Hensley/Propride vs F150 upgrades

[ISUboy]

Has anyone gone from a half ton to a 3/4 with similar trailer sizes (using a non PP/haha) and it solved the issue or were there still minor issues and needed to go to the pp/haha anyway? Reading here I know there are a lot of people that pull with both a 3/4 and PP.

[rgchak]

2015 Toyota Tundra, Jayco 27 DSRL at 9K with bike rack on rear. Using ProPride last 5 years and have NEVER had trailer sway in any weather, traffic or road conditions. ProPride is the best investment Period.

[ForestStranger]

Our 2018 27' FC is coupled with a #1400 lb ProPride to a 2018 F150, max tow, 3.5L. Weight of ProPride ~200 pounds; tongue of Airstream 790. With junk and people and dogs in the truck, we are right at max gross vehicle weight. That said, truck pulls trailer in cross-winds with no sway. Passing trucks or cars, going either way… no sway or buffeting. Invest in a ProPride and ask for a discount. Sometimes on bad roads a bit of porpoising happens for a few seconds. I think that's because the tongue weight and loading is at the upper limits of the F150. Doing it over, I'd go with a F250. The investment in the ProPride is worth the safety margin you get.

[Rustmouse]

I have a similar setup with the f150 EB, though in a 2011. I have a traditional spring hitch, with proper LT rated tires. I noticed that when I went to a higher load rated tire, my rear end sway went down some, as the sidewalls got stiffer, and less squishy.

Bang for the buck, the eco boost is a good 1/3 - 2/3 ratio hauler, but the smooth ride when empty comes at the cost of additional squat and a bit of body roll when I’m towing.

My money says you’re right on the edge with the tongue weight, and may actually benefit from shifting the load forward, so that you push the ford’s suspension past the “soft ride” point and engage the heavier springs. You have a 1900# load capacity in the truck, so I would experiment with loading up the bed a bit more and see if that will change it up for you.

[AirMiles]

Originally Posted by ISUboy

Has anyone gone from a half ton to a 3/4 with similar trailer sizes (using a non PP/haha) and it solved the issue or were there still minor issues and needed to go to the pp/haha anyway? Reading here I know there are a lot of people that pull with both a 3/4 and PP.

I recently moved up from a 2017 Titan XD Diesel 4x4 (kinda a heavy half-ton truck) to a 2019 F250 Diesel 4x4. My 25' Airstream towed like it was on rails behind my Titan XD Diesel and it initially towed terribly behind my stock F250 Diesel. I know the issue is with the F250 and not the Airstream, or hitch, since it towed perfectly behind the Titan XD. I've been working on the F250 to get it to perform like my Titan XD.

As I stated above, first I increased the tire pressures which helped. Then I increased the weight distribution by moving up to 1500# bars with my 940# of tongue weight which helped some more. Now I added a Ford OEM rear stabilizer bar on the F250 which helped even more. I think the rear stabilizer bar might have been what was really needed, but I have not had the opportunity to tow in a gale-force type wind since adding the stabilizer bar. I dropped the F250's air pressures back down with the newly added rear stabilizer bar and was still was happy with the performance on a medium windy day.

Do you have a rear stabilizer bar on your F150? It seems like very few Ford trucks have rear stabilizer bars as it requires the camper package and 18" rims on the F250. My Titan XD had a rear stabilizer bar. Maybe adding a rear stabilizer bar to your F150 will help tighten up the rear end for towing. I sure hope that it is the solution to my truck's towing issues. It would be terrible if you traded your F150 for an F250 and still had the same towing issues because of the lack of a rear stabilizer bar.

If I continue to have towing issues with the F250, I may consider moving to a ProPride. But it would also be terrible to spend $$$$ on a ProPride if that still doesn't fix the problem. Can a ProPride can fix a truck's issues?

