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  1. #1
    Rolling Along
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    Blue Ox Sway Pro question

    We have a 2016 Ford F350 crew cab single rear wheel tow vehicle and a 2022 Reflection 315 RLTS travel trailer. Connecting the two is a Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch.

    The dealer told us to use the 9th link from the end. I put some black electrical tape on the 8th link to make it easier to find the right link. When all set up, the truck drops about 2" at the rear tires. This was carefully measured by me marking with my left hand where the lip of the wheel well came on my right arm before and after I hooked up. I was going to actually measure it, but buried the tape measure before I got going.

    Is this too much drop? If so, should I go to the 10th link or back to the 8th?

    Or is there something else I should do? I do have an appointment for Blue Ox to check the whole system out in June.
    David Lininger, kb0zke
    Rev. 2:10c
    2022 Reflection 315RLTS, 2016 F350 CC SRW King Ranch
    https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/2022-315RLTS-Solar

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper
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    I wouldn't worry about the rear drop, although I am a little surprised it is that much on a F350.

    I would check front axle recovery, typically about 1/2 of the rise from no TW to full TW. At least on half tons the owners manual will have recommendations for how much recovery
    2021 Imagine 2800BH
    2017 Flagstaff 831CLBSS - Sold 5/2021.
    2017 F150 Super crew, 3.5EB, long bed, max tow, 1800lbs payload. Pro Pride, prior WDH Blue Ox SwayPro

  3. #3
    Site Sponsor
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    I have the SwayPro on an F150 towing a GD 3100RD and use the 10th link. Have done it on a previous trailer too, for four years 15k miles. No problems. Try it and tow a trial drive. The 9th link is the starting recommendation, not necessarily the ultimate.

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor
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    I should have added my entire rig is level. Never more than 1/2” nose to tail difference with different trip loading.

  5. #5
    Rolling Along
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    Quote Originally Posted by kb0zke View Post
    We have a 2016 Ford F350 crew cab single rear wheel tow vehicle and a 2022 Reflection 315 RLTS travel trailer. Connecting the two is a Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch.

    The dealer told us to use the 9th link from the end. I put some black electrical tape on the 8th link to make it easier to find the right link. When all set up, the truck drops about 2" at the rear tires. This was carefully measured by me marking with my left hand where the lip of the wheel well came on my right arm before and after I hooked up. I was going to actually measure it, but buried the tape measure before I got going.

    Is this too much drop? If so, should I go to the 10th link or back to the 8th?

    Or is there something else I should do? I do have an appointment for Blue Ox to check the whole system out in June.
    Which bars do you have? We used the Sway Pro with 2.5" shank and 2000 lb bars for towing our 312BHTS behind an F350 SRW. TW was at least 1450 lb and often 1600 lb when loaded up for a long trip.

    The dealer also told us to use the 9th link from the end. Problem was, and although the dealer's newbie tech counted links correctly, he counted from the wrong end. It was actually on the sixth link from the chain attachment point at the hitch (or 9th link from the loose end). Adjusted to the 9th link from the attachment point and no more sway. We did get some minor rear squat (1-2") with bars engaged on correct link for our setup. But IIRC (its been awhile!), with bars engaged, it returned all but 40-60 lbs to front axle and wheel fender height was less than an 1 inch difference vs unhitched. The most noticeable difference was in much improved sway control at correct 9th link.
    2022 Solitude 378MBS-R
    2021 Ford F450 CC Lariat Ultimate FX4
    1966 Shasta Astroflyte (1 year restoration project that is going on year 6)

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper
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    If you aren’t happy with how it sits or pulls, try an adjustment. Ours is usable on 8, 9, or 10. 9 versus 8 is a night and day difference in how it feels on the highway when a truck passes though.

