ProPride Hookup PIA

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

And just think, those thousands of trucks you pass hauling two trailers full of gravel, are hitched up with a ring dropped onto a ball, a top comes down on the ball to secure and off they go. With air brake hoses. And all the horse trailers, might have a sway bar but few. Lets hear the answers on why that works for them.

Calculate how much more their tow vehicles weigh than the ones we use and you'll have at least part of your answer.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

And just think, those thousands of trucks you pass hauling two trailers full of gravel, are hitched up with a ring dropped onto a ball, a top comes down on the ball to secure and off they go. With air brake hoses. And all the horse trailers, might have a sway bar but few. Lets hear the answers on why that works for them.

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔....OK, now what?

Best answer...they don't know any better, or just don't give a hoot.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Bob
🇺🇦🇺🇸🇺🇦

[Merlintiaga]

Back to the OP, we purchased our PP 3 weeks ago. I’ve hooked and unhooked about 10 times. First time took 40 minutes, now I can do it on the first try. Keys for me:

1) level the PP receiver with the jacks
2) MOST IMPORTANT: place a straight rod (I use the awning bar) on the ground directly under the PP. Align it with the center of receiver. You’ll be able to see the rod with your TV backup camera. It MUST be directly under the stinger as you back in. The rod creates a sight line that you use as a backing up guide. If your stinger is not aligned with the rod, pull forward and straighten truck.
3) as you back up, have the DW raise/lower trailer so the stinger/receiver are at right height.
4) once in, hold the brakes on, place in park and have the DW latch the cam-overs.
DONE!

This has made hooking up a breeze.
:-)

[nryn]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

Ugh, yet another campsite where I am question my ProPride. At Baldridge campground at Lake Lanier in Georgia. A beautiful pull thru site. But it’s a bit of a U shape, up an incline and trees decorating the entrance and exit we get in, but it’s tough getting the wheels up on the pad of the site. And when I finally get the trailer positioned, the ProPride hitch is smaller to one side so I can’t get the foot down. I suppose if I’d anticipated this, I could have put my lot bar on first. These last two experiences are not having me love this very expensive hitch.

These are all growing pains with the ProPride. In time you learn to either prevent these things from happening (pull forward a bit to straighten out the head or take the foot off ahead of time—i.e. for travel) or how to fix them (as mentioned earlier, chock up a tire and straighten out the head or loosen the jacks until you can swing the “short” arm out of the way).

But life is too short to complain this much. If you are spending your time cursing this hitch, go for another.

[jondrew55]

I’ve got many trips with no issues. The last two have been very frustrating. Frequently I set up and take down alone so I don’t have the luxury of another pair of hands. Getting the stinger lined up and at the right height has never been an issue. But there have been times it just would not go in and I could fix that by jacking the hitch to get the angle right.

By the way (I’m not addressing this to the person I’m quote replying to), my whining here is to point out my experiences and hear how others may have dealt with the problem. I’ve got a lot invested in this hitch and hopefully I’ll get more pointers on how to avoid these problems. It’s also fair warning to those thinking about buying one that there can be some challenges using them. But if you find this subject boring or repetitive I invite you to ignore the thread.

Originally Posted by Merlintiaga

Back to the OP, we purchased our PP 3 weeks ago. I’ve hooked and unhooked about 10 times. First time took 40 minutes, now I can do it on the first try. Keys for me:

1) level the PP receiver with the jacks
2) MOST IMPORTANT: place a straight rod (I use the awning bar) on the ground directly under the PP. Align it with the center of receiver. You’ll be able to see the rod with your TV backup camera. It MUST be directly under the stinger as you back in. The rod creates a sight line that you use as a backing up guide. If your stinger is not aligned with the rod, pull forward and straighten truck.
3) as you back up, have the DW raise/lower trailer so the stinger/receiver are at right height.
4) once in, hold the brakes on, place in park and have the DW latch the cam-overs.
DONE!

