Wandering Week guy: Hitches I WOULD NEVER Use Again: BlueOx

[blacklab]

The Wandering Week chap lists BlueOx (Sway Pro and TracPro) as 2 of the 3 hitches he "WOULD NEVER Use Again" and "Do Not Recommend"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHMqIAo-2B0

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by blacklab

The Wandering Week chap lists BlueOx (Sway Pro and TracPro) as 2 of the 3 hitches he "WOULD NEVER Use Again" and "Do Not Recommend"

A couple interesting things about his video. First, in his description, he's still linking to the SwayPro as "our weight distribution hitch," which is interesting. Second, I have none of the issues he points to in his complaints of the SwayPro. In 4 years and 2 trailers, we've never experienced any sway with it, through mountain passes, windy plains, passing trucks (we fell nothing). But he has a very different trailer, so maybe for his use case, firmer bars are the better way to go.

I'll also note that from his other WDH videos, often times his ranking is very subjective. He gives points for thicker and beefier saddles, bars, etc. without really any apparent engineering perspective on why a beefier or slimmer part is better or worse. I appreciate his reviews and perspective, but I also take it with a grain of salt.

[OrangeCrush]

So what does he think is the best....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8eY-qbtuJU

[Dennis C]

I loved my Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch. I’ll buy another when I buy another Airstream.

[ROBERT CROSS]

We got our Arrow in 2007 and never looked back.

Air Forums credo...
“If you’re happy with what you’re doing…all is good.
If other people are unhappy….it’s not”
RLC

Bob
🇺🇸

[gypsydad]

What size travel trailer was he using? What Tow Vehicle? Trashing Blue Ox because the "wrench" didn't fit the nut on the over center cam/lock and his comment about "porposing" tells me he was just "evaluating" and looking to get his review in; not interested in dialing in the BO. Not enough experience with the Blue Ox nor discussion with Blue Ox tech folks, or he would have adjusted to eliminate the porposing for sure..not credible IMHO. If he was truely interested, he would have worked thru set up and figured out how to set up properly and understand why Blue Ox is one of the highest rated hitches out there...IMHO of course.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

What size travel trailer was he using? What Tow Vehicle? Trashing Blue Ox because the "wrench" didn't fit the nut on the over center cam/lock and his comment about "porposing" tells me he was just "evaluating" and looking to get his review in; not interested in dialing in the BO. Not enough experience with the Blue Ox nor discussion with Blue Ox tech folks, or he would have adjusted to eliminate the porposing for sure..not credible IMHO. If he was truely interested, he would have worked thru set up and figured out how to set up properly and understand why Blue Ox is one of the highest rated hitches out there...IMHO of course.

Ditto here.
12 years 3 different size AS, tried Equalizer ok, Anderson complete junk,
and Blue OX the last 6 years on our 30' Classic no issues whatsoever.

[geo]

My only complaint about my BlueOx SwayPro is that the distribution bars sit very low, and I have had issues with them bottoming out when navigating on of off a relatively steep driveway. Otherwise, it's worked fine for me for five years now.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Ditto here.
12 years 3 different size AS, tried Equalizer ok, Anderson complete junk,
and Blue OX the last 6 years on our 30' Classic no issues whatsoever.

Yea, agree. I had Reese on my first 25' which was ok; then on second 25'AS it came with an Equalizer, which broke/twisted while backing right after I picked it up in Tucson area...dealer only had Blue Ox in stock and he showed me proper way to hitch up. He also suggested I get an 18" braker bar with socket vs the wrench that came with the BO. It worked out great so I purchased new Blue Ox SP's on my next new 2014 25' AS and again with my new 2017 28' AS...argued with the dealer on the 28' about size of the sway bars...he wanted me to get 750lb; I told him the tongue weight (from reading the Forum) was likely well over 900lbs...he weighed it but his scale pegged out at 1000lbs so we knew we were over that (turns out to be 1100lbs) anway, got the 1500lb bars, but set up too loose; 5.5 links showing at the time. An hour later we noticed the porposing, so I pulled over and sinched up to 5.5 links...that worked great for 2 years and now I am at 3.5 links showing. I am very happy with the handling and the ride. Easy to set up and take down also with the braker bar and using the power jack.

[switz]

Retired the Hensley Arrow we started with on our first Airstream, a 2013 25FB International Serenity and was later moved to the 2015 23D International Serenity. We now have two ProPride hitches, one on the 2014 31' Classic and the other on our 2015 23D.

