Hensley Arrow advanced towing system

[Giro]

investment
[in-vest-muh nt]
noun
1. The investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.

You certainly spent a bunch of money, but INVESTED?? I'd love to hear exactly what the profitable return is that you expect over that of a $225 Curt Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch.

I do not wish to cause dissent. I have not towed with other hitches and the only return in my choice is in peace of mind. Buying a hitch and trying to evaluate the choices without being able to try them out, well, enough said. Having to buy a second hitch because of dissatisfaction with your first choice quickly evens out the costs. Pulling an 8000 lbs trailer with a 3500 is also overkill but certainly safer then being overweight. My only suggestion is to stay safe, know your weights and balances, and make your errors on the side of safety.

 

[SnoKing]

Lets see? A set of XPS ribs that will last 6-8 years or 3 or 4 sets of cheap ST that may not last that long and damage the trailer along the way. That is an investment. Hitch? That is a investment in handling and stability. Once you have seen or heard about a bumper pull that started swaying, one understands the investment! Just ask my friend Doug who scared the )&*() out of himself and wife several times with a bumper pull.

SNOKING

 

[GCroyle]

You can get pads for the L brackets to reduce the metal on metal.

Yeah, I picked up those a couple years ago.

The bars do have a good amount of load on them, it does lift the truck back end a little bit and I have to lift the tongue with the electric jack to hook up the bars. I'm not complaining about control, it actually does pretty darn good just don't agree with the metal on metal approach on the sockets for the bars into the head.

Gary

 

[tommyturbo]

AH64ID. I also have experience with the Equal-i-zer. In '03 we bought a Pioneer 21ft cheapo to go with my new '03 Ram 2500 5.7 gasser 4.11 axle.
The Pioneer loaded was #5200, did not know the hitch weight. We towed it for 6 seasons and never a problem
even with the 15 in ST tires. Sway was not a problem either. Just a
little with cross winds but not much. The only complaint was the Ram struggling up the hills. So in '08, traded in for a CTD and went to pick up the Pioneer from storage to try the first tow and found the trailer floor was dry rotted out. We found a real honey '08 Forest River 30ft Cherokee 25KS at Metro RV in Burbank, CA.
Driving it back home, I couldn't keep it between the lines at any speed even with no wind. It was scary. Called up Cal Western RV and they recommended the
Equal-i-zer model 90-00-1000 for a #10,000 trailer. That solved the problem. The sway was corrected and the weight distribution feature didn't let the
truck back end sag much. The sway worked so well that when leaving camp in N. CA. once, my wife unknowingly put an L pin in backwards. After a few
miles she asked me to stop and do a walk around check. The L pin was missing. So we removed the one sway bar and drove the next 8 hours back to LA.
The sway control was the same, no problem even with one bar. Then every season, the truck would squat more and more each year until the hitch adjustment
was at the limits. So I installed Timbren SES and that fixed the squat but the load distribution feature was completely shot. the bar sockets were sloppy and the
bars had no tension. The Timbrens kept the truck level. Before we headed down to Escondido, I weighed everything at the scales with the trailer and found
the trailer at #8000 loaded and the hitch weight #1400. That hitch weight seems like a lot for a small trailer, but that's what it was. Looks like that weight
ruined the distribution feature. Called up Equal-i-zer and they said I have the wrong model. Should be the 90-00-1400. They said the model should go by
hitch weight to be sure. Ordered that hitch and found the sway bars were 1.5" square and too heavy for my wife to set up. So I returned it and kept the small
one I had. Actually the distribution feature in not needed now because of the Timbrens and the CTD front end is heavy anyway. Handling is just fine, and I am happy the way it is. BTW, the ST tires on the Cherokee were blowing out left and right so I changed the six lug 15" wheels for 16's and went with Michelin XPS Ribs.
The Cherokee has two huge opposing slides and is pretty heavy but has a #5,030 axle rating. GVAWR is #10,900 and dry is #7,000. Plenty of allowance for cargo.
The sway bars clear the driveway when backing in at an uphill angle to park.
Tom

