Lippert CenterPoint Air Suspension

[schrod]

With the terrible rough roads and bridge abutments, our trailer takes a severe beating. Have been considering airbags and in my searches this came up. I can't find reviews other than the endorsements on the Lippert website. However, watching the video, it seems apparent that it does give quite an improvement in ride. I went ahead and ordered it from Lippert. I got a 10% discount for creating a new account.



Anyone here have thoughts on this? Have I made a mistake and am throwing my money away? Complete kit for tandem axles came to 1460 with tax and shipping.
One thing to mention it does raise the trailer 2 inches.

TIA

[MnTom]

I purchased the same thing. I installed them in one afternoon in my daughter's driveway with hand tools. I firmly believe that the trailer rides better. I can't say as I felt anything different when towing, but with an air ride hitch you don't feel much anyhow. I just got done installing shock absorber kits and curious how much they help. Another thing I did was install an air pressure gauge and a place to put air in. Now all I need to do is glance at the gauge to know what the pressure is.
Tom

[schrod]

Originally Posted by MnTom

I purchased the same thing. I installed them in one afternoon in my daughter's driveway with hand tools. I firmly believe that the trailer rides better. I can't say as I felt anything different when towing, but with an air ride hitch you don't feel much anyhow. I just got done installing shock absorber kits and curious how much they help. Another thing I did was install an air pressure gauge and a place to put air in. Now all I need to do is glance at the gauge to know what the pressure is.
Tom

I thought the kit included a pressure gauge. The picture of parts shows a pressure gauge to mount. I also have been thinking of adding shocks. My trailer GCWR is 16,500. I also have the BD3 air ride 5th receiver in the truck but the trailer itself takes a beating!


What is the weight of your trailer and what pressure are you using in the CenterPoint? TIA Rod

[JDT]

Before we had MorRyde independent suspension installed on ours we had the Center Point system for 3 years. Very subjective but I think it made a big difference. I also have a BD3 air hitch but I'm not sure how much it affects the ride of the fifth wheel. I know it provides some cushioning for the front but I would think the axles are the critical connection for smoothing the ride. If you do both the CenterPoints and shocks you should feel a difference.

I'm not sure how the system works now but ours came with a single gauge with a single fill for both bags at the same time. I bought a second gauge and plumbed the lines separate for each side as I knew I had more weight on one side. I think one side took about 40 psi and the other 55 to get them to the right setting.

[MnTom]

Originally Posted by schrod

I thought the kit included a pressure gauge. The picture of parts shows a pressure gauge to mount. I also have been thinking of adding shocks. My trailer GCWR is 16,500. I also have the BD3 air ride 5th receiver in the truck but the trailer itself takes a beating!


What is the weight of your trailer and what pressure are you using in the CenterPoint? TIA Rod

Rod, I purchased mine used, so I don't remember what the kit came with, but I got two gauges and filler valves. The gauges looked lightly used, but I never did see any marks where the kit was installed. I also have a BD3 hitch and like to watch the pin float going down the road. I don't have an exact weight of the trailer, but it's GVW is only 12,400 according to FR. I am running about 40 psi in the hitch and 50psi in the trailer bags.

[McRod]

I have looked at this system, but find it hard to justify the $1600 price tag on etrailer, without replaceable airbags.

LCI also makes Road Armor, so I think I am going to give that my next try.

[MnTom]

Originally Posted by McRod

I have looked at this system, but find it hard to justify the $1600 price tag on etrailer, without replaceable airbags.

Wow, it's that much??? I guess I got the deal of the century! I got mine for $200. It was supposed to be be used, but I saw no marks from a previous installation. Now to see how the trailer does with shocks on it........

[schrod]

Originally Posted by MnTom

Wow, it's that much??? I guess I got the deal of the century! I got mine for $200. It was supposed to be be used, but I saw no marks from a previous installation. Now to see how the trailer does with shocks on it........

MnTom, I paid 1470 to Lippert. 51 dollars for shipping and almost 90 dollars sales tax. They only shipped 1 unit for 1 side that I received last Wednesday. I had not opened the box until Friday. I called Lippert customer service and they are sending the rest (hopefully) tomorrow. Yes, if you got it for 200 then you got a super bargain of the century! Schrod

[jimbonnet]

Originally Posted by McRod

I have looked at this system, but find it hard to justify the $1600 price tag on etrailer, without replaceable airbags.

LCI also makes Road Armor, so I think I am going to give that my next try.

They do sell the bags as a replacement part thankfully-

https://store.lci1.com/air-spring-re...s-1564251.html

[McRod]

Originally Posted by jimbonnet

They do sell the bags as a replacement part thankfully-

https://store.lci1.com/air-spring-re...s-1564251.html

That must be new.

[schrod]

Originally Posted by McRod

I have looked at this system, but find it hard to justify the $1600 price tag on etrailer, without replaceable airbags.

LCI also makes Road Armor, so I think I am going to give that my next try.

Road Armor is just a glorified EZFLEX 3000 system. I have serious doubts it can address the harsh bumps that the CenterPoint can absorb.

[McRod]

Originally Posted by schrod

Road Armor is just a glorified EZFLEX 3000 system. I have serious doubts it can address the harsh bumps that the CenterPoint can absorb.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Here is my issue. A year and a half ago, I upgraded my axles from 7k to 8k. In the process, the company cut off my factory installed Moryde LRE 4000! There is no aftermarket equivalent to this system for 8k axles. I settled, under duress, for the Equa Flex 3000 since it was advertised as being an 8k compatable. Here we are 1.5 years later and I can see the rubber bushing is pretty much dead.

The road armor looks like it has twice the rubber dampening for both up and down movement and it's also rated for 8k. At $270 a pair, I could replace them six times before it would cost as much as the center point. I don't have any issues with things moving around inside when we travel, so the improvement may not justify the cost difference.

[jimbonnet]

Along the same lines/cost as the LCI centerpoint The roadmaster stuff looks interesting. I posted a question a while back on it and the thread died out. Apparently not very popular.

https://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdf/tr..._july_2018.pdf

These 2 systems seem a reasonable cost option over trying to move to IS which to me is really expensive.

[McRod]

Originally Posted by jimbonnet

Along the same lines/cost as the LCI centerpoint The roadmaster stuff looks interesting. I posted a question a while back on it and the thread died out. Apparently not very popular.

https://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdf/tr..._july_2018.pdf

These 2 systems seem a reasonable cost option over trying to move to IS which to me is really expensive.

Interesting. I haven't seen the Roadmaster system before, but the first thing I see that I like is that it uses slipper springs. It's very difficult to find off the shelf double eye springs when you start to get axles 8k and up. Slipper springs are much more common. The availability of parts and DIY ease of springs is why I chose to upgrade axles to 8k versus going with the Independent Suspension. I have litterally broke down 300 miles from the nearest town in the Yukon and when I limped into a town, the only place that had any parts repaired logging trucks. Guess what they use? Leaf springs. It was an easy fix for them.