Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch

Bill Price; · 07-27-2003, 07:30 AM

I have a 34 Ft Airstream Limited on order. I am considering using the Blue Ox hitch with a 2004 Ford F-350 4 x 4 diesel pickup. Can anyone tell me of your experiences with the Blue Ox hitch? Thanks

Silvertwinkie · 07-27-2003, 08:28 AM

You know a bunch of folks swear by the Hensley. Given that yours is the biggest one out there, perhaps it might be one to consider. Sorry, I don't have any Blue Ox info to share.

montanaandy · 07-27-2003, 09:47 AM

Bill:

I had the local RV dealer install a Reese with WD & AS recently. Took the AS out over the past few days (Yellowstone) and it handled great. Took in some very difficult roads to put it through the paces. Pretty beefy hitch (I believe 1000 lb bars). The cost of the Reese was around $650 inclu. labor. Easy to hook up and take down.

I have no doubt that the Hensley is a great hitch and those that have them swear by them so you can't go wrong with one. I just didn't want to have to install the hitch and I wanted to be able to bring the hitch into the dealer for adjustment/repair if needed (which I did just prior to taking the AS out for the 1st time).

THe installer mentioned that I was one of the few who had both the WD & AD installed - most people with SOB's only install the WD which is scary considering the size of some of the 5th wheels that I see going down the road

Montanaandy

Midamrail · 07-27-2003, 12:47 PM

My dad delivers new travel trailers all over the country as a post-retirement job. He's not allowed to bolt any brackets on the trailers for sway control bars and can use only weight-distributing bars.

However, a couple of weeks ago, he purchased a new Equal-i-zer hitch and absolutely loves it. He has used it for both his own 28' Argosy as well as up to 38' box trailers and says it's wonderful and eliminates virtually all sway. It's a little bit trickier to hitch up, but it requires no modifications to the truck or trailer and no separate friction sway control bar. I think he paid around $450-$500 for the complete hitch including a 25,000 lb capacity ball.

The Equal-i-zer was also recommended highly to us recently by an experienced and established Airstream dealer.

Pahaska · 07-27-2003, 02:30 PM

I'm sure that if it is a Blue-Ox, it isn't a bad product; they have been building towing products for a long time. I just think they have missed the mark with this one.

I have looked at the Blue Ox web material and I can't see any real-world advantages over something like a Dual-cam. They do have a 2-way springing arrangement, but I have never seen aone-way springing as a disadvantage. OTOH, I would really dislike having to chop up my A-frame and relocate tanks and battery in order to install the Blue-Ox. With the rework, it would get mighty expensive.

mswartz · 02-28-2004, 11:18 PM

I installed a BX2004 hitch on my 19ft 2001 Bambi in 2002 and it has performed very well. The spring tower provides the torquing action about the hitch head to replace the spring bars. With the BX hitch, the hookup is quite quick and straightforward.
I can't say that the BX hitch provides any significant antisway control, but I do use a BX1800 antisway control with it.
You can see pictures of the system installed on my website at
www.mswartz.com .