Long stretches of uneven pavement can make a trailer bounce so much that it feels like it’s porpoising behind you. This system uses heavy-duty, nitrogen-charged gas shocks to absorb vibration and reduce that up-and-down movement. Each shock controls both compression and rebound, taking the edge off potholes and washboard surfaces so the ride feels steadier and smoother.
Standard leaf springs only do so much to keep things steady. These shocks use adjustable mounting brackets that set the angle between 20 and 40 degrees for the right leverage on each axle. By positioning the 17-1/2" extended and 11-1/2" compressed shocks near vertical, the system limits sway and lateral movement so your trailer tracks straight and doesn’t roll or rock side to side.
Every part of this setup is engineered for durability. The Roadmaster Comfort Ride shock absorbers went through Finite Element Analysis and real-world testing at the Navistar Proving Grounds to verify strength and longevity. That means the triple-axle, 2-3/8" diameter (3,500-lb) axle system is built to keep working mile after mile without fading or losing damping power.
Upgrading a leaf-spring suspension doesn’t have to be complicated. The kit includes tie plates that replace your existing U-bolt plates, extension pieces, and upper frame brackets with mounting hardware. Once the brackets are drilled and bolted to the frame, the shocks attach between the tie plate extensions and the upper brackets for a direct bolt-on fit that’s ready to hit the road.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hello neighbors, it's Brad here from etrailer, and today I have Jeff from Roadmaster. And we're gonna be taking a look at something that a lot of people don't think about on their campers, and that's, well suspension, you know And a lot of times people buy a camper, and they go, "Well, it is what it is. That's the ride that we're gonna get." And that's not necessarily the case, correct Absolutely. You can always turn around and increase the customer's ride on their fifth wheel, or their travel trailer, by just doing a simple modification and changing it out to slipper springs. There are other several products that you can look at as well. So a slipper spring, for those of you that don't know, what exactly is that compared to a normal just leaf spring So a normal leaf spring, what you have is an equalizer that's in between that's connected with links.
So typically what happens is, is as the energy is being absorbed by one wheel, it's actually being transferred into the other axle, and so on and so forth. So you get a lot of unnecessary movement back and forth, up and down, out, and outward as well. But what we'll primarily do, is try to reduce all the shock that's going into the trailer. So is that lease spring as a slipper, it becomes almost floating in the sense, correct Correct. So basically what it does, our picture that we have here is my unit after I did the install.
So typically what we do is remove the equalizer. We mount our slipper spring box. And then what happens is, is we have our slipper spring that goes into the box. And as that, as your wheel hits a bump, the spring actually slides in and out of the slipper spring box. So does that, with the slipper spring, does that keep the axles a little bit more in-line than a traditional leaf spring Yes, it does.
So whenever you hit a bump, what you're gonna notice is, we have some slow motion video as well, but you, when we hit a bump, you'll actually notice that the wheel, the axle's moving vertically instead of horizontally also. Brad As the a way suspension should be. Jeff Correct. Correct. So without a slip or spring or just normal suspension, you have a story with your own trailer.
Not that many miles on it, and maybe some issues with bushings. Yeah. So basically what happened here, is you're looking at my newer fifth wheel that I have. I recently talked to one of my dealers that was up in Northern California. He said, "Hey, did etrailer put your system on yet" I said, "No, not yet. It's actually in my garage. I haven't put it on yet." He's like, "Well, what are you waiting for" I was like, "Well, just been really busy. Haven't had the opportunity to do it yet." He's like, "Well, are you getting ready to do any service" I was like, "Yeah, I'm gonna go pack my bearings." He says, "Well, when you do so," he says, "Do me a favor." He says, "Pull one of the bolts out." He goes, "For your existing spring." He goes, "Just kinda let me know what you see." So I went home, packed my bearings, did exactly what he said, pulled that, pulled that bolt out, looked at it, and the, the bronze bushing inside was completely wore out. And so once I determined that, I decided to go ahead and do the install of my, on my own for the comfort ride system. So, as far as, okay, this is your own driveway, you did this yourself. Yeah, it's actually at a campground in Needles, California. Okay. How bad was it to do So typically, I mean we normally for a double axle, eight hours, for a triple axle, 10. In this case, because I'm very familiar with the product, I do it quite often. I was actually able to do it in under eight hours. Okay. And as far as the kit, obviously we have a triple axle here. So you have the two boxes. Does it also come with the shocks So the shock absorbers are separate, but a complete kit will be the slipper spring, the shot, the slipper spring box, and then you add the shock get, the shock kit to it. And basically what happens is, is we're looking at upwards of 80% increase in rideability for that, for that trailer. Okay. And then as far as choosing a comfort ride, you know, say someone's kinda landed, that they want to get the comfort ride, how do they determine which kit is right for them So if they wanted to, to look at which kit's gonna be proper for them, so we have the shock kit, which is separate from the slipper spring kit. What we need to know is diameter of the axle. Okay So once we determine the diameter of the axle, that gives you the proper shock kit. And then what we need to know is the weight capacity of the spring. And once we have those two, we can set you up with the proper kit. Okay. Now living with it, you know, a lot of times