jmtandem
western nevada
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schott,
I am glad you are happy with your setup. To answer your query, I have overload spring bumpers and airbags on the 3500 because I previously carried a 4000 cabover camper on the truck, hence the dually. For most applications involving a travel trailer the dually is probably a little much, a single rear wheel one ton truck as you have is more than adequate. Since I already had the truck it works just fine for trailer towing. It seems to tow just fine without any weight distribution or sway features. I have tried it both with and without and cannot tell much difference. As to the Airstream forums, I almost bought a used Airstream (used ones sell fast) and thru that process became very interested in their forum discussion about hitches. I enjoy learning from others.
In other threads I have shared my towing experineces. I doubt apart from hurricanes/tornados that the wind blows as much in other places as it does in Nevada. A fifty mile per hour wind is a gentle afternoon breeze here. Mark Twain wrote about the 'Washoe Zephyrs' in Washoe Valley, five miles from home. In some places near our home the wind has hit over 150 mph, not the time to be on the highway with a trailer regardless of whose hitch you are using.
I never said or inferred I did not like ProPride or Hensley hitches and money is not usually my determining factor for hitch purchase--performance is. Someday I might own one of the high end hitches and if I do, I hope I am satisfied. Right now I think the best all around mid price range hitch is the Reese Dual Cam as it tries to recenter the trailer unlike my Equalizer that simply is friction both directions. Many on this forum like the Equalizer hitch. It does what the manufacturer claims it will, but has some shortcomings I don't care for--the hitch head is not interchangable for different weight spring bars, it is a maintenance intensive hitch at the L brackets, and the spring bars are more bars and less spring. In the Airstram forums there is division about how much (if any) damage the Equalizer hitch's spring bars do to trailer tongues. Kind of scary, really. Drop $60-98,000 for a new Airstream and then learn that some hitches can actually hurt the pricey new trailer.
I am glad you are happy and you are out there using your RV. That is good. Agreeing or disagreeing is irrevelant, using the RV is important. Someday I will visit Florida, one of the few states I have never been to.
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed airbags overload springs bumpers
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VirtualGarage
Vancouver, Canada
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Joined: 05/27/2009
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The whole world revolves around money and since very few people have an unlimited supply, everyone needs to balance cost vs benefits based upon their own personal financial position. What works for some people, doesn't work for others.
For some people the HA/PP works in their situation, for others it doesn't.
2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali ~ 2010 Keystone Premier 31BHPR ~ Sold: 2009 Tango 289BH
ProPride 3P Hitch ~ RV Modifications ~ Gear & Accessories ~ Road Trip 2010
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TXiceman
(Near) Houston,TX
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Joined: 11/17/2000
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HA is a great hitch, but pricey is not the word...more like over priced. Same goes for the Propride. FOr the trailer you are looking at, look at the Reese Dual Cam HP. Been around a long time and works as well as the HA...and much cheaper.
Ken
Amateur Radio Operator.
Vintage 1989 Avion Silver, 34V, toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with one miniature Schnauzers, one standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
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schott9014
Florida
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jmtandem-
Fair enough. I'm happy with my setup- you are happy with yours. That's all that really matters anyways, right? I hope you get to Florida someday, and I hope to make it out west someday. And at some point, after my kids get all grown up, hopefully my wife and I can downsize to a truck camper so we can pull the boat. I hope people like you- who have been there and done that- can guide us into good choices.
Thanks.
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E&J push'n wind
San Diego CA, The best climate on earth!
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peirek wrote:Lantley wrote:You have a $25K truck + $25K trailer the cost of the HA or PP becomes a fraction of the cost of your rig.
A HA and PP are designed totally different from any friction based hitch such as a Reese Dual cam or an Equalizer.
The 4 bar linkage used by the HA/PP is far superior to the friction based hitches at eliminating sway.
The TV and TT should be properly matched however a 4 bar linkage hitch like the HA/PP will enhance the performance of any combo (even a well matched combo) vs. a friction based hitch.
The only advantage a friction based hitch has over a 4 bar linkage hitch is it is cheaper. Which brings me back to my initial statement
When I consider how many dollars I have invested in my Truck and TT. The cost a a HA/PP becomes a minor portion of the total cost. $50K+ later. Do I want to connect my combo with the best hitch on the market or do I want the most economical hitch available?
Ditto!!!!!!!!! I had a reese dual cam on my 24' bunkhouse and never had any sway issues. At least I thought that. I thought it was normal when passing an 18-wheeler on a 2 lane at 65 MPH each for the rig to react to the passing truck. These were not white knuckle events just a little push/pull feel.
We upgraded our trailer ($20k) last spring to a 26' (29.5' total) 5200# dry. This put the length at the very max of my truck's wheelbase (2001 F150 Crew). We upgraded to the Hensley (bought a rebuilt unit from Hensley which carries the same lifetime warranty). We traveled with the HA and the F150 from Texas to Yellowstone last year. This is where I discovered those push/pull events are not necessarily normal.
This year we upgraded the truck to a 2010 Denali. With the rear camera hooking up the HA is a breeze. So I have $65K in TV & trailer. ~$2K in hitch. Hmmmmm
I will admit it was a tough decision to pony up those bucks for the HA. After traveling with it, I will never look back. Best $2K I have spent.
It will take some time and practice to hitch up. There will be increased opportunities for you and DH to have those "hitch communication" discussions. It is a very different concept but once you master it, it really is a breeze. With my rear camera I can hook the truck/trailer up nearly every time on first attempt while DW is off doing something, anything! else.
X2 on the used from HA. Saved a lot of money buying used from them with lifetime warranty.
