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12-17-2014, 01:32 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
2017 25' Flying Cloud
2014 23' FB Flying Cloud
2008 20' Safari
Prescott Valley
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 64
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Question for Hensley Owners
I have been towing with a Hensley Arrow hitch for about 15 years with three differant trailers and two differant tow vehicles. I seldom take my trailer to the dealer for service because I do most of the work on it myself. A couple of years ago I had an awning return spring break on an SOB. I didn’t feel comfortable doing the work myself so I took it to the dealer for repairs (not an Airstream dealer). When I dropped it off I told the service department that I had a Hensley Hitch and that I left the hitch bar just inside the trailer door. They said no problem and that they would take care of it. Well it turns out that at this dealership they move trailers with a fork lift with a stinger attached and a ball at the end of the stinger. When the trailer jockey went to move my trailer and saw that there wasn’t a coupler to attach to the ball he just put the stinger under the hitch head and put the ball behind the hitch head between the spring bars. I the process he caused about $600 worth of damage to my Hensley. The dealer did except responsibility and paid for the damage. Now that I have a new Airstream, I need to take it in for warranty work. Needless to say, I’m a little concerned about my Hensley. So here is my question. Has anyone had problems with dealer moving their AS with a Hensley? What do you do when you take your AS in for serves with a Hensley Hitch? How do they move it?
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12-17-2014, 01:38 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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Couldn't you pull the pin and leave the stinger hooked to the Hensley head?
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12-17-2014, 02:01 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
2017 25' Flying Cloud
2014 23' FB Flying Cloud
2008 20' Safari
Prescott Valley
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 64
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mrprez, I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about the coupler pin? The Hensley head always remains attached to the trailer coupler.
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12-17-2014, 02:13 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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I've only had service at the factory service center. They needed our similar ProPride stinger left with the trailer, so I just slipped it into the hitch head on the trailer. Then they came with their John Deere tractor with a lift and receiver, put the stinger into their receiver, then hooked up to the trailer and and moved it. They did put a large C-clamp on either side of the head to keep the head from swiveling, nicked a little paint but no big deal.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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12-17-2014, 02:17 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2011 31' Classic
Nellysford
, Virginia
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,067
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We've only used three repair facilities [Mother Ship, Out of Doors Mart, Dillons RV near Phoenix] in the 3+ years we've owned her with the HAHA. Each of them showed immediate understanding of the issue. At Dillons they asked me to leave the stinger attached to the unit and they would hook up like most of us do. At the other two, they had attachments on their "moving" vehicles ready to insert into the unit box. Sorry to hear you had a problem.
__________________
Greg Heuer, Spirit of Virginia Airstream Club
2011 31' Classic Ltd. - The Silver Otter III
2013 GMC Denali 2500HD 6.6 DuraMax - Sierra Blanca
TAC VA-18 | Life Mbr ACI 1927 - Spirit of Virginia Club | AIR 53869
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12-17-2014, 03:03 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Sneedville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,753
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Leave the stinger attached to the head. Pull the pin that keeps the stinger attached to the TV.
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12-17-2014, 04:04 PM
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#7
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Vintage Kin
Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,014
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Most of these places have a truck that can move it. I just leave the stinger attached after clearing it with them.
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12-17-2014, 04:43 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1976 31' Sovereign
Missouri City
, Texas
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,233
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AIRTRVL
I They said no problem .....................
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That should be the first clue that there will be a problem.
__________________
Don Hardman
1976 31' Sovereign
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12-17-2014, 06:15 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
Port Orchard
, Washington
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,463
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My dealer is only about 10 miles away. I just leave the truck and trailer there still hitched. That saves a lot of hassle and chance for damage for everyone. Even If they were further away, I think I'd just have one of us drive the trailer and the other follow in a car for a ride home.
Ken
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12-18-2014, 09:33 AM
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#10
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2 Rivet Member
2017 25' Flying Cloud
2014 23' FB Flying Cloud
2008 20' Safari
Prescott Valley
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 64
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Thanks for all of the good information. I will talk with the service department and find out exactly how they will be moving my AS. The AS will be in and out on the same day. So maybe the best thing it do is keep it connected to my Truck.
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12-18-2014, 11:07 AM
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#11
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Tom T
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Orange
, California
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,023
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I've had a couple of places move ours (Hensley Cub) with forklifts, but their people were smart enough to put the stinger into the receiver & into the Cub's stinger-box.
I think you just got a lazy &/or stupid employee who screwed up.
That said - going thru the hitching process of the stinger with the service manager AND the employee who will actually move it is a good idea.
Leaving the stinger in the hitch box may prove yet another challenge for them hooking up, since it's bass-ackwards from how we hitch up with a Hensley (or PP).
__________________
Tom T
Orange CA
1960 Avion T20, #2 made, Hensley Cub, TV tbd- looking for 08-22 Cayenne S, EH, etc
1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia CamperGL (Orig Owner) + 1970 Eriba Puck
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