clearly looks like the trailer is just a tad high in the front,
so trying the 6 inch bar is reasonable.
hitching with the 4 inch bar has been easy, so only minor adjustments are needed for the extra 2 inches of drop...
1. position as usual
2. lower the trailer nose using the tongue jack approximate 2 inches more, till box opening is the same height as the stinger..
3. now the haha hitch box will be angled slightly downward. this is the problem created by lowering the trailer nose...
4. so LOOSEN both screw jacks more; perhaps ALL the way.
5. loosening the screw jacks WILL angle the hitch box upward more to match the stinger; that is the goal
6. look at pix in post #31 and #33 as a reference.
IF you are forcing/ramming the stinger into the hitch box, that suggests the 2 aren't in ideal alignment.
adjusting the screw jacks WILL re-align the box so you might need to fiddle with steps #2 and #4 above...
really this alignment issue is the challenge we all having connecting the haha,
which is why we use 'hitchin rods' or other visual aids.
now after the docking is complete, and just an a side note, and i know nothing about the auto level suspension...
...i suggest turning OFF the suburban power while adjusting the jacks/spring bars tension back to level
...get the jacks tensioned to the desired amt, and then restart the t.v.
...but check with the chevy dealer or in the owners manual for the correct approach to your auto level feature.
without weighing the set up it is all guesstimation, but with your trailer size and estimated tongue mass,
the new 750lb spring bars haha now offers might be better suited to the 23 footer.
good luck and keep us posted.
2air'
__________________ all of the true things that i am about to tell you are shameless lies. l.b.johnson
we are here on earth to fart around. don't let anybody tell you any different. k.v.
Last edited by 2airishuman; 04-12-2007 at 10:59 AM.
Thanks 2 air. Talked to Jarrod this morning and he suggested the same as you--lowering the jacks more--we did have them sloppy loose but he said keep lowering them. We are headed over now to try again. Maybe we will call him later and ask about the 750 bars. Also talked to Chevy assistance today but they only reiterated what was in the manual and that says to let the car level itself once you are hooked up and then adjust the bars. Will also check with the dealer.
Thanks so much for trying to help--I will take the camera and get some more shots if we can get it hooked up. Will try to remain calm
Thanks again 2air
I don’t know what happened yesterday–guess we just panicked and couldn’t think straight–blame it on a senior moment! Studied the pictures you mentioned and we do have the hitching posts which really should have helped us yesterday–did I say senior moment? We loosened the jacks as much as we could, put on the hitching posts and then moved the jacks till the posts were parallel and hard as it is to believe the stinger (with the 6 in drop) slipped right in! I am attaching pictures of the process. Still have a couple concerns. Are the spring bars supposed to be parallel to the tongue after the jacks are tensioned as ours are not?. We can now tighten the jacks down to the first mark and that is without a load–when loaded we should be able to tighten a little more?? I also gave you an incorrect answer–we only have two holes showing–if we had 3 holes showing would it have made any difference in our having to go to the 6 inch drop? Would going to 750 spring bars make a difference in the drop–what is the purpose of the lighter bars? As you can see from the pictures we are not on perfectly level ground plus it slopes but we took measurements and I think they came out pretty good. I know we should have tried to find some spot that was more level but that would have meant backing up 200 yards to get it back into storage and we were not ready for that.
Before hooking up:
Right Rear 37
Right Front 35 1/8
Left Rear 36 1/4
Left Front 34 ˝
After hooking and adjusting jacks
Right Rear 37 1/4
Right Front 35 1/8
Left Rear 36 ˝
Left Front 34 5/8
Hopefully the pictures will upload so you can see how we look hooked up–the hitch does have quite a downward angle to it. Would going from 2 holes to 3 change that? First picture is before any adjustments, next picture is after playing with the jacks and getting the posts parallel. Then hitched up but before tensioning jacks then after tensioning the jacks and the next picture shows the slant of the hensley. Next two are of the tv and a/s and final shows that we have 2 holes showing. I sure hope we are on the right track and I really appreciate your comments.
Gail
Your pictures don't show that the over center latches have pins in them. Be sure you don't tow without putting in the over center latch pins on either side of the hitch.
GStephens
hapitauk----as to changing from 2 to 3 holes: what you have is fine until you're parked where you need more "up" adjustment on the nose of the hitch to get aligned with the shank. In that case dropping to the 3rd hole will in effect, raise the nose of the hitch. This will also require you adjust the jacks past the first mark. I run ours in the 3rd hole. The end result as to the angle of the bars in relation to the trailer frame will be the same. Hope that's not to much "jibberish".-----pieman
We decided to try going to three holes on the jacks and try the 4 inch drop again. Still could not tighten down to the first mark so we now know we need the 6 in drop for sure. Left it on 3 holes and hitched up again with the 6 in drop (last time we hooked up with the 6 in we only had 2 holes showing) and had to tighten to the second mark to get the trailer level. So for now are leaving it with the 3 holes showing and when we hook up next week fully loaded will see if that is still suitable or if we will have to go back to the 2 holes showing. It seemed to be easier to hook up (better alignment) with the 3 holes showing than with the 2. Sure getting lots of practice hooking up . I really appreciate all the advice that we got--don't think we would have figured everything out without everyone's help (especially thanks to 2air!)
Gail------I know you're more than a little frustrated but I really think you're all but there !! I just wish we had done what what you did, that being buying the Hensley first. ---pieman
The Hensley has been making a popping noise so I decided to grease the hitch ball.
To grease the hitch ball, I hitch up the trailer but I don't tighten the jacks.
Then release the trailer hitch coupler, release the side struts and raise the tongue of the trailer with the trailer jack.
The ball will drop loose, grease it up and lower the trailer jack.
Lock the coupler again, adjust the side struts and you are all done.
Does anyone have any other tips to relive the Hensley pop noise?
I saw a trailer with a Hensley where the owner had put a Zerk fitting in the top of the trailer hitch to grease the ball. It takes such a small hole to drill and install a fitting I can't believe it would weaken it ,still I haven't got up the nerve to try it on mine.-----pieman
2air----you're exactly right ----with the exception of a little rocking it moves very little---what's wrong with me????---I knew that !!! ---Thought I would get througt the day without making a mistake!!!---oh well I'll try again tomorrow------------pieman
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We loosened the jacks as much as we could, put on the hitching posts and then moved the jacks till the posts were parallel and hard as it is to believe the stinger (with the 6 in drop) slipped right in! I am attaching pictures of the process. Still have a couple concerns. Are the spring bars supposed to be parallel to the tongue after the jacks are tensioned as ours are not?. We can now tighten the jacks down to the first mark and that is without a load–when loaded we should be able to tighten a little more?? I also gave you an incorrect answer–we only have two holes showing–if we had 3 holes showing would it have made any difference in our having to go to the 6 inch drop? Would going to 750 spring bars make a difference in the drop–what is the purpose of the lighter bars? As you can see from the pictures we are not on perfectly level ground plus it slopes but we took measurements and I think they came out pretty good. I know we should have tried to find some spot that was more level but that would have meant backing up 200 yards to get it back into storage and we were not ready for that.
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