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by AirMiles

I recently moved up from a 2017 Titan XD Diesel 4x4 (kinda a heavy half-ton truck) to a 2019 F250 Diesel 4x4. My 25' Airstream towed like it was on rails behind my Titan XD Diesel and it initially towed terribly behind my stock F250 Diesel. I know the issue is with the F250 and not the Airstream, or hitch, since it towed perfectly behind the Titan XD. I've been working on the F250 to get it to perform like my Titan XD.

As I stated above, first I increased the tire pressures which helped. Then I increased the weight distribution by moving up to 1500# bars with my 940# of tongue weight which helped some more. Now I added a Ford OEM rear stabilizer bar on the F250 which helped even more. I think the rear stabilizer bar might have been what was really needed, but I have not had the opportunity to tow in a gale-force type wind since adding the stabilizer bar. I dropped the F250's air pressures back down with the newly added rear stabilizer bar and was still was happy with the performance on a medium windy day.

Do you have a rear stabilizer bar on your F150? It seems like very few Ford trucks have rear stabilizer bars as it requires the camper package and 18" rims on the F250. My Titan XD had a rear stabilizer bar. Maybe adding a rear stabilizer bar to your F150 will help tighten up the rear end for towing. I sure hope that it is the solution to my truck's towing issues. It would be terrible if you traded your F150 for an F250 and still had the same towing issues because of the lack of a rear stabilizer bar.

If I continue to have towing issues with the F250, I may consider moving to a ProPride. But it would also be terrible to spend $$$$ on a ProPride if that still doesn't fix the problem. Can a ProPride can fix a truck's issues?

The last place we camped we had 2 30’ AS beside us. Each had a 3/4 ton. Both had either Propride or Hensley. I have a Propride. They had absolutely no sway issues, and they pulled quite a bit. One will still have sway with an F250. Watch the gauntlet tests on YouTube and from time to time they have to adjust for sway even on an 3/4 ton. I do think one just doesn’t feel the sway as much in an F250 because of the suspension. But I don’t see how a bigger truck is going to stop trailer sway. It may make it less noticeable. But it won’t stop it.

Also on one trip this past year I forgot my adjustment wrench on the back bumper of my F150. When I got home after a 4 hour drive it was still there. That shows how even and stable my Propride hitch was. And we were on some bumpy roads for awhile.

[Outbackga]

It seems that no one has picked up on your P rated tires comment. Please consider LT tires. The sidewalls are MUCH stiffer, and pressures are higher. This will make a considerable difference, all other things being equal. Lots of good advice in this thread, but LT tires would be my FIRST change.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by Outbackga

It seems that no one has picked up on your P rated tires comment. Please consider LT tires. The sidewalls are MUCH stiffer, and pressures are higher. This will make a considerable difference, all other things being equal. Lots of good advice in this thread, but LT tires would be my FIRST change.

Two things: better shocks and LT tires are helpful. But again it doesn’t prevent sway. It simply makes the truck more stable so that when there is sway it becomes less noticeable. One thing I do is put a bit more air pressure in my tires; maybe 5 or 10 lbs.

[ISUboy]

I am at least convinced my truck is plenty adequate for the trailer. Adding a Propride hitch should set me up really well I feel. I think it will take the towing from the 80% to 98%. We will not have to plan around wind or hurry to leave in the morning before winds increase in the afternoon.

While I agree a heavier truck will reduce the feel of sway, I also feel that half tons are still engineered to perform to their ratings. It seems common feedback on RV forums is half tons need 10, 15, 20% safety margins with weights and the truck should weigh more than your trailer, or barely less. Yet you get into HD trucks and all the sudden it's fine to tow to their limits and pull trailers 3x the trucks weight. I find the good folks here at AS forum are more logical and down to earth with their TV thinking compared to other RV forums. Engineers have built in safety factors already...I know I work with them daily. If Ford States it can perform to this rating, then I trust the components are designed as such.
I will also say I have a camping friends who tows a very large RV with a lesser equipped V8 f150 and he is over the ratings. The truck ended up overheating on a tow in SD. It so handled terribly since it was pushing 9k lbs and 37' long.

