Hensley vs. ProPride

[rmkrum]

My previous TV didn't have a backup camera, but it was not a real issue hooking up. Just used a spotter to guide me to a stop before I hit anything. Used a reference mark in the AS and TV to line up close enough. Admittedly, we are short enough that I don't disconnect until we get to final destination. When in route I just use pull-through sites and stay connected. Get underway quicker that way. Usually didn't even crank stabilizers unless it was real windy. Leveled with tongue jack as needed.


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[Boogieshoes]

Was initially intimidated by the PP, but all you need to do is read their materials and ask fellow Airstreamers if you need help. Has not been necessary to call Sean yet, but would feel comfortable doing so. The PP has proved much easier to use than I anticipated; the back up camera system on our F250 is great and I am yet to miss hooking up. Was especially worried that angles would be a problem, but that as not been at all problematic. Towing is great; did a bit of fine tuning and our rig is very stable.

[rmkrum]

Sounds like my story. I talked to Sean before I bought it to get a few dozen questions answered, and determine bar rating. Followed directions, with help from a couple jacks, a pry at, and an 18-year old daughter to assist, it went together and worked great.


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[Roadtech]

Originally Posted by carver 1

We've had both. IMHO the Pro Pride exceeds the Hensley in both engineering quality, ease of hooking up as well as customer support (yaaay Sean)

>>ron<<

I disagree wholeheartedly on the above statement of superior engineering quality. I see absolutely no engineering advantage whatsoever in the PP over the Hensley for my application towing a 27' Airstream.

[rmkrum]

Just a few reasons I went with ProPride:

1. No drilling holes on the A-frame to install a ProPride.

2. Adjustable stinger that adjusts for height and angle easily.

3. Much heavier material in the linkage.

4. It's not painted orange with paint that fades and looks bad fast.

5. Bigger stinger pocket and better ramps to get it hitched.

6. Bigger bearings.

7. Lack of gonzo marketing practices-won't say any more about that.

8. Love the WD jack install and use.

9. Bang for the buck. ProPride is a bit cheaper, but better IMHO.

10. Fewer maintenance parts--just need a grease gun.

And as always, contrary opinions are just as valid, but, as my daddy always said when I was growing up, "My house, my rules!" On my AS, the research goes in, and the buck departs my wallet. I buy the very best safety-related hardware I can find, since my life, and my family's lives depend on it.

That's why my vehicles are what they are, and the tires and other it's are what they are. As the old saying goes, I didn't get this old by being careless...

And yeah, I'm only towing a 23 footer. I like overkill.


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[bbruntil]

Great discussion, good to hear people's experiences. I'm leaning to the ProPride. I am mostly concerned with being new to Travel Trailers, I did get efficient over time with a Reese 5th wheel hitch on a previous 37 ft 5th wheel trailer, and Ford Dually 450. Looking back seems like a lot less involved then hitching to a TT. Concerned about all the expertise needed to operate correctly. That is why ease of use is important to me, and pulls me back to anti sway weight distribution hitches since they seem easier. But my concern is I am using a Audi SUV gas, rated at 7700 pounds to pull with and has a wheel base of 117.9 inches which is a little short for a 23 ft trailer, weight is 4,938 which is a little lighter then the AS. Tires are 19" 5-V-spoke design wheels with 255/55 all-season tires, with 4 wheel drive, So I'm thinking I may need the advantage of the ProPride with the SUV. I'm planning on having the dealer install because I'm traveling away from home when I pick up the airstream. Of course the dealer recommends the anti sway, they use Equalizer Q4 I believe.
Bruce

[rmkrum]

Dupe deleted, sorry.

[rmkrum]

Hitch discussions can be tougher than political debates. I tow with a 4WD Short bed Toyota Tacoma crew cab. My prior TV was a long bed--but it is only 8" longer.

I prefer the handling I get with the ProPride, and like that it is easy to fine-tune the WD for my load. Keeps the front axle firmly planted at all times.

You may have some problems getting the dealer to install the ProPride, so read the book yourself and make sure they do it right. Be stubborn if need be. Sean is a phone call away, and I'd ask him his opinion on bar rating for your setup.

I followed his recommendations when I bought the hitch, and he suggested the right bars based on your rig. Get the umbilical, chain, and break-away switch extension kit just in case you need it.

The stability I get with a light truck is simply wonderful for my blood pressure....


