Crash while towing down the interstate.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Steve I was actually thinking of YOU when I said "SOME DO" - and even I never knew that truck driving schools often offered that kind of course until you posted it. Good Karma to You and keep on recommending that kind of course. I made contact with two local truck driving schools and now regularly recommend them when the topic comes up at "girls around the campfire" meetings.....snip....



Paula

😄

Good karma right back at ya! I know I've said this before but one of the exercises was to parallel park the rig. DW nailed it first try. Me? Not so much. DW has an uncanny natural ability with math and angles. She just gets it. I tend to overthink it.

But it's great to be able to share the driving duties and while I hate to think about the part of your note I snipped - odds are she'll be driving it solo someday 😳 (geez that got depressing for me kind of fast....).

But yes - everyone could benefit from a safe RV driver course.

Stay safe everyone!

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by Knuff

Perhaps also "too much truck for a light trailer" .

The opposite is true. You want the TV to be heavier than the trailer. Even Wally knew this back in the 50's...read his book.
Clearly speed was a factor here.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BillTex

The opposite is true. You want the TV to be heavier than the trailer. Even Wally knew this back in the 50's...read his book.
Clearly speed was a factor here.

Don't say that to the GWN.....

Bob

[xrvr]

Yes we all know that those expensive hitches are gods gift to rvers, now let's move on. Gets tiring to hear the same people over and over again touting theses hitches. Enough already?!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by avionstream

Yes we all know that those expensive hitches are gods gift to rvers, now let's move on. Gets tiring to hear the same people over and over again touting theses hitches. Enough already?!

nonononono......it's the overpriced trailer connected to the overpriced hitch that is the real gift.

enough yet?

Bob

[rostam]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Hi. I'm not Doug. I also readily admit I don't understand the engineering or math that supports the claim.

There is a lengthy discussion going back 10 years ago on RV.net (where Ron Gratz - well known in AirForums - contributed heavily to explaining the why...).

You can see that huge thread and the links to the Hensley patents that provide the technical explanation here:

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Travel Trailers: Hensley Arrow: How does it REALLY work?

You can also watch at least a couple YouTube videos that demonstrate it through Lego models. Here's one: http://youtu.be/5fdM_gn-CyM and there's a longer 5 minute version out there too.

As I understand it, the Hensley/PP hitches virtually project the pivot point forward, roughly to the rear axle of the tow vehicle essentially functioning something like a 5th wheel that sits right on the axle. That location, rather than pivoting on the ball, is what makes the TV/TT combo act as a single, not "jointed" unit.

That does NOT mean this is the only safe way to tow a trailer or that having such a hitch guarantees you won't have an accident.

It just means what it means.

EDIT: Whatever the gear, perhaps the most important element in safe driving is the driver. In the OP's video, that driver loaded incorrectly, drove too fast for conditions, didn't apply appropriate corrective measures, didn't (apparently) manually apply trailer brakes and possibly didn't have any anti-sway device on the rig. While I'm fairly confident that accident wouldn't have happened if he were using a properly setup HaHa/PP - that doesn't mean he wouldn't eventually find himself in a ditch - nor does it mean that he wouldn't have had much better results with any of the other hitches and better driving skills.

Thanks SteveSueMac, I will read up on the info you sent.

My understanding is that ANY physical device has an operating range.
Step outside of that range, and it will stop functioning as advertised. A PPP hitch could not possibly be an exception to this rule of the physical world. Also, I am sickened by some members acting as the advertisement arm of various hitch companies, RV shops, etc. Or maybe they are not acting...

[pappy19]

I wonder if this dude has a clue.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by rostam

Thanks SteveSueMac, I will read up on the info you sent.



My understanding is that ANY physical device has an operating range.

Step outside of that range, and it will stop functioning as advertised. A PPP hitch could not possibly be an exception to this rule of the physical world. Also, I am sickened by some members acting as the advertisement arm of various hitch companies, RV shops, etc. Or maybe they are not acting...

Yes, there has to be some amount of force that would blow out a Hensley/PP - everything has tolerances, it isn't an exception at all.

And just to be clear, while I use the PP, I'm not a shill for them or compensated or affiliated with them in any way. To be frank, I really wanted the old PullRite which PHYSICALLY - not virtually - has its pivot point at the rear axle of the TV - literally an upside down 5th wheel. But since the company no longer manufactures them for my particular vehicle (and I tried, believe me), I went with what I thought would work best for me based on my criteria.

Everyone's mileage varies and I'm sure 95% of what's out there works great when properly adjusted, rig configured correctly and (most importantly) the driver doesn't act like a jackass 😄

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by pappy19

I wonder if this dude has a clue.

No - s/he doesn't! 😄

[dkottum]

Certainly any discussion about a sway-induced accident needs to include the Hensley-style hitch. The design prevents sway from starting and developing into a disastrous loss of control accident.

