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BigAl · 05-31-2009, 02:24 PM

Read my post again Sean. I wasn't referring to how far the hitch point is projected.
I was referring to how much change in attitude the tow vehicle could have relative to the trailer before the setup binds. Imagine you are on a level road and then turn into a driveway that is going steeply down to the right. Not only down but also twisting.
I think the Hensley allows more of this than your hitch but I am not really sure.
I haven't tried it with two setups over the same terrain.
Al

Sean Woodruff · 05-31-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAl

Read my post again Sean. I wasn't referring to how far the hitch point is projected.
I was referring to how much change in attitude the tow vehicle could have relative to the trailer before the setup binds. Imagine you are on a level road and then turn into a driveway that is going steeply down to the right. Not only down but also twisting.
I think the Hensley allows more of this than your hitch but I am not really sure.
I haven't tried it with two setups over the same terrain.
Al

Sorry, didn't get that. No, the new design will actually allow more pivot in that plane. The side of the yoke, when installed per the directions, can pivot up 1-2". A strut bar could never do that without popping the shear bolts and pushing the frame bracket back toward the trailer.

ctdair · 05-31-2009, 06:26 PM

Wait for Loudruff to chime in on the differences ,He has towed the same trailer with both the Hensley and the Propride. I have a Hensley and agree it is easier to hook up with out assistance after You get the hang of it(The propride would be the sam). The Propride seems to have a larger opening and a greater surface area on the taper part of the stinger. Adjustment provided on the hitch latch mechanism seems to allow for more wear(meaning it will compensate for wear better) than the Hensley. I can attest that tow vehicle size does not make sway immunity. I purchased the Hensley after Our 30ft almost got away. And we tow with a 1ton dually.

Sean Woodruff · 05-31-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctdair

Wait for Loudruff to chime in on the differences ,He has towed the same trailer with both the Hensley and the Propride.

There's also a product review on my site from a former orange customer of mine that purchased the 3P.

94Tri · 05-31-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangerJay

Just to provide a different point of view on the hook-up of a Hensley - it is certainly different than the typical hitch - but the learning curve is not steep and once you are familiar with its "rules" the hookup becomes easy (with the aid of the hitch helper). I would disagree that it needs two people - in my view it is a heck of a lot easier to hook up without assistance - in fact a second person really adds to the challenge.

I would also suggest that the Hensley really shines where the marriage between the trailer and tow vehicle is approaching marginal - I tow a 19 foot Bambi with a Pathfinder and the Hensley (our third hitch) has made an unbelievable difference in towing comfort and security.

The engineering behind the ProPride is similar. The Hensley has a 60 day trial period which may be a factor - if PropPride has the same I couldn't find it on their website. The adjustable stinger that Tim A. talks about is a plus for ProPride. You may also want to ask about the Hensley "bump" - if ProPride's design has been able to eliminate this that would also be a plus.

Whatever you choose I am sure you will be more than happy with.

Good Luck,

Jay

I agree. I only hook to my Hensley by myself. It usually takes me less than 5 minutes in everyplace I have camped so far. Pull with what you feel comfortable with.....peace of mind is worth a lot. I have pulled my 34 footer with my dually without the Hensley and it will sway behind the truck. The truck is heavy enough to dampen the sway, but with the Hensley, my trailer DON'T sway....period!! I am sure the Pro Ride system is good too.

kfrere · 05-31-2009, 07:57 PM

We picked up our new classic 31' in Colorado in December, with ProPride attached, and towed back to Tennessee (1400 miles) without a problem. Serious changes in elevation, blowing winter crosswinds, gully-washer rain storm coming off the TN plateau - the ProPride handled it all beautifully. We feel very safe using it, and it's fascinating watching it "float" as we turn corners.
The only complaint: It has taken us 30 minutes or more to hitch up. For some reason - even if we have the Excursion lined up with the trailer just like we unhitched - it can be very difficult to get the hitch fully connected. We have to partially hitch up, then I have to raise the tongue jack in increments as my husband taps the SUV back bit by bit until the hitch is fully integrated. I'm convinced it has something to do with how our entire hitch package was installed on the trailer. That makes me nervous because it seems to indicate that things are not lined up properly and strain is being put on it.
Sean, I sure wish I had you here in person to just give it a go-over. Or perhaps just to give us the hitching lesson we really need.

overlander63 · 05-31-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfrere

.
The only complaint: It has taken us 30 minutes or more to hitch up. For some reason - even if we have the Excursion lined up with the trailer just like we unhitched - it can be very difficult to get the hitch fully connected. We have to partially hitch up, then I have to raise the tongue jack in increments as my husband taps the SUV back bit by bit until the hitch is fully integrated. I'm convinced it has something to do with how our entire hitch package was installed on the trailer. That makes me nervous because it seems to indicate that things are not lined up properly and strain is being put on it.

