This is not a paid endorsement just personal observations on a product that should be standard on all 5th wheels over 14k.
Owner of 2021 Grand Design Momentum 395MS-R, full timers 6 years, have traveled with the Momentum from Oregon-Quartzsite area-Alaska-Indiana last two years with stock 7k axles and drum brakes. One leaf spring broke, another two where flattened, it always creaked and groaned and we didn't even have a toy in the garage. Drove over weight scales and it was always below 18k on weight.
I had never enjoyed towing it. It is towed by a 2019 F450 dually so the truck wasn't the issue just each time it would hit bad road conditions it was a terrible noisy earthquake over the sound of the diesel pulling it. You could feel every bump come back through to the truck from the suspension. Bridge transitions where terrible especially those that are well used bouncing bumps. I loved the trailer and the lifestyle but never the towing of this 5th wheel.
I made an appointment to get the Morryde Independent Suspension (IS) installed, originally it was going to be in April 2023, but as we were leaving Alaska in September for Grand Design warranty work at the GD plant, morryde called and said they could get us in on October while in the area. I jumped on the chance since it needed to have springs replaced that had been flattening and didn't want to replace springs and six months later replace them with the IS. We limped it to Elkart only losing one spring in Winnipeg.
I won't cover the process since there are numerous videos, which I highly recommend. Our 8k axle and Disc brake upgrade cost roughly 13k for the triple axle. Morryde was a wonderful company to work with and our time there was enjoyable.
The Morryde IS has finally made pulling our home enjoyable and stress free. I do not spend all my time watching the side mirrors seeing if the 5th wheel is leaning or crabbing on me. The only noise I hear is the sound of our Reese Gooseneck. The pictures below are what was taken off compared to what was put on, you can see the significant difference. The pictures should be the only proof needed for quality and performance of the IS compared to stock. They are beasts, they are the Kodiak grizzlies of the suspension world compared to the little panda bears that they replaced.
Leaving Elkhart we pulled all the way to Oregon on the I 80 and I 84. This may not be the worst road to tow on but it does have its problem areas and steep descents. For the last 2k miles I have thought the trailer was not behind me. The trucks dually rear end makes more movement than the trailer. I had to try really hard to get the IS to make any movement. I told morryde "Thank You" many times during this drive when the RV wouldn't be bouncing around due to bad road conditions.
I can not overstate the ability of the braking. The truck has always felt like it worked harder to stop the trailer even with the brake controller set higher than ever set on any previous trailer truck combo. With the disc brake you know that trailer will stop, really stop, not the white knuckle pray to god that you stop in time.
The Morryde IS should be standard on all 5th wheels over 14k in weight. Companies that do not make this standard are doing a disservice to the buyers. You pay a lot for one of the"Big Ones" why put it on a small inadequate suspension system and stopping 20k lbs with drum brakes.
It was worth every penny.
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