Blue Ox SwayPro 1000 or 1500 lbs spring bars?

[ddrg]

We're soon (next week) to pick up our 2018 Globetrotter. We're planning to use a Blue Ox Swaypro hitch. According to airstream.com, the GT hitch weight is 820 lbs. I thought we'd need the 1000 lb spring bars, but folks here may have experience that we don't.

Should we go with 1000 lb or 1500 lb spring bars?

Thanks... Duncan

[dznf0g]

I'd go 1k

[basaltfan]

We have 30 FC with about the same dry tongue weight. We had 1500 lb bars from a previous trailer and still use them on the Airstream. We run it with 4 full links showing, tows great with that setup. Blue Ox tech support said to use 1500 bars if the tongue weight was over 1000 lbs loaded which we are. Scale weight with full propane, full fresh water and loaded for travel is typically about 1150. Some may suggest the 1000 lb bars which I think would probably be ok if you ran with 3 full links showing. We have a Chevy 3/4 ton gas truck with pulls the Airstream well with this setup.

[sheinzer]

Thanks for asking about hitch assembly as I was also curious.

May I ask which dealer you bought from. We are just beginning to contact dealers for a new Globetrotter.

[Preligen]

Both are fine but the 1500 will be better if your planning on getting a heavier trailer later on.

[ShinyPete]

Ddrg-

FWIW, I think you will be ok with the 1K bars, but happier with the 1.5Ks. You should definitely talk to BlueOx support as well. Your tow vehicle also has bearing on which bars to go with as well. If you have a heavier suspended vehicle, even with around 1k hitch weight, 1K bars may work. Now, if you're interested in our experience with a BO, continue to read.

We towed our Pete, a 2014 Flying Cloud 27fb with a BO with 1K bars for the first 8 months or so, before scoring a deal on a used ProPride. Our coach is the same as yours except for decor, and you will have more than 820lbs of hitch weight loaded up, probably more like 1000.......

BlueOx wants a "bow" in their spring bars, as that's how their weight distribution & sway control works. We were able to achieve that with "capturing" the eighth link down from the free end of the chains on our setup (meaning the 8th link down was sitting in the saddle of the rotating chain binder). We were towing with a 2013 F150 2wd at the time (sorta soft on the suspension end, and barely enough payload).

I liked the BO ok, and I still use it on our enclosed cargo trailer, a huge improvement on that shoebox versus on the ball only. On the Airstream, the BO was "meh" OK - but we always had tail end wiggle when pretty much anything passed us on the interstate, especially the bow wave of large trucks. Here they come, push you right a little, then suck you back left a little. When the tail of the coach does that, the tow vehicle wants to do it too. It didn't get away from us, but it was annoying and tiresome. Maybe 1.5k bars would have locked ours down a little more......

Again, FWIW, I think the BlueOx is a very good hitch for their price point. It is easy to dial-in, easy to use, pretty clean, quiet, will backup ok, and does WD and SC pretty effectively. There are better options with more robust Weight Distribution and Sway Control (and correspondingly higher cost), but if you spend the time required to set it up properly, it is not a bad way to go. There a lot of hitch threads for you to read through on AirForums, and if you can get past the "mines better than yours" some threads turn into, many are very informative to your decision.

I hope this helps.

[Hans627]

I use the BO with 1000# bars on my 25' FB International. The TW of the AS is about 900 to 950# when ready to travel.

As was mentioned the BO bars must have a bow in them (there must be enough force to make work as designed). I originally had it set up with 3 1/2 links showing. When I went to the CAT scales for weighing I found that it was not tight enough so I now have it set with 2 1/2 links showing. It does an adequate job keeping sway under control and distributing weight to the front axle of the TV.

The only thing I do not like is the need to raise the tongue so high to engage the bars. And you must be very careful when unhooking. Make sure the pressure is off the bars or you could be hurt when it releases.

One final comment. The wrench suppled by BO for engaging the bars is totally inadequate. I went to Sears and got a breaker bar and a socket that provides the leverage needed.

BTW congrats on your new Globetrotter. DW really likes the design and we may be looking at one soon!

[joshjack]

We have 1000# bars on our 30’ International. I feel like one of the bars has become permanently deformed a little and have considered going to 1500# bars.

I am very happy with the performance though, overall. No sway and good weight distribution

[NOAZRK2690]

You probably only need 750 lb. bars. The two bars together would next to no weight on your TV. I use 1000lb. bars on my 34' slide-out.

[Lil Bear]

When we first were introduced to BO we had an F150 and a 23FB. With the 1000# bars I would catch the 7th link from the free end. That seemed to work well with a tongue weight of approximately 500 lbs.

When we went to the 26U with a tongue weight of 900 lbs the setup was light and I would try to grab more chain...lots of work!

We went to a larger vehicle F250 and I went to 1500# bars after talking with BO. I felt like I wanted more margin and the tech agreed. The rig tows beautifuly and when on the CAT scales ready for travel I am nicely balanced on the truck axels with a trailer coming in around 7500 lbs.

