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HeadWest · 03-20-2013, 09:24 PM

It is now less then a month off of our new 28 International Signature being completed. Our new F150 came in last week and so far I'm thrilled with the truck. The last of the really big questions is still deciding on a hitch. My dealer is very confident that I will be satisfied with the Reese Dual Cam but I'm still seriously considering the Propride. To me, the overwhelming plus to the dual cam is it is lighter and I'm going to be tight with my payload capacity of the truck. However, the Propride by design removes concern over any sway and I believe it will be more relaxing driving with the trailer in tow. The pluses I see with each are:

Reese Dual Cam
1) Common and pretty simple
2) Does not cover up the hitch coupler on the trailer for moving with other equipment
3) Less expensive
4) Quicker and easier to hitch and unhitch

Propride
1) Sway elimination
2) No holes drilled in trailer a frame
3) Great support from Propride, also near where I live
4) I believe it has a tighter turning radius and more maneuverable

I know that religion and politics are less controversial then trailer hitches but any further thoughts from others on this would sure be appreciated (besides tow vehicle selection, that is done deal). Thanks!

Travel Bird · 03-20-2013, 09:25 PM

Hensley. You will never look back. Lots of luck!

HeadWest · 03-20-2013, 09:30 PM

Hi Anna, I've thought a lot about a Hensley too but if I'm going in that general direction I'd rather do the Propride. I know you are happy with your set up and it is a proven product but I just have a tough time buying from Hensley with their way of doing business (starting with you need to call them to get a price).

ROBERTSUNRUS · 03-20-2013, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadWest

It is now less then a month off of our new 28 International Signature being completed. Our new F150 came in last week and so far I'm thrilled with the truck. The last of the really big questions is still deciding on a hitch. My dealer is very confident that I will be satisfied with the Reese Dual Cam but I'm still seriously considering the Propride. To me, the overwhelming plus to the dual cam is it is lighter and I'm going to be tight with my payload capacity of the truck. However, the Propride by design removes concern over any sway and I believe it will be more relaxing driving with the trailer in tow. The pluses I see with each are:

Reese Dual Cam
1) Common and pretty simple
2) Does not cover up the hitch coupler on the trailer for moving with other equipment
3) Less expensive
4) Quicker and easier to hitch and unhitch

Propride
1) Sway elimination
2) No holes drilled in trailer a frame
3) Great support from Propride, also near where I live
4) I believe it has a tighter turning radius and more maneuverable

I know that religion and politics are less controversial then trailer hitches but any further thoughts from others on this would sure be appreciated (besides tow vehicle selection, that is done deal). Thanks!

Hi, don't ever get too comfortable while towing; Driver ability trumps all hitches.

StreamNTyme · 03-20-2013, 09:54 PM

Unbelievable...
You spend $$$ on a new truck and $$$$ on a new Airstream and the most important purchase that will save your lives, you have a comparing list...
No comparison!!!
Safety first....Hensley!

**moosetags** · 03-20-2013, 09:55 PM

I have now topped 100,000 miles pulling Lucy with a Hensley. I have no complaints and never an anxious moment, but I would definitely consider the ProPride if I were buying today.

A half ton truck towing a 28 foot Airstream will greatly benefit from a really good hitch system.

Brian

HeadWest · 03-20-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StreamNTyme

Unbelievable...
You spend $$$ on a new truck and $$$$ on a new Airstream and the most important purchase that will save your lives, you have a comparing list...
No comparison!!!
Safety first....Hensley!

Price is not a deciding factor. I'm spending plenty on the truck and trailer, pretty dumb place to save a few bucks.

That being said, I do have concerns with the added weight of a Hensley or Propride when I'm tight on the trucks payload capacity.

StreamNTyme · 03-20-2013, 10:11 PM

I agree with Brian, Propride would be something we would also look at if we did not have the Hensley. I would not trust Reese, been there done that, it failed.

kry226 · 03-21-2013, 03:15 AM

I have the Reese and I am not very happy at all with its sway reducing/eliminating capabilities. It distributes weight fine.

I am currently saving for a ProPride.

richinny · 03-21-2013, 03:53 AM

i've only used the propride so i can't compare but i feel i made the right choice. it tows great!

advantage over hensley: price, adjustable stinger, better paint, improved design.

travel light and load the trailer properly.

what is the payload of your f150?

Ridgerunner3 · 03-21-2013, 04:13 AM

My trailer came with a Reese Dual Cam. The Reese is NOT quicker and easier to hitch and unhitch than the Propride. I pulled the trailer about 10,000 miles with the Reese and then switched to Propride. The Reese is a good hitch when setup properly. The Propride is a much more effective hitch for sway control, easier to use, and great customer support. I am very happy with the Propride.

