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Old 12-30-2016, 02:11 PM   #21
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OK now I feel stupid, Getting to know this forum thing. Great looking T.H.
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Old 12-30-2016, 03:47 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Still go once View Post
OK now I feel stupid, Getting to know this forum thing. Great looking T.H.
LOL, no reason to feel that way, we've all been newbies at everything we do. I'm pretty much a total newbie when it comes to camping style trailers. I've had several motorcycle trailers, a few jet skis with trailers, a 19 1/2' bowrider ski boat, and two different enclosed trailers.....so I know a bit about how to drive them and back them up.....but this is the first camping trailer and I'm in a giant learning curve about most things related to that. Thanks for the Kudos....I've had a few comments on the T.H. looks.
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Old 01-01-2017, 12:53 PM   #23
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First trip with the strap tek, 3 hour drive from Houston to Rockport. Conditions where calm weather however I was able to get the equivalent of 10.5 links on the blue ox which helped greatly on sway and suction from passing trucks. Might have been just a touch too much and will run the equivalent of 10 links on the way home. Also should have 15-16 mph winds tomorrow for the trip so it will put it to the test with the extra tension and hopefully help with sway. Will report back after the trip.
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Old 01-01-2017, 01:17 PM   #24
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Sounds good, looking forward to hearing the results. Keep us posted.
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Old 01-02-2017, 11:33 AM   #25
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A little windy on the way home today. Forecast this morning was for 10-15 mile winds so no too bad. My sweet spot is 4 dots perfectly face up which is I believe about 10 links on the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Anything more than that is harsh ride. Setup is a on 2014 F150 4x2 pulling a 30ft Keystone Cougar 26RBI. Big trucks and fast vehicles passing I just barely get a little pull. When the wind was at crosswind I could tell I had a long trailer behind me and had to pay attention but was not white knuckled or anything like that.

In summary the straptek truly makes hitching and unhitching much much easier. We do a lot of weekend trips so when you only have a couple of nights an extra 5-10 minutes when hitching and is unhitching is valuable. Plus not having to deal with possible tension on a chain snapping at your hand is a huge bonus.
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Old 01-02-2017, 02:53 PM   #26
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jmak..........good to hear that it went well wihte StrapTek system. I've had mine installed for 3 or 4 weeks now, but the trailer is parked for the winter mostly. Based on your experience, I feel confident that mine will perform well when I use it in the spring. I'm towing a 9000 lb empty weight trailer and I expect to be at approx. 10,700 to 11,000 when loaded and ready to roll.....all that behind a 2011 F250 Crew Cab Diesel.
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Old 01-06-2017, 07:57 AM   #27
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Here's a thought, with Straptek there is no need to raise the TV. That tongue jack should last as long as your camper for a change. ?
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Old 02-15-2017, 06:21 PM   #28
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Well I ordered them today. Did you have to adjust your hitch to get the bars closer to the winch of the straptek?
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Old 02-15-2017, 11:28 PM   #29
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Well I ordered them today. Did you have to adjust your hitch to get the bars closer to the winch of the straptek?
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by adjusting the hitch. I have a Blue OX hitch on my truck and all I had to do was remove the original B.O. pull ups and replace with the StrapTek winches.

Remember though, a good idea is to hook up the trailer with your existing setup and pull ups then TAKE A MEASUREMENT to see what the distance is between the spring bars and say the trailer frame A arms. When you unhitch and remove the existing pullups and then install the StrapTek winches, you now know how much to winch up the spring bars so that you are putting the same amount of tension on them as you had with the original pullups.

