Blue Ox SwayPro Basics: Top Questions Answered


BlueOx SwayPro weight-distribution

Weight-distribution hitches, like the Blue Ox SwayPro, are necessary pieces of equipment for anyone towing a travel trailer. A SwayPro improves your tow vehicle’s capability and helps make you safer. 

I use mine on every single trip. 

It took a few years of using my Blue Ox weight distribution hitch to appreciate how they work. I was lucky that my dealer showed me the basics and answered my questions. Not everyone gets that. 

Here are some of the top questions you need answers to about a Blue Ox SwayPro. 

  1. How Does A Blue Ox SwayPro Work?
  2. Where Can I Buy A Blue Ox SwayPro?
  3. How Do You Hook Up A Blue Ox SwayPro Hitch?
  4. How Do You Disconnect A Blue Ox SwayPro Hitch?
  5. How Many Links Should I Use On A Blue Ox SwayPro?
  6. Can I Make A Chain Adjustment On A Blue Ox SwayPro?
  7. Can I Back Up With A Blue Ox SwayPro?
  8. What Size Blue Ox SwayPro Spring Bars Do I Need?
  9. How Do I Identify Blue Ox SwayPro Spring Bars?
  10. How Much Does A Blue Ox SwayPro Weight?
  11. Can You Use A Blue Ox SwayPro With Roadmaster Active Suspension?

How Does A SwayPro Work?

The hitch has two primary functions. First, the SwayPro is a weight-distribution hitch. It is also an anti-sway hitch. These functions work together to improve towing performance and safety. 

I have created a video where I try to show this a little better.

Blue Ox Weight Distribution Hitch

This hitch primarily functions as a weight-distribution hitch. That means it leverages your trailer to distribute the weight from your truck’s rear axle to the truck’s front axle. 

Sound complicated? It’s not.

Imagine you’re standing behind a typical wheelbarrow. If you gently push down on the two handles, the wheelbarrow tips back on the legs, and the front wheel comes up. This is a model of what your trailer’s weight does to your tow vehicle. The wheelbarrow legs are your truck’s rear axle, and you are the trailer. As the tow vehicle’s front wheels come up, you reduce your ability to control the vehicle safely.

Now imagine if you gently pulled up on the wheelbarrow handles. You would be redistributing the weight from the rear legs to the front wheel of the wheelbarrow. That is how a weight distribution hitch works. 

A weight-distribution hitch redistributes some of the trailer’s weight to the tow vehicle’s front wheels, therefore helping maintain control of the vehicle. At the same time, it also has a similar effect on the trailer by transferring some hitch weight back to the trailer. 

Blue Ox Anti-Sway Hitch

The SwayPro falls into the category of an anti-sway hitch. In general, an anti-sway hitch uses tension or friction to reduce side-to-side movement in a trailer when towed. That side-to-side movement can get out of control and create an extremely dangerous situation resulting in an accident. 

The SwayPro uses the tension created by spring bars to reduce sway. The SwayPro spring bars push the trailer back into center alignment as it starts to sway.

Think of them as guide rails that keep your trailer on the strait and narrow.

Where Can I Buy Blue Ox?

The easiest way to buy a Blue Ox SwayPro is to buy is from the Go Together Go Far Amazon affiliate links below. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

At no cost to you, if you click through to Amazon from the links below and buy a Blue Ox SwayPro, Amazon will pay me a small commission, and you can buy from a trusted name like Amazon.

If my Blue Ox articles or videos have helped you, it is a great way to say thanks and doesn’t cost you anything extra. And I would really appreciate it!

The links also show current pricing.

Complete Kits:

SwayPro Spring Bars:

How Do You Hook Up A Blue Ox SwayPro Hitch?

Due to the tension required on the Blue Ox spring bars, you generally won’t be able to hook them up properly without using the trailer’s tongue jack. 

Think of the tongue jack as the center pole when trying to raise a tent. As it goes up, it pulls the two sides together. 

To hook up a Blue Ox SwayPro hitch, do the following:

  1. Connect your trailer to the SwayPro hitch ball as you would any standard hitch.
  2. Connect the SwayPro spring bars, and let the chains hang down.
  3. Use your trailer’s tongue jack to raise the front of the trailer and the truck’s rear. This effectively creates a better angle to connect the trailer and spring bars. 
  4. From the last link in the spring bar’s chain, count back 9 links. That 9th link slides into the slot on the clamp-on lift brackets attached to the trailer tongue. 
  5. Use a wrench to turn the lift bracket clockwise till they lock into place with a click.
  6. Repeat the process for the second spring bar.
  7. Lower the trailer and truck with the tongue jack. 

You can see my video demonstration here:

How Do You Disconnect A Blue Ox SwayPro Hitch?

It is easy to hurt yourself if you try to disconnect a Blue Ox SwayPro Hitch incorrectly. The tension on the spring bars can snap down with an incredible amount of force. If you’re not careful, you can easily get hurt. 

