Upgrade Suspension Redhawk 23XM

[Singletrack]

I have just purchased a 2015 Redhawk 23XM with hydraulic levelling and am looking to upgrade the suspension to JRide Plus. I want to add the Bilstein shocks and Hellwig sway bar. Has anyone down this upgrade and if so did you use the dealer, tire shop, suspension shop or DIY?

[The Logans]

I have the same unit and the same model year... it came standard with Bilstein shocks and and the Hellwig rear helper springs. Have you gotten under the unit and looked?

Please note that there is a major discussion going on about the Hellwig helper spring not being properly adjusted... it's on this forum.

[Singletrack]

Thank you for the info. Unfortunately I do not have my 23xm yet. Have to pick it up on the other side of the country. Plan to pick it up in May and then go for a long road trip.
I"ll ask the dealer to check for me, and if mine is the same that will save me some dough! Still would like to get the sway bar though.
I'll check the forum for the Hellwig issue.
I'll be heading past the Jayco factory in Middlebury so if I have issues I can stop there.

[The Logans]

We really enjoyed the traveling in the Redhawk!

Make sure that the dealer adjusts the Hellwig springs properly, and has the correct tire pressure in the unit... the unit will ride MUCH better! When we picked ours up, it only had about 55 pounds of air in all of the tires (we didn't know it at the time), and the thing wandered all over the road.

When you do the PDI with the dealer, make sure that he or she tests and demo's everything! The hot water heater should be fired up and the water system pressure tested, the genset, air conditioning, microwave, TV, radio, etc. should be tested while you are there. Do the PDI in the morning, so the dealer has time to fix anything that needs it before you leave the dealership!

Middlebury IN is a destination in it's self! There is SO much to see and do in the area, we go there for any issues that we have, instead of the dealership... We take a week, and make a vacation of it.

The RV museum, one of the largest flea markets in the country, great restaurants (Das Dutchman Essenhaus), lots of small shops, etc. are all very close. The flea market is so big, it even has it's own campground, and there is a KOA a few minutes from the Jayco Factory.

Go to the Jayco visitors center and look around there. They will also arrange for the free Travel Trailer and Motorhome factory tours.

The have a GREAT group of folks at the factory service center, led by Ron Yutzy, and they are personable, helpful, and effective! You couldn't meet a nicer bunch of people.

If you have any issues after you leave the dealership, please be sure to call ahead to the factory service center (1-574-825-5861) and ask for Ron (3393), and they'll take good care of you!

Be safe, and have fun!!

Ed

[Singletrack]

Thank you for that great informative post! I'm planning to spend all afternoon going through the unit at the dealers, get fixed what I can. Have an apt. Made at the factory and head there for any outstanding issues. Sounds like they do a good job on taking care of their customers.
Then I continue the trip to Moab Utah!!
Dealer quoted me $900 for Hellwig rear sway bar from Jayco...Amazon price was just over $200!!!
Are they hard to install?
Haven't checked the shocks, I'll get the dealer to do that tomorrow.

[The Logans]

The Jride package is standard on the Redhawk, and some were delivered with the Jride Plus package:

Hellwig helper springs, Rubber isolation mounts, Laser-cut chassis trusses, and a Balanced driveshaft, Bilstein shock absorbers and Stabilizing sway bar(s)

The items in red are standard, and the blue items are in the plus package. You can always negotiate with the dealer to have the plus stuff added as part of the deal. Ours came with the plus package.

One of the great things about this size motorhome is that you can park it almost anywhere! It's about the size of a 14 passenger church van, because the queen bed is in the rear slide. Of course, the downside is that you can't use the bed when the slide is in, but I'll take that any-day to have a unit that is so maneuverable. I nap in the top bunk...

We switched out the radio, because the stock Ford radio doesn't have a CD player. We liked the Redhawk because we didn't want the tank-less water heater (doesn't always work properly) or the Bigfoot levelers (they add about 500 pounds). So we ended up with a light, nimble, easy to maneuver unit that had everything that we needed.

Enjoy!

[Singletrack]

Mine just has the JRide, so i'm getting a quote on sway bars, Bilstein shocks and a front stabilizer.
Looking forward to May to pick it up.
What pressure do you run in your tires?

[The Logans]

Hi Singletrack,

We run with 80 in the front and 85 in the rear.