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J. Morgan · 07-30-2014, 08:42 AM

I thought maybe so but wasn't sure...

Did I mention that I am waiting for my new/used Hensley Arrow to be delivered?

dznf0g · 07-30-2014, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

I thought maybe so but wasn't sure...

Did I mention that I am waiting for my new/used Hensley Arrow to be delivered?

Yeeeeees, several times! Are we anxious....like Christmas morning?

J. Morgan · 07-30-2014, 10:45 AM

You got me...

Lol.

dznf0g · 07-30-2014, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

You got me...

Lol.

You're gonna love it.

cory_can · 07-30-2014, 11:34 AM

I'm picking up a new '15 AS in Sept....is it worth seeing if a "traditional" WD system with friction sway will do the job or should I just bite the bullet and start with a HA/PP? Also, what should I look out for if I was able to find a used Hensley?

mefly2 · 07-30-2014, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvery Moon

Oh, and now that we've added the bracket pads, we're hoping the bars will be less greasy and a little less groan-y. Recently, it sounded like we had a trailer full of zombies moaning and clunking behind us until I identified the source of the noise and applied just enough grease to quiet them down.

Of course, greasing the load bars is just what EQ recommends against ... as friction there is what provides the anti-sway. The pads are only on the lower surface of the bar / upper surface of the L-bracket, but grease spreads around the whole bar once in motion. YMMV.

Watch mixter's video again and heed those with experience with regard to WDH / anti-sway.

AWCHIEF · 07-30-2014, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cory_can

I'm picking up a new '15 AS in Sept....is it worth seeing if a "traditional" WD system with friction sway will do the job or should I just bite the bullet and start with a HA/PP? Also, what should I look out for if I was able to find a used Hensley?

More info is needed. What size trailer and what is your toe vehicle?

cory_can · 07-30-2014, 12:35 PM

I don't want this to turn into a different type of conversation....let's just say most would consider my TV undersized in the traditional sense. Would the HA be more preferred in this type of scenario?

dkottum · 07-30-2014, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cory_can

I don't want this to turn into a different type of conversation....let's just say most would consider my TV undersized in the traditional sense. Would the HA be more preferred in this type of scenario?

If you are at 20' late model Airstream or larger and 1/2 ton truck or smaller you will really like the Hensley/ProPride. It transmits all sway forces to the rear axle of your tow vehicle rather than leveraging them to the front axle, eliminating any sway. Perhaps best described as like driving with no trailer attached. You can feel strong wind gusts and semis passing, but they don't move the trailer out of alignment with the truck.

cory_can · 07-30-2014, 03:08 PM

Thanks Doug, I think I'm just going to jump in and get a Hensley....I guess I won't know unless I try

Larry C · 07-30-2014, 05:40 PM

This is an opinion from experience, so please take it as such. When you apply brakes to stop or slow sway, instead of try to accelerate out of the problem, if your brakes are adequate, you have more braking power than engine power.
Accelerating will amplify the problem, and I promise, you won't like the outcome.

cwf · 07-30-2014, 09:01 PM

Get a Hensley or ProPride. You will ask yourself,"why was I worried?"

Of course you are on your own about having the right Tow vehicle.

We do not know your background or experience level with "towing" so you assume full responsibility for your application.

**Rocinante** · 07-30-2014, 10:07 PM

Good point about grease and the Equal-i-zer hitch, thanks. Feel free to get off your high horse before you fall and hurt yourself. Frequently Asked Questions

Now that we have the pads,we expect we'll not grease the bars anymore at the L-bracket. We've removed the grease from that area altogether and we're very happy to have been able to do so.

We still have to apply a little grease at the hitch head sockets in the pivot points where the WD bars insert into that component. If we don't, the creaking and clunking is so God-awful that it sounds like we're towing a trailer full of zombies. Heads turn like you can't believe, and we worry that something may be seriously wrong. It's honestly that bad. So, we apply just enough lubricant to those pivot points to put the zombies back to sleep. Per the FAQ, this is perfectly acceptable.

We've towed the trailer in some difficult circumstances (gusty 50-60 MPH crosswinds) and have had no trouble at all, so empirical evidence from having experimented on ourselves indicates we're OK for sway control with our hitch under conditions we're likely to encounter. We also lock our cruise control at 60 since we also know that speed kills, especially with ST tires.

