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08-08-2014, 11:52 AM
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#1
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Blue Ox Sway Pro
Add me to the list of Blue Ox Sway Pro users. I just got home after having Foley RV/Airstream install mine. My trailer is a 2006 Safari LS 23. On Blue Oxs recommendation I am using the 750 lb. bars. Only issue was finding the correct receiver bar. I have a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the air adjustable suspension. It requires a longer bar than the one supplied with the hitch kit. After trying several different bars Gary was able to find the correct combination. Drive home was only about 20 miles but the improved ride was very noticeable over the Draw Tite 600 that came with my trailer. The TV/trailer seemed very connected with no banging, clanging or jerking. The only exterior grease is on the ball so it is cleaner to handle compared to some other brands. Bounce was reduced on a couple of bridges and big truck induced sway was all but eliminated. The hitch is certainly heavy but nothing even my old tired back can not handle for at least short distances. I might try to come up with a rolling cart to assist in moving it about? My first impression of the hitch is positive. At this time I really have no definitive way to verify weight distribution. When I can I plan on making a trip to the scales.
I would welcome honest discussion on the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Tips and tricks from actual users are always of use and would be appreciated.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-08-2014, 12:05 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1999 30' Excella 1000
small town
, Maryland
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 802
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Since I'm in the market of buying a hitch I'll watch this post closely. Thanks AWCHIEF
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08-08-2014, 03:32 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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You want to buy a used Draw Tite, cheap?
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-08-2014, 05:35 PM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
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When we purchased our 2014 23fb International the Blue Ox is the hitch the dealer included. It is easy to use and have not noticed any sway. It is a little heavy but it is manageable.
Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums
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08-09-2014, 08:27 PM
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#5
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Tino
Currently Looking...
Blainville
, Quebec
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 150
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Hello Awchief. Why the longer bar? I have also a GC....Thanks
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08-09-2014, 08:33 PM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
san jose
, California
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 56
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Sway Pro
Quote:
Originally Posted by AWCHIEF
Add me to the list of Blue Ox Sway Pro users. I just got home after having Foley RV/Airstream install mine. My trailer is a 2006 Safari LS 23. On Blue Oxs recommendation I am using the 750 lb. bars. Only issue was finding the correct receiver bar. I have a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the air adjustable suspension. It requires a longer bar than the one supplied with the hitch kit. After trying several different bars Gary was able to find the correct combination. Drive home was only about 20 miles but the improved ride was very noticeable over the Draw Tite 600 that came with my trailer. The TV/trailer seemed very connected with no banging, clanging or jerking. The only exterior grease is on the ball so it is cleaner to handle compared to some other brands. Bounce was reduced on a couple of bridges and big truck induced sway was all but eliminated. The hitch is certainly heavy but nothing even my old tired back can not handle for at least short distances. I might try to come up with a rolling cart to assist in moving it about? My first impression of the hitch is positive. At this time I really have no definitive way to verify weight distribution. When I can I plan on making a trip to the scales.
I would welcome honest discussion on the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Tips and tricks from actual users are always of use and would be appreciated.
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Thnak you very much for your posting, very encouraing, since we are in the market for a wd system. Our dealer is recommending the blue ox, but it is good to hear opinions like yours, keep us posted and happy trailering/camping
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08-09-2014, 09:03 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tino643
Hello Awchief. Why the longer bar? I have also a GC....Thanks
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The GC Overland hitch sits higher than average so a longer drop bar is required to get the trailer coupler at 18 inches. Otherwise the trailer sits nose high. You still have to turn off the air suspension when hooking up or it will try to raise the Jeep as soon as weight is put on it. Once you get all hooked up, have the hitch properly adjusted and start to move the air suspension will reactivate and adjust itself to the proper moving height. The Airstream tech told my that the goal is to keep the top of the coupler at 19 inches + or - 1 inch. I am not an engineer so I do not understand all the details of setting up the hitch. I need to put a few miles on it and play around with different chain settings to see what the effect of the adjustments is. The whole thing with the weight scales and all the table top engineering discussions that are common here do nothing but confuse me.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-09-2014, 09:27 PM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
1977 Argosy 28
Irrigon
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 122
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I also just switched to a blue ox, and really like it so far. We did about an 800 mile trip with our 28' Argosy 2 weeks ago and everything went smooth. Right after I set it up I took it for a test run on a deserted road. At 40 & 50 mph I could jerk the wheel and the trailer got back in line with the pickup instantly. I'm with awchief on the scales thing, I followed the instructions and set it up by the front wheel well measurements. The first time I hooked it up tightening the chains was doable, the 2nd time I raised the jack a little bit and it was easy. I also agree about the length of the receiver bar, if I had a little taller pickup I would need a longer one.
