Towing Equipment which is the best

[Silverflames]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Without controlled research by a 3rd party it is by definition anecdotal that other hitches are significantly less safe than PP

Not to say the anecdotal reports do not constitute compelling enough evidence to "sway" me

Hehee... Sway.. Lol...

[m.hony]

I am convinced that ProPride/Hensley Arrow are superior, but I still don't think I am endangering myself or others by using the EazLift or Equal-I-Zer. I will upgrade at such point in time that I actually have $2,500. That will be more than 2 years away for me (daughter in nursing school) so I ain't losing sleep over it. I will still drag my Airstream all over everywhere with what I got and be thankful for what I got. I would encourage PharmGeek to get a ProPride/Hensley Arrow if he is able. If he gets the Blue Ox I'll still be his friend. We ain't gonna have no fallin' out about it. The Airstream/Eqaul-I-Zer combo is SOOO much better than the EazLift/sob combo that it is unreal. The 8 ply radial tires on the sob were SOOO much better than the bias ply tires. I hope that in the future when I have a Hensley the difference/improvement will be THAT noticeable. Going on YouTube to look at the Lego model. Lego is cool...

[Ridgerunner3]

Originally Posted by Silverflames

I watched the vids of the process to hook up and unhook. Looks quite a bit more difficult than a Reece hitch. I would like to hear from some PP owners on what it is like to connect and disconnect.

I have owned and used a Reese Dual Cam, and Equalizer brand, and the Propride. For me, once accustomed to hitching & unhitching the Propride it is easier to hitch and unhitch (unless your wife decides to help give directions) than the others. The Reese and the Equalizer are both good hitches and did a good job for me controlling sway when setup properly. The Propride is much better mainly because it prevents sway.

[m.hony]

I am convinced that ProPride/Hensley Arrow are superior, but I still don't think I am endangering myself or others by using the EazLift or Equal-I-Zer. I will upgrade at such point in time that I actually have $2,500. That will be more than 2 years away for me (daughter in nursing school) so I ain't losing sleep over it. I will still drag my Airstream all over everywhere with what I got and be thankful for what I got. I would encourage PharmGeek to get a ProPride/Hensley Arrow if he is able. If he gets the Blue Ox I'll still be his friend. We ain't gonna have no fallin' out about it. The Airstream/Eqaul-I-Zer combo is SOOO much better than the EazLift/sob combo that it is unreal. The 8 ply radial tires on the sob were SOOO much better than the bias ply tires. I hope that in the future when I have a Hensley the difference/improvement will be THAT noticeable. Going on YouTube to look at the Lego model. Lego is cool...Watched the video. Now I get it. I want one. Maybe PullRite doesn't do hitches for our trucks anymore because of Hensley/ProPride...

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Without controlled research by a 3rd party it is by definition anecdotal that other hitches are significantly less safe than PP

Not to say the anecdotal reports do not constitute compelling enough evidence to "sway" me

Oh I knew you'd get a sway line in there! :-)

I'm not sure about your statement - I think that would definitely hold if the set were all the same type of hitch. For example, that might apply to the 3 hitches we know that have a forward pivot point (PullRite, Hensley Arrow and ProPride) - or perhaps to the 2 that project that point through the trapezoid as they are of one type.

I remember when SUVs were a cause of concern due to roll over risk. I don't think we could say it's anecdotal that other vehicles (say sedans) are more or less safe than SUVs because their centers of gravity are scientifically different.

Comparing all SUVs or all Sedans would work. Comparing all friction sway devices would work. Blending types gets a little more problematic - but then again, we're possibly in the territory of angels on the head of a pin.

Hope distributing my weight in this thread hasn't caused too much friction. If so, we could go to a round bar for some lubrication over a coupler drinks :-)

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

the Propride it is easier to hitch and unhitch (unless your wife decides to help give directions)

Sue and I came to that same exact conclusion too. I think it's because in my head, I know what I'm trying to do but have not figured out an effective way of communicating it so we actually see the process in exactly the same way and can communicate about it in exactly the same way. Plus, my eyes are in rear view mirrors and a backup camera and hers are live and basically seeing in the opposite direction. We'd have the same problem if I were the helper. It just turns out to be a 5 minute operation on my own and eliminates any unnecessary stress. Still just love her to pieces.... :-)

[m.hony]

Not to confuse the issue any further, but...Airsafe looks awesome. I wish I had one for I-20 through Louisiana. Is something like the Airsafe necessary or beneficial when used along with Hensley/ProPride?

