Joy in driving.

[dkottum]

Piggy bank,

We've had single and two axle Airstreams in recent years. Two axles seem to be more stable but I think that's mostly because the trailer is longer and the axles are farther behind the truck. With a ProPride/Hensley hitch you wouldn't notice any difference while towing.

The greater advantage of two or more axles is more load capacity and the ability to move ahead to a safe place to change a flat tire. Which may be more likely with single axle as some of them carry more weight per tire than even the largest Airstream.

[cwf]

... as above... plus with additional axles you will find less tendency to swing/sway around the axis of the axles... they tend to neutralize each other.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Please elaborate more on the different "feel" of a single vs dual axel as it relates to driving. All things being equal (proper set up and a wd hitch and sway control), is one inherently better, and why? Thanks in advance.

A dual-axle trailer offers two advantages over a single-axle.

In the pitch axis, the dual axle averages bumps in the roadway over a longer distance (the distance between axles) and consequently rides a little smoother.

In the yaw axis, the dual axle causes the trailer to tend to roll in a straight line, providing sway damping in addition to that provided by the hitch setup.

This is quite visible if you stop the trailer in a sharp turn in a parking lot. The slip angle on the tires of the front axle is in the opposite direction from the slip angle on the tires of the rear axle. (Most visible with radial ply tires.) It looks quite odd the first time you notice it.

I have towed both single axle and dual axle Airstreams and if--as you postulated--the hitch is set up right, you probably won't notice much if any difference.

[aftermath]

Check my edit.

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

I see your edit now,,, but Even in view of what CWF said, I don't see the offense.

But now that you brought it up, what if these articulated hitches are better but you having no experience with them don't know it?

That is a very good question! I do not have any experience with a Hensley or the ProPride and I would be open to a change of mind. My issue is with folks that have never had any experience with any other kind of hitch going out and telling everyone that theirs is the best. I respect those who have used other types and have come to that conclusion but I did have a bit of an issue with your post. You did sound like a salesman who has never driven any other product.

Another issue I have is that in my experience, I have never felt any of the terrible things that others describe. Perhaps I am very careful, keep my speed down, make sure all my equipment is in good order and have a dialed in WD system. I suppose if I had issues with what I am using I would look into other options. I am glad that there are lots of options out there and the Hensley does sound like a very good choice.

Never having used any other hitch I could start a thread about how great the Equalizer is and how I never have had any sway, can hook and unhook with ease, back up the trailer and unhitch in a flash. My wife can drive the truck with out issue, my children love it, we sleep well at night and the sun always shines on my garden. Of course I would have to add that I am not a manufacturer representative. Peace.

Thanks for letting me vent. The Hensley is a very good hitch, no doubt.

[rmkrum]

Towed SAME airstream trailer with SAME tow vehicle 'on the ball' with a Husky WD hitch up and down the Cajon pass in Southern California. White Knuckle ride even in the right lane at 55 MPH, especially downhill when the trailer was trying to push us where I did not want to go.

Installed a ProPride on the same rig set. Took the exact same trip--no wiggles, no push from semi's passing, no white knuckle ride, period.

Took it out on two trips from SoCal area to Alabama last year. Traveled through wind and rain, heavy traffic, and crazy drivers in Phoenix and Arizona area. Panic stops? no issue whatever...stayed straight whilst I was standing on brakes praying I would not run over the idiot that stopped short for NO reason.

The Husky is now for sale, and I NEVER would tow with anything other than a Hensley or the ProPride version of that design. I'm too darn old to be in white-knuckle mode on a long trip. With the ProPride, it stays in line and lets me drive---and if that makes me a shill, so be it--my experience and real-world tests prove the value of spending that much money on the hitch setup--especially when you consider the lives of my wife, my daughter, myself, and all 4 of our doggies were riding on that hardware...

[J. Morgan]

Say I post a thread about how much more enjoyable it is to tow my Airstream now that it is equipped with a Hensley,,,, How is my doing so saying your hitch is bad?

And even if I did say your hitch sucks, (which I am not saying), without personally denigrating you, why would you care? Our opinions don't have to be the same do they?

Frankly I will have to admit to not really understanding your position.

Hell. Start your own hitch thread and see if I care.... .

What if I am so impressed with the hitch that I feel I must share?

It is possible that my enthusiasm is genuine and not rooted deeply in ego, mean spiritedness or self serving motivations right?

[xrvr]

I can agree that the Hensley is a good hitch, but please do not let the fact you own one let you tow faster than you should. Additional speed can kill. Tow slow, tow safe. Use whatever hitch makes your trip more fun. Jim

[J. Morgan]

Don't worry. Jim, never a bit over 52 mph.



But seriously, I don't ever exceed posted limits when towing my A/S.