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[Roadtech]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Just a few reasons I went with ProPride:

1. No drilling holes on the A-frame to install a ProPride.

2. Adjustable stinger that adjusts for height and angle easily.

3. Much heavier material in the linkage.

4. It's not painted orange with paint that fades and looks bad fast.

5. Bigger stinger pocket and better ramps to get it hitched.

6. Bigger bearings.

7. Lack of gonzo marketing practices-won't say any more about that.

8. Love the WD jack install and use.

9. Bang for the buck. ProPride is a bit cheaper, but better IMHO.

10. Fewer maintenance parts--just need a grease gun.

My thoughts on these:
1. No drilling holes on the A-frame to install a ProPride. I have no concern with drilling 2 small holes to install the Hensley, and I know it is solidly mounted

2. Adjustable stinger that adjusts for height and angle easily. A Hensley hitch bar weighs a lot less. You might never adjust an adjustable ball mount but you have to pick it up every time you want to tow your trailer.

3. Much heavier material in the linkage. Does heavier material make it a better design?

4. It's not painted orange with paint that fades and looks bad fast. I’ve seen used PP hitches on e-bay that were rusted big time, it's a trailer hitch exposed to the elements

5. Bigger stinger pocket and better ramps to get it hitched. Hooking up my Hensley is very easy

6. Bigger bearings. Wheel bearings are wheel bearings. They are probably a lot larger than they need to be for both systems

7. Lack of gonzo marketing practices-won't say any more about that. When I bought my Hensley I spoke to both companies. The Hensley engineer I spoke with could not have been more informative and knowledgeable. No pressure, very professional, and could not have been a better experience

8. Love the WD jack install and use. My spring bar lift kit could not work any better.

9. Bang for the buck. ProPride is a bit cheaper, but better IMHO. Cheaper doesn’t mean better IMHO

10. Fewer maintenance parts--just need a grease gun. Not true, grease the zerts regularly and the ball once a year on the Hensley. If your PP yoke slips you need a full tool box to straighten it out.

Few other points:

If your vehicle breaks down it takes a full tool box and a couple of hours for a mechanic to remove the PP so the tow truck can haul it off the highway. 10 minutes, 6 pins and clips and no tools required for you to remove your Hensley yourself.

The Hensley has strut bars that won’t allow the trailer to have tail wag.

Stable company been in business over 20 years.

[rmkrum]

All other differences aside, pulling off the ProPride is 20 minutes with a crescent wrench or two. My biggest problem was finding the key to the lock pin on the ball....

Unbolt the yoke from the cross bar, drop the assembly off the hitch, disconnect bars from jacks. Find strong help to pick up the rest of the hitch from the ground.


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[moosetags]

I can get my Hensley off of Lucy in about the same amount of time. I would do it a little differently. I would use the tongue jack to lift the trailer off of the Hensley ball. Having disconnected the WD bars, I would use the truck to bring the head to where I wanted it, and slide it off the hitch bar.

I have installed the my Hensley myself on three different Airstreams. During the changeover process, I do not take the Henley head off of the tow vehicle.

As to the issue of the Hensley vs. the ProPride, If I were buying a new hitch today, I would seriously consider the ProPride. When I bought my Hensley ten years ago, ProPride did not yet exist, so there was nothing to compare it to.

The one thing that concerns me about the ProPride is the Height adjustable hitch bar as it is heavier to deal with, and God knows that my 4" drop Hensley hitch bar is heavy enough. The older I get, the weaker I get. I also have some minor concerns that the height adjustable hitch bar could be a weak point in the system.

Brian

[Roadtech]

Originally Posted by moosetags

The one thing that concerns me about the ProPride is the Height adjustable hitch bar as it is heavier to deal with, and God knows that my 4" drop Hensley hitch bar is heavy enough. The older I get, the weaker I get. I also have some minor concerns that the height adjustable hitch bar could be a weak point in the system.
Brian

I agree with you. I don't see the big deal with it being adjustable. To me, the hitch bar is the most critical component in the system. I want it to be simple, welded in place, and bulletproof. I am on my 3rd tow vehicle, Tahoe, Suburban, and now 2500HD Duramax, and I have not had to change the hitch bar yet. If I ever do, it is a simple exchange from Hensley and I am good for another 10+ years.

