What hitch to purchase?

[VT Wanderer]

I have had a 2007, 25ft. Safari with a 2007, Cummings 2500 Ram, and now a 2014, 27ft. Flying Cloud with 2015 F250 w. 6.7 Diesel. I towed the Safari 55,000 miles, and now have 26,000 miles on the 2015. Our main driving days are on the Interstates doing 65 to 70 mph. We have experience ALL kinds of weather and traffic. We can't be more pleased than we are with our Equalizer.

[Caroyl]

For those of us burning through our budgets faster than the speed of sound 😉 It would be very helpful to have a general price point for these hitch systems (installed or DIY). Our '64 Overlander weighed <4K# dry when new. Too early to know what it will weigh after a full custom redo, but much less than most our your trailers that are new/newer. We don't need to double the toungue weight in the name of WD I'd think. 😳 Looking for an affordable AS hitch that is easy to hook and unhook and allows backing up without disconnecting the AS function. Thanks!!

[khollister]

Originally Posted by Caroyl

For those of us burning through our budgets faster than the speed of sound 😉 It would be very helpful to have a general price point for these hitch systems (installed or DIY). Our '64 Overlander weighed <4K# dry when new. Too early to know what it will weigh after a full custom redo, but much less than most our your trailers that are new/newer. We don't need to double the toungue weight in the name of WD I'd think. 😳 Looking for an affordable AS hitch that is easy to hook and unhook and allows backing up without disconnecting the AS function. Thanks!!

BO/Reese/Equalizer hitches are about $600-800 depending on shank length. The ProPride is $2300 and the Hensley lists I believe for $3200 but they have deals and refurbs available.

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by westphalia

I see many brands and am looking for advice, we have a 2015 GMC 2500 Sierra and will be picking up our 28 International next week.

All I can say is that we like our Hensley Cub for our little 20' Avion T20 vintage kin - but you'll need their heavier duty Arrow for your larger 28' AS (ProPride "PP" is a similar design).

Advantages:
1. Absolutely eliminates sway!
2. The entire hitch stays on the trailer A-frame - no messy head & spring bars to dis-mount/re-mount every time you park.
3. Easy & unlimited spring bar adjustment with jacks using the ratchet wrench - & even easier with a cordless drill & socket/adapter.
4. Tighter turning radius with hitch due to design.
5. Easier towing - you won't know it's back there - even at speed, so you need to remember that you're towing.
6. You can install it yourself if adept at all, & with help to lift the head.
7. Lifetime Warranty.

Plus-or-Minus Depending on you:
1. Hitching a bit different with a "Stinger" vs. Tow Bar with ball to coupler (Hensley/PP hitch head mounts with a ball on it to your A-frame's coupler). On uneven ground, it can take some getting used to aligning the "receiver" in the hitch head in all 3-axis in order to get the Stinger into the hole while backing up to hitch. Use of back-up camera is a big help, so get one if your TV isn't so equipped. I did it my first hitch up in the driveway etc. thereafter when level (even with the yellow ball thingies), but sometimes have to play with the alignment when there is a odd angle to the TV & space.

Disadvantages:
1. More expensive than the others, but it really is superior no sway solution - & hey! .... you just dropped $80k+ for a brand new AS & this is relatively cheap insurance which you can transfer to any future trailer with your lifetime warranty (Hensley has been around since the 1960's, PP for about 10-ish IIRC).
2. Adds about 190 lbs. to the tongue's hitch wt. (HW) from the unit itself for trailers up to 10,000# GVTW & 1000# HW (160# +/- for the Cub good for trailers up to 6000# & 600# HW). PP is similar - others mentioned by folks are less wt.

The choice & check or charge are ultimately yours - despite all the arguing you'll hear on here about hitches!

PS - For those looking for pricing references - the Hensley Arrow & PP (just one size/rating comparable to the Arrow) were noted in the prior post - but I've seen new Arrows on sale for mid-to-high-$2000 range near to PP & used/refurb low-to-mid$2000; & the smaller Hensley Cub goes for about $1300 - 2000 - depending upon whether with chains ("Swift Cub") or jacks for the spring bars - & whether full price new, deal/sale, used/refurb, & you can get Hensley to do a lifetime warranty transfer to the new owner of a hitch - so check with Hensley (maybe PP too?).

