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  1. #11
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    The Straptek system has been mentioned before. I *think* the reason I didn't go with the system was during the release process it looked like the operator still had to control all of the bar tension manually. From your description it sounds like there's no issue with control, which is good! I'm glad to see it works better than I anticipated--nice to have options.

    Thanks for the post--and welcome to the forum!
    Thank you for the welcome. Unless you just happened to read my introduction in the "Introduce Yourself", section, the reason I'm here is because on February 22nd I will be trading in my 2017 Keystone Impact 303 tow behind Toy Hauler for a brand new 2018 Momentum 394M 5ver. And as far as the StrapTek system goes, it is very, very easy to both winch up the spring bars and very, very easy to release the tension in a completely controlled manner. The Blue Ox scared the crap out of me a couple of times when that cam system "rolled over" at Top Dead Center and that thing just BANG, releases.....whether you are ready for it or not. I normally place my 1/2" drive ratchet wrench so that the handle is at about a 4 or 5 O'clock position then push down on it to release the catch on the strap winch. You have to hold the catch in the release position, as it's spring loaded. So once that's released, I just start letting the ratchet wrench come up till it gets to maybe a 1 or 2 O'clock position and I release the catch on the strap winch. Now, it's holding the spring bar tension until I reposition my wrench back down to about 4 or 5 O'clock....and do the same thing over again. It usually takes about two or three time of doing that, and all the tension on the spring bars is released.....then you the other side exactly the same way. A minute spent and it's done.

    Off topic a bit....the Keyston Impact 303 has been a good trailer for us, but we just want more room, so we will be going from a 34 1/2' tow behind to the 42 1/2' Momentum 394. We are both excited and kind of scared at the same time as the access to our house will require coming home and making a fairly sharp left turn and a slight downhill before it levels off. Then down the road and turning it around so that when I get back to the house, I can back it into it's landing pad area. This is a private road, which is both good and bad. The good, almost no traffic. The bad, just barely wide enough to two vehicles to pass each other on it. Wish me well, it's going to get real in a little under two weeks!
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  2. #12
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walaby View Post
    Howard

    First off, I agree with you.. I have a Blue Ox Swaypro as well. Mine has 1500 lb bars. My current setup is 9 links. With my Ram 2500 I had to lift the truck up, dang near until the wheels were off the ground and even then, it took some beef to hook 'em up. With the 3500 I have now, it's a lot easier and I can almost do them by hand.

    But, the tongue jack has to work really hard to lift the combination of truck and trailer to the desired level. My jack recently started to really labor to lift the 3500. To the point where the gears started slipping the last time I unhooked, and the fuse popped. Im probably at the point of having to replace the tongue jack. I want to find one that is higher rated weight wise than 3500. Of course, this comes at the time I intend to eventually trade my TT in for a 5er.

    Your approach seems like a good alternative. I don't know if I'll adopt it or not, but nice alternative approach.

    Mike
    That's what we are doing on the 22nd of February......trading the tow behind for a Momentum 394 5ver!
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  3. #13
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    Thank you for the welcome. Unless you just happened to read my introduction in the "Introduce Yourself", section, the reason I'm here is because on February 22nd I will be trading in my 2017 Keystone Impact 303 tow behind Toy Hauler for a brand new 2018 Momentum 394M 5ver. And as far as the StrapTek system goes, it is very, very easy to both winch up the spring bars and very, very easy to release the tension in a completely controlled manner. The Blue Ox scared the crap out of me a couple of times when that cam system "rolled over" at Top Dead Center and that thing just BANG, releases.....whether you are ready for it or not. I normally place my 1/2" drive ratchet wrench so that the handle is at about a 4 or 5 O'clock position then push down on it to release the catch on the strap winch. You have to hold the catch in the release position, as it's spring loaded. So once that's released, I just start letting the ratchet wrench come up till it gets to maybe a 1 or 2 O'clock position and I release the catch on the strap winch. Now, it's holding the spring bar tension until I reposition my wrench back down to about 4 or 5 O'clock....and do the same thing over again. It usually takes about two or three time of doing that, and all the tension on the spring bars is released.....then you the other side exactly the same way. A minute spent and it's done.