We talk about reaching for the brake controller to stop sway, slowing down to stop sway, or even buying a truck heavier than the trailer to stop sway (which will not). All good points. But for the price of a routine option on the truck or trailer we have a hitch that will prevent sway from starting in the first place.

It's not about pushing a favorite product, take your choice Hensley or ProPride, they both are sway elimination hitches and are in competition with each other for business.

[J. Morgan]

The hitches actually work as advertised, this is just truth.

I have to wonder why a product that does what it advertises causes such angst? Why is telling others about the difference Hensley designed hitches make deemed "offensive" by so many?

If a person doesn't want one they shouldn't get one, but nothing is gained by stifling people from telling others their opinions and experiences.

Frankly I was amazed at the difference my Hensley made in my combination, it totally changed the character of my combination. It made it a joy to drive, eliminating the inherent negatives of a tongue towed trailer in total.

It amazingly makes the thing tow like a very stable 5th wheel, maybe even better.

By the way, I bought mine used, hardly a position that would qualify me as a shill. After using this product I WOULD pay full price for one if I needed to do so.

Maybe most of the owners of these products are enthusiastic supporters of these devises because they work, and not because of some irrational brand loyalty?

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

The hitches actually work as advertised, this is just truth.

I have to wonder why a product that does what it advertises causes such angst?

If a person doesn't want one they shouldn't get one, but nothing is gained by stifling people from telling others their opinions and experiences.

Frankly I was amazed at the difference my Hensley made in my combination, it totally changed the character of my combination. It made it a joy to drive, eliminating the inherent negatives of a tongue towed trailer in total.

It amazingly makes the thing tow like a very stable 5th wheel, maybe even better.

By the way, I bought mine used, hardly a position that would qualify me as a shill. After using this product I WOULD pay full price for one if I needed to do so.

I'd say your combination is a hot rod. Folks need to drive such before they reject what they don't understand. You've a very good match up.

And it ought to be embarrassing that my crude suspension Silver Streak could run rings around most of them.

I'd take on anyone with a 25' A/S versus my 35' where a one ton is used. I towed twenty five years before the HA was available. I know the difference. And have tested it. Violently.

But the cretin in the video would have been well served with electronic sway control.

[J. Morgan]

I think I will say with certainty that the accident in the video WOULD NOT have happened had the vehicle been equipped with a Hensley designed hitch.

The sway that started it would have never happened.

I state this point blank.
[http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...psz5huiyub.jpg

[SteveSueMac]

(Way off topic....)

The red accents on your trailer are really fantastic! Love it!!

(Back to bad drivers...)

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

(Way off topic....)

The red accents on your trailer are really fantastic! Love it!!

(Back to bad drivers...)

I have a rebellious nature...

Thanks for the compliments!

[tjdonahoe]

I had a Hensley hitch on my 2004 30' classic, it was fine , sold it with the trailer, been using a new reese with the cam locks, it does fine also, but we only run at 64 mph or there abouts .

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by avionstream

Yes we all know that those expensive hitches are gods gift to rvers, now let's move on. Gets tiring to hear the same people over and over again touting theses hitches. Enough already?!

Well said! A bit too late, but well said!

Larry

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

I had a Hensley hitch on my 2004 30' classic, it was fine , sold it with the trailer, been using a new reese with the cam locks, it does fine also, but we only run at 64 mph or there abouts .

As our Equalizer has for 10k's of miles...at a fraction of the cost of the other brands.
There are a lot of good WD hitches with built in sway control/elimination on the market.
Some Folks don't feel right unless they spend a lot of $$$.
That's fine...but it's not the only answer. Those that spent the most tend to speak the loudest...gotta' justify all that $$$ spent! That's been the story here a long time..."my way is the only way!"

Anyway, the driver was an accident waiting to happen;
lifted truck
doesn't appear to have any WD hitch
poorly loaded
towing too fast
etc, etc
A perfect storm of towing misbehavior.

Choose the flavor WD hitch with sway control that you prefer and set it up properly, a stout TV (preferably heavier than the TT), good tires/wheels, and drive right based on conditions.
It's easy enough to have an incident out of your control (flat tire, deer, errant driver)...put the odds in your favor.

[carl2591]

that quite an interesting video for sure.. you can see the RV trailer swaying as he comes past the truck at a good rate of speed.. in trying to judge the trucks speed i would say he was running 60-65ish MPH so the RV trailer was going by him at 70 plus WAY to fast for that size trailer.

hard to tell but it does not appear to be a WD type of hitch on the rig..

I bet the trucker $hit his britches when that trailer come off.. that thing could have gone anywhere, thanks god for elec emer brakes systems.

any idea when or where this happened.??

[07007]

I have an Andersen "No-Sway" Weight Distribution hitch and I still bounce and sway! Anyone else have this hitch and these problems?