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Old 07-12-2010, 10:05 AM   #81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3Ms75Argosy View Post
Can you swap tires/ rims with someone and check the tow performance again?
Marc
This is going to be my next step, because if it doesn't solve it- Hensley is replacing my hitch.
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Old 07-12-2010, 11:14 AM   #82
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Hey All,

BTW, Hensley performance is seriously diminished if the 2" inch riser stinger is put in to the tow vehicle receiver up side down.

Ask us how we know this.

We drove in this configuration for 150 miles before our 13 year-old son instantaneously noticed the wrong hook up at a rest stop. No alcoholic beverages involved during hookup (it was 8:00 o'clock in the morning afterall). This is the first time I have done this in over 25000 miles of using the Hensley. While driving, I thought we were driving an SOB with extra weight hanging off the back. Unhitched at the rest stop, turned the stinger over, and everything was back to normal.

Bye,

Paul
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Old 07-12-2010, 02:42 PM   #83
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Originally Posted by finalcutjoe View Post
This is going to be my next step, because if it doesn't solve it- Hensley is replacing my hitch.
Joe,

Have you looked for possible sources of yaw angle "play" in the various connections between tow vehicle and trailer? The operation of the four-bar linkage can be adversely affected if there is yaw slack in the system.

Some possible sources are:
Yaw slack between receiver tube and drawbar
Yaw slack between drawbar and hitch opening (is there any wear on the wedges or looseness of the OCLs)
Looseness between ball and ball coupler
Looseness between ball and hitch head (IIRC the ball is welded to the head)
Loose struts or frame brackets
Hitch head not aligned perpendicular to trailer longitudinal axis

Have you checked the bearings on the linkage pins?

Based on your symptons, it sounds as though something is loose somewhere.

Ron
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Old 07-12-2010, 03:54 PM   #84
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the thread that's GOING in circles...

no doubt the hitch internals may be at issue...

we covered much of this WAY back in post #18?

since u r SO CLOSE to the orange factory,

take that sucker IN for inspection...

and REfirb/replacement...

while there is still time...

cheers
2air'
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Old 07-12-2010, 04:47 PM   #85
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If you are getting sway, it has to be in the hitch itself. Tires causing a little wandering feeling is not sway.
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Old 07-12-2010, 06:20 PM   #86
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What puzzles me is: if it's the hitch, I can't believe this is an isolated incident.
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Old 07-12-2010, 06:32 PM   #87
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finalcutjoe View Post
What puzzles me is: if it's the hitch, I can't believe this is an isolated incident.
It's not, the rest of us that spent the bucks are in denial...

Denial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm bettin on the new sidewalls being flexy, and hopin' it's something easier...
Keep us posted!
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Old 07-13-2010, 10:08 AM   #88
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denial, eh?
isn't that a prerequisite for owning an airstream?
<wink>

Well, I can keep it at 55mph at all times, and it seems to do OK... but then- I could have bought a $50 hitch for that
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Old 07-13-2010, 12:44 PM   #89
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Quote: "It was like I was using the Reese/friction anti-sway bar, set-up. That is to say: WHITE KNUCKLED. It was BAD." End quote.

WOW, Joe. If the trailer was regularly white-knuckling you with a classic Reese setup, then you might look closer at your trailer.

I'm surprised that the "best-handling trailer on the planet" would be so unstable. I am still using friction sway bars, and have done so with an old 1976 Ford sedan, a 1983 Chevy pickup and now, for the past 14 years, a 1996 F250, from coast-to-coast, and have never had a white-knuckle event yet.

Is it possible that something about your trailer is sporadically going awry?
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Old 07-13-2010, 05:48 PM   #90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finalcutjoe View Post

Sarge,
The first thing I noticed, when this sway began, was the ‘head’ was not pivoting like it used to. I mentioned this earlier in the thread. Watching it on my ‘burb back up camera, it used to pivot back and forth, constantly. Now, it is MUCH less… pretty much settles to one side.
‘Jumping’ when in a turn, only happens if I’m ‘slaloming’ (I’ve only made that maneuver at parking lot speed). I’ve noticed that phenom since it was new, and operating correctly.
A ‘push’ in a turn, only happened before I got my brakes properly tuned. I discovered the dealer hadn’t bled the brake system during their new unit ‘prep’. After bleeding myself, and tuning the P3 gain/boost, I don’t get that.
Thanks all.
I noticed that you said you had bought the hitch new, so I believe you have a warranty on it. When I bought this trailer I have now I was experiencing many of the same problems you mentioned, unfortuanatly Hensley transfered the Hitch to my name then Hensley told me that under warranty they would have repaired it for free for the original owner. I have since pulled the Hensley and put my sway bar set up on the trailer and all problems disappeared even the sway from semi's. When taking the Hensley off is when I was able to clearly tell that the bearings Hitch & bars was worn to the point where it was allowing the extra play to occur in turns and driving down the road. Right now I dont have the finances to pay for a new one until I get my GMC & 76 Sov sold or until tax time.