    Off topic a bit....the Keyston Impact 303 has been a good trailer for us, but we just want more room, so we will be going from a 34 1/2' tow behind to the 42 1/2' Momentum 394. We are both excited and kind of scared at the same time as the access to our house will require coming home and making a fairly sharp left turn and a slight downhill before it levels off. Then down the road and turning it around so that when I get back to the house, I can back it into it's landing pad area. This is a private road, which is both good and bad. The good, almost no traffic. The bad, just barely wide enough to two vehicles to pass each other on it. Wish me well, it's going to get real in a little under two weeks!
    I think Lippert is going to sell bunches of those Straptek's to site sponsors who own a Blue Ox after reading your review. Shoot, I may get a set myself so I don't have to mess with the jack.

    Your other post was quite informative. I chuckled when I read how you came up with your forum name--no doubt it has raised a few eyebrows over the years. I hope you'll become a regular here. Your contributions will be most welcome. And good luck with that first tow. I posted after my first tow (15 miles from dealer to campground) that I was proud I didn't hit anything.
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  4. #14
    Rolling Along
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    So, watched the video, and it looks really neat. I guess a question I have, is how do you account for the difference in the bar height from the traditional/normal BLue Ox setup to the fully ratecheted strap tek setup. For example, my current setup for my blue ox is at 9 links. Leaves a distance of what, 4-5 links between link number 9, and the last link in the chain. Yet the Strap Tek ratchets the bar all the way up as far as it can go (at least in the video it did). So, how do you know how far up to ratchet it? And how do you figure out the same setting each time?

    I might be a bit delirious because I am battling a cold and flu like symptoms, so if it is painfully obvious to those who are healthy, I apologize in advance

    Mike
    Im Mike Willoughby, and I approve this message.
    2017 Ram 3500 CTD (aka FRAM)
    2019 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS

  5. #15
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walaby View Post
    So, watched the video, and it looks really neat. I guess a question I have, is how do you account for the difference in the bar height from the traditional/normal BLue Ox setup to the fully ratecheted strap tek setup. For example, my current setup for my blue ox is at 9 links. Leaves a distance of what, 4-5 links between link number 9, and the last link in the chain. Yet the Strap Tek ratchets the bar all the way up as far as it can go (at least in the video it did). So, how do you know how far up to ratchet it? And how do you figure out the same setting each time?

    I might be a bit delirious because I am battling a cold and flu like symptoms, so if it is painfully obvious to those who are healthy, I apologize in advance

    Mike
    Let me just start out saying, no you don't ratchet it all the way up. Having said that, I'll explain how I did mine. BEFORE you remove the B.O. system from your trailer, take the time to hook it up one more time, using whatever number of links that you normally use for a properly adjusted setup on YOUR truck and trailer. Now get out a tape measure and measure the distance between the end of the spring bar and some point on the trailer "A" arm. Let's say it's 4 inches. Either remember that number or wire it down so you don't forget. Release both of the spring bars and remove the B. O. Pull ups from the trailer and install the new Strap Tek winches. They are side specific, so pay attention and make sure you don't put the left one on the right side and vice versa. Once you have then on the "A" arms, don't fully tighten the mounting bolts, as you may have to slide the winch forward or back slightly so that they line up straight over the top of the end of the spring bar u bolt. Winch up the spring bars until the spring bar end is the same distance that you measured earlier....4". That is where you will winch them to every time. In order to winch to that same distance every time you hook up you can do the measurement each time....OR....you can do what I did. Once I got that distance (If I remember correctly, mine was actually 4 3/4" on my reference point).....the 4" in my example, use a white paint stick and Mark a line all the way across the webbing of the strap. I put my line at Top Dead Center, or 12 O' clock if you prefer, and then every time I winches up the spring bars, I would winch until that line was at the top, and I knew I was good to go. Hope that explanation helps you understand it a little better, but the KEY here is to take a measurement using the B.O. pullups FIRST THING...before you remove them....and that is your reference point for getting your spring bar tension correct with the StrapTek system.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  6. #16
    Rolling Along
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    Makes sense xrated.