Holler at me if you need more help.
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Old 02-16-2017, 04:40 AM   #30
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Thanks xrated, I also have a blue ox hitch I bought last year. All the pictures Ive seen with the strapteks look like they have the spring bars really close to the winch. With the chains, my bars aren't that high(9 links) and to get them that high Id have to adjust the height of the hitch. I guess that's what I was trying to say.
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Old 02-16-2017, 04:55 AM   #31
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Thanks xrated, I also have a blue ox hitch I bought last year. All the pictures Ive seen with the strapteks look like they have the spring bars really close to the winch. With the chains, my bars aren't that high(9 links) and to get them that high Id have to adjust the height of the hitch. I guess that's what I was trying to say.
Your hitch height is determined by the height of the tongue on your trailer. There are some good videos on youtube on how to setup the blue ox but basically without your trailer connected your tongue height and hitch ball height should be close the same. Using the straptek does allow you to get more tension than the chains easier however too much tension and your ride will be very rough.
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Old 02-16-2017, 07:10 AM   #32
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Your hitch height is determined by the height of the tongue on your trailer. There are some good videos on youtube on how to setup the blue ox but basically without your trailer connected your tongue height and hitch ball height should be close the same. Using the straptek does allow you to get more tension than the chains easier however too much tension and your ride will be very rough.
That's true jmac....thus the reason I measured mine with the B.O. system before I installed the StrapTeks. I've yet to completely load the T.H. like it will be loaded when I use it for my motorcycle track days (more weight behind the axles), so when I make my trial run, I most likely will have to back off some of the tension on the bars, but that would have to be done whether the pull ups are B.O. or StrapTek.
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Old 02-16-2017, 04:11 PM   #33
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Blue Ox used to have an adjustable head, years ago. I purchased mine near 4 years ago and received one that was not. As it turns out they are all non adjustable.
Blue Ox claims the sway control is built into the head. Having the trunnion pins at a binding angle is their clam to sway control. Didn't work for me as well as I'd hoped.
I took the Blue Ox head to a machine shop and had them mill the top bolt holes and created a slot that made it adjustable. I also had them fabricate crescent washers to place behind the bolts to fill the gap and not allow any movement.
Now I could adjust the head back, raising the spring bars higher.
Unless you have a "Buddy" in the machining business don't try this.
Straptek works best with the strap hooks pulled all the way up and controls the sway by reducing that connection length from "9 chain links" to 3 inch.
That's why I say, Buy the cheapest adjustable WDH and Straptek. Your spring bars will be very easy to tension but because of not getting them as high as need be, most of your sway control will be from what Blue Ox is offering.
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Old 02-16-2017, 06:30 PM   #34
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This is what I was afraid of. Thank you "still go once".
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Old 02-17-2017, 03:37 AM   #35
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Don't be afraid my friend, Blue Ox works very well for a lot different combinations. You will not be disappointed with your Straptek purchase.
Straptek is far easier to use and control than the Blue Ox rock over latch.
Fast, fun and safe.
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Old 02-17-2017, 03:40 AM   #36
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don't be afraid my friend, blue ox works very well for a lot different combinations. You will not be disappointed with your straptek purchase.
Straptek is far easier to use and control than the blue ox rock over latch.
Fast, fun and safe.
+1,000,000
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Old 02-17-2017, 06:57 AM   #37
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Well I just got them from fedex. These things are really nice. A lot more beefier than I thought they"d be. Very happy with em.
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Old 02-17-2017, 11:06 AM   #38
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I think people expect a pontoon boat winch strap or something. My first thought was I could pick up the entire trailer with one strap and not break it.
They'll last longer than the trailer. Pretty Cool!
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Old 02-17-2017, 11:28 AM   #39
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Just a suggestion, Your Blue Ox spring bars sockets with the little spring pin that retains bars may be a issue maybe not. After they pop off, the replacements won't stay either. I drilled them all the way through and put a 1/4" hitch pin to replace them. It's fairly common for them to pop off but a little unnerving when you notice one missing at the campground.
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Old 02-17-2017, 02:16 PM   #40
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I think people expect a pontoon boat winch strap or something. My first thought was I could pick up the entire trailer with one strap and not break it.
They'll last longer than the trailer. Pretty Cool!
Maybe not quite a pontoon boat, but 3300 lbs per strap. My spring bars for the W.D. hitch I have are rated at 1500 lbs, so that's 750 lbs each. The straps that come with the StrapTek are, like I stated, 3300 lbs each. I think I'll be good!
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