Now I show 4 full links below the saddle. It is less work and less hassle to grab the amount of chain needed and I have marked the link needed to be in the saddle with flouesent zip ties so I always know where to go.

Ditto on the breaker bar and socket. I also add a 4 inch extension between socket and bat so I clear propane tanks on the rotation. I also lift the rear of the truck with the trailer jack lift each time I hook/unhook...smooth as butter!

Congrats on the new AS and many miles of safe adventures!

[daleyocum]

What’s the downside to going with 1500lb bars? Does it make the hitch overly stiff over uneven surfaces? Give less sway control?

I’m also considering the BO for a FC25B with about the same tongue weight. Towing with a F150.

[ddrg]

Thanks very much for all your great replies. I'll call BlueOx and ask for their recommendation.

Ciao... Duncan

[gypsydad]

Lots of good advice. We like the BO. Weigh your tongue when loaded, to be sure. Talk with your dealer to see if he has a scale there, load it up with your gear, water, etc. (they usually have a scale they can use, from my experience) When we picked up our 28', the dealer tried to give us 1000# bars, since our 28' tongue weight in the brochure, said 923#. I told them BO recommended 1500# bars, but they "assured me" my tongue weight was well under 1000lbs. and 1500# bars would be overkill. (Our actual tongue weight was 1100#'s when we got to CAT scales.)


When I pushed the dealer to weigh, before leaving, their scale pegged at 1000#. We went with the 1500# bars as recommended by BO technicians. We have 4.5 links showing; That is the 7th link from the free end, sitting in the "cradle" for us. You can adjust up or down, a link as needed; for us, this works very well. Our last 25, we had 3.5 links showing.

The bars show some "spring bow"when we hitch up, which is what you want when towing. You may experience they are a bit stiff when new,; ours were, but they gained some flex after some use.

We have ours dialed in; no sway and feels very secure at speed in winds, going up/down Rockies, and when big trucks pass; no issues at all. This is our 3rd BO. We have had a Reese, and Equalizer also in past. Like the BO. Easy to set up, easy to load/unload, and very safe from our experience

[PKI]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

What’s the downside to going with 1500lb bars? -- snip --.

The down side to 1500s is that stiff is not good for AS and the bars need to flex to preload for sway control. The 1000-1500 jump is a big spread and requires a bit of care in the decision.

Weigh the coach loaded for travel. Add 80lbs for the hitch and pick the bars that match. If you want to transfer a lot of weight, you may go higher, but if your rig is capable, less may well be better. The proof is in the scale numbers, your tow/loadout philosophy, and ultimately - the tow stability.

Tow/load out philosophy - several perspectives here. Your final approach will reflect your rig capability and sensitivity. Example - the rig tows best with more weight on rear axle and at least the design weight on the front. Alternate - the rig tows best with equal weight on both the front and rear axles. Consideration - weight can be placed and weight can be transferred. The less weight that needs to be transfered the more flexible the hitch lash up needs to be. The less weight carried behind the rear axle of the Coach and the Tow Vehicle, the more stable the tow will be and the easier it is to transfer weight. The final approach depends on a balance of all factors and your comfort with that balance.

Speed philosophy - it's part of the balance too. Pat

[guskmg]

I have seen a 1000# bar break while pulling out of a new dealers lot. However, the oldest advice around says to keep the bar capacities near the actual tongue weight so as to provide spring shock absorbing to the hitching system. This will give the front of the Airstream the best ride. BTW, you don't always have to sock 'em up all the way. Quite often, if I plan to travel rough roads, I loosen mine up for a softer ride. That is a good reason to to by the next heavier rated TV, for the extra unplanned loading.
guskmg

[Steve Siler]

How do you know the Weight rating of your Blue Ox sway bars? Mine are not stamped with any numbers. n

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by guskmg

I have seen a 1000# bar break while pulling out of a new dealers lot. However, the oldest advice around says to keep the bar capacities near the actual tongue weight so as to provide spring shock absorbing to the hitching system. This will give the front of the Airstream the best ride. BTW, you don't always have to sock 'em up all the way. Quite often, if I plan to travel rough roads, I loosen mine up for a softer ride. That is a good reason to to by the next heavier rated TV, for the extra unplanned loading.
guskmg

So what I’m hearing is given that the OP (and I) will be right around 1,000 lbs loaded the best advice is to go to the 1,500 lb bars. Too bad they don’t make a 1,200lb version.

[joshjack]

Originally Posted by Steve Siler

How do you know the Weight rating of your Blue Ox sway bars? Mine are not stamped with any numbers. n

The number of dots stamped into the end tell you the weight rating.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

-- snip -- Too bad they don’t make a 1,200lb version.

Or you could tune your load to 1000lbs. There was a time when Airstream maintained that all trailers should have no more than 1000lbs on the tongue. But you keep reading and talking to folks. You will figure it out. Pat

[kdfulsome54]

I pull a 28 ft international with 950 lbs hitch weight. I chose the 1500 lb bars and put it on the 7th link from the free end. TV is a Chevy Silverado 1500 crew cab 4x4, and have no sway issues of any kind