Sarge
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Old 07-13-2010, 06:02 PM   #91
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Joe,

Is the hitch centered when you are towing down the road?

Also, when you say "jumping" do you mean it feels like it is spring loaded when you rotate the bottom of the hitch head from side to side? If it feels like it is spring loaded then you have a bent link. That may cause the hitch to not center properly. When the hitch does not center while towing down the road the effective pivot point is rearward and off-center in relation to the centerline of the combination.


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Old 07-15-2010, 03:55 PM   #92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff View Post
Joe,

Is the hitch centered when you are towing down the road?

Also, when you say "jumping" do you mean it feels like it is spring loaded when you rotate the bottom of the hitch head from side to side? If it feels like it is spring loaded then you have a bent link. That may cause the hitch to not center properly. When the hitch does not center while towing down the road the effective pivot point is rearward and off-center in relation to the centerline of the combination.


-
Hi Sean,

The box head has never been centered when pulling.
I always assumed there was a slight crown to the road, or something.

The orange head is as close to square to the tongue as it's going to get.

The 'jumping' I was referring to is while towing... say an "S" maneuver, at low speed... the hitch will bump from one side to the other... I can hear and feel it, but it's done this since it was new, and I simply chalked it up as normal (and a minor nuisance).

The box head pivots very smoothly when unhooked.

I was thinking it may be a failure in the bearing(s) that only binds when it's loaded with the weight distribution.

Tx,
Joe
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Old 07-17-2010, 01:06 PM   #93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finalcutjoe View Post
The box head pivots very smoothly when unhooked.

I was thinking it may be a failure in the bearing(s) that only binds when it's loaded with the weight distribution.

Tx,
Joe

Well, the links aren't bent.

I doubt it's a bearing failure but I suppose it is possible. I've never heard of bearings being a problem.

I would guess that something, a weld or bolt somewhere, is the culprit.
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Old 07-18-2010, 07:56 AM   #94
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The devil is in the details . . especially the ones I overlook, ignore or short-shrift.
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Old 08-30-2010, 08:03 AM   #95
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Viewing via bumper camera, while underway, there is no "pivoting" action of the 'hitch box' under the 'main hitch assembly'

This is the ONLY (substantial) difference, that I have been able to identify (on the overall rig), from when it performed perfectly and its current performance (sway, wiggle, push).

The 'hitch box' pivots smoothly and freely when unhitched.

Is the non-pivoting behavior systemic of the sway/wiggle/push?

Has anybody experienced/noticed this?
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Old 08-30-2010, 08:18 AM   #96
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no pivoting?

r u suggesting the hitch doesn't bend at the articulation when turning now ?

hang the video on utooob or someplace we can view it.

cheers
2air'
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Old 10-14-2010, 11:10 AM   #97
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No, the Arrow articulates, and pivots nicely. I’m saying the receiver box, doesn’t pivot back and forth under the orange head while heading straight down the highway- like it used to. When it was new, you could see it pivoting back and forth constantly, while driving a perfectly straight line, down the highway.
Which would prompt the kids asking: “Dad, why is it doing that? Is it supposed to? Is it going to fall off? If the hitch is moving, why isn’t the trailer? Why is the hitch orange? If I cut my arm off here on earth, will it be waiting for me in heaven?”…. and so forth
So of course, I tell them: “get on airforums" or "google it”
….
We’ll be pulling her out for some New Year’s camping, next. I’ll plug the camera feed into my cam for video, then.
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Old 10-16-2010, 05:43 PM   #98
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For a mere $22.50 shipping (discovered after the fact), Hensley graciously agreed to honor their lifetime warranty, and replace the torsion bar brackets, that had wallowed out.

This time, before swapping out the brackets, I removed the hitch, and broke it down in the shop.

What I found was, at the very least, alarming.












Note: This Arrow was installed, factory new, in April 2008. I would estimate roughly 12,000-14,000 miles logged on it, with manufacturer recommended regular maintenance.
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Old 10-17-2010, 06:59 PM   #99
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I'm bummed at this.

(Yet an excellent thread).
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Old 10-19-2010, 04:02 AM   #100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finalcutjoe View Post
For a mere $22.50 shipping (discovered after the fact), Hensley graciously agreed to honor their lifetime warranty, and replace the torsion bar brackets, that had wallowed out.

This time, before swapping out the brackets, I removed the hitch, and broke it down in the shop.

What I found was, at the very least, alarming.












Note: This Arrow was installed, factory new, in April 2008. I would estimate roughly 12,000-14,000 miles logged on it, with manufacturer recommended regular maintenance.
After looking at your pictures and it is only 2 years old with those miles, I wonder what mine would look like if I took it apart? Mine was installed on the trailer new in 1998, I pulled the trailer with it on from Fla to East TN, around here a little then to Myrtle Beach trying to get it to work like it was suppose to, finanally got tired of messing with it and put my hitch/sway bars/pads on the trailer and now it tows like it should.

Sarge
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