Do you put chocks behind the trailer wheels so it won't try to roll out from the hitch?

loudruff · 05-31-2009, 09:16 PM

Same trailer and same tow vehicle. History: Retired truck driver, farmer, logger etc....I think I have towed just about everything.. and used to think that the fancy orange paint couldn't possibly be THAT GOOD! Tow vehicle: F350 one ton, 15 passenger van. The overhang behind the rear wheels is extreme and allows alot of leverage to the trailer. Maybe the worst oversized vehicle to tow with. But heck, it IS a one ton truck! We had been towing a '78 Minuet with just a ball and friction sway control. We recently purchased a 1989 Excella 1000-29 footer. We went to pick it up on the way to the Dogwood and Bluegrass Rally in KY. The PO said that he was not comfortable letting me go out of the driveway just hanging it on the bumper. But it's a one ton truck!!! OK...so he loans me his Hensley. His stinger was an 8 in. drop. So we were trailering nose down with a tow vehicle that has the hitch way aft of the back axle. (Can it get worse than this?? I don't think it can get worse than this!!!) But down the road we go with the Hensley. In 5 mi. I say to my "navigator",.. " I gotta have one of these!" There was less sway, less notice of passing trucks, less noticeable crosswind, and highway grooving less noticable. We put about 1000 mi. on the Hensley before we received the ProPride from Sean. Cost was a factor in deciding to go with ProPride, and I kind of like new ideas anyway, as well as upstart companies.
Highway performance is the same as the Hensley, the geometry and theory is very similar. Differences: It is all black! No orange! It comes with an adjustable stinger that can't weigh more than a couple of pounds more than the 8" drop welded up monster that I had borrowed. I now have the opportunity to tow with another TV, the adjustable hitch makes that possible without having a second stinger. As ctdair mentioned, the wedge angle and receiver are larger on the ProPride making hitching easier, although I found everytime that I have hooked up to be easier than trying to align a ball and hitch. You only have to get it close left and right, up and down, same as with a ball, but when you back in, you back in til it stops. You don't have to get the ball straight under the hitch. I have hooked up with the TV in a down angle and on an angle to the left and found it really easy. No hitch helper to adjust side to side has been necessary. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have hitched and unhitched this thing fifteen times so far. I have never had any difficulty with either one and I think it is easier to hitch by yourself. No helper needed.
We just got back from another trip so I have about the same amount of time/miles as we towed with the Hensley now. I like that the weight distribution adjustment jacks do not swing back and forth and mount directly above the frame. I think the ProPride has these refinements to its credit.
One might justify the cost of these high end hitches as a percentage of the value of what you have going down the road. Do you need a $2500-3000 hitch to tow a $6000 trailer..probably NOT. However, if you are towing something in the $15,000+ range plus TV, plus loved ones, your comfort level is a difficult thing to put a price on. All this from a guy who two months ago said, "Who needs to spend that kind of money for a hitch?"

Larry..converted from a non-believer

sempi2 · 05-31-2009, 10:33 PM

Thanks for all the input. We still have not decided what to do -Still working on it. Keep your comments coming.

thecatsandi · 06-01-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94Tri

I agree. I only hook to my Hensley by myself. It usually takes me less than 5 minutes in everyplace I have camped so far. Pull with what you feel comfortable with.....peace of mind is worth a lot. I have pulled my 34 footer with my dually without the Hensley and it will sway behind the truck. The truck is heavy enough to dampen the sway, but with the Hensley, my trailer DON'T sway....period!! I am sure the Pro Ride system is good too.

Ok so I was wrong but other I have talked to on the forums are having trouble hitching up even with two people. obviously there is something for them to learn.