with suspension people go, "Okay, it's, it's, you know, a decent amount of money be putting in this. A little bit of work to get it installed. Does it really make a difference" It makes a night and day difference. Especially when you're towing, you'll notice that you don't get the excessive wag out of your, out of your trailer when you're driving down the road. Especially if you're hitting bumps or potholes, you're gonna notice that there's a lot less energy being transferred into your coach. So a lot of times people notice, "Hey, I got screws that are starting to back out, or I'm starting to having to seal my coach more often. Because we're absorbing all that extra energy down here with the shock absorbers, we're noticing that that's not quite happening quite as frequently. Now, there's definitely a lot of different options when it comes to, you know, suspension enhancement. But why would someone want Roadmaster versus anything else that's out there Well, we are a US manufacturer. We manufacture everything ourselves in Vancouver, Washington. If you ever get the opportunity to come on out, we'd love to give you a tour. But more importantly, I'd say we do manufacture all this in-house, so it is a made in the USA product. We're very proud to advertise that, but we also back it with a lifetime warranty, 'cause we are able to build that quality into the product. And that's peace of mind. I mean, you one and done. Exactly. You buy it, you get to enjoy it. You know it, the warranty's gonna outlast the trailer more than likely. Jeff Exactly. So that's pretty cool. So adding this comfort ride to a travel trailer is definitely gonna enhance your driving experience, as it, more suspension is generally a good thing. You know, as you're towing down, your truck's gonna be squattin', and you have points that are gonna pivot. But each of those points are potentials for it to get, to be a little bit harsher ride. And factory suspension on travel trailers are, well they're pretty old school to say the least. Pretty old school. Yeah. And this is a much better system. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, having slipper springs, as well as the shocks, it's really gonna give you, well a comfortable ride. Yeah. And we're giving the customer independent suspension axle to axle. Which is awesome. Yeah. And that's really using, you know, newer technology, and putting it into stuff that should have caught up by now. But it's great that this is an option. So you know, if you're really hauling quite a bit, and you're not happy with the way that it goes down the road, this is gonna be a great option for not only your trailer, but all the contents inside of it. Jeff Exactly. And as far as the installation goes, if this is something that's maybe beyond your scope, you don't have the place to do it, the tools to do it, or even the want to do it, you can use our dealer locator, and that way you can find someone close to your area to get this installed for you. Huge thanks to Jeff for taking a second to give us a little bit of insight into the Comfort Ride for Roadmaster here. Yeah, definitely. Thank you. Thank you.
Ratings & Reviews
An amazing product. Very heavy duty with all the parts and great directions.
Great service. Yet to install my recent Comfort Ride Shock kit (needed to get longer u-bolts for my trailer application) but I know they’ll be there to help with any questions.
Well, all the shocks are installed. Working on my back is hard, not as easy to do stuff today as it was years ago but I got I done. Sharp drill bits and using the frame mounting plates as a guide was the key. However, I had so much dirt and metal bits in my hair I had to take my dogs flee comb to my head before I could shower. Now for the next project whatever that is. I’m sure I’ll think of something.
This is a great kit! Everything needed is included. Be sure to purchase the heavy duty wet bolt kit for the shackles.
Didn't order, please refund me
This is a great product, it smothered out my fifth wheel nearly eliminating the chucking.
Great kit, really beefy high quality components, nice powder coating. Because my axles are above the leaf springs which I believe is relatively rare, the kit needed some modification, not too bad if you're handy and have additional tools. This kit is a no brainer for axles underneath leaf springs, pretty much bolt on from seeing the eTrailer videos, dramatically improved ride quality on my 20 mile test drive, looking forward to our next trip.
7-28-2023
1. The impression from "people" was usually "why shocks on a camper", which I would answer "why shocks on your car".
2. The ride was much better; as you may imagine driving your car without shocks. And the sway was minimized & the braking effectiveness increase.
3. We've sold that RV and on our new one already planning the install; and including the wet bolts and mod on the leaf-spring hangers.
I purchased this system for our 2018 Coachman Chaparral. We had noticed that it would sway after crossing bridges and especially when coming out of a curve or while turning. I found this system to be very helpful. I welded the mounting brackets to the frame of the 5th wheel and bolted the rest as instructed. I would recommend this product to anyone that wants to stabilize their RV. Thank you for allowing me to write a review.
The Roadmaster Comfort Ride Shock Absorber kit on our Forest River Surveyor travel trailer was a great upgrade on our travels on rural highways and areas with wind. On our trip last fall from the Oregon Coast to Northern Idaho was a good test of this system and made for more relaxed driving! Should be installed at the factory!
Excellent product! Absolutely TRANSFORMED my towing experience! Installed on a 2017 Open Range 310BHS travel trailer. Approximately #10,500 loaded. Trailer doesnt bounce or jolt over the road. Ride is substantially bettter. System is tough, thick, and seems it will last. Instructions are pretty clear, and all tooling neede is pretty basic. I reccommend a digital inclinometer to be able to set your shock angles precisely. They're cheap on [online]. I reccommend this kit to every single person who has the same bouncing issue. Could not be happier with the purchase!