[m.hony]

By the demonstrations I've seen, the tail still wags, it just doesn't/can't wag the dog. The trailer might hit a bump in the road or an 18 wheeler might pass or the wind might blow, but you will not feel it in the tow vehicle. Awesome. The trailer will still be acted on by outside forces, it just won't transfer that jiggly feeling into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. I want a Hensley/ProPride.

[m.hony]

I could hitch up by myself to, because I have a backup camera, and because I braced myself using the levels of gravitivity and polarity...

[BAB]

Reading all these posts takes me back about 18 months ago when I was getting ready to order my trailer and I was trying to make sense about which hitch would provide the optimum towing experience -- which to me included safety (mine and others) as a primary concern. To me, that meant the best possible combination between my tow vehicle, my trailer and all those factors that I would (or could) encounter across types of roads, weather, etc. Since there is no "Consumer Reports" on trailer hitches -- or could possibly rate the thousands of combinations, I went by what I read here on AirForums. Since this was my decision, and mine alone -- and I wanted to make the highest quality decision I could, I read every single post. Hundreds of them. After the digestive process I was left with either a Hensley or a ProPride. I decided on the ProPride. I've traveled around 12,000 miles with my rig -- mountains, wind, major thunderstorms, AWFUL highways, backroads, interstates....and I am completely and totally satisfied with my choice. Maybe I would have been with another hitch as well. You pay your money and you take your chances. Life is like that.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Not to confuse the issue any further, but...Airsafe looks awesome. I wish I had one for I-20 through Louisiana. Is something like the Airsafe necessary or beneficial when used along with Hensley/ProPride?

It does look great! We should get a read from Sean on this.

WARNING: unofficial and uniformed opinion to follow - don't implement anything I say here!!

I'm not sure whether it can be used with a PP/HA due to the stinger setup, although, there's a pic on their site that looks like you could bolt the PP/HA stinger to their Weight Distribution drop bar and continue from there. Their site says you would have to derate your hitch's tongue weight capacity by 25% if using that adapter. My hitch has a 1500 lb capacity so that would mean 1125 lbs max and my tongue weight has been near that mark - too close for comfort for my taste. I also don't know if inserting an airbag at the hitch messes with weight distribution capability. Last, I'm having trouble imagining how this would actually be physically compatible with the PP/HA hitch.... Take with a huge grain of salt - I literally have no clue what the heck I'm talking about here!! :-). Has anyone ever asked Sean about this?

[SteveSueMac]

FYI - I just emailed Sean tonight to see what he thinks about this.

[withidl]

Originally Posted by m.hony

By the demonstrations I've seen, the tail still wags, it just doesn't/can't wag the dog. The trailer might hit a bump in the road or an 18 wheeler might pass or the wind might blow, but you will not feel it in the tow vehicle. Awesome. The trailer will still be acted on by outside forces, it just won't transfer that jiggly feeling into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. I want a Hensley/ProPride.

Not quite accurate. The Hensley/ProPride cause the assembly to act as one locked unit, i.e. as if you were driving a long bus. You WILL feel the push caused by the bow wave of a bus or motorhome as it overtakes you. If you are in the right hand lane and the bus is overtaking in the left lane its bow wave will manifest in the tow vehicle as a yaw TOWARD the left lane; as the bow wave moves to the tow vehicle it manifests as a yaw away from the left lane. So as you are overtaken you will have to first SUBTLELY steer to the right and then SUBTLELY steer to the left, just as you would do if you were driving only the tow vehicle; it's just that the duration is somewhat longer due to the length of the assembly.

