I currently have a Blue Ox SwayPro system with the 550lb. spring bars. I just bought a new TT and need to upgrade the spring bars on my SwayPro. The new TT is a 2013 Viewfinder V-28BHSS with a listed unloaded weight of 5565 (660 listed tongue) and a GVWR of 7660lbs. Blue Ox sells a 1000lb. and 1500lb. spring bar for the SwayPro and I'm unsure of which to get. I know the 1000lb. bars would handle it fine, but would the 1500lb. bars be overkill and cause a harsher ride? (Blue Ox's website says that using over-rated spring bars MAY cause a rougher ride and extra stress on the trailer tongue.) Most places I've contacted would need to special order the 1000lb. and I found a decent deal on the 1500lb. bars in stock.
What do guys think would be the best set to get for this new TT? I pulled it home 250 miles with the 550lb. bars and it was not at all enjoyable when a storm with near 60mph winds kicked in half way home.
2013 Cruiser RV Viewfinder V-28BHSS
2012 Ford F150 FX4 EcoBoost
2011 Palomino Stampede S-195 (SOLD)
2011 Ford Explorer Limited 4x4 (SOLD)
I usually advise using 15% of the GVWR of the trailer as a guide for sizing spring bars. this would bring you to under 1,200 lb. and is a worse case situation. You could probably get by with either size but doubt if you'd have MUCH of any negative effects from 1500 bars. Probably a little harsher ride when towing.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR - 2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles) 2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
I would get the 1,000 lb bars. 50% greater seems like too big of a step to me. I'm used to Reese bars, where for your tongue weight they recommend 600 - 800 lb bars and I always go one step higher - so 800 - 1000 lb bars.
60 mph winds will make any day a bad day, regardless of what bars you have - been there, done that, hated it... it actually broke the rear door frame of my car hauler.
IMO, you should ignore the advice to use the trailer's GVWR -- unless you actually plan to load it to that value. Most people do not.
IMO, you also should ignore the advice to use 15% of the trailer's weight as the estimated tongue weight. A value of 13% is more typical.
The "brochure" dry weight of 5565# probably is a little low for a typically-equipped Viewfinder V-28BHSS trailer.
This Holman RV webpage shows a V-28BHSS which has a dry weight of 5940# and a "payload" of 1720# (image 14 of 28).
If we assume you will add 1000# of stuff, your loaded trailer would weigh about 7000#, giving an estimated loaded tongue weight of about 900#.
I agree with most of the previous posters -- the 1000# bars would be a better choice than the 1500#.
Personally I'd get the 1000# bars. 13% of FULLY LOADED TO ABSOLUTE MAX is 995.8# on the tongue.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
When I bought my TT and Blue Ox hitch, the dealer recommended and installed 1,000# bars. I like the way the system works and rides. I'd try the 1,500 and 1,000 with your new trailer if possible. Good luck.
2008 Dodge 3500 With a Really Strong Tractor Motor...........
LB, SRW, 4X4, 6-Speed Auto, 3.73, Prodigy P3, Blue Ox Sway Pro........
2007 Komfort 212 on 225 75R 15E Maxxis 8008 Tires.........
Thanks for all the replies / advice. Looks like the majority of you would go with the 1000# bars for my setup, so that's what I'm going to do. Anyone have a set of the BXW4007 spring bars laying around? I'm guessing I can probably sell my 550# bars to recoup a little bit of the cost...
Ron Gratz wrote: IMO, you should ignore the advice to use the trailer's GVWR -- unless you actually plan to load it to that value. Most people do not.
True, most people will NEVER load their trailer to its GVWR, but then the question begs:
What weight number do you use?
It's somewhere between the "dry" weight and the GVWR, but where?
Most of us do not have rock quarries or truck stops in our back yards. There can be many many miles between home and the nearest public scales. You've got no choice but to go out on the road with your rig to get there.
It's irresponsible to go out on the road without at least SOME idea that you're in the ballpark with your setup and equipment!
So, what weight do you use?
Going by GVWR is SAFE because it's the realistic worst-case scenario. At that point you don't even have to weigh it because you already KNOW that you're prepared for any realistic possibility.
2002 Chevy 3500 DRW 8.1L/Allison
2000 Palomino B1500
...and the reason why I need a DRW to haul a Palomino:
2004 United 7x14 tandem axle enclosed toy trailer
2011 PJ 8x20 7-ton deckover equipment trailer
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