Give your rig to me and I will make it sway. I just need to find a cop who is not paying attention. The we get to the rapid interior re-decoration followed by massive sway.

overlander63 · 06-01-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecatsandi

Give your rig to me and I will make it sway. I just need to find a cop who is not paying attention. The we get to the rapid interior re-decoration followed by massive sway.

Do you need an ID Ten Tee cop that got his driver's license out of a box of Crackerjacks, or will any not-paying attention cop do?

Airstreamer67 · 06-03-2009, 06:03 AM

I hope this thread is not read by the many people I've bragged to through the years about Airstream being the best towing trailer on the planet.

The torsion bar axles, the low profile, the rounded corners, the balance, the aircraft-proven monoque construction...why, you can practically tow these things through a tornado with a bicycle.

Now I read some of us need a premium hitch, even with a one-tonner, to get good towing with an Airstream.

My bragging days are over. Someone may read this. My credibility and self confidence are gone.

xrvr · 06-03-2009, 08:46 AM

Now, can anyone help with the dif from a hensley and their cub model for lighter trailers? No one followed through with this. jim

thecatsandi · 06-03-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Do you need an ID Ten Tee cop that got his driver's license out of a box of Crackerjacks, or will any not-paying attention cop do?

Any old cop will do.

Sean Woodruff · 06-03-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Now, can anyone help with the dif from a hensley and their cub model for lighter trailers? No one followed through with this. jim

Cub differences from old orange...

1. hollow hitch bar.
2. cut off some of the orange steel from the main head.
3. lighter rated spring bars.

Eventually someone will figure out they can buy the Cub, an old orange solid hitch bar, and heavier spring bars to make the Cub into an orange at $800 less than they sell the orange for.

rustyrivet · 06-03-2009, 11:52 AM

Some of the folks on this thread are very satisfied with the their hitches and the fact that their Airstreams to "good" With the hitches the presently have. After spending a lot of time the last several weeks on such sites as RVNet, TundraSolutions, RVTalk, DieselForum, AirstreamForum, etc., I have concluded that towing experiences are like everything else depending on the trailer and the hitch. They can be divided into good, better, and best. Maybe it is simply a matter of indulgence but, if you are going to spend the money to purchase an Airstream (certainly not the cheapest or most practical trailer on the planet on a cost basis) or purchase a fairly expensive TV to tow it with, why not complete the experience with the best hitch on the planet? Come on, indulge yourself! Some people put out the cost of a Hensley or ProPride for a good bottle of red wine. Life has its priorties and we each get to choose our own. Just my opinion. jc

crispyboy · 06-03-2009, 12:53 PM

Sempi2,
I currently own a used Hensley that I rebuilt (purchased an ebay special) and use it on a 22' trailer. A Hensley or Propride will be great with a shorter trailer or any trailer for that matter.
I have had dealing with both companies and they were both great to deal with. (parts from HA and adjustable hitch bar from PP).
From what you said it sounds like the HA Cub will do the job with a few extra items thrown in for the same price as the Pro pride. I would ask this question: Do you ever anticipate getting a larger trailer? If so, then I would opt for the Propride and you can potentially swap it to the next trailer.
I think one of the best selling points of the Propride is the adjustable hitch bar. It is a little heavier than a standard HA hitch bar but worth it if you ever change tow vehicles or trailers.
Steve

Silvertherapy · 06-03-2009, 03:24 PM

I just completed a 6,000 mi. round trip from Texas to Wa. State through severe crosswinds, and up and down 7% grades in slushy conditions! I had no problems at all, and I pull my 27ft CCD with a standard load levelling hitch with no sway control. My Dealer recommended to me that I pull the trailer with this setup before investing in anything like a Hensley. At this point, I will save my money for other things!

TROPHYJIM2 · 06-03-2009, 04:26 PM

I am into my 2nd season with the Propride. We are very happy with it and would buy again. No problems.

Jim

Rebee · 06-03-2009, 06:38 PM

I have seen a good deal of discussion about the Hensley being difficult to hookup. To some extent I agree. I had alittle problem until I purchased a mirrior, from Camping World, that clips on the tail gate of my truck. I look in the rear view mirror and can watch both ends come together. When I get close I adjust the height of the trailer side. Normally it takes less than two minutes to hitch up.
I call the mirror a "marriage saver". When I prepare to hitch up I ask the wife to go inside and check everything for road travel.

dale