New Products add to the Pin Box Confusion

[bsmeaton]

All this talk about pin box replacements, and I pick up my Trailer Life magazine only to find out none of the previous rules apply -

Fifth Airborne is now advertising a new pin box that combines the air feature with thier sidewinder feature. The ad is vague - and there is nothing on the web beyond "coming soon", but apparantly this new pin box slides forward and works like an automatic slider hitch for a short bed pickup, while retaining the air ride feature. (No idea how it works)



Trailair has also introduced a new Roto-Flex pin box that stops chucking. The ad is also vague - and of course nothing on the web page. This pin box looks completely different than the standard Trailair.



Also interesting that Trailair has introduced Equa-Flex which looks like a copy of the Mor-Ryde system using a rubber shear.



As Lippert has bought out Trailair, it will be interesting to see if they switch over to Equa-Flex in lieu of Mor-Ryde.

I guess just like Keystone - it is really frustrating to have these products advertised or even in production, but nothing updated on the website!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Trailair was purchased by Lippert, not Keystone.

Equa Flex is currently being used by several MOC members.

Al might be on the phone! HA HA He is very intersted in that Roto Flex.

[bsmeaton]

Thanks Carol,

I corrected myself

[DL N K]

quote:Originally posted by DL N K

From what I understand from my conversations with 5th Airborne, the Sidewinder/5th Airborne permantly moves the pivot back around 20 inches. Imagine an arm locked into the hitch in the truck with a wedge to keep it from turning in the hitch with a pivot on the other end of the arm. It doesn't slide, the pivot point is basically relocated reward. Personally, I could not get comfortable with that idea, so I elected to go with the standard 5th.
5th Airborne says the manufactures are buying a lot of them and they should be available through normal distributor/dealers around the first of March.
Trailair told me the Rota-Flex is available to manufactures now and will be available to the aftermarket later.

[bsmeaton]

I guess I can see that now in the picture DLNK. Wow is right, I talked myself out of a 4" extended pin box -

[bsmeaton]

A friend just pointed out there is some info on the web about the fifth airborne sidewinder http://www.fifthairborne.com/Broch.pdf . It's buried in the brochure.

Evidently, it uses a locking wedge on the front pin to keep it from turning, and tranfers the pivot to the rear turrent, while maintaining the air ride feature.

[David and Jo-Anna]

I feel like I'm suffering from information overload. Let me try to see if I understand some of this new stuff.

Equa-Flex--this ties into the suspension system of the Monty, correct? Like the OEM Mor/Ryde system that Keystone is putting in all the Montanas? So not something that a simple guy like me is likely to shell out big bucks in order to stick in to replace the Mor/Ryde system going in OEM.

Sidewinder 5th Airborne--am I correct in assuming that this is only of interest for the short bed truckers?

Roto-flex--is this the new system that TrailAir was supposed to be coming out with at the end of last year? If TrailAir is claiming that this new pin box does a better job in reducing chucking, is that an admission that the existing TrailAir system is weak in the anti-chucking department?

Color me puzzled!!!

[bsmeaton]

overload is right! I'm totally confused.

You're Mor-Ryde suspension is probably better than the Equa-flex.

The Fifth airborne thingy is just for shortbed concerns.

No idea what Trailair just produced in the Roto-Flex. No info in front of me.

It is interesting that Lippert/Trailair are sharing trade names now:
Equa-Flex
Roto-Flex
Frame-Flex

ooooh! I didn't really say that !

[Bowie]

My brain is definitely suffering from overload on this question--I guess it's over-Flexed. Just when I thought I had all the variables sorted out you had to go and give me more info! AAUUGH!

[Tom Gina 06]

And to just think about the time we figure this one out they will throw another curve ball. LOL