My Blue Ox Sway Pro Experience (Bad, but now resolved)

[freymann]

I bought a 19 foot trailer about 10 years ago and it came with the basic Reese Weight distribution bars and the anti sway bar and did the job.

We later upgraded to a heavier 21 foot travel trailer and brought the Reese system with us. I guess it worked ok.

Last year we upgraded again to a 26 foot TT after upgrading our tow vehicle (2008 Ford F150 XLT Crew CAb). The Reese system moved with us but I didn't feel it was doing a good job with the 26 footer so I decided, after changing TV again (to a 2010 Dodge Ram Quad Cab) that I still wasn't happy with the way the TT towed so I was going to buy a new weight distribution system with anti sway.

I had decided on looking at the Husky Centre Line, Eqaulizer, and Blue Ox Sway Pro.

I called a dealer that was recommended to me, Peterborough RV and discussed my 3 choices. Rick said he doesn't recommend the Husky at all, said they prefer the Equalizer and when I mentioned Blue Ox he said they have never installed one but have only heard great things about the company. My friend has the Blue Ox, same truck, and a 28 foot TT, so I decided to go with Blue Ox.

I arranged a time when we were camping in Peterborough to have the old Reese system removed and the new Blue Ox installed at the end of one our camping trip in the area. Peterborough RV said this was the first Blue Ox system they have installed in 17 years of being in the business.

The tech seemed to have issues with the driver's side rotating latch coming undone and rotating and dropping the chains and bar when he lowered the rig to check for level. I witnessed this twice during the installation. This was a Monday and the tech didn't seem to be a good mood at all that day.

After more than an hour I am told everything is fine and I can leave. No instructions provided.

It towed home very well and I felt pleased.

Get home and try to remove the thing? I end up with cuts and bruises and **** near a broken arm.

I find their rotating latches to be a real problem. Instead of facing the trailer frame, where you have lots of room and lots of leverage, you have to position your body facing the front of your trailer to get leverage to rotate the latch. On the other side you have to face the rear of your truck.

The little "wrench" they provide to rotate the latch is small and awkward and rides too close to the bar and trailer frame. It can be difficult to have your hand around the wrench and rotate it because there's no room for your hand when you rotate past the bar or trailer frame. This thing requires a good half rotation or more to lock or unlock, so it's pretty difficult to spin it without finding your hand or arms dangerously close to something.

Even raising the trailer and TV didn't seem to help out much here. Who wants to risk injury every time you hook up and disconnect?

Ok, so I figure maybe it's just me. When we leave on our next trip I am careful to try and not position the wrench where I can't get hurt. Easier said then done.

It was a struggle and was scary trying to work with this system and not injure yourself. Wearing gloves helps prevent srapes and scratches.

I made it through a couple trips but then found out when backing up, the driver's side latch would rotate and come undone, causing the bar to hit the ground, and if on grass or dirt, it would embed itself and you would have to drive the truck forward and have somebody pulling on the chains to get it lose and over far enough that you could remove it. Not too handy when on a busy path.

I called Peterborough RV a couple of times to let Rick know I wasn't very happy with the system. I suggested they remove it and install the Equalizer system instead. Rick said NO as the warehouse won't accept used returns. When I explained the above issues to him all he said was he would call Blue Ox and see what they advise. Oh boy.

After 2 days of waiting I called Blue Ox myself and they decided to ship me replacement latches. When I asked for a refund they said that was up to Peterborough RV not them.

The new rotating latches arrive and Fed-Ex wanted $60 in import fees. I refused delivery as why would I want to spend more money on a system I don't like?!

I call Blue Ox back. Now they tell me if I had made the payment they would have paid me back. Oh well. So they agree to send another.

In the meantime I continue to struggle with putting it on and taking it off and it continues to pop off the driver's side bar when I back up. I advise Peterborough RV but my concerns seem to fall upon deaf ears.

Second replacement package arrives, no extra fees from Fed-Ex. I remove the driver's side rotating latch and place it next to the new one. I can see right away that the locking pin is not doing the correct job on the original. It barely goes into the hole! Glad it never rotated while we were driving down the highway!

I install the replacement, call Blue Ox to tell them what I discovered, ask them to speak to Peterborough RV.

We just did our last trip last weekend and I'm still struggling with this system. It is not pleasant to hook up and even worse to take off.

I emailed Connor at Blue Ox to state how unsatisfied I am with this thing and I print a copy and write a short letter to Peterborough RV stating how disappointed I am with them, the dealer, for not standing behind what they sell.

My goal was to upgrade to the latest and greatest and instead I am stuck with a system that is dangerous and difficult to use.

