a new forum and new hitch and new market approach...

[2airishuman]

hi sean

now i'm confused,

i understand the spring bars help to position the box/receiver during connection,

but the linkage is still fully functional without the bars right?

or is this incorrect?

i only ask because there have been reports of losing ONE bar while traveling.

and if this happened to me i'd remove the other one till a replacement was available.

but i'd keep towing until got the new bar/s...

is this a bad idea?

thanks
2air'

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

hi sean

now i'm confused,

i understand the spring bars help to position the box/receiver during connection,

but the linkage is still fully functional without the bars right?

or is this incorrect?

i only ask because there have been reports of losing ONE bar while traveling.

and if this happened to me i'd remove the other one till a replacement was available.

but i'd keep towing until got the new bar/s...

is this a bad idea?

thanks
2air'

No, you aren't confused. It is fully functional without weight distribution.

However, it wouldn't be a good idea to take the bars off because you wouldn't be able to unhook without the hitch head falling nose forward.

[2airishuman]

gotcha!

i've taken the bars off to service the zerks and bushings,

and always put a support under the haha body for support....

it took one time without a support to figure this out.

thanks
2air'

[Dwight]

Sean, with the photos I have seen of your hitch, I am concerned about the possibility of wear and/or failure in a couple areas on the hitch. The vertical strap with the adjustment holes - the holes are likely to elongate over time? Also the hook rod on the jack that the vertical strap rotates in - lots of friction and weight carried at that point. Any thoughts about putting load rated bearings in these locations?

Does your new hitch have the same "problem" that the Hensley have in regard to the affect of the rear end being throw out (mildly at 30 mph it was a dealer demo unit I was driving several years ago). The Hensley hitch by design can float 6"(approx.) either side of the truck ball, when the truck and trailer are traveling in a straight line the mechanical geometry of the hitch locks the 2 entities together thus no sway at highway speeds, however when the truck starts into a curve the locking geometry ceases and this is where the problem could arise.
If you were to use your foot brake on a hill with a curve and the road is wet and the trailer brakes do not come on first and maintain more braking force than the truck at all times, then the hitch will allow the tongue of the trailer (1000-1400 pounds) to swing out past the center line of ball 6" plus, (in all fairness to Hensley, the trailer brakes are not set up properly if this happens) and you end up sliding down that hill in the rain on a curve, but the trailer keeps on going because that floating hitch is spinning you around.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Dwight

Sean, with the photos I have seen of your hitch, I am concerned about the possibility of wear and/or failure in a couple areas on the hitch. The vertical strap with the adjustment holes - the holes are likely to elongate over time? Also the hook rod on the jack that the vertical strap rotates in - lots of friction and weight carried at that point. Any thoughts about putting load rated bearings in these locations?

Hi Dwight,

I'm sure there will be wear in areas. There's really no way around that. That area is based on the experience with the old design and the holes DID elongate on the spring bar link so I'm sure the holes will elongate. However, once elongated they were never a problem and the material we are using is thicker than previously. I'm always open for suggestions but hadn't thought of bearings in that area.

Originally Posted by Dwight

Does your new hitch have the same "problem" that the Hensley have in regard to the affect of the rear end being throw out (mildly at 30 mph it was a dealer demo unit I was driving several years ago). The Hensley hitch by design can float 6"(approx.) either side of the truck ball, when the truck and trailer are traveling in a straight line the mechanical geometry of the hitch locks the 2 entities together thus no sway at highway speeds, however when the truck starts into a curve the locking geometry ceases and this is where the problem could arise.
If you were to use your foot brake on a hill with a curve and the road is wet and the trailer brakes do not come on first and maintain more braking force than the truck at all times, then the hitch will allow the tongue of the trailer (1000-1400 pounds) to swing out past the center line of ball 6" plus, (in all fairness to Hensley, the trailer brakes are not set up properly if this happens) and you end up sliding down that hill in the rain on a curve, but the trailer keeps on going because that floating hitch is spinning you around.

Yes, when the trailer is "rolling up" the back end of the vehicle it puts the hitch in compression. If the trailer brakes aren't set properly the hitch will attempt to hold the trailer in line with the vehicle as the trailer is rolling faster than the tow vehicle.

Here is information from my installation/operation instructions...

"WARNING: Safe performance the ProPride hitch REQUIRES adequate trailer brakes and tow vehicle brakes at all times. Without adequate trailer brakes you may experience the hitch shifting on the linkage and applying a torque force to the rear end of your tow vehicle. That force will require your tow vehicle and trailer brakes to counteract the force of the trailer pushing on your hitch receiver. All brakes, and corresponding equipment (i.e.- brake controllers), should be maintained and used within the manufacturer's guidelines. Adequate stopping distance should also be maintained when towing to allow for stopping. Again, your trailer brakes and tow vehicle brakes need to work properly to avoid an accident."

