Blue Ox Sway Pro Setup question UPDATE

Walaby wrote:
Couple comments

1) Class V hitch. Using reducer to go from 2.5" to 2"
2) No lift kit (that I am aware of). Truck purchased used.
3) Loaded camper tongue weight is 1480 lbs. That is with 20 gals of water in fresh water tank, full propane tanks (2x30lb), battery, bike rack hitch (mounted to tongue) but no bikes installed. I drained the FW tank, so now Im at ~1320lbs. Total Trailer weight is 9620 lbs. TW is 13% (1320/9620).
4) Weight in bed is ~150 lbs, although not sure how that relates to tongue weight and ability to hook up. Am still 1060 lbs under rear GAWR for truck.

Here's a couple pics. One thing I do/did have a question about was the fixed head tilt angle. On my hitch the head is straight up and down (no tilt angle), but the sway bar trunions are tilted). See pic. I believe this achieves the same thing, but????

I'll try to post up some pics. I don't have a site to host them on.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Good info and the pics help.

Your BO hitch is the new one, yes the trunnions are at an angle the head is straight. End result is the trunnions at an angle and the angle creates a castering effect for the anti sway control.

The setup does not look bad. And the only 2 adjustments you have, chain links under tension and hitch head height. I will leave the WD settings alone for now and try to address the lack of unloading the spring tension with the tongue jack.

Your 3/4 ton truck (a good one I might add) is not a lot different then other 3/4 ton or even 1 ton SRW trucks in the back. My F350 has a rear axle weight of 3,240# with an empty truck bed, 3/4 fuel and my wife and I in the truck. You seem to not have much bed weight, you stated 150#. That is light. Mine goes up to 3,760# when loaded for camping with all the stuff in there. 520# of stuff and this is without the trailer connected. The rear axle goes to 6,040# when the TT is connected. My GAWR is 7,000#.

What I was looking for on your rig was truck bed weight. While a Ford and Dodge are different, your rear axle weight with 150# of gear in it let's assume it is approx 3,400#. Yours might be more due to a larger fuel tank but lets at least say we are in the ballpark.

Your trailer has a 1,480# tongue weight. Now add the 2 together. This is 4,880# of static weight. Granted these are estimated but it puts us in the ballpark.

This is very normal weights for your setup. Nothing wrong with that other then at the moment your truck bed is light, maybe someday you will add more stuff like we all do and that's OK.

Now to jacking up the truck and camper to unload the WD bars so you can rotate the latches by hand.

Your power tongue jack "looks" like it might be the Lippert Components jack. Is it? and is it a 3,500# jack? What is the capacity rating?

How do you know you are going to lift the truck rear axle/tires off the ground with the tongue jack? Have you actually seen daylight under the tires? Or does it just look like it is sky high and going to come off the ground?

I have an Atwood 3,500# rated jack. It allows me to lift my loaded truck and camper up high enough to unload my 1,600# TW using 1,700# WD bars totally so I can flip up the chains by hand. Again, no way I want to even attempt flipping them up or down under any kind of load.

See here the setup ready to lift. I happen to have 2, 6" blocks this day so I used the 2. I normally only use 1 block. The jack has not yet lifted anything, it is just ready to start lifting. Look at the angle of the WD bars, similar to your trunnion bar socket angle.


Now I lift both truck and camper up high enough to unload the tension. Yes, it looks sky high by the fender clearance and one might think it is going to come off the ground, but it is not it is only the suspension opening up.


Here is a closer pic, same one just zoomed in.


And the chains are loose.


Have you actually tried this going this far?

My Reese 2 1/2" receiver is rated at 1,700# in WD mode. You stated yours is a Class V however what is the actual load rating? Class V only means it is something larger than a standard Class IV. The ratings on a class V can be very different between brands.

Also a heads up, many of the 2" to 2 1/2" adapter sleeves are only rated to 1,200# in WD mode. Something about the 5/8" pin can bend when used over the 1,200#. And we have had RV net members report this pin bending. My Reese adapter sleeve is rated for 1,200 and many other brands are too. Do you know what your sleeve is rated at? I had to go to a 2 1/2" shank to be able to use the full 1,700# WD rating. The shank tapers to 2" going into the hitch head. BO has a similar setup they sell the 2 1/2" to 2" shank. Your BO 2" shank is rated to go to 1,500# just that adapter sleeve may be the weak link. Something to check as a bent 5/8" pin is not easy to get out.

Hope this helps

John