Blue Ox SwayPro 1000 vs 1500 lbs spring bars

[GettinAway]

August 2nd 2019 was it for me. Why did I wait so long? Love it. Sending this from Florida. AC is on in the AS!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

PS: Down to 21 work days before retirement. My smile never leaves my face [emoji4]

Congratulations! I didn’t know there was an app for that!

I’ve already retired once, got dragged back to work, and now I can retire again any time I want to. Just stay busy, active, and keep learning new things.

An idle mind tends to go away quicker than you would expect.

I retired once also...now I'm tired 24/7.

No links, no chains, just marks for different loads.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

PS: Down to 21 work days before retirement. My smile never leaves my face [emoji4]

Congratulations! I didn’t know there was an app for that!

I’ve already retired once, got dragged back to work, and now I can retire again any time I want to. Just stay busy, active, and keep learning new things.

An idle mind tends to go away quicker than you would expect.

rmkrum, thanks! And yes, "there's an app for that"!

To your point about idle time, we talked to a financial advisor a few years ago and he asked what we wanted to do in retirement. Hadn't thought about that! My DW and I love photography and visiting National Parks - now we have the Airstream.

My only concern now is what will I do when I run out of projects to do to the trailer? I enjoy making improvements to the trailer so there's a small budget included in our new financial plan - keeps me from getting carried away! Installing a Victron 712 Battery Monitor this weekend...

Cheers!
Jeff

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

August 2nd 2019 was it for me. Why did I wait so long? Love it. Sending this from Florida. AC is on in the AS!

GettinAway, I aspire to be like you! So glad you're doing well and enjoying retirement + the new Globetrotter.

[GettinAway]

Update. I tightened the weight distribution by one link. Never could find a really level place to get a pic. Definitely added a curve to the weight distribution bars. Did not change the level of the truck or the AS. Which is fine with me.
It did make quite a bit of difference on the ride in the Tundra. Much smoother ride, same on the sway.
Just came across the causeway into St Petersburg FL from the south. Had high wind warnings. No sway. I did slow down just in case. Strap is to kayak on the truck.

[Downhill502]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Update. I tightened the weight distribution by one link. Never could find a really level place to get a pic. Definitely added a curve to the weight distribution bars. Did not change the level of the truck or the AS. Which is fine with me.
It did make quite a bit of difference on the ride in the Tundra. Much smoother ride, same on the sway.
Just came across the causeway into St Petersburg FL from the south. Had high wind warnings. No sway. I did slow down just in case. Strap is to kayak on the truck.
Attachment 362850

Sounds like you have it dialed in! Seat of the pants during high wind is a great way to confirm proper adjustment. Great job [emoji106]

[GettinAway]

On somewhat level ground. Finally took a pic. I don’t want to add more tension to the bars as I don’t want to raise the front of the trailer any more. Ride is smoother with less feel of tongue weight. Still little or no sway at all. Feels great.

[Ultraclassic]

If you raise the rig with the tung jack, it allows you to put the chains at the correct links, I also put cable ties on the next link so I didn't have to count every time, then lower the jack and good to go. No sweat involved. I also do this in loading the bars too. But not every time

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

On somewhat level ground. Finally took a pic. I don’t want to add more tension to the bars as I don’t want to raise the front of the trailer any more. Ride is smoother with less feel of tongue weight. Still little or no sway at all. Feels great. Attachment 363116

GettinAway

I am on the mobile app so forgive me if you said this already.

Are you using BlueOx, and if so 1000lb bars, and if so how many links from the loose end before and after.

Thanks Ultra

[GettinAway]

Yes. 1,000 lb bars. 8th from the loose end. 9th from the bars.
I was on 7 and 10. Had a bit more sag and rear bounce.

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Yes. 1,000 lb bars. 8th from the loose end. 9th from the bars.
I was on 7 and 10. Had a bit more sag and rear bounce.

Thanks

[GettinAway]

Looking at the pic above, it looks like I can go one more link tighter? I’ll definitely have to find another way to ratchet the tension bolt open and closed. I already raise the tongue jack up quite a bit to hook up and unhook, but that little tool BO gives you still about breaks my wrist when I’m unhooking. I think I’ve got a long handled ratchet with a 1” socket up at the farm.

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Looking at the pic above, it looks like I can go one more link tighter? I’ll definitely have to find another way to ratchet the tension bolt open and closed. I already raise the tongue jack up quite a bit to hook up and unhook, but that little tool BO gives you still about breaks my wrist when I’m unhooking. I think I’ve got a long handled ratchet with a 1” socket up at the farm.

Try a half link - overlap 2 links on each chain and slip a 7/16 or ½ “ bolt in there. The nut only needs to be finger tight - seriously, it won’t come loose.

The thing I don’t like about your setup is the ball mount being so far back from the receiver. This offsets the long wheelbase of the truck.

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Looking at the pic above, it looks like I can go one more link tighter? I’ll definitely have to find another way to ratchet the tension bolt open and closed. I already raise the tongue jack up quite a bit to hook up and unhook, but that little tool BO gives you still about breaks my wrist when I’m unhooking. I think I’ve got a long handled ratchet with a 1” socket up at the farm.

I picked up a 30” half-inch drive breaker bar and a 1” deep socket. Raising the jack does help a lot.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by AlbertF

Try a half link - overlap 2 links on each chain and slip a 7/16 or ½ “ bolt in there. The nut only needs to be finger tight - seriously, it won’t come loose.

The thing I don’t like about your setup is the ball mount being so far back from the receiver. This offsets the long wheelbase of the truck.