__________________
Rod
AIR# 60278
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08-09-2014, 09:56 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Rod, glad you mentioned raising the jack. One of the tricks the tech showed me was to raise the jack way up to take the strain off the bars. It really makes a difference hooking up and unhooking the chains.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-09-2014, 10:11 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2013 25' FB Flying Cloud
Longmont
, Colorado
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,105
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There is another thread with several people's experience with the Blue Ox, including mine. I hope this link works for you:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...tem-92737.html
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08-10-2014, 06:09 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AWCHIEF
Rod, glad you mentioned raising the jack. One of the tricks the tech showed me was to raise the jack way up to take the strain off the bars. It really makes a difference hooking up and unhooking the chains.
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I am training the wife to perform this task. She is closer to the ground than me!
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08-10-2014, 06:15 AM
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#12
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Rivet Monster
1975 31' Sovereign
1980 31' Excella II
Sprung Leak
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AWCHIEF
Rod, glad you mentioned raising the jack. One of the tricks the tech showed me was to raise the jack way up to take the strain off the bars. It really makes a difference hooking up and unhooking the chains.
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That is pretty much standard procedure for any WDH with spring bars.
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #XXXX AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
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08-10-2014, 07:51 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SSquared
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Thank you, interesting thread.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-10-2014, 07:52 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc
That is pretty much standard procedure for any WDH with spring bars.
Aaron
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Thank you, it was new to me as my only WD hitch experience has been with the Andersen WD system. Good to learn something new every day.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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08-10-2014, 08:16 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1990 25' Excella
Sisters
, Oregon
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,195
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I was on an outing with the Oregon chapter of WBCCI and five of the 15 there, including me, had Blue Ox hitches. Seemed like a veteran savvy group and everyone was satisfied with their hitch. I have mine because it came with the trailer. So far I've towed about 5,000 miles with it in all kinds of conditions and terrains and everything has performed well. It really got rock solid when I moved from link six to link seven. Haven't had it on the scales yet. TV is a ML500.
Poppy
__________________
John Audette
Air Cooled Porsche Specialist -
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled. ~ Robert Frost
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07-01-2015, 04:51 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Walnut Creek
, California
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,952
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OK - this thread has been a round a while, but I'm hoping a few Blue Ox experts look in from time to time. I would appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Pulling a 2015 FC23FB with a BMW X5. Dealer set it up with 10 links. Generally we have a good tow, but from time to time we get twitchy and bumps give us some bounce. We have the 750 lb bars. We specified the 750s to limit the impact force on the TV and the AS. On the last trip, the chains went to 9 links and plan to try 8 when we take Glimmer on the road again.
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.
Clear roads to you all. Pat
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07-01-2015, 05:37 PM
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#17
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Moderator
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Alamo Heights
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PKI
OK - this thread has been a round a while, but I'm hoping a few Blue Ox experts look in from time to time. I would appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Pulling a 2015 FC23FB with a BMW X5. Dealer set it up with 10 links. Generally we have a good tow, but from time to time we get twitchy and bumps give us some bounce. We have the 750 lb bars. We specified the 750s to limit the impact force on the TV and the AS. On the last trip, the chains went to 9 links and plan to try 8 when we take Glimmer on the road again.
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.