 

[crispyboy]

Well I guess I am one of those fools who own a Hensley Arrow and darn glad I do! My trailer is 30'11 long and handles wonderful now that I have the better hitch. When someone takes the time to dial in the hitch properly the truck handles very smoothly and you don't get the bow wave from large trucks or side wind gusts. To me it's about keeping my family and you safer on the road. Btw I only paid $650 for my Hensley.
I have also set up my sisters F150 with a Hensley and a 25' Airstream. It is an impressive combination when set up correctly. She wanted to get into trailering so I felt the Hensley was the best answer for her as she had never towed anything in her life. She paid $900 for her hitch. After some instruction and a season of towing she is now pretty comfortable behind the wheel.
Btw airbags do nothing for restoring weight back on the front of the truck or weight on the trailer axles - that is a function of the weight distribution hitch.
I'm sure I could just put the trailer on the ball and call it a day but then again I would not want to be foolish.

 

[Giro]

Here here. I understand where you are coming from.

 

[AH64ID]

Nobody said don't use a WDH, it was simply said that sway control is a "fix" that isn't needed on a properly built/loaded trailer. The HA is just a bigger bandaid.

 

[crispyboy]

Some trailers do indeed need fixes, all trailers that can catch wind (box type or aerodynamic trailers) need SWAY PREVENTION whether it be a simple friction bar or high end hitch. Even an experienced driver cannot always predict the forces of the wind or the emergency maneuver when some wildlife runs in front of you or wild crazy driver on the highway. These are unpredictable situations and sway prevention can help mitigate the outcome.
I will also say that many folks also need basic towing instruction and how to load a trailer properly. This alone would keep many accidents from happening.
BTW the HA is not a band-aid for me, I wanted a hitch that performs well by the nature of its design. This is one of those areas where you won't understand until you actually use it.

 

[GAmes]

.......... all trailers that can catch wind (box type or aerodynamic trailers) need SWAY PREVENTION whether it be a simple friction bar or high end hitch. Even an experienced driver cannot always predict the forces of the wind or the emergency maneuver when some wildlife runs in front of you or wild crazy driver on the highway.

You have definitely drank the kool-aid. First, the definition of sway is the uncontrollable side to side movement of the trailer. Ever heard of a lever? Do you really believe your (or any other) multi-thousand pound 30 ft lever can be controlled by a device with maybe a couple hundred (probably less) pounds of resistance? On the same vane, if you were to swerve to avoid a moron on wheels or a deer will that same lever be magically controlled by the little resistance of a sway gimmick? Why is it that TTs need sway control and enclosed cargo trailers do not? After all, a TT is nothing more than a cargo trailer with windows and appliances, not to mention cargo trailers are much more likely to be loaded improperly.

I can say with confidence I am an experienced trailer pulling driver. Besides my personal trailers, that I don't keep records on, I have logged several hundred thousand miles towing TTs and enclosed cargo trailers of all shapes and sizes, both new (unloaded) and for private owners (loaded). I don't get to go inside and move stuff around, yet not one of them has resulted in uncontrollable side to side movement. That is because a TT, by design, is very difficult to load incorrectly. I've had flat tires, driven in high wind and encountered moron drivers, not once in need of a sway "control". As a footnote, the first trailer I was assigned when I started transporting was a TT. It was the first one I ever towed. I fussed with the W/D (no sway device) for an hour before I left the yard. I hadn't traveled 5 miles before I was on I84 with a strong, gusting, quartering headwind. Amazingly (by your beliefs) I didn't have any trouble other than lousy fuel mileage.

