Blue Ox Sway Pro

[Caffeinated]

It is a new system to me so all I can compare it to is our old system, a Reese style round bar WD system. We towed a 25 ft Komfort for years with the old system and towing the AS with the blue OX feels like I've been upgraded from steerage to first class on the QE II.

Mike

[NWRVR]

PKI, just re read your post:

"So, is it correct to assume that more preload (fewer chain links) will result in less twitching? The X has air suspension, so it's a bit tough to get the adjustment correct by measuring corner heights. Consequently we are doing the adjustments with a trial and error approach. Trailer does sit level. Will boost up the TV tire pressure some. That may help a bit. Any other ideas are appreciated. Will repost when we get some axel weights around the end of next month."

Not sure what you are referring to. When you say eight links are you referring to hooking into the ninth link from the end of the chain with the eith link resting on the jaw that takes the tension from the bars? If your dealer started with ten links then he had more weight distribution to the TV front axle and AS axles. Less links will have more weight on the hitch/TV rear axle.

[Hans627]

I have my AS at the local Camping World for service related to the brakes and controller. While there yesterday I looked at the Blue OX Sway Pro. It comes highly recommended by the service manager. He said he has been selling a lot of units lately (he said perhaps because he heard that Reese has declared bankruptcy, which he could not confirm as it was rumored, for what that is worth).

When I bought my AS (a 2009 25' Int) it came with a Reese WD hitch but no sway control at all. I think having some sway control is important so I purchased the Blue Ox with 1000# bars. I have a tow system that I think should work well for me!

Now if only I can get the brakes working I'm one step closer to getting out on the road!

[AWCHIEF]

FYI

http://assets.rigidhitch.com/Blue_Ox...,1500,2000.pdf

Video Viewer

[KJRitchie]

What are the loaded hitch weight of your 25s? My 2008 Classic 25fb is 1100-1200lbs. Blue Ox recommended the 1500s bars vs 1000lb bars or my application.

My Tundra's receiver is 16 3/4" off the ground measured to the lower opening. Which shank would I need? Is the 7 hole the best choice?
Kelvin

[John&Vicki]

Nine links seems like a lot - or maybe not enough depending on which end you're counting from. I have a rig very similar to yours: 25' Excella, ML500, Blue Ox with 750lb bars. Counting from the loose end of the chain I have mine at link six. In two years and over 12,000 miles in a variety of conditions I have never felt any sway. Perhaps the biggest test was on an Interstate where I was going 60mph and the big rigs were blowing by at 75-80. Nary a twitch.

One thing... Andy at Can-Am, who I consider a true expert on towing issues (some of the truck advocates here don't seem to be too fond of him) advised that if I have air ride I should turn it off. Moot point since I don't have.

Experiment with the links and you will dial it in.

Cheers,
John

[John&Vicki]

Oh, and be sure to raise the trailer and TV to relieve the tension before disconnecting the spring bars.

John

[NWRVR]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What are the loaded hitch weight of your 25s? My 2008 Classic 25fb is 1100-1200lbs. Blue Ox recommended the 1500s bars vs 1000lb bars or my application.

My Tundra's receiver is 16 3/4" off the ground measured to the lower opening. Which shank would I need? Is the 7 hole the best choice?
Kelvin

TW 815#, using 1,000# bars. I can't turn off my air suspension (no springs) nor would I want to.

[AWCHIEF]

Drive a 2011 Jeep GC Overland 4X4 Hemi. The air suspension can only be turned off for hookup and unhooking. At 15 MPH it turns itself back on and resumes normal ride height and leveling. Sometimes the so called experts can be out of touch with modern technology.

[Echelon73]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What are the loaded hitch weight of your 25s? My 2008 Classic 25fb is 1100-1200lbs. Blue Ox recommended the 1500s bars vs 1000lb bars or my application.

My Tundra's receiver is 16 3/4" off the ground measured to the lower opening. Which shank would I need? Is the 7 hole the best choice?
Kelvin

We have a Flying Cloud 30 and use the Sway Pro with 1000lb bars. I'm pretty sure my loaded tongue weight is over 1000lbs, but I did not want to jump up to the 1500lb bars. I read several places that you really need to load the bars up and get some good bow in them to see the anti-sway benefits. My bars are likely fully loaded and still not distributing all the weight, but I think it gives me better sway control and a softer ride. I'm still experimenting with it some though. I'm afraid I would not be placing enough tension on the 1500lb bars to get good sway control.

[KJRitchie]

I have 1000lb bars on my Equalizer and feel I don't have enough weight distribution either. Having to take the head apart to insert another washer is a chore because you have to torque the bolts up to 350+lbs then with the head angled down more its harder to hitch because you have to raise the coupler with the truck attached higher to get the bars on the L brackets. Already in some campsites I've had to raise he trailer to where I'm almost at the end of the jack travel and the truck tires are almost off the ground.

Kelvin

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Drive a 2011 Jeep GC Overland 4X4 Hemi. The air suspension can only be turned off for hookup and unhooking. At 15 MPH it turns itself back on and resumes normal ride height and leveling. Sometimes the so called experts can be out of touch with modern technology.

