Stand up and take your chance.

[sranger]

Originally Posted by John&Vicki

Every time another one of the countless threads about towing safety here devolves into a pi$$ing match between conventional hitch owners and owners of those other two, I wonder about one thing. Were there a lot of accidents in the old days when Wally was doing around the world caravans with old American iron sedans and old fashioned ball hitches with no anti-sway, etc.?

I’m not being cute and this is not a rhetorical question. I’d really interested in informed input.

Cheers,
John

There probably were more accidents back in that time period mainly because the tires were more prone to blow outs. Also I think in general people drove slower back then when they were towing because of the quality of the tires and the vehicles they were towing with did not typically even have disc brakes. I also doubt many (if any) had electric trailer brakes, if the trailer had any brakes at all they were surge brakes. It is also worth noting that the Airstreams of the day were a bit lighter and a little narrower and in many cases shorter over all length.

Also, the culture has change quite a lot since then as well. I do not believe most drivers today are as self aware as they once were. I think there are far too many distracted drivers on the road now than there was then. People certainly did not trust the braking system in their vehicles as much as they do today and did not tailgate as badly as they do now.

Also, there were simply far less vehicles on the road back then to worry about.

I can state that without a doubt, if you had an accident back then while towing, the injuries were almost always more serious than the same accident today. I do think the safety of the modern vehicles encourages people to drive in more aggressive manner than they did in the past.

Also, in my opinion, people simply had better common sense in that time period than they do now when it comes to driving.

[John&Vicki]

Thanks Ranger. I’m old enough to know that much of what you say is true. You didn’t have a whirlygirl passing at 75+ mph while looking into the rear view mirror to apply makeup. It is a war zone on the highways now, not like the old days.

John

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by John&Vicki

Every time another one of the countless threads about towing safety here devolves into a pi$$ing match between conventional hitch owners and owners of those other two, I wonder about one thing. Were there a lot of accidents in the old days when Wally was doing around the world caravans with old American iron sedans and old fashioned ball hitches with no anti-sway, etc.?

I’m not being cute and this is not a rhetorical question. I’d really interested in informed input.

Cheers,
John

I’m not sure if this answers your question exactly - but back in those days, seat belts weren’t standard equipment in most cars, the rate of alcohol impaired driving (not necessarily towing) was far more frequent than today - though cell phone distraction probably overtook that role, bias ply tires were far more common than radials, etc. In other words - progress happens. Nothing wrong with taking a horse & buggy across the country - I’m sure there’s a handful of folks who’d love to do that at some point in their lives. Nothing wrong with camping in a tent without the comfort of a bed, bath, shower, fridge, AC, etc. - millions do it every day. There’s no right or wrong - but there is always progress. Technology changes, attitudes change, capabilities evolve - it’s really not meant (in my view) to be a pi$$ing match and my apologies if I’ve made it seem that way - I personally get frustrated when people who haven’t used the product insult those who have because they don’t agree with it. I don’t insult tent-campers for their gear choice and I wouldn’t want tent-campers to assume I’m a snob because I camp in an aluminum tube - as I don’t think Prevost campers are snobs for their gear choice.

We don’t have to agree on gear choices to be nice to each other [emoji3]

Camp how you like with what you like - I’m glad to listen to what works for you - hope that’s a mutual deal.

Happy trails.

[rintintin]

Unfortunately the tow vehicle will also be at fault and was still going too fast

[batman]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I’m not sure if this answers your question exactly - but back in those days, seat belts weren’t standard equipment in most cars, the rate of alcohol impaired driving (not necessarily towing) was far more frequent than today - though cell phone distraction probably overtook that role, bias ply tires were far more common than radials, etc. In other words - progress happens. Nothing wrong with taking a horse & buggy across the country - I’m sure there’s a handful of folks who’d love to do that at some point in their lives. Nothing wrong with camping in a tent without the comfort of a bed, bath, shower, fridge, AC, etc. - millions do it every day. There’s no right or wrong - but there is always progress. Technology changes, attitudes change, capabilities evolve - it’s really not meant (in my view) to be a pi$$ing match and my apologies if I’ve made it seem that way - I personally get frustrated when people who haven’t used the product insult those who have because they don’t agree with it. I don’t insult tent-campers for their gear choice and I wouldn’t want tent-campers to assume I’m a snob because I camp in an aluminum tube - as I don’t think Prevost campers are snobs for their gear choice.

We don’t have to agree on gear choices to be nice to each other [emoji3]

Camp how you like with what you like - I’m glad to listen to what works for you - hope that’s a mutual deal.

Happy trails.

Good words.

-Dennis

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Don't be a PPP hater Frank, I don't hate the Blue Ox.

It may be that a PPP isn't the best option for YOU, but for some of us it is.

Lets just agree to disagree in a nice way.

Reading all these comments gives me the impression that most of you have a comprehension problem.
1. I was very clear in my statement why I would never consider owning
a ProPride nor a Hensley.
2. I also repeated time and again if one of those is your choice buy it and
enjoy it.
3. I never promote my preferred choice of hitch. If something works well it
will sell itself.
4. Using those above mentioned hitches is not the only safe way to tow.