* This post was
edited 07/30/10 04:54pm by an administrator/moderator *
Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know much, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Ah the venerable Hensley debate...worth it or not worth it?...HAHA
I tow a 9000# TT with a near 7500# curb weighted vehicle which has 137" of wheel base on LT tires...so I enjoy a pretty decent combo...I tried and tried at the scales to get my DC dialed in 'just right' to my liking before deciding to spend...OMG...my $3,000 on an orange hitch! 
All I can is that I agree with Lantley...I spent a lot of money to get into RV-ing BEFORE I decided to buy a Hensley...to me...the hitch was simply another tool or piece of gear for RV-ing that allows me and my family to enjoy our beautiful country.
We travel a lot as a family...our 11 and 13 year old daughters have seen 35 of our states already...so we travel and I wanted to be able to travel where ever and when ever I choose and not be held hostage by less than perfect weather days...and we do. In fact back in 2008 when we did our Grand Canyon trip...I fought 4 days of 30+ mph CROSS winds while towing. Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona were the WORST...but having the Hensley I am 100% convinced allowed me to continue our travels...and I travel 12 hour days while towing and I am the only one that drives while pulling...I've towed nearly 25,000 miles with my Ex an have been thru some pretty interesting parts of this beautiful country and have experienced all kinds of weather/terrain...I need my setup to be rock solid each and every mile...and with the Hensley...it is.
Plus as another poster mentioned...no matter how stable you think your setup is (even with the Hensley)...it is a risk management situation...every situation on the towing road of life is different...so ANY setup can get into a sway condition (wind, passing vehicles, road conditions, etc) can make a seemingly stable setup...unstable in a heart beat...for me...it was easily worth a little bit more to add a piece of camping equipment that helps mitigate the possibility of sway while towing...
As far of the ProPride being 'better' than the Hensley...I'm not buying that...there are 'different' features of the ProPride but I'm not sure they are necessarily hands down 'better'.
Price...I am pretty sure Sean will do anything to undersell the Hensley so the consumer will always benefit when there is competition...so if price is paramount...look used Hensley FIRST and then ProPride new second is my advice.
Also...I agree 100% that the DC and Equal-i-zer are basically a friction based hitch...a more effective frition based hitch over a simple friction bar...
I tow with a Hensley by MY choice with MY money spent...I don't belittle others that choose to not tow with a Hensley or those that choose to tow with what I would easily consider an undersized TV...I'm not sure why others that don't tow with or have never tried a Hensley feel so passionate to belittle those that spent OUR money on a Hensley?...interesting concept.
Finally...I'll throw out one word...BUMP!!! 
Joe.
DH, DW, 2 DD's
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Wes Tausend
Bismarck, ND
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...
Got to agree with with you, Joe, on the Hensley/Pro-Pride debate.
Quote:As far of the ProPride being 'better' than the Hensley...I'm not buying that...there are 'different' features of the ProPride but I'm not sure they are necessarily hands down 'better'.
I mentioned earlier that I picked up an adjustable modified hitch head from Pro-Pride. But if the original 2 inch offset stinger from Hensley works, I'll use that. While the P3 style adjustable stinger may be highly adaptable, note that it weighs an additional 60-70 pounds (later edited to be actually 15 pounds measured) over that of a Hensley one-piece. As one poster mentioned earlier, I think the sheer weight of either of these super-duty hitches may be the most obvious downside to them.
Wes
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* This post was
edited 08/02/10 12:50pm by Wes Tausend *
Days spent camping are not subtracted from one's total.
- 2000 Excursion V-10 - 2004 Cougar Keystone M-294 RLS, 6140# tare
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jmtandem
western nevada
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Quote:I mentioned earlier that I picked up an adjustable modified hitch head from Pro-Pride. But if the original 2 inch offset stinger from Hensley works, I'll use that. While the P3 style adjustable stinger may be highly adaptable, note that it weighs an additional 60-70 pounds over that of a Hensley one-piece. As one poster mentioned earlier, I think the sheer weight of either of these super-duty hitches may be the most obvious downside to them.
Wes
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Heavy is not necessarily bad as long as it stays on the trailer tongue and is not taken on and off the tow vehicle as with most other WD hitches.
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jmtandem
western nevada
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Quote:I tow with a Hensley by MY choice with MY money spent...I don't belittle others that choose to not tow with a Hensley or those that choose to tow with what I would easily consider an undersized TV...I'm not sure why others that don't tow with or have never tried a Hensley feel so passionate to belittle those that spent OUR money on a Hensley?...interesting concept.
Finally...I'll throw out one word...BUMP!!!
Joe.
I tow with a one ton dually by MY choice with MY money spent...I don't belittle others that choose to not tow with a one ton dually or those that choose to tow with what I would easily consider an undersized TV....interesting concept.
And if you go to the fifth wheel forums I am sure we could subsitute the words 'fifth wheel hitch' for 'dually or hensley or pro pride' or anything else. Everything is relative!
* This post was
edited 08/01/10 10:40pm by jmtandem *
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SteveRankin
Sequim, WA
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M GO BLUE wrote:A 34' trailer only has a weight of 5500 lbs? I really doubt that...
...and remember the Hensley is there to prevent sway but does not give you more towing power to pull something with an inadequate tow vehicle...
Ditto on the weight. Most 34' TT's are going to weigh about twice that.
And ditto on the purpose of the Hensley - it is designed to prevent sway. It will not turn an inadequate tow vehicle into a proper tow vehicle.
We've owned 2 Hensley Arrows. The first was a dream. The second was not. We had several issues with the 2nd Hensley, which I attribute to a lack of quality control in recent years.
If I was going to do it over again, I'd get a ProPride instead. The ProPride is the newest version of the Hensley Arrow--designed and sold by Jim Hensley. I've heard that the quality is better and I know the warranty is better, plus it's less expensive. What's not to like about that?
Steve & C. J.
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