Blue Ox Sway Pro setup

[llr]

the tire will have a max PSI somewhere on the tire. I would think on both sides but it could be only onside, check the inside too. wording could very some too.

[J007]

Thanks I'll check tonight.

[mkosu04]

Originally Posted by J007

Just got an email back from Blue OX and waiting to hear back after pic sent. They stated I should turn of the trucks sway control, because it will fight with hit and actually cause sway. Has any other F 150 owners turned this off and noticed a difference?

Sounds like a line of bull to me. The sway control built into the truck's ESP system will only kick in if the sway is out of control. Minor sway will not cause the control to activate.

If the trailer is swaying so badly that the F150 control is activating than you either just got hit by unexpected side wind, or else you are driving too fast for the conditions.

I have a 2012 F150 with sway control built in, and I use the blue ox Sway Pro hitch. I have never had to disable any control on my truck and it tows just fine when it is set up correctly and the speed is correct.

[J007]

These were my thoughts as well. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why turning the trucks sway control off should help with any miner sway issues I was dealing with, since the trucks sway controlls never kicked in.

I done all the setup measurements and trailer looks great when hooked up. It time for me to hit the scale to see what I'm showing for tongue weight. I'm hopping this helps me get the hitch set up more to my liking.

[325BH]

Originally Posted by mkosu04

Sounds like a line of bull to me. The sway control built into the truck's ESP system will only kick in if the sway is out of control. Minor sway will not cause the control to activate.

If the trailer is swaying so badly that the F150 control is activating than you either just got hit by unexpected side wind, or else you are driving too fast for the conditions.

I have a 2012 F150 with sway control built in, and I use the blue ox Sway Pro hitch. I have never had to disable any control on my truck and it tows just fine when it is set up correctly and the speed is correct.

Totally agree.

The truck's sway control is using computer logic and sensors to make sway control decisions.
The WDH's sway control is simply friction/drag which is constant (not changing based on some computer trying to make corrections).

Those two will not conflict with each other.

[llr]

Some people on the F150 forum say it kicks in sometimes even with out a trailer, they report handling issues, hot rear brakes and poor MPG in windy conditions unless the turn off the trailer sway control. Some say it never happens. Could be certain years and/or options.

[kurtsont]

To me I feel less sway with the trucks sway control off. Along with lt tires you can look into getting a sway bar for the rear. Helwig makes one for our trucks or look into road master active suspension. I have ras on mine and it helps. With our trucks being lighter we will get some sway from the wind because the truck is light. Lt tires made a huge improvement with mine. Now I'm playing with the tires air pressure to fine tune it.

[J007]

Ya, I was thinking of changing out the tires next, even though they seem to be a hybrid style tire, because I got the Max Tow package. I can put them up to 51 PSI cold and only have tried 42 so far. My next trip out in a few weeks, I'm going to try the max 51 psi and see how that does and if still having troubles, may just swap tires for LT's and use the stock one's for winter.

[mkosu04]

Originally Posted by llr

Some people on the F150 forum say it kicks in sometimes even with out a trailer, they report handling issues, hot rear brakes and poor MPG in windy conditions unless the turn off the trailer sway control. Some say it never happens. Could be certain years and/or options.

Trailer sway control will only activate if a trailer is connected.

There are other ESP functions that may activated in very strong cross winds... even basic stability control could kick in with severe wind. Anytime the truck experiences unintended yaw the ESP might kick in to help out and maintain the course.

Personally, I've never seen weather that bad. But I suppose its possible.

Can anyone speak to this personally? Did the display on your F150 indicate trailer sway when you saw this happen?

[ontario_camper]

I've had it engage on my 2012 F150 while pulling our trailer. This is a stock pic, but I believe it looked like this on the dashboard.

[J007]

Ok, sorry for the long post, but really need some help and trying not to have to go out and buy a new truck. I finally got a chance this weekend to go to Cat Scale. Here are the numbers and think I'm going to be a little over on payload and may be able to fix rear axle excess weight by replacing Blue Ox 1,000 lb bars for 1,500.