When you look at the mechanics of the Propride or Hensley it appears that trailer sway is impossible with either. Other advantages of the Propride are: I don't end up with grease on me each time I hitch / unhitch, easier to hitch up alone (after you get through a short learning curve), no more regular checks / adjustments of the dual cam positions.

I did a considerable amount of research on the Propride and Hensley before buying the Propride. They both are very similar but different. I spoke directly to both companies and decided to go with the Propride. Do your research. There is a considerable amount of information on the Propride and Hensley on Airforums and RV.net.

ROBERT CROSS · 03-21-2013, 05:03 AM

Hensley...

Sway elimination trumps sway control.

All those who have never toad with one please chime in.

Bob

HeadWest · 03-21-2013, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richinny

i've only used the propride so i can't compare but i feel i made the right choice. it tows great!

advantage over hensley: price, adjustable stinger, better paint, improved design.

travel light and load the trailer properly.

what is the payload of your f150?

The payload capacity of the the F150 per the door tag is 1637 pounds. I knew that I'd be tight with the payload when I ordered the truck and weight is still my main hesitation with the Propride.

HeadWest · 03-21-2013, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StreamNTyme

I agree with Brian, Propride would be something we would also look at if we did not have the Hensley. I would not trust Reese, been there done that, it failed.

How did the Reese fail?

StreamNTyme · 03-21-2013, 08:05 AM

We thought we were safe w Reese, used one several years, properly mounted. It is good ONLY to its limits. Side swiped by a semi...trailer swayed...we were totally unable to recover, rollover, anti sway bars NEVER found!

This would never have happened w the Hensley. There is NO sway now when we are near semi's passing us fast. Called and wrote to Reese, no reply.

Recently drove w a Reese hitched up to another trailer, what a difference! White knuckle driving. After several years now w Hensley! NO Comparison.

Be Safe! Hensley or Propride.

Aviator · 03-21-2013, 12:35 PM

We originally had a Reese and I didn't like the sway. The ProPride makes all the difference. If we buy a second Airstream it too will be towed with a ProPride.

Jammer · 03-21-2013, 01:49 PM

Hi HeadWest

Ultimately I think you'll be happy with either hitch.

I have the ProPride. I do believe that the ProPride does reflect an improvement over the Hensley in minor but important ways, so you're on track to consider it rather than the Hensley.

There has been one publicly reported weld failure of a ProPride hitch resulting in the trailer becoming disconnected from the tow vehicle. Thankfully, no one was hurt, since it took place at low speed and the safety chains were sufficient to control the trailer. Based on the photos of the broken hitch, I believe the failure was due to a defective weld. ProPride has announced no recall and has not answered questions about the extent of the problem or any engineering or production changes they may have made to address it.

NHTSA statistics for all trailers (RVs are not broken out due to industry lobbying) show that the most common cause of trailer-related fatalities is structural failure of the hitch components leading to separation of the trailer from the tow vehicle. Sway is way down the list.

Cequent (Reese's parent company) makes hundreds if not thousands of times more hitches than Hensley and Propride combined. To be sure, they have had their own structural failures, but the volumes are so much higher that patterns become clear and recalls initiated when appropriate. The dual cam hitch uses the same hitch head as their wd-only hitches which sell in enormous volumes. The number of these hitches in use provides a track record that simply doesn't exist with Propride and Hensley.

I am planning to take the stinger from my Propride hitch to a local welder for a careful inspection and possible re-welding.

The anti-sway performance of the Propride hitch is fantastic. It's not perfect -- the "sway elimination" bit is just marketing hubris -- but I do believe that it does a better job than the Reese dual cam.

But overall, if I had it to do over again, I'm not sure that the money was well spent, since I'm no longer convinced that the overall safety benefit is there.

Another fact to consider, that is rarely brought up, is that the Propride hitch limits the angle between the trailer and tow vehicle to about 80 degrees, which complicates parking in certain situations.

stowaways · 03-21-2013, 02:15 PM

We used to pull a 2007 27FB with a Hensley. We now tow our fully restored '69 31' Landyacht Sovereign with a Reese. Needless to say, we're saving for a new Hensley. Towing without it is night and day. No amount of money can replace the way the Airstream tows when you HAVE to tow in high winds or on the interstate with the 18-wheelers.

ROBERT CROSS · 03-21-2013, 04:46 PM

Jammer.

Good to know that it's only pride that's eliminating our sway.

Bob

Pahaska · 03-21-2013, 06:00 PM

Another vote for the ProPride which represents about 20 years of rethinking over the Hensley design. The PP is easier to hook up and the black powder coat beats faded orange paint.

I towed with a Reese HD for about 10 years, but I would never go back.

Enroute to a rally to weeks ago, out of our caravan of 13, those with conventional hitches were having a terrible time with a gusty crosswind while the Hensley and PP owners sailed merrily along with no problems. While I kept two hands on the wheel, I could have easily driven one-handed.