the ultimate haha users guide...

[Brow324]

Lots of good info in this thread: welcome RoadKingMoe and Pieman.
I like the Plano tool box idea...may give that a try. Right now my HAHA tools are in the tool bag with all the other road tools. I just made a 1200 mile trip,
the first trip with the new HAHA, from Texas to NC and took the torque wrench and deep socket along for the ride, checked the torque settings of the brackets at every gas stop and they didn't budge from installation to destination. The HAHA performed perfectly and made the switchback sections of I-40 from Knoxville to Ashville a breeze ( at night! ). For new installers just follow the intructions in the manual step by step and everything will install easily. I did it in just over 2 hours (pre read the manual 4 times before beginning the install). HA is a very user friendly system and the customer support from Hensley is the best in the business....in fact many companies could learn a thing or two from Hensley's customer support. I had a couple of questions about my set up adjustments and Jarrod from Hensley stayed in email contact with me throughout my trip to make sure everything was going well. I sent him some photos of the HA on my TV connected and ready to roll and he analyzed and responded very quickly to my concerns. All in all, it's a definate upgrade from my old system and I am very happy having spent the extra dollars for the HA system. The only challenge I had on installation was finding the 11/16 deep socket, which I didn't have. Sears, Auto Zone, Home Depot, Lowes, didn't carry it...I ended up getting one at
Orielly Auto Parts. If Hensley could improve on anything with their installation package & instructions it might be to include that socket with the other tools they provide in the system delivery.

[2airishuman]

hi brow324 and other haha users...

i've had + and - experiences with customer support....

mostly + and i'll outline some of each another time...

it is an important topic for us and i encourage others to report here...

the specifics.

what was the issue and how did haha central help, or not.

details of the issue and resolution are more useful than

'they are great' or 'they are awful'

so, brow324 your report is an example for others to follow...

now tonights topic...

swapping spring bars

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

for the first year of towing with the haha i used 1000 lb spring bars...

that's with a 34 limited of recent vintage
and a tongue mass of 950lb to 1100 lbs depending on loads...

i described my cat scale visit in another thread,
and most felt my final tweaking and near 50/50 tv axle loads were acceptable.
in additon my trailer and truck were pretty level.
with the truck perhaps 1/2 lower on the rear axles, relatively.

anyway after a year i decided to change from 1000lb spring bars to 1400lb bars...

i'll explain why another time.

my focus for the next few posts...
is inspecting the parts as used, comparing new/old parts
and showing some of the steps to make the change....

doing so also gave me better insight into the haha bits...

perhaps this is of value to others...

as always please post comments, insights, suggestions...

while we grow the 'ultimate haha users guide'.

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

lets take a look at the 2 spring bars....

haha also now offers a 750 lb bar set for lighter trailers...sweet.

my understanding is these bars come from other vendors, like draw tite.

and vary over the years...so yours MAY be different.

1000 lb bar is black

1400lb bar is silver

the 1000lb bar is more squarish in the long shaft, while the 1400 is round.

the 1000lb bar has a little longer 'L' section and a sharper bend...

the 1400lb bar is stubbier, with less angulation...

this is easier to see in the 2nd pic, i think...

the notch is basically the same in both and that's where the grease zerk fits...

the grease zerk keeps the bar up inside the haha body...

cheers
2air'

click on either pic for a larger view...

[2airishuman]

now lets look at the other end where the spring bars attach to the screw jacks...

the 1000lb bar is doglegged, while the 1400 lb bar is pretty straight at this end...

there is a small bracket attached to each with 2 bolts.

these brackets/bolts are attached prior to user installation....
so i've never tightened or otherwise messed with them...

notice anything different about the used bracket on the 1000 lb bar (black one)?

click on pics for larger view...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

how about a closer view...

[2airishuman]

when properly installed the spring bars fit up inside the lower section of the haha...

the 'black section' that is also the location of the grease zerks...

note the left hand picture below....

however on closer inspection the spring bars actually fit up inside a double barrel bushing...

that is held inside the black lower haha section with one bolt...and the grease zerks...

the right hand photo shows the bushing in place and the grease zerks removed...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

after removing the spring bars,

i also removed the double barrel bushing...

haha support explained the 1400lb bars use a bushing with slightly different dimensions...

when the bushing is brand new, the bars aren't interchangeable...

after some use the 1400 lb bars will sometimes fit into the 1000 lb bushing...

but i opted, however to change this bit too....

after cleaning the bushing up....

here is a shot of the new bushing next to the used bushing...

used is on the left...again click photo for larger view.

notice anything in this comparison?

the 2nd photo is the used bushing...

notice the upper inside surfaces...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

so clearly this bushing has 'ovalized'...

i've got other photos is anyone doubts this...

from the forces applied by the spring bars under tension...

the previously round bushing is oval on the inside surface...

no doubt this is a combination of wear, compression, metal 'moving' and so on...

haha support makes an issue of 'greasing' often...can't grease too much.

well grease would no doubt provide a thin film here...and i'm a complusive greaser!

the bushing also has equal wear/deformity at the other end, in an opposite position, which makes sense...we will see it later.

one more view of the bushing...

see how the inner surface is pushed UP?

more evidence of the deformity that has occured...

if the orientation is confusing, i've included a pic with the bushing and zerks...

over the springbars as normally positioned...

it's obvious pulling UP on the spring bars creates these contact areas and the changes noted...

questions?

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

going back now to the haha lower section where the bushing belongs...

it doesn't look like any significant changes have occured here...

paint is worn and removed from the contact surface, but no deformity that i could see...

i did not measure the holes for roundness with a micrometer...

i'll post the rest of the spring bar swap later...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

as i prepared the new bars for installation...

here they are along side the 1000 lb bars

bushings included...

it's obvious the 1400 lb bars are shorter and less angulated...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

the bushing is greased lightly before return to the haha lower section...

then the nut/bolt are tightened...

at this point the bars are inserted up into the bushing and the grease zerks screwed in,
to a depth that will retain the bars...

yet still allow for rotation....

then the bars are re pinned to the screw jacks.....

don't forget to add grease via the zerks at the point....lots;

until it oooozes out...

cheers
2air'

[2airishuman]

and here is a shot upon completion...

naturally i rechecked the bushing, bolts, bars and regreased many times on the tow home...

i'll report about the outcome of another trip to the cat scales soon...

of course this was all done before that fine new paint job!

cheers

2air'

[Brow324]

2AIR;

How do you imbed photos in the thread? I'd like to post a photo of my spring bars at full tension for your technical consideration.