Blue ox hitches

[PKI]

It's not setup correctly. Likely needs a link or two tightened up on the spring bars. However, be a bit conservative until you get the rig tuned.

What tow vehicle are you using? Have you run the rig across a CAT scale to weigh the axle loads? Was there a lot of wind when you were towing?

Good luck. Pat

[nwdionne]

Thanks for response. My cousin said the same thing about installation. The chain is really tight though. It is on the seventh link.
No we have not checked weight but didn't have much in it. We will be loading up for our 6 week trip though.
We are toeing with 2012 YUKON Denali with toe package.

[PKI]

How do you count? Is it the seventh link from the u-bolt or from the end of the chain? Pat

[AtomicNo13]

I had a blue ox for about a week. Couldn't control the heft of a loaded 34'.
Went straight back to the Reese straight line. Wouldn't consider the added weight and complexity of a pro pride or Hensley.

[PKI]

Sway and bow wave push are two different events. So understanding what is happening to you helps. Winds from any angle to the road have an effect. A passing vehicle can impact your stability with it's bow wave or by blocking wind. Wind gusts can be considerably unsettling. However, over reacting to any event has considerable impact, so attentive driving is quite important, but need not be a white knuckle experience with understanding and confidence.

What speed are you driving? Stability is more difficult at speeds above 65 mph. Speeds above 50 mph with significant winds can have a similar impact. Rough and uneven road surfaces can have an impact as well. Cross/diagonal undulations can be significantly unsettling.

Tire pressure for the coach and the tow vehicle can make a difference. Weight capacity charts and testing for pressure rise will get you to the right operating cold pressures. Then the consideration is side wall stiffness. Light truck tires help a lot. See CanAm slalom video to see an example. Lower profile and/or run flat tires do similar. Caution, tires designed for ultimate grip in summer conditions are less optimum in other weather. Tires configured for soft ride are less optimal for sidewall stiffness.

At initial review ..... it sounds like not enough weight is being transferred to the steer axle. Axle weights are the way to establish a baseline to develop adjustments to improve your performance. However, it sounds like you are no where near travel loading yet, so there is some tuning to do.

Variables include - spring bar selection, chain adjustment, receiver flexibility, rear biased weight in tow vehicle, and ball distance from rear axle.

Spring bar should be matched to tongue weight. For a 25, that is likely 1000s. Usually a 25 will have 800-1200#s on the tongue.

Chain adjustment should be set at 7-10 links from the u-bolt. Bars should be deflected at least 2 inches when at rest. Trailer should be level.

The receiver should not rotate when the weight distribution is applied. If it does, it should be replaced with an aftermarket receiver that is more rigid or reinforced with bracing.

Less weight behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle is less weight that needs to be transferred back to the steer axle. Store bulky light weight items behind the rear axle and heavy well secured items in front of the axle.

The overhang distance can amplify the leverage in a sway event. Shortening the hitch shank to move the ball closer to the rear bumper can help. Care must be taken to insure you do not move the coach too close to the tow vehicle and cause contact in normal events. Can restrict tail gate opening too.

Make adjustments one at a time. Test the adjustment and then move on the the next one. A conservative approach is important to safe RVing.

Hope tuning improves the rig. Pat

[nwdionne]

I want to thank everyone for the info. Turns out we have the wrong shank. 7 holes instead of the 11. The correct one is on the way. Hopefully that will fix the problem.