PSS - If your screen name has anything to do with those little VW camper vans - welcome from a Fellow Westy owner! We're the original owners of our Dove Blue/Grey `88 Westy.

Good Luck & Happy Trails!
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

The Hensley looks too heavy and complicated. Attach a motor to it and you wouldn't need a tow vehicle.

As I said - many posters who probably have never had a Hensley or PP, posting BS which adds nothing to the discussion but negativity, & does nothing to help the OP nor other readers coming along later looking for guidance.

This type of post is useless!

Try instead to add a useful & helpful comment which explains something - preferably what you have yourself, it's pro's & cons, & what you like about your choice, it's own weight & cost, etc.!

In fact - so long as your TV's hitch rating is what's actually on the tongue of the trailer - or less than the max., it really doesn't matter what the weight of the hitch is, & the WD function distributes that amongst all axles of the TV & Trailer anyway.

The weight of the hitch unit itself - & anything else on the A-frame & at the front half of the trailer (both as built & loading) - is/are only a valid limiting factor if they all combined + the trailer's loading puts one over your allowed hitch weight, & Lucy was able to do that with her rocks in the trailer anyway!

Otherwise, one could make the same lame "too heavy" comment about going for double 40# LP tanks!

PS - what "looks too heavy" is nonsense, but The Hensley & PP are actually quite simple - despite frank's "looks" comment, & the jacks are far more simple to operate than any of the other means of tensioning the spring bars - you just wind the nut at the top of the jacks up o down until you get the desired WD setting as determined with any WD hitch at the TV wheels being level as per unladen with the trailer/hitch, & wind them all the way down when unhitching.

If one finds that too complicated & has difficulty using a simple ratchet wrench (provided with the hitch BTW), winder wrench as used for the stabilizer jacks on many trailers, or a cordless drill with the socket to wind the jacks, then perhaps they need a different hobby than trailering!?

Cheers!
Tom
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[Rgentum]

At the recommendation of our local AS dealer, I bought a Blue Ox (over the Internet for $600), installed it myself in less than 30 minutes, & it has done everything it was supposed & I have wanted it to do.

[MrUKToad]

Andy Thompson set us up with a very basic Eaz-Lift hitch, as he generally does for his customers, even though he sells Hensleys, too.

The Eaz-Lift has done it's job for us and I have no complaints, but I do understand the technical merits of the PPP design and with a different tow vehicle I would almost certainly opt for a Pro-Pride. We are, though, scrabbling to keep our tongue weight down and whilst the Eaz-Lift is doing its job, I'll stick with it for that reason alone.

I'm certain most other weight distributing hitches work when properly set up, and my only reservation is with the Andersen; not because it doesn't work, just that it doesn't work well enough for my kind of setup.

[phann]

We were happy with our Blue Ox towing a 20' FC. When we traded up to a 30' Classic, we continued with the same Blue Ox equipment. The only change we needed was to use 1500# sway bars to replace the 1000# bars we used for the 20 footer. Still easy to hitch/unhitch, and good sway control if your hitch/trailer/payload weights are in spec and properly distributed.

[16595]

Love my Blue Ox. Better than the previous other brand I had which creaked a lot.

[westphalia]

Thank you everyone. We appreciate it, disregard my double post. We are new to this.

[Brawny]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

Andy Thompson set us up with a very basic Eaz-Lift hitch, as he generally does for his customers, even though he sells Hensleys, too.

Can Am is setting us up this spring, and we'll be getting the Eaz-Lift hitch as well. I wondered about a Hensley or ProPride, but was advised that the Eaz-Lift would work fine for us. Glad to hear that it works well for you, MrUKToad, as our set up will be similar.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

As I said - many posters who probably have never had a Hensley or PP, posting BS which adds nothing to the discussion but negativity, & does nothing to help the OP nor other readers coming along later looking for guidance.

