Hensley jack shaft

[Hans Grim]

Hi all,

New to the forum.
Been searching for info on Hensley Arrow but haven't yet found what I'm looking for. I've had the '93 30' AS Excella for 6 years with the original Hensley and hauled it to the east coast, Yukon and Alaska among other destinations without a problem. Last year it started acting up.
I'm trying to attach a photo of the problem but in a nutshell: When I pull out the stinger when disconnecting at camp the threaded shaft rises out of the shaft tube resulting in the hitch head tilting forward a lot, making hook-up difficult for two, nearly impossible for one. Only the shaft on the driver side is doing this. I can't seem to find anything that holds the cap on the top of the shaft and the threaded shaft inside. Anyone run into this? Any hints?
I'll be taking the unit into CanAm for some work later this year and have them look at it then but I'd like to know if there's a potential safety issue before taking it to them.

[Wingeezer]

Unless you get a quick and clear answer here on the forum, I would be inclined to give Terry at Hensley in Michigan a ring. I would think you would get immediate advice based on my dealings with him over the years. You could email him the pic if that would help

If interested, the contact info I have is:

Terry Powell
1-800-410-6580 x117

Hope that helps.


Brian.

[Hans Grim]

Hey Brian,

You were spot on about Terry at Hensley. Solved the problem right away. All I've got to do is go outside and follow his instructions. (Once the rain mebbe stops for a while)

Have a good travelling season.

Hans

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Hans Grim

Hey Brian,

You were spot on about Terry at Hensley. Solved the problem right away. All I've got to do is go outside and follow his instructions. (Once the rain mebbe stops for a while)

Have a good travelling season.

Hans

Great - glad it worked out, I have always found him to be very helpful!

Weather no better down in this part of Ontario - windy wet and cold, and I want to get out and repaint our garage doors!

Brian.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Hans Grim

Hey Brian,

You were spot on about Terry at Hensley. Solved the problem right away. All I've got to do is go outside and follow his instructions. (Once the rain mebbe stops for a while)

Have a good travelling season.

Hans

Great - glad it worked out, I have always found him to be very helpful!

Weather no better in this part of Ontario - windy wet and cold, and I want to get out and repaint our garage doors!

Brian.

[RAH]

and the solution was...?

[Hans Grim]

I still haven't gotten to following Terry's instructions yet since now its not simply raining anymore but the unit is covered in snow:-(
However, the solution is disconnecting the bottom of the jack assembly from the end of the WD bar and rotating to access the bottom. There is an access opening on the shaft tube that allows you to get at the allen screw in a collar that holds the threaded drive shaft. Apparently this is what has somehow loosened or broken. Terry's instructions also involved pushing and poking and coaxing the shaft back into position after loosening the allen screw, but I guess I'll figure that out when I eventually get to it.

Oh for those lazy, hazy days of summer!?!??

[wjcwill]

Mine did the same thing although the collar at the top of the tube came loose.

[dznf0g]

Optical illusion time. Blow up the pic in post #1.

Title: How to lighten that tongue weight. Hook a bungee from the front window rock guard. OR---levitate your front end, no need for jack.

[J. Morgan]

The setscrew in the collar at the top of the jackscrew has backed off.

You can pull the jack off the trailer in about two minutes and rebuild the jack inside where it is warm.

It will take about ten to twenty minutes.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[Hans Grim]

I'm still trying to back out the 5/32 set screw to get the stay collar off so I can remove the jack.
Seems to be a few years (decades) worth of paint on it.
Might take a little longer than 2 minutes but I will persevere.
Thanks.

[J. Morgan]

Sorry, I didn't figure on lots of repaints and a stuck setscrew..

I should have said my jack took about two minutes to remove.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[RAH]

I'm surprised that the struts aren't holding the hitch level, even with a problem in the jack assembly. Just because top of one of your jack assemblies doesn't want to stay in place, that wouldn't cause the whole hitch head to drop, if I am remembering how the hitch works.
I did not install my Hensley. I did change sway bars last year, which also required changing the bushing. The old bushing was suppose to fall right out. It did not. There was no place to get leverage. This took me 3 days. I didn't work on it the whole time, until I figured there was nothing further to do but go to a baseball game. Then back at it the next day. Finally I figured I should just take the whole orange thing off the trailer (OK, that was the spouse's idea, where all good ideas come from). So off it came. Heavy. But once I could turn the thing upside down, it was easy to see why the old bushing wasn't coming off, and it came off in about 30 seconds. And then I had the whole thing back together in no time.
Have fun with your repair - if you get stuck, I've been there. You will get through it. PM me if you think I can help.

[RAH]

the old stubborn bushing on the left (installed). With the new bushing I was trying to install on the right.

[Hans Grim]

RAH,
Once I downloaded the manual and started going through it, it dawned on me that there's many components that take quite a bit of abuse over the years which raised a couple of questions:
1. After 21 years, could metal fatigue be an issue. I believe the unit didn't travel very far in the beginning. However I've had it for almost seven years and have put about 20,000 miles on it.
2. What's involved in a total rebuild. In other words, do I consider a rebuild or look at a new unit. Terry mentioned that the old unit could be traded in on a new one (Swift Arrow?).
Then again if looking at a new unit, PP3 could also be considered?

Every answer results in more questions?

[Hans Grim]

Using a nutsplitter to break both collars was eventually the only way to remove them. Once accomplished the rest was pretty easy. The 3/16 allen key in the inside collar on the shaft was easy to find eventually under the grease and then tighten against the threaded shaft. I'm glad I had the spare collars in my repair kit. Now the level and angle of the hitch is again simple to maintain.
Thanks for the help.