Propride hits the market

[Sean Woodruff]

Great catch on the chains 2air'. This morning I was actually thinking that I didn't look at the chains when I commented on Jim's install yesterday so thanks for catching it.

[TROPHYJIM2]

Thanks for the feedback. I thought I might be slightly nose high but not sure, The long shot picture is on pretty level ground I love the idea of marking with the paint. Thanks! Jim

[TROPHYJIM2]

[TROPHYJIM2]

I got to find something "more appropriate" than that white Lithium Grease. A little color coordination is in order

[2airishuman]

hi jim

thanks for the pix...

my understanding is that NO HOLES are drilled into the A frame for the mounting?

while that seems like a nice change it also means the frame brackets,

and by extension the strut bars are only held secure to the A frame by the U bolts... at the aft position...

IF that's correct, i'd be VERY uncomfortable leaving the stainless sleeves on the A frame...

not only can water get under the sleeves and cause rust (and it will happen)...

but the secure point created by the U bolts has got to be affected, by the additional loose layer over the A frame...

the rust issue (under the sleeves) is real on the haha,

but the U bolts are backed up by the shear bolts, so the stainless sleeves are less of slippage issue....

is there something different in the new design that makes slippage on the A frame less likely?

neither of these hitches would perform well IF the strutbars n framebrakets move...

cheers
2air'

[HowieE]

Not having ever used a HaHa or PP my question for both is why can't the tensioners be replaced with the Reese chains and hangers. I would think it would be a lot faster hitch up and a much smoother looking installation if they were used. Besides the chains would give a consistent tension for weight distribution.

They have aways looked like an under engineered after thought.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by HowieE

...why can't the tensioners be replaced with the Reese chains and hangers...

with a bracket modification this could happen...

BUT IT WOULD BE A HUGE STEP BACKWARD...

the screw jacks are a significant improvement over chains...

-much easier to tension
-way more increments of adjustment
-i've measured weight transfers for every turn, which is about 5-6 increments "per link" of conventional chain...
-it LOOKS much better/cleaner imo...
-the "consistent tension" should be indentical for the screw jacks (actually better since chains can be twisted)
-hook up is MUCH faster (related to the screw jacks) because they are "always" on...
-and fine tuning w/d during travel/after hookup is SO MUCH quicker and easier...
-there is NO need to hook up chains ever after the primary installation...

using a power drill is faster than using the manual rachet/wrench but even that is easy...

the funny thing about your observation howieE is that i've always had the opposite view...

and IF using the reese or "sob" hitch, i'd be looking for ways to ADD THE SCREW JACKS!

lastly because of the issues related to hooking up with a hitch of this design,

being able to quickly and in small increments reposition the hitch/stinger box is essential to hook ups...

moving the box with chains would be cumbersome and much less precise...

cheers
2air'

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

hi jim

thanks for the pix...

my understanding is that NO HOLES are drilled into the A frame for the mounting?

while that seems like a nice change it also means the frame brackets,

and by extension the strut bars are only held secure to the A frame by the U bolts... at the aft position...

IF that's correct, i'd be VERY uncomfortable leaving the stainless sleeves on the A frame...

not only can water get under the sleeves and cause rust (and it will happen)...

but the secure point created by the U bolts has got to be affected, by the additional loose layer over the A frame...

the rust issue (under the sleeves) is real on the haha,

but the U bolts are backed up by the shear bolts, so the stainless sleeves are less of slippage issue....

is there something different in the new design that makes slippage on the A frame less likely?

neither of these hitches would perform well IF the strutbars n framebrakets move...

cheers
2air'

There are no forces directed along the frame that the aluminum cover would make the u-bolt slip. Due to the design of the yoke, the yoke tail forces are almost perpendicular to the frame and against the down tubes of the frame bracket.

One customer did not use the u-bolt plates under the frame bracket. (I'm not sure why but they weren't there when I got the picture.) He only had the 7/16" SAE washers holding the u-bolts in the slot on the bracket. The bracket shifted but it shifts in a side direction and the u-bolts tightened up and secured the bracket. This is not a front to back shift as in the frame bracket on the haha. This shift does not cause the yoke to become loose and allow pivoting on the ball.

All that said, the rust issue under those covers is a real one. I have installed many hahas on Airstreams and there is always rust under those covers.

ON EDIT:
UPON FURTHER REVIEW...The frame bracket u-bolts are not installed over the covers. The jack bracket u-bolts are but there is no sliding force whatsoever on those. They do not take any force ALONG the frame as the haha bracket does.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Not having ever used a HaHa or PP my question for both is why can't the tensioners be replaced with the Reese chains and hangers. I would think it would be a lot faster hitch up and a much smoother looking installation if they were used. Besides the chains would give a consistent tension for weight distribution.

They have aways looked like an under engineered after thought.

The chains would not hold the hitch head in an upward position when unhitched. The solid connection in both the haha and the 3P acts as downward force on the end of the spring bar and holds the hitch head up when not connected to the tow vehicle.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

with a bracket modification this could happen...

BUT IT WOULD BE A HUGE STEP BACKWARD...

the screw jacks are a significant improvement over chains...

-much easier to tension
-way more increments of adjustment
-i've measured weight transfers for every turn, which is about 5-6 increments "per link" of conventional chain...
-it LOOKS much better/cleaner imo...
-the "consistent tension" should be indentical for the screw jacks (actually better since chains can be twisted)
-hook up is MUCH faster (related to the screw jacks) because they are "always" on...
-and fine tuning w/d during travel/after hookup is SO MUCH quicker and easier...
-there is NO need to hook up chains ever after the primary installation...

using a power drill is faster than using the manual rachet/wrench but even that is easy...

the funny thing about your observation howieE is that i've always had the opposite view...

and IF using the reese or "sob" hitch, i'd be looking for ways to ADD THE SCREW JACKS!

lastly because of the issues related to hooking up with a hitch of this design,

being able to quickly and in small increments reposition the hitch/stinger box is essential to hook ups...

moving the box with chains would be cumbersome and much less precise...

cheers
2air'

All excellent points.

