the ultimate haha users guide...

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by bernermom

Thanks so much for all the repiles!

My husband just found that the zerk pin is completely sheared off. Not sure how that happened, as we have only hooked up once to take a drive to a local park, and once to take it back to the dealer for warrenty work, and then of course again to take it home.

Before we can try again, we will need to get a new zerk. I will call Hensley tomorrow, and I will also take some pictures of the hitch and post them this afternoon.

Diane, if you have the heavy duty bars you may want to keep some extra grease fittings on hand. Shearing them off with the heavy duty bars happens because the groove in the bar isn't long enough for the turning radius. Also, they come preset from the factory so if a dealer tightens them to hold in the spring bars they have just created a situation for the fitting to shear off inside the bushing. The fitting should be in just far enough to hold the bar in place while UNHOOKED. When you hook up the fitting doesn't hold the bar in the bushing. The force of the weight distribution holds the bar in.

[bernermom]

Here are a few pictures of our hitch

[Sean Woodruff]

Diane, move the strut bars to the bottom hole of the frame bracket. For an Airstream coupler the bottom holes are the holes to use.

[bernermom]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Diane, move the strut bars to the bottom hole of the frame bracket.

Is this picture what you mean?

I showed him this and he does not know what that has to do with it. Just trying to understand, not that we don't trust what you are saying.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by bernermom

Is this picture what you mean?
Attachment 52483
I showed him this and he does not know what that has to do with it. Just trying to understand, not that we don't trust what you are saying.

Yes, that's it. The pin goes in the bottom hole. Make sure you tighten each strut bar after you move them.

[bernermom]

Thanks Sean for the info about the strut bars. I can see that other pictures of installations on this site are all on the bottom hole, except for one that was the middle hole, and none had it on the top hole as we do. We tow with a E350 (full ton) van, would that make any difference?

It's kind of a bummer to think that we paid the dealer to install this hitch, and they installed it wrong. We paid several hundred dollars for the installation, and this dealer installs more Hensley's than any other dealer in the country (according to them).

Diane

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by bernermom

... We tow with a E350 (full ton) van, would that make any difference?...

no difference with tv, it's about the a/s tongue design...use the bottom hole...

this will place the struts more parallel to the a-frame which is ideal...

BUT that really doesn't make TOO much difference in your hooking up issues...

your hitch seems to point downward more than others and using the lower hole will improve that a little, i think...

IF your strut bars are NOT overly tight, which pushes the nose downward...

SO you will need to do the entire 'strut bar' tensioning step over and after hooking up again,

but that process is well covered here and in the owners manual...

so how's the hitching going? have u tried again yet?

(0n edit, of course u haven't. u r waiting for more grease zerks to arrive! i always carry 2-3 extras j.i.c)

-and as for the 'paid hundreds for the install' that STINKS!!!!!

my dealer (and many others) will install the hitch at no cost, when the trailer is new)

any dealer who has installed many of these can do in in 90 minutes tops.

but dealer pricing isn't the topic of this thread, we just wanna get yer haha working right!

cheers
2air'

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by bernermom

Thanks Sean for the info about the strut bars. I can see that other pictures of installations on this site are all on the bottom hole, except for one that was the middle hole, and none had it on the top hole as we do. We tow with a E350 (full ton) van, would that make any difference?

It's kind of a bummer to think that we paid the dealer to install this hitch, and they installed it wrong. We paid several hundred dollars for the installation, and this dealer installs more Hensley's than any other dealer in the country (according to them).

Diane

You're welcome, Diane. Glad I could help.

It can make a difference when going into dips in campgrounds or gas stations. If the strut bar is tightened and sloping toward the hitch ball like yours was it can slide the frame bracket. Not common, but that would be the result.

Also, I didn't mention this but when you tighten your strut bars make sure your spring bar jacks are FULLY extended to push the main head up and parallel to the tongue of the trailer. This can also aid in hooking up. If the strut bars are tightened too much, and pushing the nose of the hitch head slightly down, you'll bind the hitch bar in the box. By completely extending the jacks BEFORE you tighten the strut bars you'll put the hitch box prallel to the tongue of the trailer.

[bernermom]

No we have not tried again, since we discovered that the zerk is broken, the pin is sheared off. My husband wanted me to call and order them, but I insisted that he call so he can talk to them about some of the issues he is having. He is calling them right now. I guess the broken zerk could be part of why the bar kept falling out. I also ordered the magnetic hitchin rods. My husband said they were not necessary, but I convinced him by showing him some of the pictures you pointed me to.

You know, typical man, does not want to ask for directions or read instructions, so I have to do my wifely duty and nag him to do it .

Diane

[safari57]

Originally Posted by bernermom

You know, typical man, does not want to ask for directions or read instructions, so I have to do my wifely duty and nag him to do it .

Diane

Gosh Diane,

You aren't intending to provide coaching on the above to the wives at various events are you?

I suspect you'll be pro's at the hitch thing quick enough. The best way to practice is to be towing somewhere and stopping at different campgrounds overnight. It allows you to practice in different settings (and gets you out camping).

