Excessive Rust on MorRyde Pin Box

My 2014 LS36fw has a MorRyde pin box in need of replacement of the white glide-pad disc as well as a paint job. I already have the new disc pads.  Today I went to start that process. I removed the lower skid pad assembly and that’s as far as I have gotten.
I’m reluctant to continue to use it due to rust. Some of the steel where the shear spring attaches is so rusted and deformed I’m concerned about failure.
Of course, being the weekend, I can’t contact MorRyde until Monday to find out if I’m able to get just that part.
I’m curious if anyone else has ever replaced just this part. Others may want to check theirs for rust, too.  Thanks.

Topic

[bolljlParticipantTopics - 12Replies - 37Total - 49]

Do I have to remove lower skid pad in order to see the rust?

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

Probably not.  Take a flash light and look in the area fore and aft and just behind the white disc.  You should be able to see where the black rubber shear spring attaches to the skid plate.  That is the area of rust.

 

[John LaPlanteParticipantTopics - 0Replies - 11Total - 11]

I’ve rebuilt mine but it only needed paint and the white pucks. Rust was minimal. You can get the pucks from MorRyde, I would imagine they can get you a new skid plate too. Another option might be to take the skid plate to a local welder and see if they can add a fillet of steel to reinforce it.

If you call MorRyde, ask if they think you should replace the rubber shear spring. Mine was fine, but they can wear out.

I repainted mine inside & out with oil-based primer touchup followed by a good quality oil-based gloss enamel over everything .  That’s the best for metal rust protection and durability. One caveat here – the surfaces on which the pucks slide must have LOTS of time to dry, like a week or more.

Another hard-learned lesson – use Loctite on the bolts holding the pucks. Mine came loose and one was 1/2” from hitting the pavement when I noticed. Had to open the whole thing back up again and redo. All works great now.

John
2010 Cameo 36FWS, 2015 Ram 3500 dually diesel

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

Thanks for the response.

I have had the white disc for over a year but never around to it.  I also have a new shear sping that MorRyde sent to me when I first got the rig.  It still smells new.

I will e calling MorRyde in the AM for the price on a new skid plate.  I’m sure they can get me one and I can’t wait to see how much they want for it and especially the shipping.  They charged be $14 shipping for those little light weight pucks.

The area of rust on mine is prone to hold water.  I do live in coastal FL but have experience rust to this degree on the fifth wheel frame or anywhere else.  I do plan to get a good coat of oil based paint as well as coat the hard to get to areas with Fluid Film.

[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 517Total - 525]

Phil,

I have had my MorRyde pinbox since the summer of 2011.  I too live 8 miles from the ocean in northern Florida.  I looked at lots of options last year.

Buying pieces from MoreRyde plus shipping was really expensive almost as much as a new unit retail.  In the end I bought a new pinbox on Amazon with free shipping.  Those pinboxes were slightly less expensive tgan retail but shipping savings were substantial.

What I bought was not the exact model but after extensive talks with MoreRyde, the only difference in its many models is the rubber shock and the main frame piece that bolts to the 5er.  “Our” fit model was $300 more than the next best model with the proper spring.  So I figured I could restore and repaint the mainframe piece and swap out all of the new parts from the Amazon unit.  Bottom line –  next time I will spend the extra $300. Rust was horrible.  Retainer screws for pucks abysmal to remove.   All done and looks great but the extra work versus simply bolting on a new unit was definitely not worth the $300 I “saved.”  Yes i put heavy coatings on both the new parts and tge old main frame piece.  I think if we lived in a rust free area like Arizona parts would have been fast and easy.

Now the kicker.  Once I had everything apart, it was very clear that rust was restricting travel, not just smooth travel of the pinbox.  Replacement was long overdue.  Rode much smoother last summer.

I think we are almost past the big winter sale of parts and labor (15%?) that MoreRyde has during dead times each year.  But worth the question – can I pay you for a new one today, net of discount, can I pick it up later this spring/summer.  Or do the Amazon thing.  If your’s is rusted anything like mine, parts are not the way to go.

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

Thanks John.

I will be calling MorRyde in an hour or so to see what they say.

I don’t think the rest of the pin box has rust anywhere near like that in my photos.  From what I can tell, just a little surface rust.  I have not removed the pucks yet either.

There is used “like new” unit about 2 hours from me that is for sale for $450 but not sure if its interchangeable with mine.  I will ask MorRyde when I call them to cross-reference it.

Thanks for the input.  This finding was no doubt a bit unsettling as the rust looks really bad.  Imo, just a matter of time before failing.

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

Just got off the phone with MorRyde.  They are shipping me a new skid plate (there are the same across the line) for $185 plus shipping of $35.  So not too bad.

The rest of the pin box is in pretty good shape.  I didn’t find any area of it to be remotely close to what I found around the shear spring.  So I’m just going to clean it up as best I can and paint the visible surfaces with an oil based paint.  Once the new part arrives, I’m going to coat all but the shear spring with Slip Plate Graphite Spray.  I have used it in the past and I have to tell you it does not come off.  Its highly water repellant.  I think it will prevent rust particularly in unseen areas. I sprayed Slip Plate  on the pin box bolts after adjusting it 6 years ago and its still on the bolts with not rust.

If you are unfamiliar with it check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VMUh-nn4nQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yo9vnMs_a0

 

[expired-memberBlockedTopics - 86Replies - 191Total - 277]

My $.02 is that reducing the friction with graphite paint isn’t what you want as the bump stops will be hit more often.

Cold galv. paint might be the best of both worlds.

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

JohnD

Yep, all going good until just like you mentioned, “Retainer screws for pucks abysmal to remove”.  All was going good until I got ready to remove those.  Three were tight beyond belief especially when MorRyde says hand tighten with Loctite.  Of course, when I got to the 4th one it didn’t go well.  I had to cut-off the puck and then use 2 pair of vice-grips to get the screw out because the T-nut spun freely.  The other 3 did not spin as I guess they are rusted to the brackets they rest on!

I doubt I can find the exact T-nuts locally so I will have to MorRyde again and get those sent to me, too.

Otherwise, its cleaning up good.

Alloy, My experience is that the pucks rubbed off the paint anyway.  So I don’t feel its that necessary to apply much of anything, including paint,  in the area sine it seems it will just get rubbed away anyway.  Thoughts?

[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 517Total - 525]

In reply to

“Alloy, My experience is that the pucks rubbed off the paint anyway.  So I don’t feel its that necessary to apply much of anything, including paint,  in the area sine it seems it will just get rubbed away anyway.  Thoughts?”

Keep the surface greased so rust cannot form in the path of the pucs.  Having lived in the west and central Alasha for many years, I know many of you are thinking “What is all of this talk about rust?”  It is where I lived and many of you live versus where I live now – unbelievable.

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

The pin box is all good as new now.  I will be more diligent in protecting it now from the elements.  New skid plate, new skid discs, a new shear spring, and a fresh coat of rust protective paint.

[Kelly MParticipantTopics - 0Replies - 5Total - 5]

Wow. You guys made me go look at my pin box. No rust but my home base is Arizona. My pucks are cracking so I’m guessing they need replaced. Did your pucks fail or come apart?  What made you decide they needed replaced?
Phil, when you replaced your rubber shear pin, did that improve your ride at all?

[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

Just returned from a round-trip of 700 miles with the “rebuilt” pin box.  The new skid plate and disc as well as the installation of the new number 5 shear spring (direct replacement) made for a smooth tow.  Very pleased.

[Author]

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