chrispitude
Allentown, PA
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Joined: 05/20/2007
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I have a 2006 Yukon Denali XL (the long-wheelbase one) and a Jayco X23E, hitched up using a Blue Ox Swaypro.
I need to raise the tongue uncomfortably high using the tongue jack to attach or detach the spring bars. The long wheelbase is working against me, as more height is needed for a given change in spring bar angle.
To make matters more fun, the air suspension starts letting air out as I do this, as it things the back end is too high, which moves more weight from the truck's rear axle to the trailer tongue jack.
I can pop the hood and pull the fuse to stop that, although it's a bit of a pain. But whether I do that or not, I still need a LOT of tongue jack height to hitch or unhitch.
Has anyone found a clever solution to this?
I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.
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ScottG
Bothell Wa.
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Joined: 02/25/2005
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I have to jack my combo up a lot too. At home when I leave, I pull the front of the truck just off the curb so the back end is sitting high.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6 speed Cummins.
2018 Silver Fox 32A.
H0NDA eu2000i
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SoundGuy
S Ontario
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Joined: 02/11/2015
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chrispitude wrote:I have a 2006 Yukon Denali XL (the long-wheelbase one) and a Jayco X23E, hitched up using a Blue Ox Swaypro.
I need to raise the tongue uncomfortably high using the tongue jack to attach or detach the spring bars.
Has anyone found a clever solution to this?
I'm not sure if this would work with a Blue Ox Sway Pro but the Lippert Straptek system eliminates the need with most chain WD systems to lift the tongue at all ... just engage the straps and crank up the straps until the spring bars are set the way you want them. I tried a set myself but the design, with my particular setup, wouldn't allow me to get the spring bars sitting parallel with the trailer frame because when cranked up as high as it will go the strap hook still hung much lower than my Reese WD chain hook, as can be seen in demo pic.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/L1sPuE0l.jpg)
Rebuilding the head would likely have solved this problem but I thought it more trouble than it was worth and didn't pursue this project any further.
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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Joined: 03/23/2004
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Yes, I jack my Excursion and trailer up very high to attach the bars. Not sure on the GM but on Fords there is a switch to tune it on and off for this purpose.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey
07 Cherokee 32B Dexter EZ Flex
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear 5Star tuner Y-pipe mod Hellwig sway bar
Reese DualCam Prodigy brake controller
A bad day of camping is
better than a good day at work!
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Bobbo
Wherever I park
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Joined: 09/16/2007
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chrispitude wrote:I need to raise the tongue uncomfortably high using the tongue jack to attach or detach the spring bars.
I have to do the same with my Reese Strait-Line hitch w/Dual Cam Sway Control.
Bobbo, Linda and the furry kid (45 pound rescue)
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB
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73guna
Omaha, Ne.
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Yep there are some of us that have this issue with the ox.
I just dread those swivel latches and straining my 3500lb capacity tongue jack.
Wish i would have stayed with Equilizer.
Soundguy,
The Strapteks look promising and they look to be compatible with B.O. as their chains hang 3-4" between latch and bars.
I wish it was an OEM design.
What was it like unhooking the ratchet mechanism?
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2007 Chevy Silverado Crewcab Duramax.
2016 Wildwood 31qbts.
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Campteacher
Hinton, Alberta
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My new Husky Center Line needs me to raise the jack way up as well. I like the hitch so far, it's a little clunky with the funny tool that is used to bang and slam the bars onto the brackets. There is a lot of tension on the bars of these hitches, so I'm not surprised it's an effort to get them put together.
2017 Ram 3500 CTD
2018 Jayco 285 RLS SLX
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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If you do not get as much tension on the bars as you need just tilt the hitch head rearward some more before you begin. That probably would have solved Soundguys problem and allowed him to use the Straptek system.
By the way, in most cases the trunnion style bars are not supposed to be parallel with the trailers A frame. They are designed to point downwards a bit when properly tensioned.
The round bars should be parallel due to the way they are designed.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
2019 Ram Limited 1500, 5.7L Hemi, 4x4, SB
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD
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demiles
Maryland
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I don’t understand. You guys must be really using a lot tension on the bars to have to jack up a vehicle high. I only need a little height to swing my Equalizer bars over the brackets by hand.
2008 Jayco G2 28RBS
2016 Nissan XD 5.0L Cummins
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SoundGuy
S Ontario
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Joined: 02/11/2015
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BarneyS wrote:If you do not get as much tension on the bars as you need just tilt the hitch head rearward some more before you begin. That probably would have solved Soundguys problem and allowed him to use the Straptek system.
Wish that were so but it's not the case. I needed to drop the hitch ball 1.5", which meant disassembling the head and starting all over again. It's not a head angle issue, it's currently set exactly as it needs to be for proper weight transfer to the truck's front steer axle.
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