that is a PERFECT thread to disucss chain issues and dynamics of separtion...
posts #39-45 are especially useful as is the first link YOU provided on 'grading'
IF i needed links now, i'd opt for the grade 70 or 80 in stainless shown in that website.
i do not wanna hijack my own thread on the haha....but
the link extension kits ARE a product they sell to us, along with the quick connect links.
the vp term above is used generically, and i specifically did NOT id the company person by name.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff
...I never said this and I was the vp in charge at the time you referenced.
If this was my statement why would I now be selling the properly rated chain in my ProPride extension kits?
With the proper connectors between the oem chain and the extension.
You obviously talked to someone else...
so again i'm not identifying the exact people involved, it serves NO purpose 2 years past...
and IF new companies and follow up hitches spec BETTER components that IS a good thing for all users, right?
but i know EXACTLY who said what on this topic. the conversation was recorded.
-PART of my exchange on this topic was with tech support, part with sales...
-and part with el presidente...
-we discussed just how many (what %) of haha sales were to folks with BIGGER/heavier trailers...
-we discuseed the chain rating ON those trailers compared to the kits haha was/is selling....
-we discussed the price difference IF they were to stock PROPERLY rated/matched links and connectors...
-i personally found a vendor/supplier for them at only 3-5$ more per kit than the INADEQUATE chain...
-at one point i was basically told... "you'd be better off if the chain brakes anyway" as the reasoning for 'weak links'...
along with..."no customer has ever asked us about this issue before, they either don't know or don't care"...
-and finally i was told that they'd look into it, BUT more likely they'd JUST DROP SELLING ANY LINK KITS, if i raised a stink about it....
-i was also told they would contact me with the follow up info and a decision on the extension kits, in a week or 2...
there was NO FOLLOW UP CONTACT from them, and NO CHANGE in the extension links provided that i can find.
this isn't going to become a vendor dispute, i solved the problem (for my needs) and moved on.
also anyone READING this thread will note most of the info (mine included) is very fair n balanced toward this product...
even the negatives.
i noted early on (see post #1) that customer service, warranty issues, repairs and maintenance were all fair game for a "users guide"
and to quote myself....
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2air'
current users have a variety of practical questions or needs related to the haha...
my view is,
owning a haha is like owning any other product...
customer service/support, the warranty,
upgrades, repairs, maintenance, resale, installation, security and so on,
are practical issues user/owners must address.
owners also deal with actually towing with a haha.
so adjustments, road feedback, brake controllers,
utility with various airstreams, utility with a given tow vehicile,
hitching/unhitching, parking and so on,
are everyday or 'every trip' issues.
i make no claim to special knowledge regarding the haha or hitches in general.
i'm just a user, who may have coined the phrase 'haha'...
i plan to post my good and bad experiences with the haha. hope other will do the same...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hensley Ron
I'm afraid I'll have to admit I didn't know about the weight rating on the chain.
I always assumed it was the same as the OEM chain on the trailer. I'll be checking into this. Thanks for bringing it up...
it's nice that you might follow up on this issue ron, please let us ALL know how it will be handled going forward.
the thread rednax linked is a great place to discuss 'safety chain issues' in general terms and includes the 'sae guide on rating'
[quote=2airishuman]hey good comments mikeb' and others...
-
also anyone READING this thread will note most of the info (mine included) is very fair n balanced toward this product...
even the negatives.
i noted early on (see post #1) that customer service, warranty issues, repairs and maintenance were all fair game for a "users guide"
Bullseye! You nailed it 2Air!! This thread is intended to be informative and resourceful. If it is not "fair and balanced" the former is lost and the information becomes susceptible. Because of your checks and balances throughtout this thread, I personally placed considerable credance on the preceding posts. I upgraded from a classic 25 to a 30 this winter. Aside from the costs of the AS and HA, the most important element is to ensure the safety and integrity of the equipment providing years of personal enjoyment. Regarding consumer purchases, when you step up to the plate and pay the price, you don't expect corners to be cut on the product, particularly on safety items. The OEM chains are too short using a standard 6" drop hitch bar. I will ensure the extenders are of equal rating for my own safety as well as others. I'd rather save a mishap than a dollar!