Keep us posted.

[pmclemore]

Diane,

You have to understand that "regular" consultations involve enough beer to go around, most hands shoved down into their respective pockets, a scuff of a shoe in the dirt, and a dirty joke or two. Then you can get down to what ideas might work.

Pat

[nohillgrish]

I don't have anything to add to the good advise that has been given. I am posting primarily so this thread will show up with other posts I am monitoring. For some reason, other efforts to flag the thread for new posts is not working. I recently purchased and installed myself a haha. At first I was determined to let someone else do it--didn't think I had the time to mess with it. After carefully (and several times) reading this thread and company's installation manual, I decided to take it on. I knew there would be a learning curve, and figured if I installed it myself the curve might be shortened a little. My only issue was that the company sent 1000# bushings for my 1400# bars. That, of course, stopped my installation for a day or so while the company over nighted the correct ones. In my case, I am really glad I took it on myself. Hook ups, adjustments, etc. have been a piece of cake since. As others have mentioned on this thread, I can hook up myself almost easier than with someone guiding me. I have been very pleased with performance of the haha. My only other thought is that I probably need a hitch bar with a 5" drop, which is not an option with haha. The 4" is a little high, but I'm afraid a 6" would drop it too much. Will probably not be satisfied on this until I try the 6". Thanks to 2air for starting the thread, and all others who have contributed that made my installation/use so much easier.

[hookedonclassic]

Originally Posted by nohillgrish

As others have mentioned on this thread, I can hook up myself almost easier than with someone guiding me.

Amen to that.

[bernermom]

I wanted to follow up, since I mentioned that I was bummed that the dealer did not install this correctly.

I spoke to the service manager, and he then talked to Hensley. Now that they know this is not correct, he wants to send someone to my home to make the correction, and also install the new zerks! Now that is good service. We are about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the dealer, so this will be a big help.

We are human and mistakes can be made, but when a dealer goes out of their way to correct it, they get top marks in my book.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by bernermom

I wanted to follow up, since I mentioned that I was bummed that the dealer did not install this correctly.

I spoke to the service manager, and he then talked to Hensley. Now that they know this is not correct, he wants to send someone to my home to make the correction, and also install the new zerks! Now that is good service. We are about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the dealer, so this will be a big help.

We are human and mistakes can be made, but when a dealer goes out of their way to correct it, they get top marks in my book.

Diane, THAT is and EXCELLENT dealer! From my experience with these types of things through the years I can't say there are many of them that provide that type of service.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by bernermom

I wanted to follow up, since I mentioned that I was bummed that the dealer did not install this correctly.

I spoke to the service manager, and he then talked to Hensley. Now that they know this is not correct, he wants to send someone to my home to make the correction, and also install the new zerks! Now that is good service. We are about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the dealer, so this will be a big help.

We are human and mistakes can be made, but when a dealer goes out of their way to correct it, they get top marks in my book.

WOW!!


Now thats great service.... can guess from your location of whom

you speak!!

Just wish we had such a dealer here in N.Y. (still without any a/s dlr.)

[pmclemore]

An easier question ( I trust):

After installation, mine "dresses right", to use a suitmaker's term. Is it normal for the hitch to lean one way or the other on level ground, or do I need to make an adjustment?

Thanks - Pat.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

An easier question ( I trust):

After installation, mine "dresses right", to use a suitmaker's term. Is it normal for the hitch to lean one way or the other on level ground, or do I need to make an adjustment?

Thanks - Pat.

One of your strut bars may be tighter than the other one and pushing it that way.

When you are unhooked, extend both weight distribution jacks completely, loosen both strut bars and center the orange piece in the coupler. If both of your frame brackets are equal distance from the center of the ball you will have the same number of threads showing on each strut bar when they are tight. If your frame brackets are not equal distance from the center of the ball then measure from one bearing cap back to a point on the trailer and then measure the same distance from the opposite bearing cap back to the mirror point on the other side of the trailer.

Now you are ready to tighten the strut bars.

When you do, only finger tighten them and then use the sleeve to turn the nut a quarter to a half turn more. That is as tight as the strut bars need to be. They will be snug and not rattle on the pins. You do not need to wrench down the strut bar nut an make it tight like you would a lug nut. With the struts tightened this way you shouldn't see the hitch head "dressing right."

[pmclemore]

Thanks, Sean. Will do (this weekend).

Pat

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

After installation, mine "dresses right", to use a suitmaker's term. Is it normal for the hitch to lean one way or the other on level ground...

hey pat, when did you convert to haha towing?

congrats!

many of us have done the over tight strut 3 step jive...

then learned to get'em "just firm"

even after strut perfection, the haha body can fall off to one side...

happens less on level campsites, but IF the jacks are just a few screws different, mine will lean...

so i move it back to center with a finger on the pin...

but otherwise leave everything as is....IF the preceding disconnect was smooth.

toss a hitch pic up some time too!

cheers
2air'

and welcome also to nohillgrish, nice post and hope to see ya camping again soon!