This is simple common sense.
Only on this site can this degenerate into an endless stream of controversy.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Silvr_Bullet

People tow safely everyday. I don’t see where you make the correlation and inference that because you feel it’s the fault of 1/2 ton trucks isn’t supported by fact. btw gives us more information on these mishaps ex size of trailers, road conditions, curves, grade of road etc. I think you see where this is going.
Were they all 25’ Airstreams?

Originally Posted by OTRA15

More excessive sway IMO . . . .

Hopefully someone will mercifully put this beast to bed IMO, as occurred in the last post of the Idaho Roll-over thread linked below.

Bless all who have not rolled over...

How did we ever live thru toeing a single axle Safari for 18 Seasons with an ill performing, short wheelbase, underpowered Grand Wagoneer?🤔

We were younger, knew nothing and were careful.😂

Bob
🇺🇸

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Since I installed the Hensley, I experience neither of those.

Hi

I notice a shove from a semi going the other way on a 2 lane road when driving just the truck or when traveling in my wife's car. My guess is we are talking about two different things.

Bob

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Reading all these comments gives me the impression that most of you have a comprehension problem.
1. I was very clear in my statement why I would never consider owning
a ProPride nor a Hensley.
2. I also repeated time and again if one of those is your choice buy it and
enjoy it.
3. I never promote my preferred choice of hitch. If something works well it
will sell itself.
4. Using those above mentioned hitches is not the only safe way to tow.

This is simple common sense.
Only on this site can this degenerate into an endless stream of controversy.

It is only controversy & common sense to those who perceive it so...too the rest of us it's entertaining bloviation.

blowiating?😂

Bob
🇺🇸

[Halford1]

Originally Posted by SStevens73

Has anyone towed a 25 foot AS with a Lexus GX 460?
We are just researching what the best equipment might be. A lot of pickups are so long that as every day drivers they would be a pain to own, so this is one option we are trying to evaluate.

What is the max tow weight for the Lexus to tow?

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by Halford1

What is the max tow weight for the Lexus to tow?

What do you want it to be? ��

Seriously, you have to check the owner manual. I think the 460 is a Sequoya with a 4.6 L engine.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Bless all who have not rolled over...
. . .

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Reading all these comments gives me the impression that most of you have a comprehension problem.
1. I was very clear in my statement why I would never consider owning
a ProPride nor a Hensley.
2. I also repeated time and again if one of those is your choice buy it and
enjoy it.
3. I never promote my preferred choice of hitch. If something works well it
will sell itself.
4. Using those above mentioned hitches is not the only safe way to tow.

This is simple common sense.
Only on this site can this degenerate into an endless stream of controversy.

You're making things too complicated.

Some of us like our PPPs, we like to talk about how they work for our wants and needs, and to brag about them from time to time....

I've never once trash talked another brand hitch on this forum, not even once, I haven't even called one ugly.

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi



I notice a shove from a semi going the other way on a 2 lane road when driving just the truck or when traveling in my wife's car. My guess is we are talking about two different things.



Bob

It might be that I'm so used to the bow wave in my car or truck that I don't really notice them anymore.....

You made me think about it Bob......

That has to be a part of it.

That considered, I don't "feel" the bow wave when I'm towing with the Hensley, I most certainly did when I was towing on the ball.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

It might be that I'm so used to the bow wave in my car or truck that I don't really notice them anymore.....

You made me think about it Bob......

That has to be a part of it.

That considered, I don't "feel" the bow wave when I'm towing with the Hensley, I most certainly did when I was towing on the ball.

I can certainly recall years ago towing a SOB 23’ trailer with a Jeep Cherokee (old, old style with 360 V8) that if a truck passed I could feel it in the steering wheel (pulled one way when the bow wave was on the trailer and the other way when the rear of the passing truck was overtaking the trailer). Used an Easy Lift hitch and friction sway control. As long as the TV and trailer didn’t oscillate after that event I didn’t consider that sway from a stability standpoint.

Now with my truck and 23D I don’t feel it hardly at all. I chalked it up to better aerodynamics on the AS and longer wheelbase of the truck.

After thinking about it I can certainly see how a Hensley style setup would reduce or eliminate that, as it effectively makes the wheelbase of the rig the distance between trailer axle and TV front axle for THESE purposes; not for turning purposes ��

[farafield]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Have the day of your choosing [emoji3

This is so true!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

One of the things that very much *does* happen as you spend more time towing a rig .... you get used to what is "normal" and it bugs you a lot less. I found my setup far more alarming on the first drive off the dealers lot (on flat streets driving slow) than I ever find it today (under any conditions ...).

I'd also bet that as you drive a rig more, you "learn" how to do this or that to reduce issues. It's learned at the muscle level so it's not really noticed. There's some wonderful data somewhere that talks about how many thousand "repeats" it takes to learn something that way. Just how hard do you think about what you are doing riding a bike?

Bob

[2MileHi]

Much of what we learn comes from repetition. The question is, is what we are repeating good?

[Silvertwinkie]

Just took this route last summer with my 25er and my 3/4 ton Suburban.


Very comfy, scenic ride. Zero issues. I will say that even the interstate that skirts the mountains still has some pretty decent grades/hills.