__________________
Larry & Sandy
08 Classic 30
05 GMC K2500 Duramax Four Courners Unit
WBCCI # 2460 AIR # 17259
I see this as a question of service. Number One, there is no other thread extant on the Web better than this one about the Hensley (thanks, many thanks 2Air and all contributors), as there is information here NOT on the company website or in owner materials.
Two, in a tightened economy, service becomes that much more important.
I was sold on the hitch a long, long time ago. I've seen what happens with improper rigging in bad accidents, and the anti-sway features of the Hensley make it easily worth the premium.
But the stinger choices (lack thereof), the poor paint, and the above-cited safety chain problems are not, I offer, indicative of a small company competing against dirt cheap hitches. It's time to take another look at this.
Having had a dealer install mine (Williams Airstream) and a knowledgeable manager (Tidmore) oversee it WITH better-supplied safety chain extensions (or directions from the company citing SAE and DOT guidelines for same) would seem to be proper. Instead, we (Tidmore and I) had a discussion about the attachment to the truck. Good, but not thorough.
A] The safety chain thingamabob needs to be addressed for a product with this price. Dealer education about both ends of the chains attachment ought to be included. This is just research and printing.
B] I'd also like to recommend that dealers selling this hitch at volume be provided with a SHERLINE tongue weight gauge to further educate their customers That, along with the above being addressed properly would help to cover most all reasonable problems associated with hitching up a trailer (beyond CAT Scale weights). It would certainly provide a service that is otherwise a real problem.
I see, constantly, on RV boards "guesstimates" as to trailer weight, and real ignorance about tongue weight. Scale weights aren't too hard to get, but unhitching a trailer on a scale is more than most will ever be willing to attempt, and the bathroom scale, backyard method is awkward.
Let's remember that a conventional trailer -- versus a fifth wheel -- is seen by the majority as being inferior, when the opposite is true. An aerodynamic, low-center-of-gravity travel trailer is superior for handling (safety) and much more resistant to side or quartering winds. A premium hitch that completes this package is helping to buck the trend of ignorance.
C] Dealers aren't, by the grapevine, getting much of a mark-up on this hitch, and lack incentive. A "premium installation package" is easily understood, and is pretty much training based on printed materials and a video. A customer, at this price point, is likely to be interested. I would not be the only one to pay for it. That I might do it again several times in the future (were I less interested than I actually am in these kinds of questions), well, given the confidence of accurate first numbers, I WOULD be more likely to do it again.
"Sure, Mr. Customer, swing around here on your way out of town after you and the Mrs. have her loaded, and we'll check off that tongue weight again". (And see to it that the hitch is correct, the chains crossed, etc.).
Now that's a dealer I'm going to feel good about recommending, and a product I'm going to be proud to own (again, were I the type less interested in doing things for myself). As it is, I AM willing to pay for a extra in re safety if I am pressed for time and/or energy.
You make some good points, Rednax. As it so happens, we're in the process of changing the way we do business with dealers. We've focused on being a direct sales company since inception. As the product matures, we're seeing more interest from dealers, which means we have to change the way we work with them. I'm not going to give away our company strategy here, but I will say you've hit on a few key points, some of which have already been taken care of.
This is the only forum I'm really active on because it has the highest concentration of Hensley owners. While it's tough to get hit with the cold hard facts sometimes, I know the info is invaluable. My biggest complaint while a Ford engineer was that I had no control over the direction of the company and my suggestions never made it past the bean-counters. Here I do have a degree of control.
Keep the posts coming. I can't change Rome in a day, but I am moving forward. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what we've got coming down the pike.
2air -
I'd suggest adding one (or more) spare 6" U-bolts to the emergency kit. My torque wrench and its incompetent owner snapped one off awhile ago, on a Friday before a scheduled Monday departure. Just TRY to find one locally!! They cost $2.50 from Hensley, but I can tell you that 1-day air to the west coast costs MUCH more and delayed my trip for a day.
Mark
Im in the process of rebuilding my HAHA. Would of had it done already but I have a 18 month boy and time is non existant.
I purchased a bunch of parts that didnt need to be replaced but did so that I would be able to keep the old parts for a hot spare. I have a ton of extra parts. The only thing I dont have is an extra frame bracket, OCL, and a strut. These things usually dont fail.
Quick Links
This May Help Hitch'n-up
Found this at wally-world, screens kinda small but it does make the
LOST IN THE SIXTIES
Linear Mode