Installation of Blue Ox Sway Pro With Different Weight Trailer Loads  

I have a 2010 RAM 3500, 4WDR, crew cab, short bed truck. I tow a 31foot Cherokee 24Pack14+ Toyhauler 9985 GVWR, and I use a Blue Ox Sway Pro with 1,500 lb. bars. I have highly variable towing results sway depending on exactly how the trailer is loaded, and what link I use on the chains for the spring bars. I have been able to create a spreadsheet that accounts for all of my potential changes in trailer/truck loads motorcycle, fresh water, black and gray water, general cargo, etc.. I have several measured results for tongue weight under different load scenarios using a Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale that I bought from etrailer. My spread sheet actually predicts the tongue weight within ~3 of the measurements. I didnt reverse engineer to get a good result. I did try to make very accurate measurements and simply used standard lever calculations. For months, Ive scoured Internet sites looking for reliable formulas to help me predict the loads added to my trucks front and rear axles when I connect/engage the weight distribution hitch. I have examined many spreadsheets, read articles with formulas, and used some of the online calculators. Many of them have support from other members of the forums. Based on the CAT scale results that I have for various loading scenarios, I believe all of them are highly inaccurate. In addition, trying to reconcile the different approaches by each of them is nearly impossible. They dont even use the same inputs to derive their respective answers. They also use different terminology and some just input some assumed magic? weights for some factors that are not described. Can you all provide any generally accepted formulas that I can use to calculate my axle loads when the weight distribution hitch is connected? Also, can you tell me how many pounds of weight are transferred for each link on a Blue Ox Sway Pro 1,500 lb bars if we assume the hitch is set up correctly? How do I know when Ive actually tensioned the spring bars to their maximum limit? If I can add this information into the spreadsheet and match my CAT scale results within a reasonable margin of error, I would be glad to share it with anyone. It should be able to be modified to work with any travel trailer. The reason this is important to me, is that I want to identify why I have trailer sway, so I can prevent it in the future by adjusting the hitch and exact loading scenarios on the trailer. Any help you provide will be greatly appreciated!!

asked by: Bill B