[polarlyse]

Do we need to get out the boxing gloves and blow the dust off them ????? Maybe I'm just lucky but I've never had any " White Knuckle" towing experiences. I tow with a
1T pickup so it's a heavy truck with a 30' AS behind. I've had 3 hitches. First two were traditional WD's with bars and chains. Good setups and towed well. Currently using the Anderson which had generated some heated discussions here. I'm happy with it and just got home from 4k miles of happy towing. If I ever become displeased with the AH I will probably look closer at the PP or Hensley but so far I'm a Happy Camper.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it. See ya'll on the road sometime

[switz]

Another California gotcha beside the 55 speed limit is not marked well, but no vehicles with trailers are allowed in the easy pass or high density seating lane during rush hours.

That included motorcycles with their dinky trailers as well. I rode my GoldWing with trailer attached in those lanes and was told by a local that I could earn performance award points doing that. The required use right two lanes are really treacherous for motorcycles in CA.

I almost think we need a large neon sign on the back of the trailer that flashes "I do 55" in 18" tall letters (or your maximum preferred speed if lower than posted). I do not tow either the Airstream or the motorcycle trailer at the Texas 80 mph speed limit between El Paso and San Antonio.

[J. Morgan]

Fwiw, my Airstream has never seen 80 mph since I have owned it.

I am not going to say anything about special hitches other than a Hensley (and by extension its ProPride brother) because I haven't used anything else.

I posted this thread to mention not which is better, or to generate controversy, but to express my experience where Hensley has made pulling my trailer MORE ENJOYABLE...

In my view the people on here who want to talk about their Hensley or ProPride have done so in a dignified manner. (As have MOST other posters. It is ok that we have opinions that differ. Nothing to get angry over.

I will also mention that because I was patient, and bought used, I got my like new hitch for $1246 delivered.

This is not too awfully far from the price of some other types of hitches.

[dkottum]

The Hesley/ProPride can be bought used and in good condition for a substantial savings, and the companies may sell rebuilt units.

For new Airstream owners you will need a weight distribution hitch of some brand. A new conventional hitch may be in the neighborhood of $500. A new ProPride is $2500, the difference $2000. That is less than 2% of the cost of a new Airstream and tow vehicle to have the best, most comfortable, and safest towing experience you can get.

I wish we would have got a ProPride with our new trailer, now after using it, rather than the two others we tried first (on recommendation of the dealer). It took only a few miles on the interstate highway to appreciate the remarkable difference.

[J. Morgan]

I don't think people who never pulled with a HA/PP really understand and/or believe the "like a whole different trailer" thing.

For my trailer it made a dramatic difference in my "joy of driving".

I did read a post on here made by a poster who said they were selling their hitch because her husband didn't like the hitch and/or the extra foot or so the hitch added to the overall length.

[dkottum]

And that extra more/less foot allows us to open the tailgate of our pickup with the trailer attached.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by dkottum

And that extra more/less foot allows us to open the tailgate of our pickup with the trailer attached.

And SUV/minivan lift gates as well.

[J. Morgan]

Agreed, I like being able to properly open my tailgate. The top edge had previously set right on top of my tongue jack.

One thing that did strike me when I first installed the hitch is how much more the trailer pressed down my truck before I set the WD jacks.

The extra length off the back of my truck made a big difference.

When I was pulling "on the ball" with my stiffly sprung 1/2 ton 4wd short bed with a short hitch shank I didn't NEED WD, with the extra length of the Hensley it did.

[Sav'h Steve]

I want to THANK you guys for reporting how it FEELs pulling with the PP/HAHA.

I have been satisfied with the old Reese dual cam for years that I set up correctly (level, etc.). That said, anything that makes driving much easier is always appreciated. We only tow 4-5 hours a day - and that is going cross country! Of course not having a time element to be concerned with helps.

I have printed out the PP page and am strongly considering it based on the many comments in the last few years; and I have been following this forum more than 10 years.

Thanks J Morgan et al .....

[J. Morgan]

Back to a point made a few posts up the page....

If I were to drop 130 large on a new heavy Airstream, having now tried the HA, there is no way I wouldn't spring for a HA/PP.

Am I mistaken in my brief observation that neither company uses a dealer network and only sells direct to customers?

If so, I can see where this strategy would maximize per unit profit, but they will miss a lot of sales as RV dealers will recommend hitches that they sell.

[cwf]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

I can agree that the Hensley is a good hitch, but please do not let the fact you own one let you tow faster than you should. Additional speed can kill. Tow slow, tow safe. Use whatever hitch makes your trip more fun. Jim

Right. Change of hitch gear does not change physics of the rest of the "rig". The tires, axles, brakes, externally attatched drag generators, etc. I tow same speeds. 60-62 is sweet spot....if speed limit allows.

Generally I run just a bit UNDER posted up to 65...but don't hit 65 on purpose as that is faster than I like to tow. As always, there may be exceptions. When I tow on the toll road, speeds up to 80MPH, I just stay at 62. I still have to pass some folks who can't or won't drive over 55! (Not a Van Halen Groupie)

I tow my other trailers without ProPride.