Blogs
Are your hubs running hot?
While hubs running hot can sometimes be dangerous, that is not ALWAYS the case! Normal hub temperatures should range from 120° to 175° Always remember to compare on the same side (driver's side front to driver's side rear). We recommend carrying an infrared thermometer to get accurate hub temperatures at rest stops! Here are some questions to ask yourself if you are noticing elevated hub temperatures but are certain that everything inside the hub is normal! - Is the hotter side the appliance side? -Are you driving with the sun on that side? - Are you driving on a more pitched road (roads that allow water to run off the sides better)? As always, if you have any concerns, please feel free to reach out to us here at PTB, and we will be happy to help you!
Let's talk Roadmaster:
Roadmaster Overview
You have seen the pictures of rigs that have been upgraded to the Roadmaster Inc. Slipper Spring system but have not been told WHY the owners made the switch! Here are the benefits to making the switch: • Smoother ride – Reduces harsh bumps and road vibration • Better control – Keeps your RV or trailer more stable, especially on rough roads • Less chucking & bouncing – Minimizes that back-and-forth jerking feeling while towing • Improved safety – Better handling means more confidence behind the wheel • Protects your RV – Reduces wear and tear on your frame, cabinets, and contents • Handles heavier loads better – Built stronger than most factory suspension components • Long-lasting performance – Designed to hold up mile after mile
Roadmaster Box
The Roadmaster box allows your suspension to move more freely over bumps. It also: • Absorbs road shock – Helps take the hit from rough roads instead of transferring it through your trailer • Reduces stress on components – Less strain on leaf springs, hangers, and frame • Smoother towing experience – Cuts down on harsh jolts you feel in the truck • Helps control bounce – Keeps your tires planted better on the road Why proper box alignment is just as important: • Prevents uneven tire wear – Saves you money by extending tire life • Improves tracking – Keeps your trailer pulling straight behind you • Reduces suspension wear – Misalignment puts extra stress on every component • Increases safety – Better stability, especially at highway speeds • Maximizes your upgrade – Even the best suspension won’t perform right without proper alignment
Roadmaster Slipper Springs
If your trailer feels rough, bouncy, or unstable on the road — your suspension may be telling you it’s time for an upgrade. ⭐️Why Roadmaster Slipper Springs? • Roadmaster’s slipper spring design isolates each axle so each spring can absorb and dissipate energy independently — that dramatically reduces shake, vibration, and “chucking” compared with conventional equalizer/leaf spring suspensions. • By absorbing road forces instead of transferring them through the frame, Roadmaster systems help protect your RV’s structure, appliances, and interior from long-term vibration damage. • The Comfort Ride slipper spring suspension eliminates most moving parts found in older suspension designs, leaving fewer wear points and long-life self-lubricating bushings — which means fewer maintenance worries over time (no more grease)!!!!!
Roadmaster Shocks
Why should you include the shocks in your Roadmaster suspension system? • While your slipper springs improve articulation and reduce binding, they mainly handle how the axles move relative to the frame. The Comfort Ride shock absorbers take it a step further by absorbing the vertical and lateral forces from any bumps, rough pavement, and uneven surfaces, keeping most of that energy out of your RV and truck. 🛠️ The shocks use heavy-duty, nitrogen-charged internal components to compress and rebound in a controlled way — dramatically reducing trailer bounce and vibrations that otherwise travel through the frame. • The shocks will help reduce chucking, bounce, rocking, and side-to-side movements which then reduces the transfer of every bump or imperfection in the road to the truck. They will also help reduce frame flex that often lead to bigger issues such as leaks.
Roadmaster U-Bolts
U-bolts may look small, but they’re fundamental to making a Roadmaster suspension system perform correctly. They: - Secure the leaf springs to the axle - Maintain proper alignment and handling - Distribute loads safely - Support ride quality and stability - Should be updated whenever suspension work is done Without good U-bolts, even the best slippers springs and shock absorbers can’t work at full potential — because the entire system depends on that solid connection between springs and axle.
Let's Talk DeeMaxx Components:
Hub/Rotor Assemblies
- Integrated hub-and-rotor design combines the wheel hub and brake rotor into a single precision-machined assembly, eliminating the enclosed brake drum used in traditional systems. - Open rotor design allows continuous airflow around both sides of the rotor, dissipating heat much faster than a drum brake, where heat is trapped inside the drum. - Vented rotor construction increases cooling capacity by pulling air through the rotor as it spins, helping maintain consistent braking during repeated stops and long downhill grades. - Exposed braking surface lets water, mud, and road debris shed quickly, while enclosed drum brakes can trap contaminants that reduce braking performance. - Flat rotor braking surface provides full, even contact with the brake pads, creating more uniform braking force than curved drum brake shoes contacting the inside of a drum. - Reduced brake fade because the rotor cools rapidly between brake applications, unlike drum brakes whose enclosed design retains heat. - No brake drum expansion under high temperatures. As drum brakes heat up, the drum can expand, increasing the distance between the shoes and drum and reducing braking effectiveness. A rotor maintains much more consistent braking characteristics. - Precision-machined rotor surfaces promote smooth pad contact, reducing vibration and helping ensure even pad wear. - Thicker, heavy-duty rotor construction is designed to absorb and dissipate large amounts of heat generated by heavy RVs and trailers. - Hub and rotor remain accessible for inspection, allowing technicians to visually inspect the braking surfaces without removing a brake drum. - Simplified serviceability since brake pads can typically be replaced without removing the hub or disturbing the wheel bearings, unlike many drum brake service procedures.