Tow vehicles are a 2012 Ram 2500HD Cummins that can tow either trailer and a 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser that tows the 23D.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

What size travel trailer was he using? What Tow Vehicle? Trashing Blue Ox because the "wrench" didn't fit the nut on the over center cam/lock and his comment about "porposing" tells me he was just "evaluating" and looking to get his review in; not interested in dialing in the BO. Not enough experience with the Blue Ox nor discussion with Blue Ox tech folks, or he would have adjusted to eliminate the porposing for sure..not credible IMHO. If he was truely interested, he would have worked thru set up and figured out how to set up properly and understand why Blue Ox is one of the highest rated hitches out there...IMHO of course.

In all fairness to the reviewer, he does state in his previous video (see my earlier post #3) he is using a 2020 F250 7.3L and a 2018 Grand Design Imagine 28BH. As for proposing, he does speculate that maybe he should have gotten stiffer bars and thinks the taper is part of the problem. He complains that if that is the case then Blue Ox should have recommended it to begin with and leaves it at that. As you say, he should have worked more closely with Blue Ox tech support and I think he should have followed through with stiffer bars before posting a negative review.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

As you say, he should have worked more closely with Blue Ox tech support and I think he should have followed through with stiffer bars before posting a negative review.

I agree that for the type of trailer the reviewer has (2018 Grand Design Imagine 28BH), there is probably no significant downside to having stiffer bars. BUT the construction of our Airstreams is a far cry from that of his trailer and stiffer bars can have a serious negative impact on the AS, among others FES or front end separation.

This has been thoroughly discussed on AirForums. Here is one thread which is up to over 36K reads on the topic. The conclusion is that after 2 years of traveling with new round, tapered WD bars and chains similar to the Blue Ox hitch (installed by Can Am RV) which replaced the "stiff square bars", all is still rock solid up front and the rig is a pleasure to drive.

Here is a thread for those who wish to dig into the issue, from an AS owner's perspective (for SOBs it's a whole different matter).

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f23...am-225389.html

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Hermes

I agree that for the type of trailer the reviewer has (2018 Grand Design Imagine 28BH), there is probably no significant downside to having stiffer bars. BUT the construction of our Airstreams is a far cry from that of his trailer and stiffer bars can have a serious negative impact on the AS, among others FES or front end separation.

This has been thoroughly discussed on AirForums. Here is one thread which is up to over 36K reads on the topic. The conclusion is that after 2 years of traveling with new round, tapered WD bars and chains similar to the Blue Ox hitch (installed by Can Am RV) which replaced the "stiff square bars", all is still rock solid up front and the rig is a pleasure to drive.

Here is a thread for those who wish to dig into the issue, from an AS owner's perspective (for SOBs it's a whole different matter).

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f23...am-225389.html

Yes, I have read that thread and not looking to re-hash it. There is a huge difference between a round tapered bar (non-linear) and straight square bar (stiff and linear). My only point was trying to support that he should have tried a heavier tapered bar to reduce proposing before posting his review.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by geo

My only complaint about my BlueOx SwayPro is that the distribution bars sit very low, and I have had issues with them bottoming out when navigating on of off a relatively steep driveway. Otherwise, it's worked fine for me for five years now.

Blue Ox makes a different head just for undermount hitches where the bars hang low with the standard head.

Charles

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Yes, I have read that thread and not looking to re-hash it. There is a huge difference between a round tapered bar (non-linear) and straight square bar (stiff and linear). My only point was trying to support that he should have tried a heavier tapered bar to reduce proposing before posting his review.

Agree. I found the 1500# bars extremely stiff when installed new picking up my 28', and that's why I initially, tried with 5.5 links showing vs the recommended 3.5 links. It was what caused the porposing once on the highway. Tightening up the link to 4.5 links showing, stopped that as I made this adjustment on side of the highway outside Portland. The "tension" of the tapered bars is part of the overall system with Blue Ox that helps eliminate any sway. A solid bar type some other WDH have without the added chain suspension don't have same type advantage from what I have observed. Important to follow the instructions using your power jack to help load/unload and use the socket/breaker bar also, and pay attention.