Based on my experience, I cannot recommend the Blux Ox Sway Pro system and I certainly do not recommend Peterborough RV either.

I don't have $1100.00 CDN to throw away again but when I do have some bucks I will have Blue Ox system removed and something else installed in its place.

In the meantime I can only cross my fingers and hope I don't hurt myself when hooking up.

What a huge disappointment.

[freymann]

downtheroad wrote:
The OP wrote:
"I have the 1000 pound bars. I have never had the tongue weight checked at a scale. The trailer manual states the tongue weight is 815 pounds."


The dry brochure tongue weight of our trailer is 820 lbs. I have the 1500 lb. bars. The Blue Ox has worked fantastic for us.

You have the wrong bars. They are too light.. I can assure you that your loaded trip ready tongue weight is well over 1000 lbs.

You are being forced to put too much tension and bar deflection on the 1000 lb. bars in order to level your truck. You need heavier bars.

Yes, I have discussed this with Blue Ox and we are in agreement that 1500 lb. bars are in order. They have looked at my pictures and have suggested that the two rotating latches be adjusted slightly so the chains hang straight down. Right now they appear to be on a slight angle.

I am taking the trailer to a flat area to measure ball height and take measurements on the tow vehicle before and after hookup too.

Blue Ox is going to call me on Monday afternoon to discuss this setup with me further and we will most likely exchange the bars, make any other suggested alterations, and see what happens.

Once again I say that the only help I've received with my setup has been from Blue Ox.

My dealer, Peterborough RV, has never called me to see how things are going and have never offered to have me come back with the rig so they could investigate further...

[rbpru]

I use to crank the tongue jack up high to make the hook up easier. I did manage to over load and strip the lift bolt.

Now I just lift it a few inches which is all that is needed.

The CAT scale shows about 700 lbs on the tongue, not much of an issue with the Blue Ox, unless I pull in at an angle.

[downtheroad]

The OP wrote:
"I have the 1000 pound bars. I have never had the tongue weight checked at a scale. The trailer manual states the tongue weight is 815 pounds."


The dry brochure tongue weight of our trailer is 820 lbs. I have the 1500 lb. bars. The Blue Ox has worked fantastic for us.

You have the wrong bars. They are too light.. I can assure you that your loaded trip ready tongue weight is well over 1000 lbs.

You are being forced to put too much tension and bar deflection on the 1000 lb. bars in order to level your truck. You need heavier bars.

[camperforlife]

Freymann I originally had all the same problems as you. They were mostly caused by a dealer that didn't know what they were doing but Blue Ox helped me sort through it. Here goes my solution:

First ditch the factory wrench and get a 24" or longer breaker bar with a socket. Much easier to handle and control.

Second weigh your tongue. I guarantee your bars are too light. Blue Ox will exchange if the dealer won't.

Third, if the passenger side is harder to get off I'm guessing that where you park you are probably turned slightly to the right putting more pressure on that side. This can't always be avoided and that is where the comfortable breaker bar helps.

Fourth, you cant have too much power jack. My jack was under powered and would overload (clutch would slip) before it would lift enough. I bought a 4000lb rated jack and with the other changes I can just about unhook by hand.

[coolbreeze01]

jtbuilds wrote:
I have a F350 SB, SwayPro with 1,500lbs bars and a 3,000lb tongue jack on the trailer. The tongue jack either stalls or reaches the end of the extension before all the tension is out of the bars.

That is the reason we use blocks of wood, bricks, or whatever under the jack's foot.

[jtbuilds]

I have a F350 SB, SwayPro with 1,500lbs bars and a 3,000lb tongue jack on the trailer. The tongue jack either stalls or reaches the end of the extension before all the tension is out of the bars.

Putting the chains on and taking the chains off is always something I think "Maybe this time I'll get it."

The non ratcheting handle that SwayPro provides is dangerous. To add a measure of safety I use a 1/2" ratchet with a 24" handle. When releasing the chains once the pivot goes over center I don't have to worry about holding the handle or my arm being pulled out of the socket.

There are some sites that I've backed down into that I've found it better to pull out off to release the chains safely.

I've found that I can cheat by putting the 6 chain link on one side first and then the 8th on the other side. Then go back to the first side and change the 6th link to the 8th link.

The system would be much better if there was left and right chain pivot. If the truck is turned I find that there is not enough room on one side so the ratchet hits the bumper.

[Catsgot9]

Blue Ox makes two different style hitches, one for a standard style coupler and one for a underslung coupler. You may have been sold the wrong style. They number the underslung style with a 3 at the end of the model number. Example BXW1503 is for underslung. BXW1500 is for a standard style.

