Now I know why I didn't know about the collar. The vintage Hensley hitch brackets I have do not have collars but have nuts/threads instead. Here is a picture of the bracket that I have been sandblasting on in preparation of the upcoming paint job.
Now I know why I didn't know about the collar. The vintage Hensley hitch brackets I have do not have collars but have nuts/threads instead. Here is a picture of the bracket that I have been sandblasting on in preparation of the upcoming paint job.
Crispy, that is a modified bracket. Just got off the phone with Jim Hensley and they were never designed or made that way. Someone may have had a bent bracket pin and this was the fix.
I kind of wondered about that because of the el crappo welds that were on the bolt head side. I was surprised something like that would have come from the factory. I ground out the welds that were made by a 5th grader and put some of my own in place.
Thanks for the info.
Moderators - if the last couple of threads on this issue are not relevant to the spirit of the HA HA thread go ahead and delete them.
Both brackets are modified in this fashion. The brackets are in perfect shape otherwise - no dents, bends or cracked welds. I actually like the idea of the shaft being theaded and using a nyloc nut as opposed to the collar since these are less likely to come loose.
Hensley Ron - could this have been an improvement on the original idea? - toss the idea out too your engineers.........
On my list of improvements is the shaft collar. It's posed few problems, but I'd much rather see something that doesn't involve a lock screw. I don't care for threads, though. That would create a different set of problems and add to the cost.
I just picked up my new 2007 22 ft Airstream ordered with a Hensley Arrow hitch as a result of comments on this BB. However, I can't get the trailer leveled because I have the 8-inch drop tow bar and it is still too high as my vehicle is a 2007 Chevy Tahoe with the factory-made "in the bumpert" 2x2 receiver.
SOMEBODY else must have come across this problem and found a solution.
Has anybody seen any info about how to adapt? The hitch receiver is about 5 inches higher than one that would be BELOW the rear bumper (or plastic, imitation body trim thingy)?
Pete In Vermont
__________________ Pete in Vermont
AIR 26504 WBCCI 2980 2007 22 ft International CCD
2007 Tahoe 4X4 Hensley Arrow
[prior AS: 1986 Excella 32 ft ]
Whoever said "Money can't buy happiness" never owned a custom made bamboo fly rod.
This is the most helpful thread I've read on any RV group.
Like many folks here, I became a HAHA fan pretty quickly. My SOB (26 ft) was about 3 ft longer than recommended for the medium-sized TV, so the Hensley padded the margin a bit. Now with the new 22 ft, some would argue the HA is overkill - I disagree of course. We've seen the ocassional HAHA-ed Bambi on the road.
The dealer tech was new to the HAHA, and missed a couple of things: the strut rears were not mounted in the right holes to parallel the A-frame, and the struts themsleves were not tightened properly. I didn't discover this until until I got home from an 80 mile shakeout tow, and even then, she pulled beautifully.
Still, can't get her quite level. We go TT nose high with very little tension, well before the first jack marker. My TV is a 4WD, so it sits a bit high for an Explorer. After a quick discussion, the fine folks in Michigan are shipping me an 8" drop to replace the 6". I think that and a little tweaking, and we'll be back to the superfine towing experience.
__________________ 2008 Safari Sport 22
2003 Ford Explorer NBX, 4.6L, 3.73
Hensley Arrow Hitch, McKesh Mirrors
Hi guys...
A little help with my haha please......
I get to step 7 in the hook-up procedure.
Everything appears to be lined up.
I back into the hitch box and the darn thing shifts to the left or right.
Can I back the hitch bar into the opening and be "somewhat aggressive" when this happens or will this damage my haha. (if the hitch box is not centered)
I've been at this for over an hour now and it's getting dark outside
I guess I'll have to try it again in the morning
Thanks
Dennis
Once the hitch bar sticks in the hitch box go back to your spring bars to see which one is tightened up. Maybe both. Adjust your jacks until the spring bars are sloppy again and that will adjust the hitch head on the hitch bar. Once they are loose continue to back into the hitch the rest of the way.
Whenever the hitch bar sticks in the hitch head you can always go to your spring bars and you will notice one or both are tight again. That is the hitch bar pushing the inside of the box and making them tight. Just adjust the jacks to make the bars loose again and it will take the pressure off the hitch box and allow you to hitch up. You don't need to continue pulling out and trying to line everything up and then trying to go back in. This is also necessary anytime you adjust the tongue jack when the bar is part of the way in the box. Always adjust the spring bar jacks as the last step anytime you raise or lower the tongue jack.
Another note is that when you get the wedges about 1/2 to 3/4 buried in the opening you can use your over-center-latches to pull the hitch bar back into the box.
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and even then, she pulled beautifully. 
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