This type of post is useless!

Try instead to add a useful & helpful comment which explains something - preferably what you have yourself, it's pro's & cons, & what you like about your choice, it's own weight & cost, etc.!

In fact - so long as your TV's hitch rating is what's actually on the tongue of the trailer - or less than the max., it really doesn't matter what the weight of the hitch is, & the WD function distributes that amongst all axles of the TV & Trailer anyway.

The weight of the hitch unit itself - & anything else on the A-frame & at the front half of the trailer (both as built & loading) - is/are only a valid limiting factor if they all combined + the trailer's loading puts one over your allowed hitch weight, & Lucy was able to do that with her rocks in the trailer anyway!

Otherwise, one could make the same lame "too heavy" comment about going for double 40# LP tanks!

PS - what "looks too heavy" is nonsense, but The Hensley & PP are actually quite simple - despite frank's "looks" comment, & the jacks are far more simple to operate than any of the other means of tensioning the spring bars - you just wind the nut at the top of the jacks up o down until you get the desired WD setting as determined with any WD hitch at the TV wheels being level as per unladen with the trailer/hitch, & wind them all the way down when unhitching.

If one finds that too complicated & has difficulty using a simple ratchet wrench (provided with the hitch BTW), winder wrench as used for the stabilizer jacks on many trailers, or a cordless drill with the socket to wind the jacks, then perhaps they need a different hobby than trailering!?

Cheers!
Tom
///////

Rather harsh and judgemental of the opinions and mechanical abilities of others.

[J. Morgan]

Here is my opinion, if a person never tows over 60 mph, any sway control or even no sway control will do fine.

If a person is going to tow at posted speed limits nothing currently available will touch the stability of a Hensley designed hitch. They not only stop sway absolutely, they make towing a pleasure. It makes my trailer tow like it is on a fifth wheel. It totally impressed me.

Is the hitch heavy? Yep!

Does the weight matter? Not really. The heavy part stays on the trailer. The stinger is all a person handles in daily use, and it isn't that heavy.

This November my son borrowed a trailer that had a Blue Ox on it. The November before he used my Hensley equipped trailer.

He said there is no comparison.


Talis gentium ceciderunt.

[slowmover]

There is no comparison. I've been towing since 1973 and family had this trailer type going back ten years before that. Dual Cam was the thing until the mid 90s when the Hensley came along.

It's easy to crack the whip with any other hitch and have the trailer get sideways. Can't do it with a Hensley. I tried. 55-mph violent swerves from shoulder to median and back, multiple times, throttle on, after I had one installed. Might as well try to lose your shadow. That's with a one ton and a 35' trailer.

Follow another rig with a conventional hitch and the trailer is always moving around. With a Hensley, it can't.

The bigger the rig, the more beneficial it is.

Money shouldn't be a consideration. If one can afford an RV and afford to travel, then . . . .

[switz]

I figure if the Airstream is marketed as the best of the travel trailers, I would put the best hitch I could find on the trailer. All my reading here on the forum pointed to the Hensley Arrow starting in September 2012.

When we traded the 2013 25FB in on a 2014 31'Classic, the conversation was extolling the virtues of the second generation Jim Hensley design called the ProPride and it was less expensive than my Hensley Arrow.

So, I still use both systems and they do the job for us. The original Hensley Arrow is now attached to the 2015 23D and the ProPride is on the Classic.

[westphalia]

Think I am going to get a ProPride. Talked to Shawn at ProPride so heading up there this week.

[rmkrum]

You will find that he stands behind his product, and will answer phone calls with questions personally.

The customer service and attention is one of many reasons I bought a ProPride.


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[J. Morgan]

If I had bought new I would have bought a ProPride.


Talis gentium ceciderunt.

[theflash44]

You'll run the decision back and forth for hours, if not days..

They're all great hitching systems. I have a Blue Ox and am very happy with it.

[switz]

Sean can stand behind his quality product, whereas John Deere typically does not stand behind their manure spreaders.