ProPride pros and cons

[DC Bruce]

A few comments from a ProPride user. The hitch really does prevent trailer sway and eliminates white-knuckle moments when you get passed by a semi going 10+ mph faster than you in the next lane. Since you connect the trailer by inserting a square in cross-section "stinger" into a box shaped receiver, hitching and unhitching are different from using a ball-type hitch. First there is a fairly narrow angle off straight ahead within which you can hitch or unhitching. So, if you are in a fairly short, curved "pull-through" site (as we were once) you may not be able to disconnect without having one of the tension bars block the foot of the trailer hitch jack from descending. (At the same time, if you do manage to disconnect, you may not be able to position the stinger to go into the receiver.) Likewise, if the trailer and truck are not in the same plane (I.e. "Twisted" a bit) you will have a hard time reconnecting. That said, with a backup camera, hitching up is a one person job, even for a beginner. The key is to match the height of the receiver with the height of the stinger and adjust the receiver laterally so the stinger can go straight in. Also, make note of the height of the receiver above the ground when it matches the stinger's height. When unhitching, first release all of the tension on the WD bars, so they just flop around. Then, extend the trailer hitch jack until the receiver is the height above the ground that you measured in the previous step. This unloads the TV suspension so you can drive right out after you disconnect the clamps. This hitch is certainly expensive, but it does what it claims. Don't be discouraged by stories of difficulty hitching up. As newbies to this whole business, my wife and I have both hitched up on the first try. The only apparent downside to this hitch as compared to a ball hitch is a narrower angle of acceptance from center.

[carver 1]

DC,

I second your eval despite all the naysayers I'm sure that will jump in. Over 200,000 miles towing and I would not have any other hitch. Sean is a treasure if one has ???.

>>ron<<

[dkottum]

Good review. I would comment that you can easily connect the stinger and hitch head even though they are on a different plane (twisted relative to one another) by raising or lowering one of the screw jacks so the "twist" on the hitch head matches the "twist" on the stinger.

Also it helps when hitching to set the hitch head height a little lower (maybe 1/4") than stinger alignment. That allows the stinger to lift the hitch head slightly as it slides in, less likely to lock up before it's completely in place.

I also give the stinger and hitch head opening a shot of CorrosionX lube before hitching so things slide easily. And I took a file and just filed off a bit of the sharp edges at the end of the stinger so they are less likely to bind when hooking up.

We have never had any problem hitch/unhitching our ProPride. But don't waste time trying to slide the stinger and hitch head together if they are not perfectly aligned. Or disengaging the two unless all vertical lift is removed from the connection with the screw jacks.

One more lesson we have learned. When backing into a spot, pull straight forward a couple of feet to get tire twist and any sideways pressures off the connection before unhitching. Makes it disengage much easier.

Very easy hitch to use when alignments are ensured. The hitch head stays on the trailer so the only lifting is the stinger, which I just pull head a foot and slide it back into the head for temporary storage while in camp.

I also like the extra length of the assembly, it allows us to drop the truck's tailgate completely even when hitched up. And of course the effortless and comfortable towing experience in all wind and traffic conditions, no bow wave moving things when semi's pass, no sway ever.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by DC Bruce

The only apparent downside to this hitch as compared to a ball hitch is a narrower angle of acceptance from center.

Cost
Weight
Logistics considerations when having trailer serviced
Additional difficulty and risk of damage when pulling trailer out of the mud with chains or cable
Reduced turning radius
Single source nationwide for service and repair parts
Reduced ground clearance compared to most other hitches
Incompatibility of tow dollies
History of stinger weld failures

I like mine overall, but they're not perfect.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Jammer

1 Cost
2 Weight
3 Logistics considerations when having trailer serviced
4 Additional difficulty and risk of damage when pulling trailer out of the mud with chains or cable
5 Reduced turning radius
6 Single source nationwide for service and repair parts
7 Reduced ground clearance compared to most other hitches
8 Incompatibility of tow dollies
9 History of stinger weld failures

I like mine overall, but they're not perfect.

I took the liberty of numbering your list to make these comments easier.

This is a good list of the cons of the PP.

Can you explain more about 4? I don't understand what you mean.

I disagree with 5 - I can nearly get the thing at 90* against my truck without crushing my tailgate.

On 9, I'm aware of 1. Are there more? A real history of failures say like Marathons?

Thanks!

[dkottum]

I'm aware of 1 weld breaking.

The cost is a disadvantage to what, there is nothing to compare it to except a Hensley, which costs more.

It weighs only that much more than any other w.d. hitch, and that weight is distributed (divided) among four axles, which means it's really not very significant.

[Alphonse]

Originally Posted by dkottum

. . . . . . The cost is a disadvantage to what, there is nothing to compare it to except a Hensley, which costs more.. . . . .

Okay it does cost more than an Anderson, BlueOx, Equalizer, Reese, . . . . .
But as many have discovered, you would have saved some money by buying it up front.

So with this logic the cost is a PRO.

[BoldAdventure]

I would say the cost is neutral, neither a con or a pro. Anderson, BlueOx, Equalizer, Reese these all have different designs. Some similar, some more advanced. I'd rather divide them into Good, Better and Best. With the ProPride on the end. And when you do that, the cost goes up across the board.

I wish I could find a place to sell and install one; then I'd get one.