Truck: 2016 F150 Max Tow package, with 157" wheel base.
GCWR = 17,100
GVWR = 7,050
Payload (yellow sticker) 1,662
Truck Wheel Well height unhooked = Front 37 3/4 & Back 39 3/4
WD ball height when unhooked = 25 1/4
Truck Wheel well height hooked up trailer level = F 37 3/4 B 37 3/4
Trailer ball height when hooked up and trailer level 24 1/4
Steer Axle door sticker = 3,650
Drive Axle door sticker = 3,800


Trailer: 2017 Flagstaff 27BHWS
GVWR sticker = 8,132
Hitch weight sticker = 732
Carry capacity sticker = 1,463

W/D Hitch = Blue Ox Sway Pro, 1,000 lb bars (newer style hitch)

Cat Scale:

Truck & Trailer (with WD hooked up)
Steer Axle = 3,240
Drive Axle = 3,900
Trailer Axle = 6,380

Truck & Trailer (with WD bars off in bed of truck)
Steer Axle = 2,980
Drive Axle = 4,280
Trailer Axle = 6,240

Truck unhooked (WD bars left with trailer)
Steer Axle = 3,440
Drive Axle = 2,2640
Gross Weight = 6,080

Now when I went to scale, I had trailer and truck setup as if I was going camping, with my son and I in truck (numbers don't include wife & daughter).

If I calculate this right, my actual tongue weight getting transferred to the TV is 1,060 ((Steer axle 3,240 + Drive axle 3,900 when hooked up)- TV GVWR 6,080). So if this is correct, I should try replacing my 1,000 lbs with the Blue Ox 1,500 lb bars. Since I still have sway even though the trailer is level when hooked up and front of truck is back at same height when unhooked, if I go with the 1,500 bars will this help reduce the sway and also transfer some more weight off the rear axle, to the front axle and Trailer axle?

Thanks for you input.

[VernDiesel]

Great post. I'm surprised you have sway. The 1500s should transfer a lil more which may take out your sway. Are you talking sway at 65 mph? I'll take a guess at another 60 on to your steer and another 20 onto your trailer axles.

[J007]

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

Great post. I'm surprised you have sway. The 1500s should transfer a lil more which may take out your sway. Are you talking sway at 65 mph? I'll take a guess at another 60 on to your steer and another 20 onto your trailer axles.

Yes, I mainly get sway around 60 to 65 MPH sometimes. I have to say though, the four times I've been out this year it's been windy half the time. Also before hitting scale this weekend I had to rase the ball hight because I realized trailer was not as level as I would like it to be.

[J007]

Here is the two hooked up after CAT scale.

[5OHcampers]

I'd say it's your tires or my Husky centerline ts does a much better job than the blue ox. I pulled my hemisphere 312qbud (36ft) home yesterday in 20+ mph crosswinds with no issues. I think maybe once or twice i felt it wiggle a little. Truck is a 2011 f150 ecoboost cclb max tow 7700gvw with E load range tires.

[J007]

That was the last change I was going to make, but can actually go up to 51 psi on stock tires and that helped a lot. I'd be interested to know if stiffer sidewall tires are heavier than P rated tires.

[llr]

Per your numbers you are recovering a little under 50% of the front axle weight so try either heavier bars and/or another link on the chain.
Sounds like you are at max PSI which you want with anything except LTs, with LTs you should be OK a little under max.

[mmangiarelli]

J007
Our Primetime Tracer 3140RSD was packaged with Blueox BXW1000 Swaypro hitch.
Trailer dry weight 7283 lbs
Tongue weight dry 837 lbs
Trailer loaded 8100 lbs
Tongue weight 1300 lbs
Trailer gross weight 9623 lbs
Never had the sway issue, but had a lot of bounce with 1000lb trunion bars. Upgraded to 1500 lb trunion bars this spring, eliminated bounce, much smoother ride.
For what it's worth, factory advised trunion bars are good +/- 20% of their rating.

[J007]

Originally Posted by llr

Per your numbers you are recovering a little under 50% of the front axle weight so try either heavier bars and/or another link on the chain.
Sounds like you are at max PSI which you want with anything except LTs, with LTs you should be OK a little under max.

I tried another link but it ended up bringing nose of trailer up more than I liked. This was after I just raised ball hight one notch because I had to use most of the links to pull up nose when ball was lower. It's like a fine line with my setup. The truck tows 65% of time just fine, so hopping tires will do the trick.

[J007]

Originally Posted by mmangiarelli

J007
Our Primetime Tracer 3140RSD was packaged with Blueox BXW1000 Swaypro hitch.
Trailer dry weight 7283 lbs
Tongue weight dry 837 lbs
Trailer loaded 8100 lbs
Tongue weight 1300 lbs
Trailer gross weight 9623 lbs
Never had the sway issue, but had a lot of bounce with 1000lb trunion bars. Upgraded to 1500 lb trunion bars this spring, eliminated bounce, much smoother ride.
For what it's worth, factory advised trunion bars are good +/- 20% of their rating.

Thanks.. will be getting 1,500 bars before next trip.