Putting the upgrades to the test

[buck119fa]

We're getting ready to start our first trip of the year from Michigan to Florida this week. With all the repairs, changes and upgrades I've done in the past few months I guess I'll find out if it all was what I wanted/expect it to be and we'll know how it all works out.
It all Started with the frame flex repairs over the winter at Affinity this year. we Still had some intermittent brake failure (I didn't have Affinity look at it, was fine until we brought it home). Found rubbed wiring in both axels so new wiring was done and ran thru the underbelly rather than in the axles, no issues since.
In hopes to help avoid the frame flex issues happing again (Hopes), I swapped out the pin box with the Gen-Y 5th wheel pin box. We also changed out the suspension to the Road Master comfort ride, shocks and the MORryde X-Factor braces on the front and back hangers (still contemplating adding the center to it, just haven't got to investigating it fully yet).
Also replaced all 4 tires, New bearings, 1 stabilizer replaced due to damage and drained and replace the fluid in the hydraulics.
I noticed last year when hauling our E-Bikes on the back with a cover on them you really couldn't see the rear lights too well so I added LED strip tail lights to the back of the rig up higher for visibility. Replaced the dining slide awning and lights. I'll do the Main awning and lights later this summer. Checked it all over this week, Re-torqued the hardware and verified all the work that was done is good to go.

We've taken it on 2 short trips camping and everything is good to this point, the ride improvement is very noticeable and everything else seem to go alright. We're ready to hit it and see how all the changes work out. Confident with the rig this year, looking forward to some good trips ahead!

I'll add updates as the trip progresses.

 

[laverdur]

Nice upgrades. I feel your pain on the shorting brake wires. Seems to be a common problem with wires run within the axle tubes. Mine gave me fits for 18 months before I figured it out. My new wires are enclosed in plastic cable raceways which are zip tied to the axles

 

[Mark77]

Nice to make use of all of the work you did, and to have the peace of mid that comes with it. Travel save!

 

[MandK]

Good Job!
The lights are just common sense, you’ll be much safer with them. Don’t understand why keystone doesn’t move the lights up. I put on a set of magnetic lights, the type that are used for temporary towing, but permanently mounted the to the sides of the hitch frame and plug them into the 4 prong flat plug. Works good but I like yours.
I bent the rear spring hangers in the first 4 months of owning the trailer, I went with all three x-factors, no problems since, and I have to believe they add to the structure of the trailer. The cross membersup in the belly are pretty wimpy. (Just my opinion)
After frame flex (the broken wall stud version) twice, fixed correctly and for good, I hope, by Affinity, I put on the Gen-y pin box.
Amazing. Many brands are offering them at the factory. I love it, and so does my truck my trailer and my wife’s back. She also has enjoyed not having to sweep up sawdust since the install, lol.
Also talked to some experts about our 3121’s not weighing much fully loaded (mine scales at 14500) with the highest individual tire loading at 3100 pounds, and they agreed with the RVSEF people to let some air out of the G rated Sailun tires. I bought new Sailuns, lowered the air pressure to 95 psi cold and installed the pin box at the rally last year. We have done a lot of traveling since then, 7000 miles, and the towing experience is night and day better than before.
Hope you experience the same.

 

[Rene T]

We're getting ready to start our first trip of the year from Michigan to Florida this week.

You are going to FL right now? Do you realize how hot it is right now and they are getting rain nearly every day. It is pretty much the start of their rainy season.

 

[buck119fa]

You are going to FL right now? Do you realize how hot it is right now and they are getting rain nearly every day. It is pretty much the start of their rainy season.

We're in FL now, more of a visit family trip this year for the scheduling. It has rained every day for short periods but not too bad. Heats been up there but only 1 day that was sweltering. We head back north tomorrow.

 

[Spartacus]

Nice upgrade.

 

[Rene T]

We're in FL now, more of a visit family trip this year for the scheduling. It has rained every day for short periods but not too bad. Heats been up there but only 1 day that was sweltering. We head back north tomorrow.

I take it you have your rv with you. Have a safe trip home

 

[buck119fa]

Starting the trip home today, update on the first half of the trip. After the first two stops I verified everything was still torqued correctly, all good. The ride was much improved especially over the bridge transitions, we feel it's better over all, not going to say it's a completely smooth ride but from what it was on our last long trip... Night and day difference. No brake issues, the repairs on the wiring took care of that.
Watching the Gen-Y hitch over some of the R&R crossings and bridges you can see how much its working and how much shock it takes out of the truck. The combo of the pin pox and suspension was worth it and has been what I was expecting.
I found that reducing the air pressure on our airlift bags helped also, took a little time working with pressures as we traveled but I have that down to 26psi from 38. Not much moving around inside the rig, everything seems to stay where it's supposed to be, cabinets and fridge aren't a mess and we're not guarding the doors when we open them as much.
With the new pin box on it sets a little nose high ( I didn't notice this in the drive way) I'll have to do some measuring and adjust the height of the hitch in the bed when I get back home.

 

[Spartacus]

Thanks for the update.

 

[buck119fa]

After 2678 miles from Michigan to Florida and back on this trip we found the ride much improved with the upgrades. More comfortable and the recovery over the bumps, dips, rough roads was much improved. After each leg of the trip very little was out of place in the RV. However we found (as expected) these changes will only help or improve things based on the roads. I can say the I65 through Nashville.... Not a fan, that part of the trip had to be the worst road we've encountered on all of our travels so far. Louisville KY wasn't much better. Had stuff all over the place after those roads, I can imagine it would have been worse with the original set up. All in all we're happy with the ride improvements during this trip.
No real issues on the trip, had 1 tire with a slow leak as we arrived to a park, the TireMider TPMS alerted us of the slow leak as we were pulling int the gate. Good timing on that, took that in and Discount Tire took care of it. No more issues with the brakes, lighting changes worked out with no issues. Other than checking the normal items, and 2 checks on the torque of all the new components the RV did well. After arriving back home, verifying torque again we're all good. I did lower the hitch in the truck for the ride height last week, went camping again this weekend and the RV isn't as nose high and still have plenty of space between the truck bed and RV.
We will be replacing both awnings, they are starting to crack on the edges and tear a little bit, Along with that we'll put new lighting up and replace the bright white with a blue LED.