[krissi]

We have the PP, and have not found it to be user friendly at all. I have searched through the forums, and people seem to love this hitch, and don't have the problems we have. We are new to the rv world, and towing, so I suspect there is an element of user error and inexperience involved. We frequently have a tough time lining it up just perfect to hitch up. He has a backup camera to help. Nothing like ending a wonderful weekend by spending a frustrating hour or two trying to get hooked up and out of the campground. Last trip we were on an uneven spot, and when trying to hook up the stinger was at a slight angle (kind of like trying to put a diamond into a square hole) We spent 1-2 hours on it, with everyone in the campground putting in their 2 cents to help. Got frustrated and drove home without the trailer. My husband grabbed his tools, went back and took hitch off, and towed home with his ball hitch. We are finished with that thing, don't know why we can't get the hang of it!

[m.hony]

How much do you want for it?


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[DC Bruce]

Started as a total newbie to trailering last May with our new FC 27. Started full-timing late last October and have covered 25K+ miles since then, mostly at primitive campgrounds which often are bumpy and not level. My truck has a back up camera and I have a PP hitch. Here's what I've done to make this a one person operation (and assuming your hitch was installed professionally, as mine was).
1. While hitched on level ground with the proper tension applied, measure the distance from the bottom of the hitch to the ground and make a note of it. In my case, the distance is 11 inches.
2. When unhitching, first use the Jack to establish the 11 inch distance. Then release all tension on the spring bars. Pull the pins and disconnect the hitch. You should be able to smoothly drive the truck forward to withdraw the stinger. Check this by stopping the truck with the stinger inches from the receiver. Everything should line up perfectly. You may then use the jack to move the trailer front up or down to level the trailer in the fire and aft direction as needed. (I'm assuming you already used wheel blocks to level the trailer side to side before unhitching.)
3. Hitching up to leave, first use the jack to position the hitch the distance above the ground that you previously measured. Then be sure the tension jacks are all the way or nearly all the way down. Only then back up the truck to where the stinger is inches from the receiver. Then stop get out and look at the relative position of the stinger and the receiver. Is it perfectly aligned horizontally and vertically? If you continue straight back, will the stinger go straight into the receiver, rather than at an angle? If not, reposition the hitch and/or the truck. If the receiver is skewed on the horizontal axis relative to the stinger, (because the truck and trailer are not level with respect to each other) you can use the tension bars to rotate the receiver to match the alignment of the stinger, by applying a little tension to the side to be lifted. This works best when the receiver is positioned directly in line with the hitch ball on the trailer.
4. If the stinger goes in only part way, don't try to ram it in the rest of the way with more force. It won't go. Look at what's not lined up and correct. Sometimes a 1/4 inch more or less lift on the hitch is what's needed.

This sounds really tedious, but I can tell you that now, in the majority of circumstances I can hitch up on the first try and without assistance. What you can't do with this hitch is use a short, curved pull-through site that puts the trailer and TV at more than a 20 degree angle relative to each other. That's the sole disadvantage with this type of hitch. In my experience it completely eliminates trailer sway under any set of circumstances I have encountered.
I hope this helps.

[NoResults]

If these are so great why don't more dealers recommend it. Pro pride should be out with sales people promoting it. Most dealers don' t want to deal with it I assume because how are they to move the trailer with a 200 plus pound weight in the way.

I see a huge problem with hitching after reading these threads, ie has to be perfectly level, need at least two friends to remove it from the truck unless you want to carry this extra weight around all the time.

Now I know why my delaer recommend the equla-i-zer.

Dave

[moosetags]

Dealers don't recommend ProPrides or Hensleys because many don't know anything about towing a travel trailer. They are simply selling stuff. They further don't like the Proprides or Hensleys because they do not have any technicians competent enough to install one.

Brian

[J. Morgan]

Simply put, the business models pursued but PP and Hensley are not "RV dealer centric", and therefore are not favored by dealers.


Superat stultitia.

[BAB]

...and because dealers must make a profit on what they sell, there's little incentive on their part to push for you to buy a ProPride. Sean sells them, not the dealer. Yes, they may get some $ for the install -- maybe at $110 an hour for labor. I am 100% satisfied with everything that has to do with the ProPride, and that includes both the quality of the product, the sales experience AND the after the sales experience from Sean -- which is absolutely first class.

[J. Morgan]

The fact of the matter is that PP and Hensley have a real investment in the fabrication of their devices, there is not room for a 100%+ dealer markup.

Therefore dealers do not try to sell them, there is little financial motive for them to do so.

This just is. Accept it or deny it.


Superat stultitia.