hensley hitch, is it all that??? HEY TOW PEOPLE INPUT please

[buelldude]

Is this thing really worth it? Is there any other systems out that are as good? What about sway bays on my reese hitch, I don't have them yet do you need them? Why is the price so high?

[glclary]

I have had a Hensley since '95. It absolutely does what their propaganda says. It will eliminate trailer sway from cross winds and passing trucks and buses. For the Hensley info try www.nosway.com (http://www.nosway.com)

That being said, when I bought it, we were towing a 26' camper with a Grand Cherokee. Not a good set up but the Hensley made it much safer. Now that we have the 3/4 ton Chevy, I am not sure that the Hensley is absolutely necessary. We've got it so we use it.

Lots of folks on the camping forums say that they have good results towing with sway controls on their Reese hitches. I have also heard some pretty good things about Pull Rite and Equalizer brand hitches. I have no personnal experience with these.

You might want to check around over at www.irv2.com. (http://www.irv2.com.) There has been lots of discussion about towing over there. If you can wade through the bull crap, there's some good info.

Good luck,

Lee

[dmaxstu]

I've been using the brand 'Easy Lift'for 26 years along with their friction sway control. When I was towing with my Ford 150 van the friction sway control was very important, however much less so with my GMC 2500 HD in fact sometimes I forget to set the friction sway control without too much detrimental effect.

I have recently replaced that greasy setup with the new Blue Ox equalising hitch. Towing World had those on sale for half price $840. It looks very promising the whole gismo mounts to the trailer my old 'Easy Lift' friction sway control and all. So all you do is back into it insert one pin and you are on your way. I saw it on display at this RV accesory store on the Boulder highway in Vegas I just had to have it. Blue ox claims that you don't really need the sway control but has made provision to use any number of different ones.Including 2 they sell themselves.

I did look at the Hensley Arrow and even got their video but could not justify the extremely high price especially since I had never experienced a problem even while towing across the Montana plains with high sidewinds.

I pull a Sunnybrook 26' with a slide, I've hit 80 MPH on freeways outside of California quite regularly never any problems. The only thing that concerns me might be a tire blowing. I use the GY Marathon radials on both the Sunnybrook and my 8000# boat trailer. Stu

[ 06-03-2003, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: dmaxstu ]

[Reno DMAX]

Buell,

I've had great success with "The Equalizer Hitch". Towed my 27' Holiday Rambler to Yellowstone & back and ran into nasty cross winds in S.W. Wyoming. They're around $475. Ask them to send you a free video.

I'm going to get one for my boat trailer also!

[dmaxstu]

RenoDMAX
Make sure your surge brakes are not compromised when using such a hitch.
I don't seem to need any equalising when towing the boat and it weighs 8000# all the weight seems near the rear of the trailer with the engine outdrive etc. I did once use an equalising hitch with the boat trailer and did not work very well. One thing I found out was that I better take the equalising bars off before going down the boat ramp. Those things took too much weight off the rear tow vehicle wheels so they spun pulling the boat out. So that was the last time I used them.
Of course this was with my Ford E150 van.Stu

[letsgo]

be forwarned, the hensley hitch when in the pulling mode is as they say is in a locked position however with exhaust braking or tranny down shifting, the locking mechanics will unlock, therefore the hitch is now able to swing 6 inches either side of the tow ball center line, that means you have a posible 10,000# of trailer fliping from side to side.

hensles answer to this is the trailer brakes must always come on before the truck brakes do the trailer has to always be pulling back to prevent unlatching of the hitch, meaning that you are not to use your tranny braking system period.

first hand experience,

I was test driving a rig set up by the hensley people, it started to rain drove to the next cloverleaf the tranny downshifted on a curve at 30mph felt the back end slip sideways (caused by the unlatching of the hitch), you do not want this happening at 55mph.

when towing with the Duramax the hensley is not for me.

good luck in your choice.

[Tinbender]

I heartly agree with Letsgo. The Hensley is NOT the hitch to use with an Allison. I bought one and have been sorry ever since. It was too bad that I didn't get a chance to tow with it before their 90 day return policy expired or they would have had it back. I talked to the President of Hensley and all he would say is that you have to manually actuate the brakes or ride the brake pedal when the Allison is in grade braking and your headed into a curve. I've had the old pucker tighten several times as we tow in the mountains of Washington state. Never had a problem, BUT it's scarey having 10,000lbs flopping around behind the truck. If your still crazy enough to want a Hensley I know where is one reasonable.

I towed for about 17 years with the PullRite hitch and I was completely satisfied with it. It is a completely stable towing system. It too is pricey and after listening to the Hensley people I opted to buy the Hensley as is can be used on any tow vehicle. The PullRite has different models to fit different vehicles, change truck, a new hitch. That gets spendy, but hindsight being etc. I wish now I spent the bucks. We tow about 18,000 miles a year.

My $.02

Bob

[Murf]

letsgo & Tinbender - thanks for the info on the Hensley - would have never guessed that was the case with the Allison - what are you using for you wieght distribution system? Murf

[roegs]

This is my second year with my Hensley, and so far, I'm very pleased. Have I ever felt it move when I slowed down? Sure, than can happen with any engine/transmission combination that downshifts....not just the D/A. Both my wife and I find the Hensley much easier to hitch and unhitch vs. our old Reese dual cam system. The Hensley is very stable when towing. I bought mine used, and if I ever decide to sell, will have no problem getting my money back out of it.

[letsgo]

I tow a 34ft, 3 axils with a tonge weight of 780#, trailer weight 8900#, with 1000# torque bars, and 2 anti sway brake bars that are set as tight as posible in dry weather, loosen up in rain or snow, in snow I drive at 35 MPH WITH THE TRUCKERS in 4WD very comfortable driving ( got caught in the leading edge of a storm heading south in January), the truck tire pressure is critical 76# in front 80# in rear.
With this setup there is no sway from passing trucks, to pass I can exceed 75mph ( I do not do that often) travel mostly between 50 and 65mph, very comfortable driving.
One hot day the truck and trailer were all over the place the tire pressures had jumped to 85 front and 90psi rear, once pressures were corrected every thing went back to normal driving.

You will see a lot people towing without anti sway devices and some with just a ball hitch, and claim they do not have any problems towing.

Safty chains should be at least 5/16 or 3/8 with a substantial hooks. Oh dont forget to cross the chains under the tonge, a lot of travelers dont.

good luck and happy towing.

[RONCLYDE]

Just acquired a 33' sunline TT. 9000# curb wt, 900# tongue wt. picked it up from dealer and drove it about 40 miles home, when i got there there were 2 flat spots on the steering wheel. this trailer i thought had someone swaying it all the way home. took it back to the dealer and had a set of the new Reese dual cam sway controls installed and went to 1200# torsion bars. with a test ride and a few minor tweeks on the torsion bars it now tows like it isn't even there. eliminated about 99.4% of the sway i had before. just for shIIS & giggles i keep the friction sway bar on. now it tows better than my previous 24'. definitly worth looking into this set-up.

[roegs]

You might want to check out more Hensley reviews at:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm

I'm suprised at the previous posts...its rare that you hear bad things about the Hensley (except for comments on its high price). As mentioned, there are a number of other hitches available that reduce sway. Hensley and Pullrite however, eliminate sway, as they are the only ones that can put the pivit point over the rear axle (vs. behind it). You may not ever need what Hensley or Pullrite will do for you...but it only takes 1 time of severe sway to convince you that it may have been worth it. Yahoo groups also has a good discussion forum for Hensley's at:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/hensleyarrowrvhitchclub/