# I'm Going To Try It!



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I ordered a straptek spring bar tensioner from Lippert last week. Someone needs to blaze a trail. I did order the JT strong arm kit last spring and It was the best money I ever spent. A buddy of mine has straptek on his camper and I have commented about his opinions on this forum. So I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I'll let you know a.s.a.p. I have a very inexpensive 10,000 lb. round bar hitch that came from Adventure RV $129.00. I'll see if these new tensioner can do anything with this setup.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I received the new tensioner from Lippert (LCI) and I must admit, I have been playing with them for weeks now. I'm not crazy about getting my Baby out in the mud so I've had time to experiment. Like most guy's I'm not big on instructions, but as it turns out, My first attempt was the most impressive. I backed my truck into position, lowered the Outback onto the hitch and I don't know why but I raised the jack into the full up position. After working the system a few times I asked my wife to come out and see this thing. I wanted to make it look like I knew what I was doing. She was impressed and pointed out that it seemed pretty easy. Here's the really cool part.
I had her step in and do-it-herself. As she set the tension on each side I could watch the truck being evened out. VERY COOL! Here is the impressive part. I'm pretty good at giving my wife plenty of opportunities to point out my over-sites. This time wasn't any different. She pointed out that it would be easier if I set the camper on the ball just enough to couple the hitch then set the tension, Then raise the jack. As usual she was correct. Now it is even easier. After the straps were wound up taught, 3/4 of a turn on the winch and it was set and ready. Maybe it will dry up enough next week to take'em for a test drive I'll let you know.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I'll try and not get too wordy with this but bare with me&#8230; I'm excited. I decided to forgo the mud and test this thing out for towing and sway. It's a good day for a test, 20 mph. winds out of the west. There is a stretch of I65 that runs north and south with eight miles between exits that should make for a good test flight. On my first run I went south, then back north and didn't have any sway issues, so I went again. What a comfortable ride. Taking a little time to get up the nerve, I decided to take off my security blanket, i.e. friction type sway control device. I can't tell you how intimidating it was going down that ramp. I found myself white knuckled waiting for the sway. The sway didn't happen and wasn't even affected by semi traffic at all. When just driving my truck on a windy day, like today, I can feel the movement when the wind hits. With this straptek system it's the same feeling but I have a camper connected. I think it would compare to driving a motorhome. I am not smart enough to explain how this works, but it does. Lippert claims on their website the pendulum length is what makes the difference. 
It may take someone with a little physics background to explain this, but I would love to hear it.
I'm going to give this system two thumbs up!


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

robertized said:


> I am glad to hear that the straptek is working out for you; before I got my setup worked out, I have experienced a few white knuckle trips myself. It is nice not to have that apprehension when hooking up the trailer for the next trip. Good Luck.


My wife and I always leave on our trips at 4 to 5a.m. and try to get there before the thermals get the wind speed up. We normally get there way before check-in time just to beat the wind. I may be able to sleep longer.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

In a quest to find a hitch system that worked best for me, I currently have 3 weight distributing hitches. Maybe that's why my buddies call me "Hitcher". Since I had these things I decided to put them to the test with this new Straptek tension system. The WDH that I used for the first test run was a very inexpensive round bar system ($129.00). If I would have looked at the welds real close to begin with I may not have used it. That being said, I adjusted the head to raise the spring bars approx. 1 1/2 inches in order to get the tension set with the strap ring up to the bottom of the winch. The round bars are mounted a little lower than the trunnion style. Without the assistance of the extra friction sway control devise, it worked very well. Great sway control but a stiff ride.
Next, I used a trunnion hitch made by Curt. The setup was very easy as the bars where left in the same position as they were with the chains. I swapped out the chains with the straps and was ready to roll. The trunnion bars are nearly 3"'s longer so the ride was a lot smoother. The sway control was the same, Beautiful!
Next, was the Blue Ox hitch. This hitch was purchase about 2 years ago. The effort to hook up this hitch with Straptek was a little different. The spring bars on this hitch are pointed down quite a bit and was not possible (in my opinion) to get them high enough to utilize the Straptek sway control. I was personally afraid the bars were going to break, Not a comfortable setup. I will say that Straptek was a lot easier to set the tension compared to their rock over latch. I didn't need to raise my truck to set the tension. That was nice! As for test drive........ Blue Ox claims their sway control is built into their head. Sorry. If Blue Ox works for you, that's great! If any of this is helpful to anyone that's good, I didn't like getting my Baby all muddy but I loved experimenting. I'm gon'na go take a nap!