[NutmegsCamper]

I'd like to think that Airstream researched and found the best product for their trailers before they entered into a relationship with Blue Ox. Seriously, most people purchasing Airstreams, at least new ones, have quite a bit of extra money to throw around (a camper for $100k+). If the crazy expensive hitches were better for Airstreams, don't you think they would have partnered with them? When I towed my Airstream home from the dealership sans WDH, I thought to myself, "Man, this tows SMOOTH and tracks straight!" I never thought that it could pull any smoother, that is, until I got the Blue Ox configured and tweaked to perfection.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by sbreech

I'd like to think that Airstream researched and found the best product for their trailers before they entered into a relationship with Blue Ox.

I have been following the Wandering Week guy as well. Of interest this latest video went up right after he reviewed (install only) the new B&W Continuum WDH. He has yet to make a final review for the Continuum.

Coincidentally my Continuum arrived just as Wandering Week guy's Continuum video posted. And even stranger I took off a Blue OX Trac Pro to install the Continuum.

On the first drive with Continuum I was only a few hundred yards down the road when I hit bump in the pavement. I knew instantly something was different. No porpoising.

Caught it on video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwoJbk2eKJY

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by goldenchase

I have been following the Wandering Week guy as well. Of interest this latest video went up right after he reviewed (install only) the new B&W Continuum WDH. He has yet to make a final review for the Continuum.

Coincidentally my Continuum arrived just as Wandering Week guy's Continuum video posted. And even stranger I took off a Blue OX Trac Pro to install the Continuum.

On the first drive with Continuum I was only a few hundred yards down the road when I hit bump in the pavement. I knew instantly something was different. No porpoising.

Caught it on video.

You should nothave had "porposing" with your Blue Ox if you had it set up properly. if that is happening, you don't have enough tension on the spring bars to stabilize the TT. Either your bars are too small or not enough tension is being applied. Hard to know without seeing your set up.

The Continuum is an interesting design from what I have seen also but uses the dampening shock type that is too close to the fulcrum point, IMHO. Blue Ox tension from the sway bars with the chain/cam sway point connections to the tapered bars are much further back. Note Continuum says "sway" is difficult to stop once it starts. The Idea is to "prevent" the sway, which is a challenge all the vendors are trying to solve. I think Continuum design is too close to the hitch, but agree it does offer some degree of resistance to sway starting.

"Because our bars are always ‘loaded,’ our friction sway prevention is immediate and continuous (hence, the name Continuum.) This ‘loading’ or ‘stiffness’ can help with handling, but in our opinion, sway control components do little to stop sway once it starts."

True, but idea is to add resistance to lateral movement and if that restance can be applied further back from the fulcrom (ball) that is better. BO may not be foolproof, but seems to me they offer a pretty good solution with their design. PPP I am told, is very good also.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

You should nothave had "porposing" with your Blue Ox if you had it set up properly. if that is happening, you don't have enough tension on the spring bars to stabilize the TT. Either your bars are too small or not enough tension is being applied. Hard to know without seeing your set up.

I did those things. During the course of the modifications to the trailer the hitch weight loaded and unloaded decreased. Once I got down to the lower hitch weights the 1,000 lb bars were too much. I was seeing FALR at 125% or more. Next step would have been to move down to 800 lb bars. Instead I moved to the B&W Continuum.

I never had a hint of any sway problems with the Blue Ox. The two biggest aggravations were porpoising and simplicity.

The B&W Continuum is a very simple hitch to hook up and take down. No more jacking the back up the truck up using the hitch jack. No man handling those bars to get them on and off. What pain.

With the Continuum you just put the hitch on the ball, slide in the bars then pump to the desired PSI and you are done. At this point I can confirm it is a simple system and it does not porpoise like the Blue Ox. I have not had any real tests of sway yet.

For those of us using the late model Ford F Series as TV, I continue to believe the Trailer Sway System built into the Ford is really the first line of defense to mitigate sway, not the WDH.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MRZ50cOVaw

[FilmGuy]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

The Continuum is an interesting design from what I have seen also but uses the dampening shock type that is too close to the fulcrum point, IMHO. Blue Ox tension from the sway bars with the chain/cam sway point connections to the tapered bars are much further back. Note Continuum says "sway" is difficult to stop once it starts. The Idea is to "prevent" the sway, which is a challenge all the vendors are trying to solve. I think Continuum design is too close to the hitch, but agree it does offer some degree of resistance to sway starting.

Why does it matter how close to the hitch it is? Wouldn't that depend on the characteristics of the material they use for the composite bars? Or are there other things at play? (I'm not any kind of engineer, just trying to understand WD hitches a little better.)