Do I need an anti-sway setup too?

[RVNewbie4now]

Hi,
I'm an extreme newbie here and feel like this has got to be a stupid question but here goes; I just bought a KZ Sportsman 291RKLE which is about 33' and has a loaded weight of about 8000 lbs. I'm pulling with a 1500 Silverado (well within its tow capacity) with a Blue Ox Sway Pro wd setup installed at the dealership. My question is do I still need an anti-sway system too? The dealer told me the swaypro should be all I need but I don't want to head off on a long trip and end up being some kind of statistic or a photo of what NOT to do.
Thanks

Rick
(Still learning)

[Bobbo]

Not meant to reflect on you at all. You posted that one post, then never posted anything else, even in response to our answers. We just assumed you had stopped logging into this forum. Even an occasional post with just "Thanks" would have let us know you were still there and paying attention.

[RVNewbie4now]

Not a "hit-and-run" guys. Just considering the responses I've gotten. I can take the news either way and thanks for the responses. I've been on a few short trips already and I do know what I'm dealing with. Not sure if the "hit-and-run" comment was meant to be an insult on my intelligence but, I've just decided to take everything to the local CAT scales, I do pack lightly and am traveling within my limits however, I guess I am in the market for a bigger tow vehicle before setting off on any serious trips. Due to my recent retirement, living dangerously is not on the future agenda. I appreciate all your help.

[SoundGuy]

DiskDoctr wrote:
Hit-n-run. Poster hasn't been back

drsteve wrote:
Maybe he went camping.

More likely left the building with Elvis when he didn't hear what he wanted to hear. :W

[drsteve]

DiskDoctr wrote:
Hit-n-run. Poster hasn't been back

Maybe he went camping.

[DiskDoctr]

Hit-n-run. Poster hasn't been back

[rbpru]

As you can tell your truck can pull a lot more than it can carry.

In answer to your question, the Blue Ox has built in anti-sway. A trip to the CAT scales will tell you the cargo and axle load on your vehicle.

Yes, you will most likely be over weight, that means slower acceleration, longer stopping distance and increase wear and tear. However, only you can tell how much of a problem it is.

"Safety" is a very subjective issue. My first truck was severely under powered for the load. Some would consider this unsafe because it meant was slow going and constantly playing the gas pedal to maintain the automatic transmission in the right gear. We still managed a 10 day trip in the Ozarks.

One person's white knuckle drive is another annoying TT response.

I would advise you of a few things.
- You will be pushing your vehicle rather hard.
- You will be passed by everything on the road.
- You will be buffeted by wind and passing trucks.
- You will most likely drive 55 to 60 mph and get about 9 to 10 mpg.

The future may bring a bigger truck but you have what you have for now. As I said, only you can determine if it is a problem.

Safe travels

[SoundGuy]

Npdchief07 wrote:
Interestingly enough when I went to buy my RV at Colerain RV, I expressed to the sales person my concern over payload capacity. She advised that no one worries about payload capacity and my only concern should be towing capacity. I took my business elsewhere.

Sadly she may be right - many don't have any idea what payload capacity means and just how limiting it can be until you get into the 3/4 ton and up size of truck. This scenario seems to be repeated nearly every day here on the forums with folks, especially newbies, bragging about their vehicle's "towing capacity" but not having any idea that their real concern should be payload capacity, or more correctly lack thereof. 😞

[Npdchief07]

Interestingly enough when I went to buy my RV at Colerain RV, I expressed to the sales person my concern over payload capacity. She advised that no one worries about payload capacity and my only concern should be towing capacity. I took my business elsewhere.

[crazyro]

RVNewbie4now wrote:
Hi,
I'm pulling with a 1500 Silverado (well within its tow capacity) with a Blue Ox Sway Pro wd setup installed at the dealership.

Rick,

You've gotten great advice already. This honestly sounds to me like another one of those salesmen who simply looked at one number, looked at another, and simply said "Oh, don't worry, your truck can pull that with no problem!" Way too much trailer for that truck. Problem is not just pulling, but also stopping. Keep that in mind as well. I'm pulling with a 1/2 ton truck as well and looked long and hard to find a 32' that weighed less than 5,000 lbs dry. It's what makes me feel the most comfortable pulling. I don't want to run out of capacity before I even start adding things and people. With our setup, even though we truly are WAY within specs, I can tell you that on grades, the truck knows I've got a long trailer behind me.

[aftermath]

Rick,

Bobbo has given you some very good advice. I tow with a Toyota Tundra and it has a high tow rating but that doesn't mean squat because, like other half tons, the issue is the payload capacity.

When you drop your trailer on the ball, that weight goes against your payload. And don't go by the advertised tongue weight numbers that come with the trailer. They are almost always too light. Add in the family, the pets and anything you decide to put in the bed and you can go over quickly. If you have P rated tires these will become quite "squishy" and can lead to handling issues. Pumping them up will help but you should plan on replacing them with a good set of LT tires.

My trailer has a GVW of 7300 but I am running down the road at between 6000 and 6500. I know this because I have weighed it a few times. Knowing you weights is important, especially if you are like me driving a half ton. Not a good idea to be "on the edge" of your numbers.

Good luck.

[dodge_guy]

downtheroad wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
You don`t need it as its already equipped. however I would've went with a better system like the Reese Straight Line (Dual Cam). Its a much better sway control system. .

Just wondering why you think one is better than the other..Have you used both? I have a lot of experience with both and both are excellent hitches. Neither is better than the other.

The Dual Cam will want to return the trailer to it centered position. while the other systems will want to hold it where its at, thus not controlling sway more than dampening it!

[trailer_newbe]

I tow the below trailer with my 2008 5.7 Tundra CrewMax. It tows fine, but I have a TRD sway bar, Bilstein shocks and Firestone air bags. My trailer is roughly the same weight range, and length.

[camp-n-family]

The hitch should be sufficient, the truck likely is not. A common newbie mistake is thinking that the tow rating is the only number that matters. It is the last one that matters as you will exceed many other ratings before getting anywhere near the tow rating. I’m guessing the dealer said it would be “no problem”?

[drsteve]

KD4UPL wrote:
An 8,000 pound boat or flatbed trailer with equipment on it would tow probably tow much easier than a 7,000 pound travel trailer.
Travel trailers have everything working against good towing: huge frontal area to cause aerodynamic drag, huge side area to catch wind and cause sway, high percentage of tongue weight, very limited ability to move weight around on the trailer.

A friend used to pull a 29' twin V8 boat all over the place with a Chevy Astro van. The thing had to weigh 8000 lb with the trailer, and the Astro pulled it like a champ. A TT that size would have killed the V6 Astro.