Well, we're playing a game of telephone here, with a poster relaying the message from a vendor. The general thing with modern air suspensions seems to be that they need to be either disabled or set to a specific mode (as recommended by the owner's manual) for setting up a weight-distro hitch, then turned on once hitched. Otherwise it's hard to figure out whether the weight distribution gear or the air shocks are doing the leveling, and the air suspension on its own is incapable of transferring load to the steering axle.

[NWRVR]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Well, we're playing a game of telephone here, with a poster relaying the message from a vendor. The general thing with modern air suspensions seems to be that they need to be either disabled or set to a specific mode (as recommended by the owner's manual) for setting up a weight-distro hitch, then turned on once hitched. Otherwise it's hard to figure out whether the weight distribution gear or the air shocks are doing the leveling, and the air suspension on its own is incapable of transferring load to the steering axle.

I shut my Range Rover down when I get the hitch ball under the tongue and don't plug in the 7-way. I lower the tongue on the hitch ball and the Rover settles and levels so the only way is to use trial and error or scales to dial it in. As I stated in an earlier post I found my sweet spot and can tell when driving if I need to take up an additional link or slack off one. I can't find where my owners manual specifies how to deal with the air suspension when hooking up WD.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by NWRVR

I shut my Range Rover down when I get the hitch ball under the tongue and don't plug in the 7-way. I lower the tongue on the hitch ball and the Rover settles and levels so the only way is to use trial and error or scales to dial it in. As I stated in an earlier post I found my sweet spot and can tell when driving if I need to take up an additional link or slack off one. I can't find where my owners manual specifies how to deal with the air suspension when hooking up WD.

Yeah, the '13 Range Rover manual (I just picked that year out of a hat) doesn't mention weight distribution at all, the "Handbook Supplement" on their site that covers towing says they only recommend a 551-lb tongue weight, so at that weight they probably don't need weight distro and they won't offer recommendations for going over.

One vehicle for which I've read (on towing threads) a detailed process for setting the air suspension to a static mode before setting up WD is the Grand Cherokee, but that may be apocryphal because looking up the 2014 owner's manual shows detailed references to weight-distribution hitches and overall recommendations about setup but no detailed procedure and no mention of the air suspension, so it may be a "tribal knowledge" thing people are passing around rather than a manufacturer's recommendation as I remember it being described.

[AWCHIEF]

Temporary disabling the air suspension on a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the Quadra-Trac /Drive II Four-Wheel Drive suspension is very simple. Press both the Down and Park buttons at the same time for approx 10 seconds. There is no way to manually turn the system back on. It will re-activate at 15 miles an hour. My normal process is to raise the Jeep to the 1st Off Road position (that raises the suspension 2 inches front and rear), deactivate the system, using the jack raise the rear of vehicle to relieve tension from bars, hook up the Blue Ox Sway Pro WD system, retract jack, drive around the block until the system re activates, lower the suspension to normal ride height, stop and double check that every thing is as it should be and enjoy my safe comfortable drive. The procedure for disabling the suspension is detailed in the owners manual.

In case there is too great an angle between the the trailer and the Jeep I may have difficulty correctly hooking up the bars. If that happens I attach the coupler to the vehicle, attach safety chains and power plug and retract jack. Pull out until level and then hook up the bars. Procedure is reversed for unhooking.
Others may have a different method or procedure but this is what works for me.

[NWRVR]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Yeah, the '13 Range Rover manual (I just picked that year out of a hat) doesn't mention weight distribution at all, the "Handbook Supplement" on their site that covers towing says they only recommend a 551-lb tongue weight, so at that weight they probably don't need weight distro and they won't offer recommendations for going over.

One vehicle for which I've read (on towing threads) a detailed process for setting the air suspension to a static mode before setting up WD is the Grand Cherokee, but that may be apocryphal because looking up the 2014 owner's manual shows detailed references to weight-distribution hitches and overall recommendations about setup but no detailed procedure and no mention of the air suspension, so it may be a "tribal knowledge" thing people are passing around rather than a manufacturer's recommendation as I remember it being described.

And I thought you had found the silver bullet "as recommended in the owner's manual" that owners of air suspension TVs had missed. ;-)

[PKI]

Originally Posted by NWRVR

PKI, just re read your post:

snip...snip......... Less links will have more weight on the hitch/TV rear axle.

That sounds correct if links are counted from the loose end of the chain. I've been counting the links rom the U-bolt on the bar.

The Blue Ox Sway Pro manual that AWCHIEF posted states that about 2in of bend is needed to provide sway control. Got to take a look at that parameter when we hitch up.

[AWCHIEF]

I was told by Blue Ox to count the links from the u-bolt. I count up 7 and the 8th link is captured in the bracket.

[NWRVR]

Ok, understood. Just the opposite of what my Airstream dealer tech walked me through on the set up, he had me count from the bitter end. Good to know on the 2" deflection of the bar. I will measure mine in the morning as we are camped for the night and I need my beauty sleep.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by NWRVR

Ok, understood. Just the opposite of what my Airstream dealer tech walked me through on the set up, he had me count from the bitter end. Good to know on the 2" deflection of the bar. I will measure mine in the morning as we are camped for the night and I need my beauty sleep.

Mine did not exactly give me the best or most accurate set up and use information either. That is why I called Blue Ox several times for guidance. They have excellent phone CS.