The 3P jacks can be used with a chain on a conventional hitch...

Also, the 3P jacks will eventually have a tongue jack motor option.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

The chains would not hold the hitch head in an upward position when unhitched. The solid connection in both the haha and the 3P acts as downward force on the end of the spring bar and holds the hitch head up when not connected to the tow vehicle.

The fact that they are bi directional answers the question. So I am assuming you have to release them by the amount of tension, in the WD bars, in order to have the tongue line up with the receiver when hitching.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by HowieE

The fact that they are bi directional answers the question. So I am assuming you have to release them by the amount of tension, in the WD bars, in order to have the tongue line up with the receiver when hitching.

Yes, you have to release the tension for the hitch bar to unhitch out of the front of the hitch. They create quite a load inside the hitch head when distributing the weight. So much so that I had a customer call me the other day that just had his dealer install the 3P. He apparently never checked the dealers work or paid much attention to it... when he arrived at home, after a 100 mile trip, he found that the dealer had never even latched the over-center-latches on the hitch bar. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED but it is indicative of the load that the bar has on it.

[TROPHYJIM2]

Yoke area and plates.....it does appear very stable...and feels very solid. My Ubolts are very close (1/8th inch) to the A frame cross support frame on the Airstream. and it also looks like the Yoke would prevent movement. I mean it just looks solid as hell to me...that said it would be easy to drill and place a couple bolts





if one wanted to. I ain't no engineer, just my observation.

The jacks seem solid also with the u bolts and the additional tension with the bolts clamping against the frame

[RIstream'n]

PS Boy that wiring situation to the break away is really stupid the way the tank cover crimps down on the wiring. I'm getting some heavy rubber pieces of something under there to give it a bit of breathing room. You would think with new units off the line ....this nagging little issue would have been resolved by now.[/quote]

I cut a notch in the tank cover and used door edge guard to trim it. It looks like that's the way it's supposed to be but I agree it shouldn't be like that in the first place.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

...Due to the design of the yoke, the yoke tail forces are almost perpendicular to the frame and against the down tubes of the frame bracket...

ok good info sean...

i keep forgetting about the yoke design/change...

while it's nice the hitch is not orange...

black makes the contrast in pictures less obvious.

u may need to paint one white for the set by set video of the install...

Originally Posted by RIstream'n

...that wiring situation to the break away is really stupid the way the tank cover crimps down on the wiring...

hey ri'

your wiring comment is an extension of some of the post in this thread right (from #14-38 or so) ?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f353...afe-39545.html

cheers
2air'

[RIstream'n]

Yes 2air it is. I screwed up the qoute. sorry....

[TROPHYJIM2]

75 mike ride today with the new Propride hitch. Seemed nice and stable.
I still havta get the hang of how far to crank up these jacks. I am use to a Reese Chain set so this is quite different in terms of feeling what tension is correct. Like everything so far! Jim

[TROPHYJIM2]

I would like to ask the manufacturer of the Propride Hitch what all the design differences are between the Haha and Propride. I know some have been discussed eleswere, but a complete list might be appropriate here. If possible it would be nice to have the manufacturer first list as many of the design differences as possible, then maybe comment on the reason for that particular change. I also would like to invite the Hensley manufacturing folks to comment if they feel it is appropriate.

I don't have any experience with the Haha, so comments I make as we drive our unit more with the Propride setup will not be very valuable in terms of comparison..... in that how can we indicate or predict future preformance of the Propride and if it is as good an a Haha..... without experiencing the Hensley first hand. So for now......until we get some folks with lotsa Haha experience trying Proprides hitch.... maybe one thing to do is discuss the specific mechanical differences between the 2 units; why the design changes in the first place...and from a mechanical prospective how do they differ.
We know that the original inventor of the Hensley felt the need to design a new hitch, with different features. Why did he do this?
Indeed the answer may ultimately be that they do not differ in any significant way, and one doesn't drive any different than the other. .....thus the issue could become one of price only.....all other things remaining equal.

Even though I am a Propride user (all Propride users are new).....and Propride being a new product.....one must give the advantage to the Haha because of its history and proven ability to get the job done. Propride needs to establish itself a history and a track record and many, many miles.....and surely one way this is done by getting hitches out there. ......and converting a few haha users......the real test between these two companies will not and can not occur UNTIL those individuals who have a great deal of haha experience somehow put some time on a Propride....... and these individuals need to have a reason to change.

[BigAl]

When I bought my trailer second hand it came with a Hensley hitch. I have only towed small boat trailers prior to this so have no towing experience to compare it with.
That said, I have never experienced any sway or apparent lack of control with this setup.
It just works!!!!
I suspect that since the Propride Hitch is based on the same technology, users are going to experience the same results.
Hopefully the paint job stands up to the elements better.
I have not repainted mine yet and I think it is about five years old now. What a mess.
If they were to lend me a new Propride to try I would be happy to give an unbiased comparison to the Hensley.
Al

[TROPHYJIM2]

Logged about 300 miles on the new Propride this past week. The ride was great....No sway while the big trucks passed us . We averaged 60MPH. Great ride. I am real happy with this hitch, So far it performs as advertised!

Jim