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm going camping this weekend!!!! First time over the road with Straptek. I'll be headed to eastern Indiana. It will be interesting to see how this works out.
I'll let you know. I hope nobody see's my camper on the road, She's a little muddy. Conduct unbecoming of an Outback but it was short notice.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

Well, the worst thing about camping is, even a three day weekend goes by pretty fast. Thursday night I decided to put that inexpensive hitch on the truck (the one with the bad welds) It's a round bar hitch rated at 10.000 lbs.
Am I gutsy or what? I really wanted to put this Straptek to the test. Now, my truck has 264000 miles on it and probably the most worn parts on it are the CRAP HANDLES on my wife's side. About half way there she wasn't grabbing for them anymore. I can tell you how thankful I was for that, she has developed a pretty good right hook because of that exercise. It seemed as though it was going to be a very good drive. Today (Sun.) was getting a little intimidating. After listening to the wind blow all night you would have thought it would stop by daybreak, "WRONG" When we found our chairs this morning, putting them back into there bags with this kind of wind is like putting socks on a rooster. We got packed, crossed our fingers and headed for home. I don't want to get gospel on anybody about a new product but I truly believe Lippert has stumbled onto something here. I had a lot of fun (as most of us do) boosting to fellow campers about how easy this thing was for hooking up the Outback. If it was a pain in the butt to hook up I would do it for the sway control. One of Lipperts video's talks about the two finger steering because of the sway control that Straptek commands........... It was not just a sales pitch. If anyone tries this Straptek thing I would love to here about it!


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I know my neighbors think I've completely lost it. but having Good Friday away from work and not going camping makes me a little antsy. So I hooked up my camper to go for a drive. I can't help it, I'm still in the "hard to believe it mode" with this new hitch setup. Don,a great neighbor down the street, say's I'm going to spend the national debt in axle grease if I don't stop driving around. Anyway, It's hard to believe that a guy can buy the least expensive WDH on the market, couple it with this straptek, and be every thing I need in a worry free driving experience. Don asked me what the heck I was do'in? I told him I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I plan to drive this thing till it does or doesn't. I'll keep you Posted.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

I have camping trips planed for the next 3 weekends and find myself getting pretty excited with this new system. I have wore out my Curt trunnion hitch so I ordered that new Husky hitch. Can't wait to experiment with it.

Has anybody else tried Straptek, I sure would like to compare notes!


----------



## RollnStone (Oct 23, 2014)

Hitcher said:


> I have camping trips planed for the next 3 weekends and find myself getting pretty excited with this new system. I have wore out my Curt trunnion hitch so I ordered that new Husky hitch. Can't wait to experiment with it.
> 
> Has anybody else tried Straptek, I sure would like to compare notes!


Hitcher, I have discovered this "technology" in the last week or so. I really want to try it as well. I hate running my little electric jack up and down to unload the bars enough to latch or unlatch them. The fact that I'm lifting half of my truck doesn't thrill me either. Seems like way to much time spent doing, then undoing, in order to do. Most of the naysayers comments I have read on other sites worry about UV and the elements destroying or fatiguing the polyester strap. What, if anything are you experiencing in that regard?

I am using chains now. In order to convert, it seems as though I would have to tilt the hitch further toward the TV to get the bars to raise up nearer to the A frame to reduce the pendulum effect. Is that assumption correct?

Lastly, I have a 2002 Tundra TRD, 4.7L and a 2015 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25KS.

Thanks for "breaking the ice", or should I say "chains"!


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

RollnStone, your on the right track. What kind of hitch are you using? There seems to be a common miss conception about the straps, they are made of polyester, not nylon. Nylon stretches, does not resist road alkaline and wicks moisture. I can't see these straps having any problem for a years. I have experimented with various types of hitches as I have accumulated a few styles over the years. I'm not smart enough to explain how the sway control works but the ease of use ,for me, has taken a back seat to the sway control. From looking at it, I understand it, I just can't explain it. 
I would love to help you any way I can. Getting that strap ring up to the bottom of the winch is key !


----------



## RollnStone (Oct 23, 2014)

Hey Hitcher,

I am using the Pro Series Weight Distribution System w Friction Sway Control - Round - 10,000 lbs GTW, 1,000 lbs TW. I have one friction sway control bar on the curb side of the hitch. Remembering to get out and install / remove the anti sway device after leaving the driveway or entering the campground is always a pain. When my 10 year old grand son is along, he reminds me!!!

I will study the geometry of my hitch and WD and see if I can visualize what the pendulum is. I doubt I will ride in the truck bed or on the A frame to see this first hand!

I have to admit I am leery of driving with the strap holding the tension. Seems like the strap ring could be "hard latched" once pulled up.


----------



## Hitcher (Mar 29, 2013)

RollnStone, Your pendulum length is the chain from the spring bar to the hook, depending on the number links this could be 6" to 9". If you get setup with the ring up to the bottom of the winch that length is reduced to near 3 1/4". This is what makes the difference. After I made a lot of test runs with Straptek, I finally got up enough nerve to take off the friction control device. I keep waiting for the sway to happen but I've used it all summer and it's GREAT!


----------