Calipers & Mounting Brackets
- Heavy-duty caliper mounting bracket provides a rigid, secure foundation for the brake caliper, maintaining precise alignment with the rotor under heavy braking loads. - Fixed caliper position keeps the caliper centered over the rotor, ensuring even brake pad contact and consistent braking performance. - Hydraulic caliper design applies equal clamping force to both sides of the rotor, delivering stronger and more balanced braking than drum brakes, which push brake shoes outward against the inside of a drum. - Self-adjusting operation automatically compensates for brake pad wear, eliminating the need for the manual or automatic shoe adjustments required with drum brakes. - Fewer moving parts than a drum brake assembly, reducing the number of components subject to wear, corrosion, or mechanical failure. - No brake magnets are required. Unlike electric drum brakes that rely on electromagnets, hydraulic calipers use fluid pressure for immediate, consistent brake application. - No return springs or adjuster mechanisms that can weaken, seize, or require replacement over time, simplifying maintenance and improving long-term reliability. - Even brake pad pressure across the entire rotor surface promotes uniform pad wear and more consistent braking throughout the service life of the pads. - Open caliper design improves airflow around the brake pads and rotor, helping reduce operating temperatures and minimizing brake fade. - Better contamination resistance because the open design allows water, dirt, and debris to clear more easily than the enclosed components inside a drum brake. - Simplified brake service with brake pads that can typically be inspected and replaced without disassembling the hub or removing numerous springs and hardware. - More predictable braking response because hydraulic pressure is applied directly to the caliper pistons, producing smooth, proportional braking with less variation than electric drum brake systems. - Reduced maintenance requirements by eliminating many of the wear items found in drum brakes, including brake shoes, hold-down springs, adjusters, return springs, and actuating levers. - Improved corrosion resistance with stainless steel calipers available on many DeeMaxx systems, helping prevent rust and seizure in harsh environments.
Small Upgrades with Big Results:
Steel Braided Flex Lines
Compared to hard brake lines: - Allows suspension and axle movement without stressing the hydraulic connection. - Less likely to crack from vibration or repeated flexing. - Easier to route around moving components and tight installation areas. Compared to standard rubber brake hoses: - Expands significantly less under pressure for improved braking response. - Provides greater protection against abrasion and road hazards. - Offers improved durability in demanding towing conditions. - Better withstands high hydraulic pressures and repeated heavy braking.
Solid Steel Lug Nuts
Why should you consider switching to solid steel lugs over the regular steel capped ones? Solid steel resists wear, rounding, and deformation. Steel capped nuts can separate or weaken over time—especially under heavy loads or frequent torqueing. For RVs, which often carry heavy weight and see lots of highway miles, strength matters! Many solid steel lug nuts are heat-treated and plated (e.g., zinc or chrome) to resist rust. Steel capped nuts can trap moisture between layers, leading to rust under the shell, which can seize the nut to the stud. This means easier maintenance and lower risk of stuck lug nuts when you actually need to remove them!
Hub Savers
- Helps prevent wheel-off accidents by retaining the hub and wheel assembly on the spindle if the outer wheel bearing fails, giving the driver an opportunity to safely pull off the road. - Protects the axle spindle by helping keep the hub aligned during a bearing failure, which can reduce damage that might otherwise require axle replacement. - Reduces damage to expensive brake components, including disc brake rotors, calipers, caliper brackets, and hydraulic brake lines, by preventing the hub from completely separating from the axle. - Helps protect wheels and tires from catastrophic damage that often occurs when a hub separates and the trailer corner drops onto the pavement. - Improves roadside safety by allowing the driver to maintain greater control and stop in a safer location instead of experiencing an immediate wheel separation. - Protects surrounding traffic by reducing the risk of a detached wheel becoming a dangerous projectile. - Minimizes downtime by helping prevent extensive damage that can turn a simple bearing failure into a major roadside repair. - Low-cost insurance against a potentially expensive failure involving the hub, spindle, brake assembly, wheel, tire, and trailer body. - Simple installation on most trailer spindles with no modifications to the axle or brake system required. - Compatible with both drum and disc brake systems, adding a layer of safety regardless of the type of brakes installed. - Provides additional peace of mind for RV owners and commercial haulers who travel long distances, where bearing failures are more likely to occur far from repair facilities. Important: A Hub Saver is not a replacement for proper bearing maintenance. It is a fail-safe device designed to help retain the hub if an outer bearing fails. Regular bearing inspection, lubrication, and proper spindle nut installation remain essential.