To disconnect a Blue Ox SwayPro hitch correctly, do the following:

  1. Raise the trailer’s tongue and attach the truck, which will reduce the tension on the spring bars.
  2. While firmly holding the wrench on the rotating lift bracket, pull the locking pin out and rotate the lift bracket counterclockwise. Pro Tip: Initially, only rotate the bracket enough so that the locking pin can’t snap back in its hole when you release it. Now use both hands to rotate it the rest of the way, releasing the chain.
  3. Repeat the process on the second spring bar.
  4. Remove the spring bars from the hitch head by pulling up on the pins.
  5. Lower the tongue jack back down. 
  6. With the spring bars removed, disconnect the hitch the same as you would a standard hitch.

How Many Links Should I Use On A Blue Ox SwayPro?

The standard installation and hookup procedure for the Blue Ox SwayPro recommends using the 9th link to create the appropriate tension on the spring bars. 

To correctly identify the 9th link, hold the loose end of the chain up. The top link is link 1. Count down to the 9th link. 

Pro Tip: Mark that 9th link with a small piece of duct tape or permanent marker for easy identification next time.

Can I Make A Chain Adjustment On A Blue Ox SwayPro?

Blue Ox recommends using the 9th link as a standard procedure. You can adjust the chain on the Blue Ox SwayPro to use the 10th or 11th link in some situations. 

Adjusting to a higher count link increases the tension on the spring bars, increasing the truck’s weight distribution and increasing the hitch’s anti-sway capabilities. This is generally only recommended for certain weather conditions or some other change in the trailer. 

The disadvantage of using the 10th or 11th link is the need to raise the combined trailer and truck even high to hook up or disconnect the SwayPro spring bars. 

Can I Back Up With A Blue Ox SwayPro?

You can back up with a Blue Ox SwayPro fully connected and functioning. Some other styles of anti-sway hitched require you to disconnect them to back a trailer up. The angling and maneuvering sometimes needed to back and set a trailer can damage the hitch, trailer, or truck. 

This advantage can save you time and money and should not be discounted when considering anti-sway hitches. 

What Size Blue Ox SwayPro Spring Bars Do I Need?

The correct size BlueOx SwayPro spring bars will depend on your trailer’s listed “tongue weight.” A trailer’s tongue weight is the amount of weight the trailer’s tongue puts on the hitch ball and the back of the truck. Your trailer’s official tongue weight will be listed on a sticker on your trailer

You will want to select Blue Ox SwayPro spring bars that are rated at or slightly higher than your trailer’s tongue weight. Blue Ox has SwayPro spring bars in the following weights:

  • 350 lbs
  • 550 lbs
  • 750 lbs
  • 1,000 lbs
  • 1,500 lbs

For example, if your trailer’s tongue weight were 650 lbs, you would select the 750 lbs spring bar. 

How Do I Identify SwayPro Spring Bars?

It can be challenging to identify the different ratings on spring bars just by looking. The lighter-rated bars are slightly thinner, but it is hard to tell exactly which one is which. To address this, Blue Ox has added different numbers of “dimples” to the spring bar base to indicate its rating. 

Once you know what to look for, they are easy to identify. 

  • 350 lbs – no dimples
  • 550 lbs – one dimple
  • 750 lbs – two dimples
  • 1,000 lbs – three dimples
  • 1,500 lbs – four dimples

How Much Does A SwayPro Weight?

This is not an arbitrary question. This is not a light hitch.

A fully assembled and functional Blue Ox SwayPro can weigh approximately 80 lbs to 90 lbs

The weight it adds needs to be taken into consideration when considering your tow vehicle’s cargo capacity. If you are pushing the cargo capacity limits of your tow vehicle, the weight of the SwayPro could put you over. I don’t recommend exceeding any of your vehicle manufacturer’s listed capabilities. 

Can You Use A SwayPro With Roadmaster Active Suspension?

You can improve your towing performance by combining a Blue Ox SwayPro with the Roadmaster Active Suspension. The SwayPro will help with weight distribution and provide anti-sway. The Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) will improve the tow vehicle suspension handling and performance under load. The RAS can also help with sway, axle hop, and axle wrap. 

I have tested and tried to measure the performance of combining these two pieces of equipment. You can see the test and results here:

Conclusion

I hope this helped answer some questions for you on the Blue Ox SwayPro. If you haven’t watched the YouTube demos above, be sure to watch them before you go. And don’t forget to check out the Go Together Go Far Channel on YouTube. There is lots of other great content there. 

Get a FREE copy of the Go Together Go Far Travel Trailer Hookup and Disconnect Checklist when you sign up for the Go Together Go Far Newsletter!

Don’t forget to check out our Recommended RV Equipment list!

Other Articles

Want to learn more about different types of RVs? Check out:

Andy

Hi, my name is Andy. I have been camping my whole life. I started camping with my parents as a little kid and remember hanging out around a campfire roasting marshmallows. As I got older, car camping was a regular occurrence. After I got married and started a family, we decided we wanted to share the travel and camping experience with our kids. Out of that experience, this site, GoTogetherGoFar.com, was born.

Recent Posts