This project had a special twist. The winners of our recent giveaway contest, met us in Elkhart for a full MORryde Independent Suspension (IS) upgrade on their fifth wheel. We documented the process, rode along before and after, and captured detailed sensor data to quantify the improvements.
We’ve talked about MORryde IS for years, but this time we wanted real numbers to go with the real-world feel.
Test Rides: Before and After
Before installation, we took the RV over a pre-planned route (one that MORryde uses regularly for pre- and post-test rides) that included lots of rough patches, expansion joints, and even a set of railroad tracks. Standing inside the RV, the impacts were sharp, and the bounce afterward was obvious — especially over the joints and tracks, where everything inside reacted more than you might expect.
After the install, we repeated the same route.
The difference was immediate:
- impacts felt softer
- bounce after larger hits was reduced dramatically
- The interior motion felt more controlled and calmer overall
Even without looking at the data, you could absolutely feel the improvement!
Collecting the Data
Instead of using a phone as we did years ago, this time we used independent IMU data loggers mounted securely on the RV frame. These logged acceleration data points a 200Hz (200 times per second)!
We ran the same exact route before and after installation to keep conditions as consistent as possible.
Analyzing It With ChatGPT
Once we pulled the data logger files, we fed the raw accelerometer output into ChatGPT for processing. It handled:
- syncing time stamps
- cleaning noise
- calculating averages
- identifying impact peaks
- plotting graphs for comparison
The results lined up perfectly with what we felt:
- fewer high-impact spikes
- lower vibration levels
- significantly faster recovery after bumps
- a noticeably smoother overall ride profile
It was really satisfying to see the numbers mirror the real-world ride exactly.
Access To The Data
If you’d like to see the data we used, the ChatGPT analysis (conversation), and the resulting graphs (used in the video), please use the following links.
NOTE: This is our data and is in no way certified by MORryde engineers, nor any other actual human.
- The RAW Data (text): changinglanesrv.com/is-data-raw
- The Visuals (graphs): changinglanesrv.com/is-data-visuals
- The ChatGPT Conversation: changinglanesrv.com/is-data-chatgpt
Data Results!
Below are the four key metrics we used and the graphs that show exactly how the Independent Suspension changed the ride.
Overall Vibration (RMS)
The first analysis step was looking at RMS — Root Mean Square — which is a way to measure overall vibration energy over the full drive. It’s not about one big bump; it’s about how much the frame is shaking, continuously, mile after mile.
The results were clear:
- Small improvement in vertical vibration at the front
- Larger improvements at the middle
- Significant reduction at the rear
This tracks with how IS works: the rear section of the frame is where the suspension has the most influence. Lower RMS means less constant stress on the frame, cabinets, appliances, and everything riding along inside.
High-Intensity Impacts (P99)
Next, we looked at what are called P99 values — the level of vibration that represents the top 1% of worst bumps during the drive.
This isn’t the smooth cruising or minor chatter; it’s the bigger jolts that make you feel a hit in the truck or hear something shift in a cabinet.
After installing IS:
- P99 numbers dropped substantially in the middle and rear
- The front improved as well, though not as dramatically
- This shows the IS is absorbing and damping the sharper, more punishing bumps
These are exactly the kinds of impacts that can loosen fasteners, rattle cabinetry, and accelerate frame fatigue over time.
Extreme Impacts (P999)
P999 takes it even further — this is the top 0.1% of repeated worst hits. These are the “did something just fall over?” moments.
The IS upgrade made a big difference here:
- The middle and rear sensors saw major drops in P999 values
- The front still improved, but again, less dramatically than the suspension zone
This reduction in extreme impact amplitude shows that IS significantly reduces the severity of bottom-out style bumps and hard jolts. In terms of frame life and structural stress, these high-energy impacts matter the most.
Total Shock Events
Originally, we analyzed “shock events per minute,” but the post-install test drive included a long stop waiting for a train — which made the per-minute rate unfair. So we changed the metric to something cleaner and more relevant:
Total number of >0.5g shock events over the same route.
This avoids timing bias and answers the simple, practical question: “How many hard hits did the frame actually take on this drive?”
The result:
- The IS upgrade reduced these harsh frame shocks by about 70%
That means the frame experienced nearly three times fewer significant hits after the suspension upgrade — on the same route, at the same speeds.
This is the most intuitive and most impactful metric in the analysis. It explains why people feel such a dramatic difference towing with IS: the suspension is removing a large portion of the hardest, most damaging impacts.
Final Takeaway
Ed and Shirley left thrilled after their first tow, and the data backed up their reaction. MORryde IS isn’t a small upgrade, but the improvement is unmistakable both subjectively and objectively — and now we have clean, logged sensor data to prove it.
AG1 (Sponsor)
During big projects like this suspension install—early mornings, long filming days, and lots of running back and forth between test rides—we try to keep our routine as simple and consistent as possible. One thing that does stay consistent is starting our day with AG1. Instead of packing multiple bottles of vitamins, probiotics, and minerals in the RV, everything we need is in one scoop, and it’s easy to mix up before the chaos of the day gets rolling.
If you’d like to try it for yourself, AG1 has a special offer for our viewers:
👉 Go to drinkag1.com/changinglanes to get FREE AG1 + AGZ travel packs, vitamin D3+K2, and a free AG1 welcome kit when you first subscribe!
Thanks to AG1 for sponsoring today’s video and supporting content like this testing project!