Consider this. The government has invaded all aspects of our life, including safety requirements for trailers. All ball hitches have to have safety chains in the event the coupler becomes disconnected or the shank of the ball breaks. We all can probably relate to an instance where the chains came into play, so they are a viable safety device. With well over a half million miles towing I've had it happen once, so lets say the odds are 500,000:1 All trailers with brakes are also required to have a safety break away. Trailers with electric brakes have a pull release cable & switch and a battery installed on the trailer. Have you EVER heard of the coupler becoming unhooked AND the chains breaking, which would be needed for the electric break away to be activated. Anyone??? Ever?? Apparently someone in govt has heard of it, so lets say the odds are a billion to one. So, if a sway device is so crucial to safety why doesn't the government require them on all box type trailers???? There is nothing but anecdotal evidence, and the constant repeating of myth, that keeps the sway device manufacturers in business. Even the government has no reason to believe there is a need for them.

 

[SnoKing]

You have definitely drank the kool-aid. First, the definition of sway is the uncontrollable side to side movement of the trailer. Ever heard of a lever? Do you really believe your (or any other) multi-thousand pound 30 ft lever can be controlled by a device with maybe a couple hundred (probably less) pounds of resistance? On the same vane, if you were to swerve to avoid a moron on wheels or a deer will that same lever be magically controlled by the little resistance of a sway gimmick? Why is it that TTs need sway control and enclosed cargo trailers do not? After all, a TT is nothing more than a cargo trailer with windows and appliances, not to mention cargo trailers are much more likely to be loaded improperly.

I can say with confidence I am an experienced trailer pulling driver. Besides my personal trailers, that I don't keep records on, I have logged several hundred thousand miles towing TTs and enclosed cargo trailers of all shapes and sizes, both new (unloaded) and for private owners (loaded). I don't get to go inside and move stuff around, yet not one of them has resulted in uncontrollable side to side movement. That is because a TT, by design, is very difficult to load incorrectly. I've had flat tires, driven in high wind and encountered moron drivers, not once in need of a sway "control". As a footnote, the first trailer I was assigned when I started transporting was a TT. It was the first one I ever towed. I fussed with the W/D (no sway device) for an hour before I left the yard. I hadn't traveled 5 miles before I was on I84 with a strong, gusting, quartering headwind. Amazingly (by your beliefs) I didn't have any trouble other than lousy fuel mileage.

Consider this. The government has invaded all aspects of our life, including safety requirements for trailers. All ball hitches have to have safety chains in the event the coupler becomes disconnected or the shank of the ball breaks. We all can probably relate to an instance where the chains came into play, so they are a viable safety device. With well over a half million miles towing I've had it happen once, so lets say the odds are 500,000:1 All trailers with brakes are also required to have a safety break away. Trailers with electric brakes have a pull release cable & switch and a battery installed on the trailer. Have you EVER heard of the coupler becoming unhooked AND the chains breaking, which would be needed for the electric break away to be activated. Anyone??? Ever?? Apparently someone in govt has heard of it, so lets say the odds are a billion to one. So, if a sway device is so crucial to safety why doesn't the government require them on all box type trailers???? There is nothing but anecdotal evidence, and the constant repeating of myth, that keeps the sway device manufacturers in business. Even the government has no reason to believe there is a need for them.

So you have a 2 wheel drive 3500 dually truck. Would you like to repeat all those tows with a taller SRW 4x4 short wheel base tow vehicle or a nice little SUV! You theory falls apart without the stability of your dually truck and some weight in that bed, like an extended range fuel tank. I have seen several trailer and SUV or small pickups on their sides with 20 something foot bumper pull trailers attached.

Really check, not all tow vehicles are created equal.

SNOKING

 

[RustyJC]

GAmes,

Unless I misinterpret what you're saying above, you seem to be saying that trailer sway is just a myth. In all of your hundreds of thousands of miles of towing, have you ever seen someone else's trailer sway? I certainly have - I've been behind them when they were doing it. Some of them were swaying so badly that I backed off so that I wouldn't crash into the wreckage when they flipped.