I also think I may upgrade the truck slightly with Timbrens or Bilstein shocks to hopefully ease the ride and reduce porpoising some.

When the tires need replaced (currently have 43k miles on the original set) I will upgrade to LT rated.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by ISUboy

-- snip -- We will not have to plan around wind or hurry to leave in the morning before winds increase in the afternoon.
-- snip --.

Having a better rig lash-up does not eliminate the need to plan, mitigate wind forces and practice a full attentive driving style. High winds blow over semi trucks.

Tune your hitch lash-up. Test that tune. Do not assume all is right until you verify the rig preformance. Proceed with due care.

That attention to detail keeps you and your rig within it's operational parameters and much safer.

Travel safe and with consistent emphasis on finding those smiles. Pat

[Smh]

Originally Posted by Paprika

Bear in mind that a ProPride (and probably a Hensley) will add about 200 pounds to your tongue weight. With a truck (F-150) that is already close to its limits, that may be too much.

I towed a 2017 International 27FB behind a 2017 F-150 outfitted similarly to yours for about a year before concluding that while the truck had plenty of power, the rear end was seriously overloaded, resulting in porpoising. I fiddled with the weight distribution, but the end result was that the truck was overloaded (rear axle and GVWR) no matter what I did. I upgraded to an F-250 and the problems went away. If I were you, I'd seriously consider option 4, despite the cost.

The Hensley and ProPride hitches are well engineered and do their jobs, but they are not without drawbacks. In my case, not only was there a big increase in tongue weight, but the ProPride hitch substantially decreased my rig's ground clearance, and was difficult to hitch/unhitch in situations where the truck and trailer were unlevel/twisted/angled with respect to each other. Since I boondock much of the time, these were problems for me. I switched to an Equal-i-zer hitch, and for my uses, it works better.

Ditto
My experience too!
F150 payload was issue with 27FB. Plenty of power with EB but lots of hobby horsing on desert roads and LA bridges. Local truck shop didn’t believe they could significantly improve F150 issues by replacing shocks/other. PP was wonderful in Heavy winds for sway control with F150 but could be very difficult in unlevel/bad angle situations to hitch back up. Upgraded to F350 and EQ hitch for 6000 mile trip with some heavy winds. Night and Day, so easy to hitch back up no matter what the level/angle and absolutely no sway issues at least on that trip which did have some good winds. Have zero regrets upgrading to the bigger truck and easier hitch for hitching and unhitching.

[slowmover]

Bigger the truck, the worse will be instability. The more likely the TV is the SOURCE of a loss of control accident.

Any pickup needs the Hensley-patent hitch. Anti-lock Disc Brakes on the TT is the other part.

A pickup basically doesn’t stand a prayer of staying upright past 55-mph when a road problem calls for other than straight-line driving. Solo.
Towing, it’s worse.

(Now, let’s cue up the idiot chorus in, “But you don’t understand how good a driver I am”)

No one escapes physics. And the statistics are clear enough.

A pickup needs more help in being loaded properly, hitched properly and operated properly than ANY other design class.

And the day I see even a third of pickups hitched well shall be a day of rejoicing. It’s a two-part failure in manhood: Wrong vehicle, and inability to use properly.

I’ve kept some faith that not all of today’s men have lost the input of their senses. Investigate, Test, Confirm.

.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Smh

Ditto
My experience too!
F150 payload was issue with 27FB. Plenty of power with EB but lots of hobby horsing on desert roads and LA bridges. Local truck shop didn’t believe they could significantly improve F150 issues by replacing shocks/other. PP was wonderful in Heavy winds for sway control with F150 but could be very difficult in unlevel/bad angle situations to hitch back up. Upgraded to F350 and EQ hitch for 6000 mile trip with some heavy winds. Night and Day, so easy to hitch back up no matter what the level/angle and absolutely no sway issues at least on that trip which did have some good winds. Have zero regrets upgrading to the bigger truck and easier hitch for hitching and unhitching.