I think I follow the half link idea. I’ll try that.
The ball mount distance is set by the length of shaft of the BO hitch, correct? I’m not sure how I could change it..
Edit. This shaft on the BO is longer than what was on the EZ hitch I had before. I couldn’t open the tailgate on the Tundra before, and now I can. It it just this BO hitch I have, or all BO hitches?

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

I think I follow the half link idea. I’ll try that.
The ball mount distance is set by the length of shaft of the BO hitch, correct? I’m not sure how I could change it..
Edit. This shaft on the BO is longer than what was on the EZ hitch I had before. I couldn’t open the tailgate on the Tundra before, and now I can. It it just this BO hitch I have, or all BO hitches?

My BO hitch/ball looks the same. Personally I like the ball distance, allows me to open my tail gate. Also gives more clearance when doing tight turns, otherwise I'd likely rub the corner of my truck against the camper. I've experienced no adverse effects when towing.

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

I think I follow the half link idea. I’ll try that.
The ball mount distance is set by the length of shaft of the BO hitch, correct? I’m not sure how I could change it..
Edit. This shaft on the BO is longer than what was on the EZ hitch I had before. I couldn’t open the tailgate on the Tundra before, and now I can. It it just this BO hitch I have, or all BO hitches?

You may not be able to change it because of the way the shank has been fabricated. I see a couple of substantial gussets in the photo. With an Eaz-Lift, someone with a drill press and a ⅝” drill can easily drill another hole in the shank to shorten things up. The ball mount I use is an old style welded unit, and the head is about a half inch from the back bumper of the car.

The ratio of rear overhang - axle centreline to pivot point - to tow vehicle wheelbase is more important than tow vehicle wheelbase by itself. Every inch that you can gain by moving the ball closer to the truck is like adding 2 to 3” to the truck’s wheelbase. You are reducing the leverage that the trailer has over the truck.

This doesn’t matter with a Hensley or ProPride because those hitches use a trapezoidal system to project the pivot point ahead, maybe even as far as the rear axle. This should result in straight line stability similar to that of a fifth wheel.

It’s a choice - convenience, or optimum stability and handling. Price is a factor too.

On edit - shortening the overhang also reduces the tension needed to achieve optimum weight distribution.

[AirMiles]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

On somewhat level ground. Finally took a pic. I don’t want to add more tension to the bars as I don’t want to raise the front of the trailer any more. Ride is smoother with less feel of tongue weight. Still little or no sway at all. Feels great. Attachment 363116

If it were my rig, I'd lower the ball height by one set of holes and crank more weight distribution in to level the truck more. I ran with the 11th link from the loose end of the chain in the slot and 1-1/2 links showing under the latches when hitched with my 25' Airstream and Blue Ox and never felt any sway, push-pull from passing vehicles. It handled like it was on rails and removed the heavy feel of the tongue weight from the truck. You need a long breaker bar and a 1" socket to crank the bars that hard and you need to raise the truck with the power jack fairly high to achieve the 11th link. I ran my 25' Airstream 40,000 miles on that setting with 1000# bars.

Also, do not drill a new hole to shorten the ball distance on a cast shank because it will crack. You must have a solid steel shank to make modifications (drill or cut) . The picture GettinAway posted has a cast shank.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by AlbertF

You may not be able to change it because of the way the shank has been fabricated. I see a couple of substantial gussets in the photo. With an Eaz-Lift, someone with a drill press and a ⅝” drill can easily drill another hole in the shank to shorten things up. The ball mount I use is an old style welded unit, and the head is about a half inch from the back bumper of the car.

The ratio of rear overhang - axle centreline to pivot point - to tow vehicle wheelbase is more important than tow vehicle wheelbase by itself. Every inch that you can gain by moving the ball closer to the truck is like adding 2 to 3” to the truck’s wheelbase. You are reducing the leverage that the trailer has over the truck.

This doesn’t matter with a Hensley or ProPride because those hitches use a trapezoidal system to project the pivot point ahead, maybe even as far as the rear axle. This should result in straight line stability similar to that of a fifth wheel.

It’s a choice - convenience, or optimum stability and handling. Price is a factor too.

On edit - shortening the overhang also reduces the tension needed to achieve optimum weight distribution.

Ok. Got it now. Since it’s pulling very well. I think I’ll leave it alone as far as the distance of the ball to the truck.
Thx

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by AirMiles

If it were my rig, I'd lower the ball height by one set of holes and crank more weight distribution in to level the truck more. I ran with the 11th link from the loose end of the chain in the slot and 1-1/2 links showing under the latches when hitched with my 25' Airstream and Blue Ox and never felt any sway, push-pull from passing vehicles. It handled like it was on rails and removed the heavy feel of the tongue weight from the truck. You need a long breaker bar and a 1" socket to crank the bars that hard and you need to raise the truck with the power jack fairly high to achieve the 11th link. I ran my 25' Airstream 40,000 miles on that setting with 1000# bars.

Also, do not drill a new hole to shorten the ball distance on a cast shank because it will crack. You must have a solid steel shank to make modifications (drill or cut) . The picture GettinAway posted has a cast shank.

Airmiles, what you are saying makes sense. I’ll look at lowering the ball by one hole. Still looking at lifting the trailer by 3” so it’ll need to be reset at that time. It’s funny on sway, there is zero push pull when an semi goes by me. (Either way). But when a car or minivan goes by me at 30+ mph difference, I feel that. Not much, but it rocks the truck. Could have something to do with the kayak too. When I went up a link on the chain to more tension, the heavy feel of the tongue weight.
I appreciate the feedback. It’s definitely a cast shank, and I won’t be drilling into it..