Weigh Safe True Tow WDH review....

**goducks14** · 11-29-2022, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by pilotpip

As much as I like the idea of the weigh safe, I gotta say these failures and the issues I see on Facebook tell me they have a major quality control issue. I think I'll get a blue ox when I buy my 29G. I wish there was a 2000/20,000lb E4.

JMHO but as a BTDT owner of a Blue Ox I'd look for something else. I only tow 31' @9600 lbs and use the 2000 lb bars with a 1350 lb TW. I tried the 1500 lbs but needed to crank the bars really tight to get the front of my Ram 3500 to stop bouncing at the slightest road undulation. I called BO and they suggested going to the 2000 lb bars and only tighten them up enough to help the bounce. I've been using the BO for 4 seasons and wished I'd gone with the EQ 4pt WDH.
The chain hookup brackets will sometimes snap back violently when unhitching. The POS tool they give you for chain ups is worthless. I have a 28" piece of pipe I welded a socket to the end of for hitching. It's slipped out of my hands a few times. Got tired of that so I went with StrapTeks. Way way easier to use. Interesting thing is they really offer no sway control but the TT tows the same. That tells me that the BO doesn't offer much in sway control.

I often wonder about guys that say their TT tows great with a BO. Have they tried towing without the BO or did they switch from a nother brand? My guess is the TT would tow fine without a BO and the only benefit they're getting from the BO is returning some weight back to the front of the truck which could be accomplished with a standard EAZ-Lift.

A guy did a video testing about 5-7 WDH's. The BO was dead last. I would agree with him.

**Redrider** · 11-29-2022, 06:33 PM

So, is your main issue with the Blue Ox Sway Pro the chain hookup or the performance (weight distribution and/or sway control)? Unfortunately, when you start getting tongue weights much over 1500-1600 lbs, the options are few. It is either the Sway Pro, the Weigh Safe or the Reese Strait Line. The E4 maxes out at 1600 lbs which is real marginal for me. I’m not that thrilled with drilling holes in the frame for the Reese and I have lost faith in my Weigh Safe due to some issues. That leaves only the Sway Pro which also seems to have it’s issues.

Thank you for your time and information.

**goducks14** · 11-30-2022, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Redrider

So, is your main issue with the Blue Ox Sway Pro the chain hookup or the performance (weight distribution and/or sway control)? Unfortunately, when you start getting tongue weights much over 1500-1600 lbs, the options are few. It is either the Sway Pro, the Weigh Safe or the Reese Strait Line. The E4 maxes out at 1600 lbs which is real marginal for me. I’m not that thrilled with drilling holes in the frame for the Reese and I have lost faith in my Weigh Safe due to some issues. That leaves only the Sway Pro which also seems to have it’s issues.

Thank you for your time and information.

The chain hookup is the worst part IMO. For me it's the higher TW and the heavier rated spring bars make it worse. Reason is you need much more tension on the bars when you get near 1500's. The guys that are only cranking TW's in the 700-900 range probably aren't putting the stress on the bars as a really heavy TW does.

If I don't have a tight grip on the breaker bar it will slip out of my hands when unhitching. Thats why I went with the StrapTeks. They're super easy to use but they take the yin and yang sway part away from the hitch. With the chain snap up units you get a push pull affect meaning that one side is pushing while the other side is pulling. Not litterally but they fight each other in turns. Thats how they mitigate sway. With the Strap Teks that yin and yang is gone as the straps coil up in the same direction.
I notice zero different between the chains and the Strap Teks so that tells me that the chains are really not doing much.
I will add though that under normal circumstances sway control is not needed so in a sense neither setup is being asked to control major sway. The TT rides the same all the time with either setup.
Not sure if you've seen this guys video but he tested a bunch of WDH and rated the BO last.

I get your issue with super high TW and much out there for weight distribution in those weights.

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

**llr2800** · 11-30-2022, 12:10 PM

I had the Blue Ox sway pro and it seemed to do what it was meant to do, distribute weight and control sway. The last few trips had high winds and the back of the TT would get pushed one way then fall back in line, without the oscillations of real sway. This still made a very uncomfortable drive and I just moved to the PP3, too soon for any real opinions on the improvement but trucks passing are much better.

My prior TT was too long and heavy for the F150 & Blue Ox, it had real sway several times which is why I down sized the TT. When I had the Blue Ox with the old trailer and 2500 truck I never felt any movement at all and may not have even needed a sway control hitch.

I agree with others that more tongue weight is the proper answer, however it is not always possible with a camper. My TW is about 10% of gross and short of adding heavy steel plates in the front passthrough there really is no way to increase it

**Redrider** · 11-30-2022, 12:16 PM

Thank you for the info. Yes, I did see the review on the hitches on youtube. However, he loved the Weigh Safe and I won’t use it again.

Yes, the chain hook up is something to consider but for me it’s not the end of the world.

With my trailer being long with a heavy tongue (about 13%) I haven’t noticed any excess sway but I have been using the Weigh Safe which does a good job as long as nothing breaks but it does have a very rough ride. Not sure what to do. Either I chance the Sway Pro or use the Equalizer and push it near it’s max capacity.

Thanks again

**Capt Bob** · 11-30-2022, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by goducks14

With the Strap Teks that yin and yang is gone as the straps coil up in the same direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8eY-qbtuJU

Interesting.
Mine tighten (and loosen) from different or should I say , the same directions as the chains did. Yes, they work just like the chains and since I had no wild ****** sway with either the chains or the straps, I'm guessin' they do control sway more or less. Still, I'm towing a much smaller trailer so really we're not comparing apples to apples are we?

**goducks14** · 11-30-2022, 03:54 PM

Here's my Strap Teks. Both roll up from the front of the TT.

Sorry for the sideways pic. But you can see the propane cover with both straps hanging on that side of their roller.

**Redrider** · 12-01-2022, 06:41 AM

I guess I don’t quite understand the dynamics of chains/straps. If both the chains and the Strap Teks hang straight down per the install instructions, what would be the difference in the way they interact with the sway control?

**goducks14** · 12-01-2022, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by Redrider

I guess I don’t quite understand the dynamics of chains/straps. If both the chains and the Strap Teks hang straight down per the install instructions, what would be the difference in the way they interact with the sway control?

On the BO the chains wrap around opposite each other.
When you chain up one chain hangs in front of the bracket and the other hangs behind the bracket. That creates resistance.
If both the chains hung down on the same side then there would be no resistance. You would just have a glorified EAZ-Lift.

Go to the 5 min mark in the video and you see the way the chains roll up opposite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by18GvR0fGo

**Capt Bob** · 12-01-2022, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by goducks14

On the BO the chains wrap around opposite each other.
When you chain up one chain hangs in front of the bracket and the other hangs behind the bracket. That creates resistance.
If both the chains hung down on the same side then there would be no resistance. You would just have a glorified EAZ-Lift.

Go to the 5 min mark in the video and you see the way the chains roll up opposite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by18GvR0fGo

Well we kind of hi-jacked this thread but I believe the greatest percentage of the sway control comes from the deflection between the bars and the ball head. That "camber" is considered positive, which when applied to a wheel tends to cause a straight line track. Does it apply to a hitch or is it marketing hype?

The chains keep the tension on the bars but their position relative to the bar and bracket is perpendicular (as per installation instructions). Does the chain/bracket offer more resistance than the strap/bracket, I don't know. I do know that I crank the straps up to the 3 dot position and it leaves very little hanging down. Looked at mine today and yes both straps face forward but crank up in opposite directions due to the ratchet assembly. Again, it works well on my smaller trailer but I can't speak for the larger models.