This has made hooking up a breeze.
:-)

[jondrew55]

If I had the phone number of the guy I saw on I-75 the other day with his horse trailer swaying from the shoulder to the center lane for 5 miles I’d definitely ask him what his secret to success was.

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

And just think, those thousands of trucks you pass hauling two trailers full of gravel, are hitched up with a ring dropped onto a ball, a top comes down on the ball to secure and off they go. With air brake hoses. And all the horse trailers, might have a sway bar but few. Lets hear the answers on why that works for them.

[nryn]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

I’ve got many trips with no issues. The last two have been very frustrating. Frequently I set up and take down alone so I don’t have the luxury of another pair of hands. Getting the stinger lined up and at the right height has never been an issue. But there have been times it just would not go in and I could fix that by jacking the hitch to get the angle right.

I can’t remember if this is mentioned earlier in the thread, but early on I figured out that the stinger was getting caught up in the head by friction. So in addition to filing the corners of the stinger’s tip so that they are rounded over, I also spray some silicone lubricant in the head before hitching up and really it’s pretty rare I have to back in more than once.

As mentioned earlier, I almost always take the foot off while traveling, largely so I don’t have to navigate the bars with it when unhitching as most of the sites I choose require some gymnastics to get into.

[civeng99]

Response to Mr. cross above. Just lol.

This has to be one of the most ridiculous posts I’ve ever read on here. Pintle hooks are an established industry standard.

They’re so incredibly unsafe I see a line up of 50 trucks behind my office that are fully insured by an insurance company that clearly knows how dangerous and menacing to society they are but writes the policy none the less.

I Aldi love the logic of the horse trailer posting above. Equally ridiculous. One incident and all similar trucks are unsafe.

Yet we don’t throw all ppp hitches in the trash as one Person is having an issue with one. Why isnt that brushed on all? Hilarious stuff.

[2012FB]

Originally Posted by nryn

If you are spending your time cursing this hitch, go for another.

Well said! My exact sentiment and actions.

[jondrew55]

I’ve not yet filed the edges, but I spray it to lubricate. Yes, the foot coming off would have helped. I’ll try that next time.

Originally Posted by nryn

I can’t remember if this is mentioned earlier in the thread, but early on I figured out that the stinger was getting caught up in the head by friction. So in addition to filing the corners of the stinger’s tip so that they are rounded over, I also spray some silicone lubricant in the head before hitching up and really it’s pretty rare I have to back in more than once.

As mentioned earlier, I almost always take the foot off while traveling, largely so I don’t have to navigate the bars with it when unhitching as most of the sites I choose require some gymnastics to get into.

[mythbuster88]

Well in the early days we had some awful PP experiences. I just could not get the stinger to go in. Now not so much. The solution was lots of grease, patience, and no disconnects on unlevel ground.

[pteck]

Originally Posted by mythbuster88

no disconnects on unlevel ground.

I get that many camp only in flatlands, but that in itself is a non-starter for more interesting locations.

[jondrew55]

Originally Posted by pteck

I get that many camp only in flatlands, but that in itself is a non-starter for more interesting locations.

Right. The current COE campground we’re in is quite civilized. Many of the sites are back-in with a slope to them. You’re trailer will be on a nice, level concrete pad, but the tow vehicle will be slanted up. This is where the lot bar would be invaluable.

[mythbuster88]

Originally Posted by pteck

I get that many camp only in flatlands, but that in itself is a non-starter for more interesting locations.

Thats the sad truth.

[jondrew55]

Another update: We decided to stay another day at Lake Lanier COE campground and had to switch sites. The site I was at was an "easy access" pull thru which was sort of horseshoe shaped, and with a grade up on both sides. Probably the worst of both worlds for a PP hitch since the truck was both turned at an angle and tilted front to back and side to side. When I switched sites, I used the lot bar and things were much simpler both hooking up and backing into a more standard back in site. When we left yesterday I hooked up directly to my PP hitch. My wife backed the truck up and I was able to guide the stinger into the hitch and got hooked up easily.