[CopilotCompanio]

coolbreeze01 wrote:

CopilotCompanion wrote:
A picture's worth a thousand words but can you post a video? I'm very interested in seeing all the moving parts?

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLDhAYw943U

Thanks, CB. I've actually watched the Youtube videos already. I thought it might be interesting to contrast them with Freymann's video?

[lots2seeinmyrv]

I just wanted to mention that we ordered our Blue Ox through PPL, not the dealer. The dealer never installed one before. But we wanted the Blue Ox even though our dealer did not sell it. They installed ours for us anyway.

After we got home we did not like the set up. Read the book carefully, took it apart, unbolted the ball part and flipped the hitch the other direction, bolted the ball back on at the right height.

Yours looks like it is on the last bolts on the shank. Our dealer bolted on our ball like yours (with the longest part of shank pointing down to the ground) but the shank was too low to the ground and would scrape.

Then we measured and re-installed it ourselves. We had a shop torque the nuts down properly because we did not have the tool.

Not the dealer's fault, we fixed it and it works great.

[LarryJM]

mike-s wrote:

freymann wrote:
I mentioned Blue Ox he said they have never installed one but have only heard great things about the company. My friend has the Blue Ox, same truck, and a 28 foot TT, so I decided to go with Blue Ox.
...
Peterborough RV said this was the first Blue Ox system they have installed in 17 years of being in the business.
...
I called Peterborough RV a couple of times to let Rick know I wasn't very happy with the system. I suggested they remove it and install the Equalizer system instead. Rick said NO as the warehouse won't accept used returns. When I explained the above issues to him all he said was he would call Blue Ox and see what they advise. Oh boy.
...
a short letter to Peterborough RV stating how disappointed I am with them, the dealer, for not standing behind what they sell.

You asked them to sell you something they had never sold before and which was against their recommendation. The dealer is right, and your expectation is completely unreasonable.

That was my thoughts also as I read thru this thread and wanting or expecting either and or both to "step up to the plate" seems misplaced.

This might be one of those live and learn type situations and the issues the OP is having seems to be a "one of a kind" situation and I would be looking for something other than blaming the manufacturer or dealer that installed the system.

Just my $.02 1/2

Larry

[rbpru]

Also, keep in mind that difficult is a function of the operator.

By jacking up the truck and trailer just a bit, I do not have any difficulty hitching or unhitching.

I would however, as already suggested, double check for the correct bars and set up.

[freymann]

wowens79 wrote:
I think I know what the problem is. The bars are to light. The sticker tongue weight is 815lb, add propane tanks, batteries and all the other stuff in the camper, and the true tongue weight is probably at or over 1000 lbs.

My tongue weight sticker is 790lbs, and I figured I would be right at 1000lbs, and read if you were borderline to bump up to the next size. As others have mentioned, those bars have alot of bend to them to get the camper level.

I'd get an actual tongue weight, and then check with Blue Ox to see if you need the heavier bars.

As much as those bars are torqued you will have to go way up with the jack to get the tension off of them.

That may be exactly what the problem is here. I will pass this onto my Blue Ox rep.

[lots2seeinmyrv]

Set up video

Here is a good installation video.

Once you have it set up properly and make sure you have the correct bars I think you will be very happy with it.

Take a breath...take your time and give it a chance. You will notice in the video...that the ball is mounted like ours is on the picture I posted earlier. It can be mounted either way but I wonder if you should flip yours (take the bolts out and invert it the other way) to see if you have the coupler height at 26".

[wowens79]

I think I know what the problem is. The bars are to light. The sticker tongue weight is 815lb, add propane tanks, batteries and all the other stuff in the camper, and the true tongue weight is probably at or over 1000 lbs.

My tongue weight sticker is 790lbs, and I figured I would be right at 1000lbs, and read if you were borderline to bump up to the next size. As others have mentioned, those bars have alot of bend to them to get the camper level.

I'd get an actual tongue weight, and then check with Blue Ox to see if you need the heavier bars.

As much as those bars are torqued you will have to go way up with the jack to get the tension off of them.

[gmw_photos]

freymann wrote:

lots2seeinmyrv wrote:

coolbreeze01 wrote:
Are the plates mounted backwards?

That is what I was looking at. Does the OP have the Blue Ox booklet.

If he does, read it completely and see if the Dealer set it up right.

We have the 1,000 lb bars. What are yours rated??

I have the booklet. The rotating latches are installed correctly. I think it's impossible to put them on 'backwards'

I have the 1000 pound bars. I have never had the tongue weight checked at a scale. The trailer manual states the tongue weight is 815 pounds.

Yes, you are correct, I looked at your pictures, the latches are installed correctly.