Hensley broke, how long warranty?

[Kilroy]

Discovered Hensley is broke around lower plate on right bearing on WD bar. Break doesn’t look fresh as is covered with grease. We were in Alaska last summer with huge frost heaves in Canada and Alaska and wonder if that caused it. Just discovered yesterday so haven’t called Hensley yet. Can’t find what warranty is on Hensley site. Anyone know?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Kilroy

Discovered Hensley is broke around lower plate on right bearing on WD bar. Break doesn’t look fresh as is covered with grease. We were in Alaska last summer with huge frost heaves in Canada and Alaska and wonder if that caused it. Just discovered yesterday so haven’t called Hensley yet. Can’t find what warranty is on Hensley site. Anyone know?

Unless their warranty has changed drastically, the Hensley Arrow is Warranted against defects for the lifetime it is owned by the original owner.

https://www.hensleymfg.com/about/the-hensley-guarantee/

[BigAl]

there is a lifetime warrantee to the original owner.
Al

[cwf]

If no warranty, and you want to keep that excellent hitch, ask Hensley for a trade and how to get the lifetime instated for your hitch.

[white laker]

The Hensley has a lifetime warranty to the original owner for certain. If you bought it used you can purchase a new warranty for $500.00 and they will fix or replace the broken one for free.
happy hitchin'
Pete

[Kilroy]

Hensley’s web site phone number says 24/7. Thought I’d try as I believe it ok to use hitch as is, just won’t have weight distribution, but would feel better with Hensley confirmation. At choices at the number is one for emergencies. Left my number with a message and got a call back within 5 minutes. It is ok to use hitch as is for now. Warranty is lifetime. I will have to pay for shipping. Will call back Tuesday to make arrangements.

[moosetags]

The warranty is lifetime for the original owner. Several years ago, the head separated and the bearings went out on our 2005 Hensley Arrow. At the time we were camped in Moses Lake, Washington. We called Hensley and they shipped a new head unit. It took about 4 days to get it, and we installed it ourselves at the campground. We packed up the broken unit and shipped it back to Hensley. The whole thing cost us about $250 in shipping costs.

Brian

[JCWDCW]

The break is typical of a Hensley Failure. Mine let go the same place while turning a corner. It is a known weakness. You will see some older hitches reinforced with a strap around the tubes holding the equalizer bars. If you are original owner you are probably covered...I'm 3rd owner so no such luck
JCW

[Kilroy]

Replacement is on the way. Covered under lifetime warranty. $95 shipping (weighs 98 lbs) and $500 deposit. I get deposit back when I send broke part back.

[PKI]

So, does the new head have an improved configuration that will not break? Pat

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by PKI

So, does the new head have an improved configuration that will not break? Pat

It's probably the same design. Hensley Manufacturing has not updated the design as far as I know...

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by Kilroy

Discovered Hensley is broke around lower plate on right bearing on WD bar. Break doesn’t look fresh as is covered with grease. We were in Alaska last summer with huge frost heaves in Canada and Alaska and wonder if that caused it. Just discovered yesterday so haven’t called Hensley yet. Can’t find what warranty is on Hensley site. Anyone know?

Don't tell me the worlds most revered, indestructible, flying carpet of a hitch actually broke. Unbelievable story for sure (Must have been sabotaged). :-)

[rmkrum]

Realistically, any thing humans build can be broken by another group of humans with enough motivation...

Worked on an Oil Pipe burying barge for ETPM once...those guys broke darn near anything, and if they didn't have a tool to break something, they had a complete machine shop that they used to build a tool to break anything that needed breaking...

ProPride is built heavier, but it's quite possible to break them as well...

[cwf]

Former roughneck here. If it’s built it can be bent, worn , whacked, warped, scratched, burnt, smashed, unintentionally rapid deconstruction and other fabulously amazing awesome spectacular screwups....

I rebuilt mine.. cheaper than shipping back to Sean (PP)... also, I think
It Works better.

[rmkrum]

Amen to that, and the welders can weld up any gap they can jump across....[emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]

[JCWDCW]

I considered rebuilding mine
The lower plate is severely distorted and torn; not impossible but it is still 20 plus years old so I've moved on; plus the adjustable alignment bar bent and brackets were torn so I would be looking at costs approaching my purchase of the 10000 lb Easylift, and for now with over 10,000 miles on it I'm happy
I found the welds for the equalizer bar broke cleanly away from the plate on a short stretch so poor penetration of the weld is most likely cause
JCW

[crispyboy]

Anybody have a picture of a repaired HA hitch? I would be interested in how this lower plate is reinforced. I'm slightly handy with a welder so I would like to do this as a preventative measure.

[gator.bigfoot]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

It's probably the same design. Hensley Manufacturing has not updated the design as far as I know...

Same design. Hensley refuses to accept that it is a flaw. I bought another second hand unit and the had a bar welded across thr back to prevent it from breaking apart again. The first one was destroyed beyond any hope. Fortunately it broke as I was exiting the freeway and not as I was driving at full speed. The chains kept it off the ground but the away was almost impossible to control.

[PKI]

So, is this failure the result of abuse? Is the Hensley just worn/stressed to failure after XXX miles of normal use?

What is the all up cost for a repair? Hitch has life time Warranty, so is there any repair cost that is not covered? Is it only the cost to ship that is incured? Kilroy's/OP seems to indicate that it is only shipping.

Anyone know if there have been failures on the lighter weight Hensley Cub?

Bottom line - is it possible to inspect the hitch and predict/identify failure so the head can be replaced/rebuilt prior to failure?

Parallel line - Did Hensley, the designer, correct this issue with the ProPride design?

And of course - is this a very unlikely problem or a certain failure? Pat

[rmkrum]

I don't have a clear view of the improvements Mr. Hensley made that went into the ProPride hitch.

I do know that the ProPride head and stinger parts are quite a bit heavier and thicker than the original version put out by Hensley Manufacturing.

Perhaps Sean can put some light on the differences?