In case you've never seen it, here's what it looks like:

HERE'S

Rusty

 

[mfurrh55]

especially when a semi passes you, you get a push and then a pull as it goes by, sway bar comes in real handy when that happens,Monte

 

[tommyturbo]

GAmes. I agree with you about the uneeded up sell the RV dealers do when purchasing a new trailer. In fact, when closing the deal with the Pioneer, the
salesman wanted me to buy a WD hitch system that he said was necessary. As a newbie, I didn't know what he was talking about. I
decided to take a chance and not buy the WD. Towing for six seasons was just fine without the WD hitch. A little wiggle in some situations but
I thought that was normal. Not a biggie anyway. That was towing with my '03 Ram 2500 5.7. Fast forward to '09 using my '08 CTD for our next trailer, a a Cherokee, we just hooked directly on the ball and drove it back home. That was the scariest tow ever! STRUGGLED TO KEEP BETWEEN THE LINES! Know way
would I tow that way. Now I'm stuck with a real nice trailer but afraid to tow it. In your humble opinion, with your extensive towing experience, what
would be your suggestion as a next step to make towing this trailer safe and normal.
Regards,
Tom

 

[SnoKing]

GAmes. I agree with you about the uneeded up sell the RV dealers do when purchasing a new trailer. In fact, when closing the deal with the Pioneer, the
salesman wanted me to buy a WD hitch system that he said was necessary. As a newbie, I didn't know what he was talking about. I
decided to take a chance and not buy the WD. Towing for six seasons was just fine without the WD hitch. A little wiggle in some situations but
I thought that was normal. Not a biggie anyway. That was towing with my '03 Ram 2500 5.7. Fast forward to '09 using my '08 CTD for our next trailer, a a Cherokee, we just hooked directly on the ball and drove it back home. That was the scariest tow ever! STRUGGLED TO KEEP BETWEEN THE LINES! Know way
would I tow that way. Now I'm stuck with a real nice trailer but afraid to tow it. In your humble opinion, with your extensive towing experience, what
would be your suggestion as a next step to make towing this trailer safe and normal.
Regards,
Tom

You are asking the wrong person.

You are towing with a SRW and he has a dually, and probably a large fuel tank in his bed.

Buy the hitch noted in this thread heading or another high end unit and start enjoying your trailer.

SNOKING

 

[AH64ID]

GAmes,

Unless I misinterpret what you're saying above, you seem to be saying that trailer sway is just a myth. In all of your hundreds of thousands of miles of towing, have you ever seen someone else's trailer sway? I certainly have - I've been behind them when they were doing it. Some of them were swaying so badly that I backed off so that I wouldn't crash into the wreckage when they flipped.


Rusty

I don't think he is saying sway is a myth, rather that sway control devices are needed is a myth.

Any trailer can sway; however, if it is built and loaded properly it will not sway. The only way to eliminate sway is to have a properly built/loaded trailer on the proper tow vehicle. If you NEED a sway control device then you have a bigger issue you are masking. The HA and PP and no exception to that.

Tommy, WD and sway control are two separate functions. Many WD hitches do not have any form of sway control. WD is a big benefit, even on the heavy/big CTD's, with high tongue weight trailers.

 

[SnoKing]

I don't think he is saying sway is a myth, rather that sway control devices are needed is a myth.

Any trailer can sway; however, if it is built and loaded properly it will not sway. The only way to eliminate sway is to have a properly built/loaded trailer on the proper tow vehicle. If you NEED a sway control device then you have a bigger issue you are masking. The HA and PP and no exception to that.

Tommy, WD and sway control are two separate functions. Many WD hitches do not have any form of sway control. WD is a big benefit, even on the heavy/big CTD's, with high tongue weight trailers.