The hitch doesn't actually float, it can only turn when forces are initiated by the tow vehicle. That is what is happening in a turning situation when a tow angle is created by the tow vehicle and the trailer is rolling at a rate of speed greater than the tow vehicle.

While this does happen, and the folks on the Closed Roads Forum like to go on for pages about it, in over 10,000 sales I was directly involved in it really wasn't a common occurence with the brakes set up properly.

[Dwight]

Thanks for the reply.

One idea to reduce the elongation of the holes and the wear on the hook at the jack is to maybe look at using "spring steel". If you have ever had to drill or cut spring steel, it is very tuff to do.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Hi Dwight,

I'm sure there will be wear in areas. There's really no way around that. That area is based on the experience with the old design and the holes DID elongate on the spring bar link so I'm sure the holes will elongate. However, once elongated they were never a problem and the material we are using is thicker than previously. I'm always open for suggestions but hadn't thought of bearings in that area.

Hi Sean,

Another way would be to use heavy-duty bronze bushings with a way to grease them. Bronze bushings have a proven history and can simply be driven out when they wear and replaced with new ones.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Dwight

Thanks for the reply.

One idea to reduce the elongation of the holes and the wear on the hook at the jack is to maybe look at using "spring steel". If you have ever had to drill or cut spring steel, it is very tuff to do.

Originally Posted by vswingfield

Hi Sean,

Another way would be to use heavy-duty bronze bushings with a way to grease them. Bronze bushings have a proven history and can simply be driven out when they wear and replaced with new ones.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. A lot of the changes in the new design have come from people making suggestions so I really appreciate getting them. Please keep them coming if you think of anymore. We are smarter than ME.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Thanks for the suggestions guys. A lot of the changes in the new design have come from people making suggestions so I really appreciate getting them. Please keep them coming if you think of anymore. We are smarter than ME.

Thank you Sean,

It’s a privilege to participate in discussions of a new product that I am interested and actually have a dialogue with the manufacturer. Try making a suggestion to Microsoft or Apple.

I agree with Dwight about using high quality steel, my first pick would be 4140. My suggestion about the bushings is a direct result of the qualities he emphasized. Drilling, cutting, or any machining operation is very difficult.

My point is that easy reparability should be designed in from the start. Using readily available standard bronze bushings would put repairs well within the abilities of almost all owners and certainly within the capabilities of all professionals.

It is the same reason that engines have bearings. If you catch the bad news in time, no machine work needed for a complete rebuild. Ok, most people don’t catch it in time, but my old TV, a ’77 Dodge ¾ ton Tradesman, only needed a valve job. The stock valves in a 318 run in machined bores in the cast iron heads. By coincidence, the ultimate long-life valve guides are bronze. Bronze and hardened steel play very well together.

Now if you want my fantasy hitch, it would be primarily titanium, stainless steel, and Chrome Molly where needed. Gray and the two-tones of Blue to match my ’83 Excella. With commonly available bushings so I can repair it easily. You can sign me up for one under $1,000 today! Ok, I said it was a fantasy.

[2airishuman]

well THIS product was supposed to start shipping in january...

it isn't surprising for a new company and gadget to have a few delays...

the question is, WHEN will the shipping begin...

and WHO is gonna buy one?

i've been told there are nearly 100 orders/preorders in the hopper...

so it may soon be coming to a trailer near YOU!

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by TROPHYJIM2

Contact with Sean today and all parts and materials are in house , he is in production with the new Hensley Design at this time. I e-mailed him to ask if the Rock Tamers would fit with this new design in that I know others here had to make adjustments with the Arrow to fit with the RTs
Sean called me and indicated he had just spoken with the Enkay folks and is making sure the fit will be correct since he believes many of the users of his new hitch will also be users of the RTs. Weird, but Sean was on the phone with Enkay when he got my e-mail and just had to call me to tell me how strange it was that I had e-mailed him at that exact time about the RT's Jim

like jim, i communicated with sean about "enkay compatability" about 3 weeks ago...

he indicated they would look into this and from jim's post above, have just done so.

accommodating the enkays would be very good news.

since the current enkay version is chrome-plated? forged aluminum,

and may not tolerate modification as done with the older brass center piece...

cheers
2air'

[TROPHYJIM2]

Hello Propride watchers'

I just recieved an e-mail from Sean reguarding the Rock Tamers. He indicated to me that The Rock Tamers fit the Propride Hitch. That he has successfully attached a set of RTs to the Propride set up. I sent a reply to see if he had to make adjustments for the fit.

Awaiting Propride ship dates, as of yet, as far as I know, units have not yet shipped.
I will update if I hear anything.

Jim

[2airishuman]

hi t'jim...

from the NEW forum linked early in this thread...

looks like shipping is now projected sometime in late april.

cheers
2air'

[TROPHYJIM2]

Looks like the ship date for these new units is Now May 5- 7th. Sean indicates final assembly on the hitch systems is happening now. That the last phases are going well.