    Drop alone isn’t an issue unless you are seeing sag to the point of nose-high or on the bump stops.
    2022 Transcend Xplor 240ML
    2019 Imagine XLS 17MKE (sold 8/22)
    2017 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 Fx4
    Blue Ox WDH

  7. #7
    Rolling Along
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    I measured (with a tape measure this time) before and after hitching. The front went from 39.5 inches to 40.5 inches and the rear went from 42.0 to 39.5 inches. This was using the 9th link from the free end. Should I try using the 10th link from the free end on Monday?
    David Lininger, kb0zke
    Rev. 2:10c
    2022 Reflection 315RLTS, 2016 F350 CC SRW King Ranch
    https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/2022-315RLTS-Solar

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by kb0zke View Post
    We have a 2016 Ford F350 crew cab single rear wheel tow vehicle and a 2022 Reflection 315 RLTS travel trailer. Connecting the two is a Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch.

    The dealer told us to use the 9th link from the end. I put some black electrical tape on the 8th link to make it easier to find the right link. When all set up, the truck drops about 2" at the rear tires. This was carefully measured by me marking with my left hand where the lip of the wheel well came on my right arm before and after I hooked up. I was going to actually measure it, but buried the tape measure before I got going.

    Is this too much drop? If so, should I go to the 10th link or back to the 8th?

    Or is there something else I should do? I do have an appointment for Blue Ox to check the whole system out in June.
    My experience with Blue Ox Tech support was good in a number of ways but they recommended a lighter load bar, which I purchased with the hitch and said that a higher load bar would be make the ride too stiff. I ended up going from a 1000 pound to 1500 pound (lighter camper than yours) and the ride and steering control was much better. With the 1000 pound bar the load was not returned to the front even with maximum setting.

    You may find that going to a CAT scale to make the adjustment will produce the best results. I could not readily get the right adjustments by using Ford recommended front wheel well change but using the CAT scale data was easy to get very good results.
    Last edited by TimtheToolMan; 05-05-2023 at 09:20 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by kb0zke View Post
    I measured (with a tape measure this time) before and after hitching. The front went from 39.5 inches to 40.5 inches and the rear went from 42.0 to 39.5 inches. This was using the 9th link from the free end. Should I try using the 10th link from the free end on Monday?
    I would try pulling it on both settings yes. But not just sitting static, take it out, preferably on the interstate, and see how it rides.
    2022 Transcend Xplor 240ML
    2019 Imagine XLS 17MKE (sold 8/22)
    2017 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 Fx4
    Blue Ox WDH

  10. #10
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    As a former owner of a Blue Ox Sway Pro, when I had my travel trailer, I thought I would just throw this out there for anyone interested in making your Blue Ox a lot easier to use.

    Here is a link for the StrapTek Weight Tension system that replaces the B.O. chain pullup system.

    https://www.amazon.com/Lippert-33585.../dp/B00JJZ3T7S

    I bought and used these on my B.O. system on my travel trailer until I sold it. No chains, no B.O. pullups, and easy to use.....a LOT easier to use than the B.O. pullups. Personally, I felt that the releasing of the spring bars with the B.O. was kind of dangerous and if you happen to let it get away from you, I could see injuring yourself pretty quickly. The other big advantage with the StrapTek is that if you decide you need just a bit more tension on the spring bars, there is nothing to disconnect and move the chains another link.....you simply put one more click of the ratchet devices to increase the tension. If you've maybe tightened it too much, simply put a wrench on the adjustment nut, apply tension, and while holding that tension, release the catch and slowly let off of the tension just a bit and then release the catch and the tension adjustment will be released by one notch. It's much easier to do, than it is to try and explain it with words.

    The key shortcut that I used before installing these was to hook up the trailer and use the B.O. pullups to get the trailer exactly where I needed it, tension wise on the spring bars. Then, take a measurement on the spring bar ends, down to the ground.....say it's 13 inches. Then you just remove the B.O. pullups and chains, mount the StrapTek units as per the instructions that come with it, and ratchet up your spring bar ends until they are at the 13 inch measurement....or whatever measurement you had with the B.O. system. I took a paint stick and actually painted/marked a line on the webbing/strapping at Top Dead Center, that way when I went to hook the trailer up again, I knew exactly where the correct amount of tension was and didn't have to measure the spring bar ends again.

    Anyway, check out the link above if you are interested. And as a note of disclosure, I am in NO WAY affiliated with the product....I was just a happy user and glad that I found them.
    Last edited by xrated; 05-06-2023 at 07:50 AM.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

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