Hensley Arrow advanced towing system

[GAmes]

I didn't say the event didn't happen. I did my best to point you at the cure. However, I see where a pair of quotation marks could have been interpreted to imply that you didn't have some type of malfunction. The purpose of quotation was to amplify the loose usage of "sway" in this thread that included the little push-pull of passing trucks all the way to high wind blowing one over. If you took that to mean I consider you a liar I apologize for not being clearer.

I'm certainly curious of what cured your sway. If you noticed, only one other member actually recounted any experience of sway besides myself. Since it was so long ago there isn't any way to determine if the trailer was empty or loaded. It was also a trailer made over 14 years ago by a company that has changed ownership once or twice. I didn't transport trailers then so I can't say how weight distribution was in those trailers when new. I certainly can not envision a transporter taking it from the factory to a dealer if it swayed empty. I can relate a couple other swaying trailers I witnessed, and in both cases, weight distribution was the culprit. I've never witnessed a TT swaying, yet the consensus seems to be they are only needed on TTs. If anyone else was a witness or victim of sway, the fix wasn't a "sway control" device, or else we would have heard about it.

Your trailer was manufactured in Dallas, Or, Rialto, CA or possibly in Indiana. My company hauls them from all three plants. I've towed a lot of 30ft FR TTs, including the ones built for Katrina relief. I can once again say with certainty, it did not sway when it left the factory, and it isn't because I have a duelly. During Katrina there was money to be made pulling FEMA trailers, so the assortment of tow vehicles included 1/2 ton pickups and vans, along with the multitudes of 2500s, and SRW 3500s. There were even GM D-Maxes in the mix.

Getting back on track, I don't believe anyone can say with certainty that it is the sway control feature of your hitch that made the difference. Thus, the question I posed earlier. Are you willing to restore your trailer to the condition it was in and just use a plain WD hitch to see if it sways? I'm even willing to put my money where my mouth is. I get out to SoCal every now and then. I'm assuming the trailer was bought in a basic factory condition. Empty tanks, original furniture & appliances, etc. I propose you restore it to that condition and pull it with a simple WD hitch, mine specifically. If it sways behind your truck I want to see if it will sway behind mine. Then pull it with your hitch with your truck, again empty, to see if the sway goes away. If all that happens, and I am proved wrong, I'll not only post it here and eat crow I will give you $500 for your trouble.

 

[DaveHess]

I'd like to add my two cents here. I have been pulling travel trailers since 2001. The first was a Keystone. I don't remember the model or length but it somewhere in the 28 foot length. My second travel trailer is the one I currently am towing. A 2005 Jayco Eagle 298BHS. I use a Eaz-Lift WD hitch with 1,000 round bars. I have a Reese friction sway control that I have found to be useless. I do realize that in my Jayco application, the length of the trailer would dictate the use of two friction sway controllers but I am in agreement with GAmes. I spent a fair amount of time setting the hitch up and moving weight around in the Jayco. My GCWR is 17,080 is camping dress with the travel trailer coming in at approximately 9800 pounds. I think the key here at least in my application has been paying particular attention to weights and balance. We weighed everything we put in the outside access compartments placing most of the heavy items in the front two compartments. This particular Jayco will carry 60 gallons of fresh water. Unfortunately, Jayco saw to placing that tank at the aft end of the trailer just ahead of the rear bumper. I think this is a poor choice of placement as, if I remember correctly, water weighs approximately 8 pounds a gallon thus putting 480 off the back of the trailer. Consequently, I do not have 480 plus pounds of cargo in the front compartments to balance this weight so I do not carry more than 20 gallons in the fresh. Most of the time I carry only 10 gallons and then fill at my end location as needed. Being that I am in ND and I can imagine it is much like West Texas, the winds howl on a regular basis. And when I am towing the travel trailer the winds are almost certainly in my nose or across the path of travel. My solution has been and I have been successful thus far, slow down. I know that is not a politically correct answer in our hurry up and get there world, but at a total length (combined) of 54 feet, I can say that I have not ever been in a situation where my attention to the weight and balance of my trailer, proper set-up of my WD hitch, and drive a slower speed in situations that warrant it, have not kept my family, myself, those around me, and yes, the care of my pride and joy Ram, safe. I am also not an idiot and do acknowledge that every situation is unique to the operator, equipment, and circumstances. Just wanted to share my perspective.

 

[tommyturbo]

DaveHess. That's what I like to hear! Another first hand report about sway devices. Is the Reese friction sway control an add on to the
Eaz-Lift WD? Were you looking to improve towing stability? Shame on Reese. A black eye for them. I feel for you. Good money down the tubes.
Another member said they would not like the idea of going through buying and junking hitch by hitch until maybe only one will work.
Goes to show some devices are not performing as advertised. Sounds like Russian roulette . If that happened to me, I would agree with you and GAmes.
I would also agree that nothing was needed for our first 5500lb. Pioneer TT. That was directly on the ball with no device of any kind and with no regard
to loading. That was towing with a '03 Ram 2500 gasser. As a newbie, how simple is that? Our current TT started with out with dangerous sway. What a shock!
I didn't know from up when I went to Cal-Western RV for advice. They recommended a combo WD and sway device. O.K....... What the heck. I must be
the lucky one. That cured the problem right off the bat! One down side is that the device I bought was the wrong rated model. The 1400lb tongue weight
was too much for it and WD feature became worn out and useless after a few seasons. The hitch swivel sockets in the head got sloppy and the spring bar brackets had deep worn in grooves. The Timbrens took care of the squat after that. But luckily the no tension floppy spring bars still controlled the the sway the same since new. The trailer tows good at any
speed or conditions. Towing 70mph down to Rapid City, SD with hail and high winds last Spring was not a problem whatsoever. The only sway felt was when parked
in Hermosa, SD with 65mph gusts at night. I slept with my pants on. I was scared the trailer would topple over and hail dent up the Ram. We packed up and left in the morning because the
forecast was the same for the next night. Unfortunately, the weather followed us on to Golden, CO.
It's good to hear about experiences with all these sway devices. My attitude would sour in a heartbeat if I got the wrong stuff installed.
Tom

