Blue Ox Sway Pro: How Many Links Needed? (Guide)

blue ox sway pro how many links
blue ox sway pro how many links

Introduction

As many trailer owners and RV owners will know, towing can be a risky endeavor. Particularly with larger loads or high wind conditions, then there will be severe impacts on the stability of the trailer and vehicle. Products like Blue Ox’s Sway Pro have been expertly developed to counter these dangerous swaying conditions.

They utilize simple but effective technology to absorb the energy, which ultimately reduces the sway. However, this is a universal product which means it can be adjusted to suit many different scenarios and conditions.

Understanding the number of chain links and, by extension, chain length seriously impacts the component’s effectiveness. Therefore, this article will guide users through the best method to adjust it accurately every time.

What is a Blue Ox Sway Pro?

What is a Blue Ox Sway Pro

Modern trailers are becoming increasingly complex and extensive. This is partly due to the abundance of powerful towing vehicles that can now move vast amounts of weight over long distances.

However, there has also been a shift in the RV industry, which now produces enormous luxury-style vehicles for owners around the globe. Hence why it is essential for the links between the vehicle and trailer weight to be stable and secure.

The Blue Ox Sway Pro has been designed to ensure even weight and distribution to guarantee a safe and comfortable ride. This is crucial for more substantial trailer loads, which can easily be loaded improperly, creating a less stable and potentially hazardous towing condition.

An even towing load is also critical when driving over uneven ground, which will encourage the trailer to rock more violently than it would in light wind conditions.

The innovative yet simple design has allowed the Blue Ox to excel compared to its closest competition. This is mainly due to the chain link design.

Effectively the tension between high-grade toughened steel has afforded exceptional strength with a flexible capacity to prevent unnecessary swaying. In addition, the ingenious implementation of simple design features affords flexibility, performance, and strength in a compact and cost-effective package.

Critically, the system must be set up appropriately to deal with each particular load. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the necessary amount of chain links to produce optimal towing performance and minimize swaying during transportation.

Blue Ox Sway Pro How Many Links

Link Set-Up

Link Set-Up

Once the Blue Ox Sway Pro has been attached to the trailer and the vehicle, there is one final stage of the set-up, the linkage limit. Effectively, it is the metric that dictates the level of leverage available to the trailer.

Due to the variability of towing vehicle model and dimension and the trailer weight and orientation, it is impossible to give a fixed number of links required to level the trailer.

Hence Blue Ox has designed their system to be adjustable, with up to 11 links available. However, this step-by-step guide will allow the user to set it up perfectly every time.

Step 1

Assess if the initial trailer connection has leveled the trailer. In most cases, it will not initially be in the correct setting.

trailer tongue weight

Therefore, the first step will be to support the trailer tongue weight with an appropriately rated trailer jack. This is to safely alleviate the weight of the support of the connecting elements to allow them to be safely maneuvered.

Step 2

Next, it is necessary to disengage the rotating bracket by operating the control latch. Then move on to removing the spring bar tension from the chains. Removing the tension which will allow the chain length to be adjusted.

Step 3

chain length can be manipulated

At this point it is the chain length can be manipulated. It is important only to adjust the length by one link at a time. Each link is effectively a preset increment which takes the fine adjustment process out of the equation.

Critically, the trailer should be as level as possible. The most simple assessment method is to see if the trailer is parallel with the ground. You can easily do this by eye. However, larger trailers will likely have a leveling mechanism in the form of a sensor or a spirit level to understand more precisely how adjustments should be made.

Step 4

Step 4

Now it is time to assess the changes that have been made. Reapply the Sway Pro to ensure that the steps are followed closely. At this point, a judgment should be made on how effective the new setup is.

Assess how much of a change has been made with the new or removed links and understand if further adjustments would make a positive change.

Step 5

Step 5

Continually adjust the set up by following these steps to finally get to the most appropriate number of links. This should take a relatively short time, and it is critical that it is completed accurately to guarantee the safest driving conditions possible.

Keep in mind that this will be an ongoing process. As the trailer its weight to the vehicle changes, the Blue Ox Sway Pro will continually adapt to the specifications of each situation.

For example, if the trailer’s rear is too low to the ground or it sways excessively during transportation, then adjustments can be made to ensure the safest possible driving conditions.

Conclusion

Like measuring a piece of string, understanding the number of links is an art form. The key is to understand the adjustment process and appreciate that every scenario will require a specific chain length.

Following the instructions above will guide you through the most effective means of accurately assigning the number of links every time. This will ensure the smoothest and safest towing conditions for the vehicle and trailer alike.

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