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Mark Wiltrakis · 04-21-2008, 09:55 PM

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

2airishuman · 04-21-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wiltrakis

....I'd suggest adding one (or more) spare 6" U-bolts to the emergency kit....

hi mark

agree completely! a u bolt for the frame bracket along with lock washers and a nut or 2...

i also carry a spare ocl wrench and jack ratchet wrench, having extra means i'm less likely to lose the originals!

cheers
2air'

mikeb9550 · 04-22-2008, 05:03 AM

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.

sander17 · 04-22-2008, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

i'm gonna visit the local napa and a hardware store, to see about availability of some of these smaller parts...

I have seen the pins with the spring loaded rings at the local TSC (Tractor
Supply Co.) I believe they are a common item on farm equip.

crispyboy · 04-22-2008, 06:20 AM

2Air,
Looking at your emergency parts picture there are two small collars below the self tapping bolts. What purpose do these serve?

Hensley Ron · 04-22-2008, 10:32 AM

That's the locking collar to hold the jack assembly on the bracket mounting pin.

2airishuman · 04-22-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sander17

I have seen the pins with the spring loaded rings at the local TSC (Tractor
Supply Co.)...

hi dave, you are right.

i picked up several of each size spring-rings and pins at the tsc last year, but didn't look for the other bits.

the small parts i'm gonna look 4 are INSIDES for the grease zerks, and an ocl lug and u bolt 4 the frame bracket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispyboy

... two small collars below the self tapping bolts. What purpose do these serve?

crispy, as ron notes those 'locking collars' keep the jacks attached to the frame brackets....

u can see some pix of them in position, in jim clarks' excellent install (post 203) and in breakaways' pic in post #239...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/377720-post239.html

in initially i worried that they would loosen during travel, but have had no issues with them,

but i do still check tightness with the supplied allen wrench.

they've not been an issue, probably because i'm carrying spares.

cheers
2air'

crispyboy · 04-23-2008, 07:11 AM

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.

Sean Woodruff · 04-23-2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispyboy

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.

crispyboy · 04-23-2008, 11:15 AM

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.

2airishuman · 04-23-2008, 02:21 PM

hi crispy...

these are VERY relevant posts and pictures, thanks for adding the info...

my first thought, on seeing the pic early this am, was the jack attachment area had been modified...

so it's good that sean has confirmed this with the MAN!

are they BOTH like this? perhaps at some point they were OVER LOADED via the jacks...

consider replacing the frame brackets with new, i'm sure haha sells them.

given there is a LOT of stress on this area once the jacks are tightened i'd want a solid piece in that location.

cheers
2air'

Hensley Ron · 04-23-2008, 03:09 PM

Apparently someone didn't trust the collar. We've never manufatured them that way. If you must pimp your Hensley, please check with the company.

crispyboy · 04-24-2008, 06:12 AM

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.........

Hensley Ron · 04-24-2008, 09:17 AM

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.

2airishuman · 04-24-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispyboy

...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...

my uninformed concern would be reducing the strength of the shaft by making it hollow...

again i was concerned the collars might slip over time, but it is one of the few areas that has been issue free...

earlier posts in this thread suggest NOISE can come from the shaft area if not lubed...

YOURS look odd because the paint isn't worn off...

the jacks constantly rotating under load should rub, so again i really wonder about that modification...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hensley Ron

On my list of improvements is...

do you have any update or new info on the INADEQUATE chain extension kits ???

cheers
2air'

Pete Vermont · 04-27-2008, 07:27 PM

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

2airishuman · 04-27-2008, 08:25 PM

hi pete

have u got any photos or the equipment or connection?

what is the measured height from top/inside the receiver box to the ground on level ground?

i'm aware of the bumper fascia/built-in receiver issues on the new yuks/burbons...

-first it isn't considered very strong or tight relative to the stinger...

and locating aftermarket replacements is apparently an issue...

here is a thread u might post in about a proper replacement receiver for the suv...

see post #11, 19-22, 26-28...

or u might pm uwe about his...

some of the folks towing with hummers also have this issue and apprently just tow with the nose UP...

doing so shouldn't affect the haha performance, but will be a negative on tire wear and perhaps axle fatigue...

i HAVE seen custom made receivers that have the 2 inch box placed LOWER,

but that may require cutting or modifying the bumper fascia...

cheers
2air'

on edit i see u started a thread SPECIFIC to this receiver issue, GREAT IDEA,

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ver-41577.html

hopefully u will get some replies in your new thread...

Whizzo · 05-13-2008, 03:34 PM

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.

millvalleyca · 05-22-2008, 10:01 PM

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

Sean Woodruff · 05-22-2008, 10:27 PM

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.