 

[DaveHess]

Hi Tom. The Reese Sway control was an add on because I thought I should have it. This friction type controller is a cheaper type attempt to control sway at about a $150 price tag. I did not have a lot of sway and what I did have, I quickly found to be the water in the fresh water tank. I see you use Timbrens. I just added those this summer on all four corners and have been very happy with them. I will need to make a change to the hitch head this spring as the truck would lower several inches without them and now drops approximately 1" with the trailer loaded. My tongue weight is somewhere in the 800# neighborhood. I apologize as I do not remember where I put my notes from my initial set-up of this hitch and particular trailer. It's funny you should mention your Rapid City, SD trip. I made this trip about four years ago where when I got off I-94 westbound from Bismarck onto US85 South, I was promptly exposed to a 45 MPH East wind that had been pushing me westward earlier in the trip. This 45 MPH cross wind was brutal and by the time I crossed into SD about 90 minutes later, my arms were literally sore and tired. Anyhow, my Eaz-Lift WD hitch has been in my possession since 1995 and has performed it's task flawlessly. I use it to pull my car hauler also. That trailer is a 20 foot open flatbed I bought new from Felling Trailers in Sauk Center, MN in 1995. That trailer has always towed like it is bolted to the back bumper of the pickup. At max load with the race car and all associated equipment in the trailer toolbox (3 feet tall by 2 feet wide by 7 feet across the front of the trailer) weighs in at a little under 5,000 pounds. I know it is not the same as our Travel trailers but that trailer is a dream to pull. I do use the Eaz-Lift to pull that trailer as it also carries substantial tonge weight due to the tool box. When hooked to either trailer, My set up looks darn near level from the front of the truck to the back of either trailer.

 

[fest3er]

... I did not have a lot of sway and what I did have, I quickly found to be the water in the fresh water tank. ...

Shifting/sloshing cargo causes a lot of unwanted lateral motion. Worn (and worn out) steering and suspension components allow a lot more lateral motion and can cause steering/control issues.If your Dodge tow vehicle has more than around 90 000 miles on stock-style suspension bushings, you should replace them. Underinflated tires and tires with soft sidewalls can allow too much lateral motion.

If I towed regularly, I would use only properly inflated 14-ply (equivalent) 19.5" load range F tires. And I would not let the suspension bushings wear too long. A static test will not put as much force on the bushings as will dynamic on-the-road forces. Unless you use solid brass bushings and keep them well lubed, time and mileage are your only real gauge as to when to replace suspension bushings.

 

[GCroyle]

A comment, my personal rig.

In general us TT owners right or wrong use some WD/SC hitch system. But here's something I don't understand but I took action on my rig. The fit of the stinger to receiver.

You can spend $600-$3000 on your setup and the very last connection is bluntly, a sloppy fit. So the last connection has UP DOWN and SIDE to SIDE wiggle potential. I saw the SIDE to SIDE as the most concerning and MY answer was not any of the hitch clamp things, I fabricated a two sided full stinger length SS shim and a single sided SS shim. The L-R slop is virtually gone, but not enough space to fit one on the top side. But just after I made this custom shim set, steering wheel calmed down even further. BTW the stock was a SS door kick plate, pretty tough stuff. I formed it around a utility stinger and a lot of redneck fabrication if I do say so. IT shows virtually no wear over its length.

If I ever loose these shims, gonna make another identical set.

 

[SnoKing]

The combination of the factory provided reducer and the new Class V receiver on our new truck is not good. I don't tow much on a ball, if I did I would have to work on similar shims.

To top that off, hardly anyone makes cover inserts for the 2.5" receivers. SNOKING

 

[SnoKing]

Funny how so many have forgot what this thread is about. "'Hensley Arrow advanced towing system'" SNOKING

 

[GCroyle]

Seemed to have morphed into a general towing discussion. I have ZERO Hensley driving experience but I watched a team of 4 guys, 3 HH owners struggle for hours to install one, various issues later the owner returned the whole thing to mfgr.

 

[GCroyle]

OK, Hensley info, here you go. This thread is from Air Forums and ran for 9 years or so, over 800 replies. The two systems Hensley and ProPride have their fan clubs and have a pretty robust representation and are discussed pros and cons. I haven't read it and don't have any dog in this arena.

Enjoy the 58 pages of info/debate/pics and ..............

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464/the-ultimate-haha-users-guide-26279.html

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Gary,

Thank you for the links. I'll return to this thread after I have digested (looks like that will be around six months or so........

 

[GCroyle]

Russell,

The Hensley is a regular recurring topic over there, many more threads exist but this one made sticky status and 2Air is an uber guru over there.