I'll close by saying the 500 mile ride home was smooth and steady from Atlanta to Orlando and all the crummy roads and bypasses. Trucks blast by with no noticeable side pushing. I've reduced my bar tension by a bit and there is no porpoising even on the most uneven roads. It's tough to make an apples to apples comparison of the PP hitch to a standard WD/Anti Sway hitch since I've never pulled a 30' like this with a 3/4 ton truck. I believe my Shasta trailer was 27' and I pulled it with my Tundra. I had a standard WD hitch with a friction AS setup. The trailer was always wagging the truck and any hills would make that Toyota V8 screaming. I think having a lot bar, jack and keeping the stinger lubricated (and maybe grind the sharp edges) make most hookups easier.

[BogeyPro]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

Levels are a good recommendation. I almost never had a problem with hitching up with our Hensley (we have now used it for 20 years), but a post on the Forum several years ago led me to buy a couple of bullseye levels from Amazon. Double-stick foam tape holds flat magnets on the backs. One level goes on the end of the stinger and one on the hitch head.

Stinger to hitch head alignment is now simplified. I adjust the hitch head so it's level matches the stinger's level. Of course, the stinger still has to aim directly into the hitch head, but a rearview camera makes that easy.

Tim

Hi, Tim. This sounds like an efficient solution, and thank you for sharing. Any chance you could share some pictures? I'm trying to envision your methodology...specifically, what input from each bubble level do you use for lining it up?

Also, any link on Amazon for your bullseye level? There are many on Amazon, but most of them have bad reviews (cheap, fall apart, made in China, etc).

Thank you so much!

[Tim A.]

First, let me say that the idea is not mine. Too bad I can't remember who suggested it! I can't easily take a picture. Sorry.

One of the bullseye levels is on the end of the stinger (in the tow vehicle's receiver) that goes into the hitch and one is on the top of hitch where the stinger enters the hitch. The position of the bubbles in the two levels should match, indicating that they are aligned. The bubbles need not be in the center, just that their angles match. Of course, make sure the hitch head is at the right height for the stinger and that the stinger is pointed directly into the hitch head.

I bought these levels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I added these magnets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Tim

[BogeyPro]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

First, let me say that the idea is not mine. Too bad I can't remember who suggested it! I can't easily take a picture. Sorry.

One of the bullseye levels is on the end of the stinger (in the tow vehicle's receiver) that goes into the hitch and one is on the top of hitch where the stinger enters the hitch. The position of the bubbles in the two levels should match, indicating that they are aligned. The bubbles need not be in the center, just that their angles match. Of course, make sure the hitch head is at the right height for the stinger and that the stinger is pointed directly into the hitch head.

I bought these levels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I added these magnets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Tim

Thank you, Tim! Both items are very inexpensive, in my shopping cart. Appreciate your help.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

First, let me say that the idea is not mine. Too bad I can't remember who suggested it! I can't easily take a picture. Sorry.

One of the bullseye levels is on the end of the stinger (in the tow vehicle's receiver) that goes into the hitch and one is on the top of hitch where the stinger enters the hitch. The position of the bubbles in the two levels should match, indicating that they are aligned. The bubbles need not be in the center, just that their angles match. Of course, make sure the hitch head is at the right height for the stinger and that the stinger is pointed directly into the hitch head.

I bought these levels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I added these magnets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Tim

I too just had my first bad experience hooking up. Very uneven ground and in the end I concluded the problem was head/stinger angle match. Getting the stinger straight and height correct is easy. Thanks for the tip and links. I knew there had to be a pony in this thread somewhere!

[Fungus]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

My wife backed the truck up and I was able to guide the stinger into the hitch and got hooked up easily.

My wife does all the backing into the campsite. I direct her from the driver's window while facing the trailer. If I want the rear of the trailer to go to my right (her left) I say "slight right" so she turns the wheel to her right. No walkie-talkies. No spotty cell coverage. No yelling. No drama. I check for obstructions first (of course) and occasionally have her hold while I check again.

Maybe I should add hitching-up to her backing duties.