Because you can’t feel the trailer isn’t a good sign. It’s the opposite. And as EQ is the worst design of the integrated anti-sway obsolete type, you’ve gone backwards.

Suspension-tuning for TT Towing is possible. And worthwhile.

It’s not hard for me to tell who has the obsolete hitches from far astern. The way the trailer moves out of alignment. Constantly. As this is exacerbated by an almost 1:1 relationship between pickup owners failing the FIRST hitch rigging test (dead level trailer) it also makes obvious from the stern WHAT the TV will be as the AS is RIDING ON ONE AXLE.

And I promise that on the day a semi comes in too hard and fast in a pass — TOO CLOSE as both of you are near the line — it’ll be over before you knew it began.

I’ve watched it happen more than once. (A mountain downgrade is worst. Let’s add sudden very strong wind gusts to the equation).

These loss-of-control incidents AREN’T accidents. They’re failures. OPERATOR failures. Wrong vehicle, improper hitch rigging and the attendant specifics.

.

[ISUboy]

Has anyone upgraded the tires and suspension enhancements while using a friction style wd and noticed a good improvement?

[jaybauman]

Originally Posted by ISUboy

1. I have been doing it for 6 years, continue to deal with it and change nothing. Perhaps play around with the loading and hitch. Sitting at about 11% TW right now. Could increase some and see.

2. Do the above, but also add/change tires to LT rated and add shocks/active suspension to firm up the ride. about $1400

3. Do #1, but also change the hitch to a Hensley or Propride. about $2900

4. Go to a 3/4 ton truck and keep the E4 hitch. Current truck is half paid off, so not a fan of this option for starting over. Would go with a lightly used RAM 2500 or F250 in this situation, gasser to keep costs similar to what I pay now. (this is not a diesel debate).
I am well within all of my capacities on the F150, so this would be more of an ultimate stability thing. The payload bump would be a good bonus here that could be useful if we need to bring more adults with us. Currently myself, wife, young daughter and 2 lap dogs in the cab. Toys and some wood in the back. But I limit what I can put in the bed due to PL.

I am currently leaning most on #3 based on all of the great things I have read about these hitches, but my truck will need new tires in about 10-15k miles. In which case I would go LT no matter what if I keep it.

So my questions are:

Has anyone had a similar truck and trailer combination and did similar upgrades to the truck and had good results?

I am assuming the answer from most will be get the hitch, but just curious on different options and opinions.

I'm just getting started with the camping lifestyle, and like you, I've been reading everything I can find. Problem is, in the wild west of the world wide web you can find corroborating and conflicting advice on essentially any opinion you may have. I'm in the process of purchasing a 30' Flying Cloud, and I was going crazy trying to decipher all the opinions on these boards. In a long telephone conversation on a recent Friday afternoon, Sean Woodruff at ProPride patiently walked me through the value proposition of his product line. While I don't really need a ProPride, I'm definitely ordering one that will get shipped to my AS dealer so they can set up my rig at trailer delivery. It's a small investment to help protect a fairly sizable investment--not to mention the health and safety of the wife, kids, and dogs.

Your Option 3 is likely to be much less expensive than Option 4, while your Option 2 may have minimal impact on your setup. It seems as if your original inclination is your best course of action. Good luck with your decision.

[rmkrum]

Use Sean’s very clear instructions and double check the dealer’s install job. If they are not familiar with a ProPride system they can rig it wrong and cause more issues than the hitch solves.

IMHO they work really well, as long as they are set up properly. I have one, and flat won’t tow anything without one.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ISUboy

Has anyone upgraded the tires and suspension enhancements while using a friction style wd and noticed a good improvement?

Hi, my F-150 came with LT tires from the factory; These are load range "C" with a max cold pressure of 50 lbs. My tire sticker says to run 40 lbs. all around. I run my front tires at the recommended 40 lbs. and raise my rear tire pressures to 50 lbs. when towing. No other changes were done to my truck. I use an Equal-I-zer brand hitch.