[AWCHIEF]

Until someone or organization actully does a legitimate and unbiased test and review off all the WD systems currently on the market we will never know the true pluses or minuses of each system. Unfortunetly that is never going to happen because like here there are personal agendas that must be weeded out before the truth can ever surface. Repeating the same old arguments and urban myths will never make them true.

[dznf0g]

It's not urban myth if one only posts of their own personal observations and experience.

[Rich Jenkins]

Newbie here.

Wife is wanting an AS badly. I'll get a new pickup out of the deal.

I will most likely use a WD hitch. The TT she wants is a 25' FC; I will likely go with a 3/4 ton truck as the TV. We have zero towing experience.

Great thread for me, as I've been looking at Propride and the HA. These Propride WD hitches, are they generally available to AS dealers? It would be a plus if the dealer we bought the AS at could also install the hitch.

Rich

[Alphonse]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Until someone or organization actully does a legitimate and unbiased test and review off all the WD systems currently on the market we will never know the true pluses or minuses of each system. Unfortunetly that is never going to happen because like here there are personal agendas that must be weeded out before the truth can ever surface. Repeating the same old arguments and urban myths will never make them true.

Michael I get the sense you don't like ProPride for some reason, would you mind sharing with us why?

[moosetags]

With the ProPride or the Hensley, I would highly recommend that you do the installation yourself. Most dealers don't know what they are doing. I have had three Airstreams over the past ten years. The Airstream Dealer installed our Hensley on our 2005 25FB. He did it wrong. I had to reinstall it with help from Hensley. The same hitch has been on two more Airstreams. I installed it myself in the dealers' parking lots when I took delivery. It's easy to do and if you do it yourself, you know it is right.

Brian

[crispyboy]

Originally Posted by BoldAdventure

I wish I could find a place to sell and install one; then I'd get one.

Find a place where you will be staying for a week or so and have one shipped. It's not rocket science to install one of these hitches. If you didn't want to fool with it any mechanic shop or rv dealer would gladly accept the work.

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Until someone or organization actully does a legitimate and unbiased test and review off all the WD systems currently on the market we will never know the true pluses or minuses of each system. Unfortunetly that is never going to happen because like here there are personal agendas that must be weeded out before the truth can ever surface. Repeating the same old arguments and urban myths will never make them true.

I agree with this. I am not here to flame any person or any hitch but I agree that everything I have read sounds like something parroted from a sales brochure. Are they different, absolutely. Are they good, I am sure that they are but when you look at say, the body of anecdotal evidence as presented by hundreds of posts, other hitches measure up very well.

This is a forum where people post opinions and this is what we get. I am with AWCHIEF and would really be interested in an unbiased study conducted by industry engineers. I don't have one simply because when I set up our Airstream I couldn't afford one. I have towed tens of thousands of miles with my set up and I can offer up lots of anecdotes about how well mine has performed. High winds, mountain passes up and down, passing semis and a panic lane change. By the logic of some posts this would make mine the best hitch out there. I don't think it is and that is why I would love to see AWCHIEF's suggestion come to pass.

Peace to all.

[rostam]

Originally Posted by aftermath

...but I agree that everything I have read sounds like something parroted from a sales brochure...

...I have towed tens of thousands of miles with my set up and I can offer up lots of anecdotes about how well mine has performed. High winds, mountain passes up and down, passing semis and a panic lane change. By the logic of some posts this would make mine the best hitch out there...

Thank you for your post

[daveswenson]

I just finished a 3500 mile trip with a recently installed Pro Pride. I can't praise the hitch enough. High winds, crazy curvy roads, speeding semis. Not an issue with the PP. Anecdotal evidence I know. But I also know that my old Equal-I-Zer is not going back on. No comparison in the towing experience.

[cwf]

Originally Posted by Llando88

Newbie here.

Wife is wanting an AS badly. I'll get a new pickup out of the deal.

I will most likely use a WD hitch. The TT she wants is a 25' FC; I will likely go with a 3/4 ton truck as the TV. We have zero towing experience.

Great thread for me, as I've been looking at Propride and the HA. These Propride WD hitches, are they generally available to AS dealers? It would be a plus if the dealer we bought the AS at could also install the hitch.

Rich

Depending upon your own 'mechanical ability", you CAN install the PP yourself. It is 'heavy'... but not 'hard'. Take careful measurements and set up the hitch...

After running ours, I made some 'tweaks' to the adjustments... guess what? I found I could better balance loads with those adjustments! This allowed me to 'balance' load across the 3 axles on our 34' AS and apply 'weight distribution' to the TV!

Next is 'handling' improvement... yes, you can tow by simply hooking up the AS to your TV... but, you will not be having any fun...

Been there, done that....

So, just go watch Youtube video for a simple, visual explanation of how it works... https://youtu.be/v2otJAgYiTo

There are other videos about towing and the benefits of other types/designs... take a few hours and poke around...

you will find your experience is YOUR experience... that's part of 'Streamin. Load up on intel... ask questions... apply that knowledge.. have fun!

[Gsmblue]

How heavy is a PP all told??? Is it really that much more than an equal-I-zer?

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by Gsmblue

How heavy is a PP all told??? Is it really that much more than an equal-I-zer?

Shipping weight of 230 pounds.