Thanks for the update Mike Up. I'm happy with my old BlueOX and it sounds the the new system is even simpler, while still being clean and effective. 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.........
Mike Up wrote: Found out some information on the NEW Blue Ox Sway Pro. I've been talking to their Engineer and Vice President and it may not be as bad as everyone is thinking. I may get this system
The rotating latches help with sway but are not the priority sway control in the hitch, the head is.
Snip...
As long as the WD bars pivot in the hitch head (and they all do) I can see no way at all that the chains, or whatever they are attached to, can help prevent sway. The bars, and attached chains, turn with the A frame when the trailer turns. They are NOT in a fixed position during a turn or sway event. They DO move forward and backward but this has nothing to do with sway control and the chains.
Yes, I know the Dual Cam system uses chains but they do not move at all. All they do is hold up the cams that the WD bars slide on.
How Blue Ox can claim that the rotating latches that wind up (tension) the chains contribute to sway control is beyond me. If someone can enlighten me as to how that would be possible I would be greatly appreciative.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch
2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, 7.3L PSD Visit our website here
^^^Maybe if you actually used a Blue Ox. Mine works as advertised. Apparently the dual cam works for some. I only recommend equipment that I've used and works for me.
BarneyS wrote: How Blue Ox can claim that the rotating latches that wind up (tension) the chains contribute to sway control is beyond me. If someone can enlighten me as to how that would be possible I would be greatly appreciative.
Barney
When talking to them, I bought up the same question and they honestly said the rotating latch does little to help with sway, it's mainly in the head. He did say that the rotating latches will allow a certain amount sway from the 2 or 3 links that show but won't allow as much sway as a system that allows all the links in the chain to move forward and back.
Since the system is only showing a few links, it fights against the motion of the bar pushing in or out with the tighter tension keeping the chains from allowing the bar to move forward or back.
Sway is more controlled by the bars resistance to move forward or back, more so than side to side.
The Equal-i-zer system or Reese HP DC system can be prone to sway if forces exceeded the tension (steel to steel friction w/Equalizer or force of clamping on cam with Reese HP DC) used to keep these system bars from moving forward or back. However they have MUCH more resistance to bar movement obviously.
I can see how the rotating latches would combat bad sway but would allow some sway. So even though it doesn't combat 100% of sway, it does control it to a point. With that moderate control in the rotating chain latches, and the sway control in the head, that's how they can say 4 point sway control.
I still think the Reese HP DC would offer better sway control, but not so sure about the Equal-i-zer brand since it just uses steel on steel friction on the bars. The Equalizer and Blue Ox seem to have more sway control in their head units.
* This post was
edited 08/20/12 08:00pm by Mike Up *
2012 Jayco Jay Flight 26BH
29'1" bumper to hitch, 8' wide, 6'9" ceiling, 5050# unloaded and ~6500# loaded.
Bought Sept '12
coolbreeze01 wrote: ^^^Maybe if you actually used a Blue Ox. Mine works as advertised. Apparently the dual cam works for some. I only recommend equipment that I've used and works for me.
I didn't say the hitch didn't work! All I was questioning was the "sway control" provided by the rotating latches.
Mike up, thank you for the explaination. I can see where they are coming from but, in my opinion, they are really reaching for straws with that one.
The amount of sway control provided by the back and forth movement of the chains has to be so neglegible as to be almost non existant.
Barney
coolbreeze01 wrote: snip....... Apparently the dual cam works for some......snip
I would venture to say that based on comments by RV.NET members over the years, the "majority" that own a Reese Dual Cam would say that it performs well.
I still think the Reese HP DC would offer better sway control, but not so sure about the Equal-i-zer brand since it just uses steel on steel friction on the bars. The Equalizer and Blue Ox seem to have more sway control in their head units.
That's why I think you're better off keeping the Reese, good luck with your decision, but I think you'd be better off setting up the DC yourself with help from people on here.
06 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins 6 spd std with a few goodies.
I still think the Reese HP DC would offer better sway control, but not so sure about the Equal-i-zer brand since it just uses steel on steel friction on the bars. The Equalizer and Blue Ox seem to have more sway control in their head units.
That's why I think you're better off keeping the Reese, good luck with your decision, but I think you'd be better off setting up the DC yourself with help from people on here.
Unfortunately I don't have all the tools that required as far torque wrenches, and 3' pipes to use as breaker bars.
That's the problem with the Reese HP DC. If I had my truck and trailer at work, I could do it without problem using their parking lot and their tools but unfortunately they don't allow that.
I have to find a system that can be installed with the tools I have. I may have to have the seller put the ball on for me as they require around 400 lbs of torque but I should be able to get the smaller bolts with a 150 lbs torque wrench. The Blue Ox would be so simple. The only thing I'd have to adjust is the head on the shank and the ball. The rotating latches would be easy to install.
I may still go with round bars but JBarca said they would not work, so I don't know yet. I can't go with Trunnions bars again since the dealer drilled holes for the round bar head instead. I don't want an A frame full of holes.
Not decided yet but am still very frustrated and angry over the whole ordeal.
Ya, it's a tough call. If John says the round bars won't work I'd believe him.
I did my whole setup myself, I just borrowed a friend's 3/4" or 1" drive flex bar and socket with a scrap of pipe to put on the ball and did the rest with basic hand tools in the back yard and the local high school parking lot, got some weird looks that day!
Good luck.
JBarca wrote: Hi Mike,
I will again caution you to not get the Reese round bar hitch. You will not be happy with it. It will not give you the proper WD on the truck. Odds are high you will run out of rear head tilt before the WD comes in correct and then your stuck. That head, just like the trunnion bar head has friction sway control arm on it that will hit you’re A frame in a 65 degree right turn. The last time this came up you stated you had to back in sharper then 65 degrees.
John
I don't quite understand your statement. Why wouldn't the round bar have enough tilt and why wouldn't I get the proper WD??? I don't understand. The cam was actually installed for the round bars instead of the trunnions with the 18" length between the cam bracket bolt and the center of the ball catch. I would think it would actually install much better and install correctly.
JBarca wrote:
Have you yet measured the angle of your turn? Being able to do that 65 degree right hand turn with the WD bars on will require writing off a lot of hitches on the market today. If there is any way you can find a solution to that turn, what you have now can be made to work well.
Hope this helps
John
For the past 2 weeks, I've been really sick. Haven't been able to do much of anything at all. Going by your pictures, it shows the 74 degree angle with the propane tank cover almost touching the truck bumper. When my bar broke out of my head, my propane tank cover was no where near my bumper so maybe the angle wasn't as steep as I was thinking.
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