Clear roads to you all. Pat
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Do you have a feeling about whether the difference in your twitchiness/bumpiness depends on road surface, speeds, or nothing you can put your finger on? If the freshwater tank is ahead of the axles it might have some effect on tongue weight, but I'm guessing that's less of an issue than on a trailer like mine (which has the freshwater tank all the way forward.) Oh, and I'm towing with an older-style WD setup, *NOT* a Blue Ox, but the ride improvement when I have more than half a tank of freshwater is noticeable.
__________________
— David
Zero Gravitas — 2017 Flying Cloud 26U | WBCCI# 15566
He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. — Sir Winston Churchill
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07-01-2015, 05:46 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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I started with 8 links as recommended by Blue Ox. I now adjust to 7 and seem to get a better ride. It is a purely subjective feel and observation. Also I get less drama when unhitching. I have also starting using a socket with extension and a long handled ratchet instead of the supplied Blue Ox tool. It gives better leverage and moves my head from over the brackets. Keep a close eye on the bracket mounting bolt as it will possibly come lose causing the bracket to separate from the frame when unhitching. From personal experience I can tell you that when it smacks you up side the head you become very aware of this issue.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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07-01-2015, 09:18 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Walnut Creek
, California
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,952
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Part of the problem is not knowing exactly what the cause is. Yesterday we had some rolling pavement that looked smooth. It was a first layer of asphault on a repave. We drove it later with the TV and it was clear we were getting roadway movement with the trailer. The old pavement was much smoother and we had a more stable ride.
We do get pushed a bit by buses and delivery vans. You can feel the tail move and then the TV gets a push. As long as you see it coming it's manageable. The Semis are not really an issue, which is a surprise. Seems to be related to ground clearance.
The bounce is obvious when hitting sequential dips/bumps. Just got to slow down for that.
The twitch becomes a concerning wiggle when the surface is poor and even more so in the middle of a curve.
Like the breaker bar suggestion. No bang on the head, but blood has been spilled. It's a simple system, but takes some thought to correctly activate the mechanism. Being clear of everything is a very good approach.
Have not observed the clamps getting loose, but it was one of the concerns initially. The bolt on brackets are worth considering if the clamps become problematic.
Has anyone modified the stinger to add a new cross pin hole so the ball is closer to the TV? Also considering cutting off some of the head mounting holes to improve ground clearance. We had to reverse the stinger to get the head lower and the lowest surface is about 6in off the ground. It looks like there is a two hole model that might work without modification, but I think we need 3 holes.
Small steps, one at a time.
Believe we may need to try a bit of weight forward to see what might result.
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07-01-2015, 10:06 PM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
2015 30' Classic
Sherwood
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 479
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PKI
OK - this thread has been a round a while, but I'm hoping a few Blue Ox experts look in from time to time. I would appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Pulling a 2015 FC23FB with a BMW X5. Dealer set it up with 10 links. Generally we have a good tow, but from time to time we get twitchy and bumps give us some bounce. We have the 750 lb bars. We specified the 750s to limit the impact force on the TV and the AS. On the last trip, the chains went to 9 links and plan to try 8 when we take Glimmer on the road again.
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.
Clear roads to you all. Pat
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I have the Blue Ox Sway Pro with 1,000# bars on a 2008 Range Rover HSE towing a 2014 International Serenity 25FB. My Airstream dealer set it up at six links when we picked it up and it handled very well. We added a 40# mattress topper and the next trip over the same route the TV steering seemed a bit light and felt like a little more bounce. Like you I have air suspension so can't measure for change, just trial and error or go to the scales frequently. On the return trip I set the bars at seven links and the ride returned to the original stable ride. On this trip we added a grill that coincidentally weights 40# and loaded it for transport under the rear dinette table, returned to six links and have the same stable ride. I now know where the sweet spot is and will be able to track weights added or subtracted to the front and rear of the trailer. Had 18 wheelers and 40' motor homes traveling on opposite side of two lane 101 coast highway plus high wind today, no problem with sway.
__________________
2015 Classic 30A, Blue OX Sway Pro, 2016 F350 4x4 Ultimate Lariat crew cab SRW, LWB, 6.7 PSD, 20" wheels, Ingot Silver Metallic, DiamondBack tonneau cover, TrailFX wheel-to-wheel step bars.
Sold: 2014 25FB International Serenity
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