That said, next time I buy a WD/Sway control product, it will probably be a PP so we can avoid all that zombie-related unpleasantness and get even better sway control.

The next question I have is whether I should also invest in a Class V Air Safe to help protect the trailer from all that slamming about and whether that provides a better ride for both truck / trailer and works with both an EQ and a PP. I would hate to buy Air Safe for EQ only to find that it can't be used with PP when I finally spring for one.

dkottum · 07-30-2014, 10:48 PM

Silvery Moon, the Air Safe will not work with the PP but I don't think you'll need it. The w.d. bars are tapered and more flexible than the EQ bars of the same size. We have used both hitches, the PP is a more gentle ride.

mefly2 · 07-30-2014, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvery Moon

Good point about grease and the Equal-i-zer hitch, thanks. Feel free to get off your high horse before you fall and hurt yourself. Frequently Asked Questions

.

Yes, I can read, on the EQ site too ...(even called them several times over the last 20 years) ...and spent many years riding a a horse although some not so high!
No need for a sarcastic personal attack, Silvery.

Clean your glasses for heaven's sake

. I stand by what I said before to not lubricate the load bars AT THE L-BRACKET. Lubrication there is distributed around the surfaces both on the upper portion of the L-bracket as well as working its way around the bars ... hence your issue with the grease. I did NOT say to ignore lubricating the sockets (generally with a lighter lube than grease - so that it will work into the joint) and my comments were directed at your original posting with reference to the pads and grease:

Quote:

now that we've added the bracket pads, we're hoping the bars will be less greasy and a little less groan-y

Only trying to be helpful here to newer folks and prevent others from reading your comments and ending up with a greasy mess! A reminder to also check the torque on the socket bolts - it will drop as they wear in. YOU may now resume your saddled position in front of K-Mart... it's not too high.

J. Morgan · 07-30-2014, 11:21 PM

I greased my brakes once.....

It was a freaking fun test ride!

m.hony · 07-31-2014, 03:52 AM

I have the Sway Jacket Brackets. It does cut down noise at the L-Brackets. I still maintain that my hitch noise is coming from the hitch head. When I lubricate the hitch head it quiets down for a while. All that popping and groaning means is it's doing it's job- but when you're driving up in the campground sounding like The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald everybody looks- as if theirs doesn't sound the same way-

SteveSueMac · 07-31-2014, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

Silvery Moon, the Air Safe will not work with the PP but I don't think you'll need it. The w.d. bars are tapered and more flexible than the EQ bars of the same size. We have used both hitches, the PP is a more gentle ride.

Doug - I posted this before. Someone had asked this question and I emailed Sean about it. He didn't see any reason why you couldn't use an Air Safe with a PP. I'm having trouble posting a pic of his email, sorry.

Silvery - call Sean for more info.

**Rocinante** · 07-31-2014, 07:46 AM

Thanks for the tip, I'll contact both Sean (PP) and Air Safe to confirm which systems work with each other before I spend any money.

Regarding grease on the Equal-i-zer bars at the L-bracket, I never suggested anybody else do the same. I simply reported out what we'd been using to quell the noise before getting the bracket pads.

Perhaps I should also have mentioned that my Airstream / EQ dealer recommended and demonstrated the greasing of the EQ WD bars where they cross the L-brackets. So, we had been instructed to do so by an authorized dealer of both products. Having found the pads and reviewed the FAQ, we're pleased, as I clearly said, not to be greasing that spot anymore, though we will continue to lightly grease the socket pivot points with EQ-branded grease.

I sure do wish my dealer had recommended and sold us the pads instead of greasing up the bars and telling us to do the same, because it was a wicked mess. I have several pair of "trailer pants" with indelible grease marks just below the knees to show for it. I look forward to not creating any more of those!

dkottum · 07-31-2014, 09:07 AM

We greased the EQ too when we had it. If you do get a ProPride everything but the drop bar stays on the trailer so it's a pretty clean operation in comparison.

We would stow the EQ head and bars right back on the trailer coupler and saddles after pulling ahead just enough to disconnect it to minimize handling, helps keep the pants clean.