Build quality is very good. 4 star rating is due to the hardware for the drop leg was mismatched. Grade 8 sae bolts and metric chineesium nuts.
This is a good kit but no piece of cake to install. You need a nice level slab and your tools close. The workspace is tight and existing suspension bolts are torqued and rusty. I would not attempt this install unless you are fairly mechanical. Parts are of very good quality and engineering and fit are very good. You need a 12” drill bit to install the top bracket. Buy two - there are 16 holes to drill. An electric ratchet is almost a necessity.
Bought this kit to reduce wear on the rv on rough roads. It looks like it should help a lot. I did have sumo springs but had to ditch them. They are not compatible with the new top plate on the spring pack that serves as the bottom mount for the shock.
works well.
Looking forward to first trip and see how much it changes the ride.
Along with the new springs....everything works as advertised. Well satisfied. No complaints.
I had to modify the one set of shock brackets to fit, as I have raised the trailer 5 inches
to match up with the 4 inch raised truck.
Otherwise...no swaying....no bouncing........no problems.
Thanks etrailer for your help.
Good product. Wish it was secured with nuts and bolts instead of self tapping.
Installed a year ago, I made a drilling template to help locate the frame mounting bracket screw holes. Installed a set on (2) fivers, spent average of 2.5 hours for total installation per fiver. Helped the ride of the trailer. Would certainly recommend the shock kit.
They arrived when I was supposed to package was very well put together. Instructions were very easy to follow my only suggestion that would be if possible send a 12 inch 5/16 drill bit with would make the job completely easy.
Game changer! 2023 Alliance 390 MP (big 5th wheel) The ride, handling and "jounce" improvement is night and day different for the better. The stability in severe weather is literally a "life saver", every larger camp trailer should have shocks (dampeners) on it
Just finished installing the Roadmaster shock system on my Momentum 398M tri-axle. The kit arrived well packaged and all items were included. The instructions that come with it are pretty straight forward and easy to understand. This would probably be a lot quicker install with some helping hands, but I did it by myself in about 6 hours. The hardest part of the entire setup is all of the overhead drilling, but with a little redneck ingenuity I was able to make that bearable. As far as this kit goes, the ordering process and the outstanding customer service from Angela W, etrailer.com rocks!! This could be the start of a wonderful relationship..
Huge change in how fifth wheel tows. Don’t feel expansion joints in the road when the trailer goes over them and never find anything moved around inside anymore. RV manufacturers should install shocks at the factory.
One year installed and still helping my suspension. These shocks are amazing. Oklahoma roads are tough on RV suspensions and these shocks help suppress the jumping/bucking of the RV. I highly recommend them.
I installed the Roadmaster slipper spring and shock kits on our 2023 Arctic Wolf 3770SUITE and have been very happy with the ride difference and the much reduced "things moving about inside" while towing compared to what we had with the stock set up. Admittedly the kit is pricey and not for the faint hearted if you plan to install it yourself, but it can absolutely be done and has made a major difference in our set up. The kits are very beefy, clean and quality looking welds and coatings showing the price is not simply good marketing but solid components and attention to QC. We've towed just under 7,000 miles on the new set up so far and it's shown to have been worth the cost and effort installing for me personally. If we were to upgrade or replace this camper I would look to do this again without hesitation. Cost and effort comparisons to full independent suspension set ups and the upgraded equalizer options, which I did have the Road Armor on our lighter bumper pull and felt it was a great upgrade, but for this larger heavier unit I don't think you can find a better sweet spot of cost vs benefits than the full slipper spring and shock kits as this solution offers.
Love the system, I ended up installing it myself and I feel bridge transitions in my truck but not in my camper
The Roadmaster shocks and brackets all appear to be good quality. I say appear, because I haven’t road tested them yet.
The kit is very expensive, considering the shocks individually are not expensive. I considered making my own brackets, but I’m under a tight deadline.
The Axle bracket install is straight forward and relatively simple, because the axles are below the springs.
HOWEVER, the upper brackets are more challenging.
I’ve read on RV group sites that the “self tapping” bolts installed on the chassis top brackets can work loose, causing travelers to use a repair shop and weld them secure.
Self tapping bolts may not be a problem on a chassis that is 1/4” thick steel, but the Grand Design chassis appears to be 10 gauge (1/8”) “C” channel.
I elected to use grade 8 bolts and nuts, which required squeezing my hand into the underbelly covering and installing the washer, nut, and red tread lock from behind.
It’s a real knuckle buster and time consuming, but I feel much better about them not working loose from the constant vibration of the road surface.
BTW, I did consider welding, but there are wires and water pipes all in close proximity to the chassis.
Compression nuts are also possible, but bracket hole alignment must be perfect and I couldn’t do that without first dropping the leaf springs out of the way.
Other than that, I’m pleased with outcome so far.
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