prior to the PM discussion with the other member.

If it's not obvious, what I did is set the tape measure over the nut on the street front's suspension adjustment (set this as the "baseline"). Then, without moving the tape measure, compared to the other IS'.



Then I measured the length of each shock on each wheel.

---

I honestly don't know what to make of this information. Trailer tows without any issue.

When it's time for new shocks, should the heavier side have different ("stronger") shocks? (Is there such a thing? I know zippidy do da about shocks.)

[Jimmer]

I'm the one that howson has been communicating with. I got the MorRyde IS installed in Elkhart last week on my Reflection 315RLTS travel trailer. I was surprised that my trailer was leaning, and was 2 inches lower on the left/driver's side. That seems to be the same as Howard's measurements (not surprising since we have the same trailer). It is possible to raise one or both sides 1 inch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJ_G_k8zEU) from the standard mounting position, and I have put this on my to-do list, although that is a long list and this is not urgent!

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Howard.

It looks like your trailer is carrying more weight on one side than the other. It is difficult to read the tape measure numbers in your pictures, but I think you are measuring difference in tire compression in the first ones. Assuming that tire pressures are equal, this is a measure of carrying more weight on the lower side.

Shocks (it would be more meaningful to call them "dampers") are dynamic devices. They do not carry any weight when static. (OK . . . a small amount of weight carrying if they are gas pressure filled). "Stronger" shocks would not change the ride height of your trailer. There may be ride height or spring force (rubber component in a MORryde suspension?) adjustments that would be the same as adding a spacer block or another spring leaf to a conventional trailer suspension to get it level side-to-side.

Rob

[Cate&Rob]

Jimmer

Did your trailer lean like this before the MORryde suspension installation?

Since you have just had this suspension installed, this seems like a question for MORryde. They should be able to set this up correctly. Although . . . with all the issues that Howard has worked through . . . I am really wondering about this company .

This document says that ride height is adjustable to compensate for side-to-side load difference . . . but does not say how to do this https://www.morryde.com/wp-content/u...ice-Manual.pdf


Rob

[Jimmer]

Jimmer

Did your trailer lean like this before the MORryde suspension installation?

Since you have just had this suspension installed, this seems like a question for MORryde. They should be able to set this up correctly. Although . . . with all the issues that Howard has worked through . . . I am really wondering about this company .

This document says that ride height is adjustable to compensate for side-to-side load difference . . . but does not say how to do this https://www.morryde.com/wp-content/u...ice-Manual.pdf


Rob

Cate&Rob , I remember some lean to the left prior to the MORryde install, but I never looked at it closely or measured it prior to the install.

I pointed out the lean to the shop foreman when the job was completed. He showed me that the independent suspension was welded on properly, and stated (in error) that there were no adjustments for the lean. (He did not know about the adjustable height feature of the IS).

We had some major problems getting the disk brakes to work properly with my truck, so we ran out of time at the end of the day on Good Friday for the height adjustment. The General Manager did say I could bring it back and they would adjust the left side to be 1 inch higher. But I'm back in Virginia now, and won't make a special trip just to have them adjust the height.

[Cate&Rob]

Jimmer

Your experience at MORryde fits with what I have heard from others. It is difficult to understand how their installers (and even their shop foreman!) can know so little about setting up their product. Based on Howard's experience, I would suggest that you watch tire wear very carefully. If they can't adjust ride height, what are the chances that they got toe and camber correct?

Height adjustment may not be that complicated. Perhaps you can have this done (or do it yourself) without a trip back to MORryde. This might be a good opportunity to have alignment checked. howson Howard can elaborate more on this.

Rob

[Jimmer]

Cate&Rob , Based on what I read on this forum, and a heads-up from Howard, I was very careful to discuss alignment before, during, and after the MORryde install. Thank you all so much for helping me to avoid that issue. I have printout of the alignment showing before and after measurements, and it looks like it was properly aligned.

[Jlawles2]

howson Howard, measuring the shock length is probably the most accurate way to measure load on the torsion axle. Since you are not running an air shock (you could be though) changing the shock rate only changes it's dampening rate. Using Air shocks with individual controls (schrader valves) would let you tailor the system to get the exact ride height side to side and axle to axle that you desire.

If I were measuring (because it looks like there are a lot of parts added to the system, from the IS frame to a common point on the axle stub mounting plate (preferably the axle itself if you can see it) should be the most accurate way to determine how close to level it is.

I would think setting the frame level or in the "tow condition" would tell one a lot about how the axles are loaded individually. From what I know about Torsion Axles (depending on the exact system) there is a spring type device which gets loaded by the offset between itself and the axle. Dexter's use rubber to accomplish this, I have seen a similar setup with air bags, and I can imagine there may even be a steel bar type if I look hard enough.

[Guest]

I believe the Morryde IS uses elastomer springs but I may be wrong.

Jim

[Jlawles2]

Guest Jim, I think you are correct: https://www.morryde.com/products/ind...ension-system/ PROTECT TRAILER from road shock with rubber shear springs