So all trailer sales places should say, sorry we can not sell you that trailer with that tow vehicle you have, not! SNOKING

 

[tommyturbo]

AH64ID. Yes. The small Equal-i-zer WD feature was just wonderful the first few seasons with the heavy tongue weight but that feature eventually
became useless. I've been towing four seasons without any WD what so ever. The bar sockets are sloppy and there is 1/16" slop where they swivel
in the head. The sway bars flop around like a dead chicken. The sway control part of it works awesome, just like new, even one time using only
one bar. The trailer definitely is not balanced that well. The under carriage is quite a bit aft of center, may be a contributing factor.
The metal to metal wear on the L bracket is showing too. I will look into those friction pads available.
Tom

 

[GAmes]

So you have a 2 wheel drive 3500 dually truck. Would you like to repeat all those tows with a taller SRW 4x4 short wheel base tow vehicle or a nice little SUV! You theory falls apart without the stability of your dually truck and some weight in that bed, like an extended range fuel tank. I have seen several trailer and SUV or small pickups on their sides with 20 something foot bumper pull trailers attached.

So you skipped the facts and common sense portion of my post and skipped directly to my signature?

To answer your question, I would without hesitation hook a trailer to a "a taller SRW 4x4 short wheel base tow vehicle or a nice little SUV" without a sway gimmick attachment as long as the suspension and power of said tow vehicle was adequate for the trailer. I've seen several trailers on their sides also. Do you have ANY evidence that a sway device of any kind would have prevented the ones you have seen?

GAmes,

Unless I misinterpret what you're saying above, you seem to be saying that trailer sway is just a myth. In all of your hundreds of thousands of miles of towing, have you ever seen someone else's trailer sway? I certainly have - I've been behind them when they were doing it. Some of them were swaying so badly that I backed off so that I wouldn't crash into the wreckage when they flipped.

In case you've never seen it, here's what it looks like:

HERE'S

Rusty

Did I ever sway is a myth? I even defined it, and your video portrays it. It is laughable to think a "sway control device" would have controlled that trailer.

especially when a semi passes you, you get a push and then a pull as it goes by, sway bar comes in real handy when that happens,Monte

The push pull of a passing truck is not sway. Whether or not a sway device will dampen it is doubtful. Leverage, ever heard of it?

.......... what would be your suggestion as a next step to make towing this trailer safe and normal.

Unless it is a very small trailer it was towed from the factory to the dealership. There isn't a transporter alive who who would have towed it if it had a sway problem. ( side note; Transporters do not use sway devices, imagine how many towed miles are accumulated there) Therefore, it is evident to me that sometime after delivery it has been damaged or something has failed. The first place I would look is the suspension. Broken shackle, spring mount or spring. Maybe a bent axle, there are lots of tire store workers who put the jack under the center of the axle to replace tires, rather than under the spring perch. Alignment is a possibility, like from dropping one side into a deep chuck hole. Also possible is frame damage.

I don't think he is saying sway is a myth, rather that sway control devices are needed is a myth.

Any trailer can sway; however, if it is built and loaded properly it will not sway. The only way to eliminate sway is to have a properly built/loaded trailer on the proper tow vehicle. If you NEED a sway control device then you have a bigger issue you are masking. The HA and PP and no exception to that.

Tommy, WD and sway control are two separate functions. Many WD hitches do not have any form of sway control. WD is a big benefit, even on the heavy/big CTD's, with high tongue weight trailers.

You are correct in what I am saying, and I agree with your answer to Tommy.

So all trailer sales places should say, sorry we can not sell you that trailer with that tow vehicle you have,

Exactly. Sadly, honesty like that is a rare commodity. Regardless, adding a sway control gimmick device does not make the vehicle any more adequate for any trailer.

 

[GAmes]

So all trailer sales places should say, sorry we can not sell you that trailer with that tow vehicle you have, not! SNOKING

One other thing. It isn't the tow vehicle that causes (or prevents) sway, it is the trailer. I could easily improperly load my utility trailer (12 ft enclosed) and induce immediate sway behind my 8000 lb duelly.

 

[RustyJC]

For the benefit of any other science or engineering geeks, HERE is a discussion of trailer sway on a Physics forum.

Rusty