WD Anti-sway hitch for LR3/AS 23D

[Tincampers]

Originally Posted by HowieE

I hate to say this but you have no sway control with that system and I am not sure he Ox offers any.

What? How can you say the Blue Ox SWAY Pro has no sway control? Please explain. I guess it is PFM that my trailer has NEVER swayed one little bit?

[LolaT]

Well, I think we can probably find a way to improve the way the chains are set up. I'll have to look more at the photo Gsmblue provided above. Those hooks are small and hard to get to and I don't think the chain clips fit on them directly.

Not sure what is not proper about the sway control using the Blue Ox Sway Pro. I thought lots of people used this. It's the one they install at the dealership although we bought and installed it ourselves. It's certainly not the first one I looked at. I looked into quite a few but finally settled on this one for our setup.

[Tincampers]

There is nothing wrong with the sway control on the Blue Ox hitch.

[NWRVR]

We have the Blue Ox Sway Pro with a 2008 Range Rover HSE and so far no issues with sway. Personally I am very happy Airstream Aventures Northwest set this up for us when we purchased our AS. To each his own, if it works, keep it. Everyone thinks theirs is the best and have the facts to prove it.

I cross my chains because my hitch has the attachment points on both sides of the receiver but they will only be effective for a stinger, ball or tongue failure. If the hitch fails, it all goes south, chains and all.

[Gsmblue]

Originally Posted by LolaT

There is literally one loop for both of the chains to hook onto. Thus the issue with crossing them.

Lola,

When you insert your hitch receiver into your LR there should be 2 eyelets, one either side of where the receiver inserts to your LR. You need to be right underneath the LR to see them.

I dropped under my LR3 to check and there are there and they are big enough for the airstream safety chains to hook into. If you would like me to post a picture just let me know.

[AWCHIEF]

As far as I can tell after 10 months and almost 5000 thousand miles the Blue Ox has excellent antisway control.

[LolaT]

Originally Posted by Gsmblue

Lola,

When you insert your hitch receiver into your LR there should be 2 eyelets, one either side of where the receiver inserts to your LR. You need to be right underneath the LR to see them.

I dropped under my LR3 to check and there are there and they are big enough for the airstream safety chains to hook into. If you would like me to post a picture just let me know.

Yes, I know they are there. I guess I just took hubby's word for it that they were too hard to get to, too small for the safety chains to hook onto, and the chains weren't long enough to hook on there. I guess I just need to get under there myself and try it out.

(I have a slipped disk, so not my cup of tea right now to do the "man" work. And you know how men love it when wives question their man judgement. In other words, I blame it on the hubby. Ray, what say you?).

[GGreen]

I have a 2005 LR3 HSE and I tow an 1983 Avion 30P which is rated dry at just under 6000 lbs. it's probably around 7000 lbs or more, I haven't weighed it. I have towed it with no issues with just the factory hitch. I recently switched to the Curt aftermarket receiver so I could use the simple EZ LIFT WD hitch that came with the trailer. I was concerned about the spare, but it fits. The new set up feels more secure and substantial. I'm having no issues with the suspension or anything else with this simple set up. I've towed thousands of miles with the LR3. I had an '99 Airstream Safari 25' before the Avion an towed it on dozens of trips over a three year period. I live in the mountains near Lake Tahoe. Lots of elevation gain and lost, lots of twisty mountain roads and passes and lots of wind. I have had zero sway issues with either of these trailers behind the LR3. I'm very happy with its performance as a tow vehicle. It should certainly work well for you towing a 23' Airstream. You might reconsider the Curt hitch if you decide on a WD set up, I don't know that the factory receiver will work as well as the Curt. BTW, for added strength, I also bolted the Curt to the safety chain loops on the LR3 and just hook the safety chains to the tow loop.

[LolaT]

GGreen, this is really good to hear. Especially as we live right by the Rocky Mountains and will be going up that way this weekend.

[Gsmblue]

Originally Posted by LolaT

Yes, I know they are there. I guess I just took hubby's word for it that they were too hard to get to, too small for the safety chains to hook onto, and the chains weren't long enough to hook on there. I guess I just need to get under there myself and try it out.

(I have a slipped disk, so not my cup of tea right now to do the "man" work. And you know how men love it when wives question their man judgement. In other words, I blame it on the hubby. Ray, what say you?).

lol! This is how our house operates too! Really excited to hear how the travels go, have fun

[GGreen]

In addition to my own positive experience, I have talked to two other LR3 owners that I met while camping who were also pulling Airstreams. One had a newer 27' and the other had an Eddie Bauer model, I believe it was the 25'. Both reported that they were quite happy with their Land Rovers as tow vehicles.

[cwf]

Lola, Ray,
I had trucks which made it really difficult to attach my safety chains to. So, I added a 'link'. One option was a 'loop' that I could fiddle with to get it on the truck hitch. The chains then connected to that 'link/loop'... it was a mere modification of the attachment point.. cost.... under $10... just be sure you use proper strength ones. After all, it is better for your trailer to beat up the back of your LR than to have the trailer veer into oncoming traffic after coming loose from an 'adequate' connection.

Chain attachment points on the AS, when in a 'center' mount configuration will keep the safety chains 'near' the centerline of the trailer tongue and 'should' catch the trailer. The 'length' of the chains may need to be modified, depending upon the hitch design you choose. To 'test' the length, back the LR slightly to one side of the AS hitch and connect the chains to the LR. Now, with all the 'wheel chocks' in place so the AS is secure, lower the tongue of the AS... make sure your 'stabilizers' are not deployed. The chains should 'catch' the AS, stopping the tongue from making contact with the ground.

The B.O. should be ok sway control...

[RaymondFitz]

Thank you, we are planning on taking our AS out late this afternoon. I plan on looking at the entire chain situation again then. As I recall when we were hitching the rig at the dealer, the Receiver Hitch Mount was the issue. It was to long and hung down preventing the chains from crossed under, causing them to bind up. I'll look into the add a 'link' option.

Ray

[HowieE]

As you look at things keep in mind that one of the reason for crossing the chains it to prevent BINDING.

That was a requirement when the chains were attached to the sides of the tongue, several inches of separation, and attached to the TB at points with several inches of separation. Your single points of attachment on both the TV and trailer lessen this requirement but also loses the benefit of the chains possibly supporting the tongue should the hitch fail.

A poor design at both ends.

[laketime]

Hensley hitches are amazing. Not only for WD and sway but turning. New ones are expensive, check Airstream Classifieds.

[rmkrum]

Also consider the ProPride which is an improved Hensley design. We like our ProPride system.


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[PKI]

One advantage to using the BOSP hitch is the flexibility. Since it does not have a stiff locked up TV to TT configuration, it can provide sway control with less shock transfer. For the right application the BOSP is a good solution. Pat