Keep it Rollin Kit
We will now be offering a “Keep it Rolling” kit. We designed this kit to essentially be a trailer “first aid kit” in case of an emergency when you are traveling! This kit will include one inner/outer bearing, one inner/outer race, and one seal! Prices vary depending on your bearing sizes and shipping will be included in the price. Safety is our number one priority here at PTB, and this kit is just another way we can go the extra mile for each and every customer!
Let's Talk MORryde Products:
CRE 3000
Why should you consider the CRE 3000? Smoother Towing Experience: The CRE3000 is designed to provide up to 3″ of suspension travel, which helps absorb bumps and imperfections in the road much more effectively than standard leaf spring equalizers. That means less jostling and a more comfortable tow for both driver and passengers. Better Protection from Road Shock: It uses rubber cushioning and a unique travel slot to isolate road shock instead of letting metal-to-metal components transfer every bump into your RV’s frame and contents. This protects your RV structure and reduces the risk of damage to cabinets, appliances, and fragile gear! Increased Durability: Compared to stock equalizers, the CRE3000 is more robust and durable, often lasting longer and handling regular road stresses better — especially important for frequent travelers or those who tow on rougher roads.
AllTrek 4000
Why should you consider the AllTrek 4000? 1. Smoother Ride Across All Terrain The AllTrek 4000 gives you up to 4 inches of suspension travel — way more than the approximate 2 inches you get with a traditional steel equalizer. That extra travel helps soak up any road bumps, potholes, and washboard surfaces so your tow rig and trailer don’t jostle around as much. 2. Better Protection for Your Trailer Frame The rubber shear springs cushion impacts so that shock loads aren’t transferred straight into your frame. This protects welds, seams, cabinetry, and everything else inside your RV from repetitive jolts. 3. Less Stress on Suspension Components With this suspension, you will experience less wear and tear on leaf springs, shackles, hangers, and hardware. You’ll likely see fewer failures and a longer lifespan for those running-gear parts!
Heavy Duty Shackle Kit
Why should you consider this kit? Most factory-installed shackles are thin, lightly constructed, and designed to meet minimum requirements. The MORryde Heavy Duty Shackle Kit replaces those thinner shackles with thick, hardened steel shackles and wet bolts, giving your suspension the strength it should’ve had from day one. The MORryde kit includes greaseable (wet) bolts, which allow proper lubrication at critical pivot points. That means less friction, smoother suspension movement, and reduced stress on the frame, springs, and axles. If you travel frequently, carry heavy loads, or full-time in your RV, factory shackles simply aren’t up to the task. MORryde designs their suspension components specifically for heavy, real-world RV use—not just the occasional weekend trips.
X-Factor Crossmembers:
- Reduces frame stress by up to 94% at the suspension hanger locations by tying both frame rails together, helping distribute suspension loads more evenly. - Reinforces spring hangers, one of the most common areas for fatigue cracks and frame damage on leaf spring trailers. - Minimizes side-to-side frame flex during cornering, backing maneuvers, and uneven terrain by preventing the hangers from twisting independently. - Adds lateral rigidity to the trailer frame, helping maintain proper suspension geometry under heavy loads. - Reduces stress on welds at the spring hanger attachment points, helping extend the service life of the trailer frame. - Helps prevent hanger cracking and deformation caused by repeated suspension movement over rough roads. - Improves towing stability by keeping the suspension more rigidly aligned, reducing unwanted side-to-side movement of the axles. - Maintains better axle alignment by limiting movement of the suspension mounting points, which can contribute to more consistent tire tracking. - May reduce uneven tire wear by helping the suspension remain properly aligned during operation. - Supports heavy RVs and trailers by distributing suspension forces across both frame rails instead of concentrating them at individual hangers. - Constructed from high-strength, low-alloy steel for increased strength and durability without excessive weight. - Adjustable design fits a range of trailer frame widths, making it compatible with many travel trailers and fifth wheels. - Bolt-on installation requires no welding or drilling on most applications, simplifying installation and preserving the trailer frame. - Compatible with multiple suspension systems, including stock equalizers, MORryde CRE3000, SRE4000, and Correct Track systems using the appropriate adapters. - Protects other suspension components by reducing excessive movement that can accelerate wear on shackles, wet bolts, equalizers, and bushings. - Provides additional confidence on rough roads by reinforcing one of the highest-load areas of the trailer suspension, especially during sharp turns, potholes, railroad crossings, and uneven campsites.