    Thanks

    Mike
    Im Mike Willoughby, and I approve this message.
    2017 Ram 3500 CTD (aka FRAM)
    2019 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS

  7. #17
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    Let me just start out saying, no you don't ratchet it all the way up. Having said that, I'll explain how I did mine. BEFORE you remove the B.O. system from your trailer, take the time to hook it up one more time, using whatever number of links that you normally use for a properly adjusted setup on YOUR truck and trailer. Now get out a tape measure and measure the distance between the end of the spring bar and some point on the trailer "A" arm. Let's say it's 4 inches. Either remember that number or wire it down so you don't forget. Release both of the spring bars and remove the B. O. Pull ups from the trailer and install the new Strap Tek winches. They are side specific, so pay attention and make sure you don't put the left one on the right side and vice versa. Once you have then on the "A" arms, don't fully tighten the mounting bolts, as you may have to slide the winch forward or back slightly so that they line up straight over the top of the end of the spring bar u bolt. Winch up the spring bars until the spring bar end is the same distance that you measured earlier....4". That is where you will winch them to every time. In order to winch to that same distance every time you hook up you can do the measurement each time....OR....you can do what I did. Once I got that distance (If I remember correctly, mine was actually 4 3/4" on my reference point).....the 4" in my example, use a white paint stick and Mark a line all the way across the webbing of the strap. I put my line at Top Dead Center, or 12 O' clock if you prefer, and then every time I winches up the spring bars, I would winch until that line was at the top, and I knew I was good to go. Hope that explanation helps you understand it a little better, but the KEY here is to take a measurement using the B.O. pullups FIRST THING...before you remove them....and that is your reference point for getting your spring bar tension correct with the StrapTek system.
    so does the strap replace the chains then correct? and before u switch out the chains for the straps u set up ur distance u had with the chains?

    looks awesome any videos showing how this is used with the blue ox? and how does it compare in regards to sway using the straps?

    i have a wife who cannot do anything because her favorite color is pink and she is weak....so i have to figure this out for my own sanity

  8. #18
    Big Traveler Steve7's Avatar
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    xrated was kind enough to mention the StrapTek to me a day or two ago. In review, many like it, some mention poor quality control. Of course you can’t make everyone happy. I also noticed LCI owns the product (not meant to be good or bad, just an observation).

    Since the price is a little ove $200, I’m gonna stay with what I just found to make it easier. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while, and finally did it. I still have to use the trucks jack to lift the coupler to hook up though. I replaced the OE flat breaker bar, with a deep 1” socket and a breaker bar that’s about 15”. With the deep socket, I’m no longer coming into contact with the propane covers, saving my hands. The longer bar is easy to hold and control the tension during hook up and release. I’ve only used this new technique during one hook up and one disconnect, but it worked very easily. FYI
    Steve & Sue (pups:Sky & Sierra) Gardnerville, Nv
    2017 Refelection 297RSTS
    2017 Ford 350 CC 4x4 Lariat Superduty 6.7, Long Bed

  9. #19
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by j2048b View Post
    so does the strap replace the chains then correct? and before u switch out the chains for the straps u set up ur distance u had with the chains?

    looks awesome any videos showing how this is used with the blue ox? and how does it compare in regards to sway using the straps?

    i have a wife who cannot do anything because her favorite color is pink and she is weak....so i have to figure this out for my own sanity
    That is correct, you do not use the chains anymore. The StrapTek has a big "J" hook on the end of it and it hooks into the Ubolt that is on the spring tension bar. Honestly, with the straps instead of the chains, I couldn't tell any difference between the them as far as sway control....in other words, one is not better than the other.....they both work well.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  10. #20
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve7 View Post
    xrated was kind enough to mention the StrapTek to me a day or two ago. In review, many like it, some mention poor quality control. Of course you can’t make everyone happy. I also noticed LCI owns the product (not meant to be good or bad, just an observation).

    Since the price is a little ove $200, I’m gonna stay with what I just found to make it easier. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while, and finally did it. I still have to use the trucks jack to lift the coupler to hook up though. I replaced the OE flat breaker bar, with a deep 1” socket and a breaker bar that’s about 15”. With the deep socket, I’m no longer coming into contact with the propane covers, saving my hands. The longer bar is easy to hold and control the tension during hook up and release. I’ve only used this new technique during one hook up and one disconnect, but it worked very easily. FYI
    That is another advantage of the StrapTek.....you no longer have to use the tongue jack to raise or lower the coupler/hitch connection in order to hook up the straps. Hitch up the trailer and couple it and lock the couple. Retract the tongue jack all the way up if you'd like. Tension the spring bars and you are done with that part of the hitching process.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

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