The main point is that at no time is there ever any oscillation set up since the Hensley/ProPride NEVER changes angle due to the bow wave (it does change angle due to your steering input).

[Griggs]

Originally Posted by rmvrmv

I just purchased a 2013 Airstream Flying Cloud 23D, I'll be pulling it with 2012 Ford 150 Supercrew 6cylinder ECO Boost.
I don't know much about the hitch equipment that is needed.

I have a 2013 Intl 23D, towing with the 2013 F150 Supercrew EcoBoost. Initially tried the Andersen hitch for a few thousand miles before switching to a ProPride. Well worth the investment. I thought the hitch might be overkill on the 23D, but I can't imagine a better combination.

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by Griggs

I have a 2013 Intl 23D, towing with the 2013 F150 Supercrew EcoBoost. Initially tried the Andersen hitch for a few thousand miles before switching to a ProPride. Well worth the investment. I thought the hitch might be overkill on the 23D, but I can't imagine a better combination.

What was your feelings on the Anderson that compelled the switch? Did it feel unsafe in your opinion? Would like to hear more about your switch and what compelled it.

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by withidl

Not quite accurate. The Hensley/ProPride cause the assembly to act as one locked unit, i.e. as if you were driving a long bus. You WILL feel the push caused by the bow wave of a bus or motorhome as it overtakes you. If you are in the right hand lane and the bus is overtaking in the left lane its bow wave will manifest in the tow vehicle as a yaw TOWARD the left lane; as the bow wave moves to the tow vehicle it manifests as a yaw away from the left lane. So as you are overtaken you will have to first SUBTLELY steer to the right and then SUBTLELY steer to the left, just as you would do if you were driving only the tow vehicle; it's just that the duration is somewhat longer due to the length of the assembly.

Excellent summary there, Withidl. You feel that pull of the bow wave in any vehicle if a big bus or somesuch breezes past, so when you extend the length of your vehicle by twenty or thirty feet then you're going to feel it some more. It's not "sway" as claimed by many because there isn't that oscillation around the hitch ball, or I hope there's not!

That pull to the left still catches me by surprise sometimes and it's not always easy to stop yourself over-reacting; as you say, subtlety is the key.

[Griggs]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

What was your feelings on the Anderson that compelled the switch? Did it feel unsafe in your opinion? Would like to hear more about your switch and what compelled it.

The Andersen was a capable hitch. I've hesitated contributing to the 2000+ post Andersen User thread, but there are plenty of posts highlighting its benefits. My primary motivation in switching was to gain more flexibility with weight distribution. An added benefit has been improved sway control. It makes the towing experience on my long trips more enjoyable.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by withidl

Not quite accurate. The Hensley/ProPride cause the assembly to act as one locked unit, i.e. as if you were driving a long bus. You WILL feel the push caused by the bow wave of a bus or motorhome as it overtakes you. If you are in the right hand lane and the bus is overtaking in the left lane its bow wave will manifest in the tow vehicle as a yaw TOWARD the left lane; as the bow wave moves to the tow vehicle it manifests as a yaw away from the left lane. So as you are overtaken you will have to first SUBTLELY steer to the right and then SUBTLELY steer to the left, just as you would do if you were driving only the tow vehicle; it's just that the duration is somewhat longer due to the length of the assembly.

The main point is that at no time is there ever any oscillation set up since the Hensley/ProPride NEVER changes angle due to the bow wave (it does change angle due to your steering input).

So...I will feel EXACTLY the same experience as I feel now? I guess there is nothing known to man that will take that feeling/sensation away. I guess the thing to do is use what I have and put it to rest.

[m.hony]

I guess the only way I would ever know if the towing experience is better is to drive a rig with the Hensley/ProPride. If any of us ever meets in person say on a caravan or at a rally maybe we can swap rigs for 10 or 20 miles of interstate highway. That is the only 100% way to get a feel for it or to know if one is significantly better/worse.

[m.hony]

This is my best interpretation/assessment of ProPride/Hensley vs. others-
You will still feel yaw when passed by an 18 wheeler, but the tow vehicle/trailer combination will remain straight rather than bending in the middle?