ProPride bent stinger.

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

I can't say personally had any bad experience with the hitches on a GMC Safari AWD van and two GMC trucks that we have owned, but have read of a lot of other folks that have!

Because of that, I try to remember to check the hitch welds on every trip we make, and would change to an aftermarket hitch if/when I ever see signs of developing problems.

Brian M.

I replaced the faulty OEM GM receivers with aftermarket Class IV receivers. They were a simple bolt-on that I was able to do myself. The local Chevrolet dealer offered to replace the cracked receiver under warranty, but I declined the offer as that would be replacing junk with more junk.

Here is a photo of a weld crack on one of the OEM GM receivers.

Brian

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by anniemaine

Hopefully I uploaded it correctly this time.

Annie,

There should also be evidence on whatever portion of the hitch that caused the deformation.
Is there an area on the head or section of the chains that also shows paint loss/damage?

It looks like the damage happened when turning sharply, forward or backing up. Is there anything unusual you can remember?

Where are you now? A U-Haul service center could ck it for you. Ask a local camper and the Campground host for recommendations.

Bob

[dznf0g]

I am not sure, on the relatively long wheelbase of the Tundra, that you can turn sharp enough to reach the stop angle of the hitch head assembly. (85* I think on a PP)
I think that bind could only occur upon backing very sharply. Perhaps Sean could weight in on that???

[anniemaine]

I forgot to answer a question asked. Yes, they did add more chain and chains were very close to dragging.

I have no issue with Sean or the way he has handled everything. I appreciate that he has sold the replacement hitch at cost. Once I'm able to move on (I'm at a camp ground in Canton, TX), I'll find a uhaul or rv repair place to check out the hitch. Thanks, Annie

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by anniemaine

Hopefully I uploaded it correctly this time.

I'm having trouble with the pic perspective here. What are we looking at...from what angle? Why does, what I am assuming are the spring bars, one look like it is a larger diameter than the other? was this taken with the camera below the AS coupler looking straight down?

[Ridgerunner3]

The discussion in the attached thread may possibly be when Annie's stinger bend happened.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...lp-112518.html

[ghaynes755]

Yes the posts are related.

[gmw photos]

If it were mine, I would want a real close look at the trailer a-frame as well. I'm still having a hard time visualizing the stinger being the weak link in the chain of components here. And if it's not, then something else would seem to me to have to be tweaked.

[LFC]

Originally Posted by dkottum

There's nothing faulty, some are trolling, others don't like the ProPride/Hensley because they don't have one. If they did they would defend it, just like every other product we see discussed in these forums.

It's the flak we must fly through to carry on a decent discussion.

Just because I don't agree or don't own one doesn't make me a "troll"

If I thought I needed or just wanted a Propride hitch I'd own one.

I'm no engineer but I have rode my share of trains and I see the chain excuse causing the stinger to bend is just that a lame excuse....if I couldn't get a full refund I'd get the replacement parts and sell the hitch and cut my loses.

Another point...If she did jackknife the trailer to the point of bending the stinger I'd expect to see damage to the vehicle or the trailer.

[BAB]

OK, I read all 69 posts. I have not lost one iota of confidence in my PP. Reading the instructions on how to set up the PP (and making sure i understand them) when I first got it was a big part of a successful ownership experience over more than 20,000 towing miles. While I'm not a mechanical or structural engineer, and having lifted that VERY heavy hunk of 2" steel many times, I'm betting a much too severe backing angle was the culprit.

[HowieE]

annie.

Can you post other pictures from several different angles so we can see just at what point the bend is? Looking straight down it is hard to tell.
When metal bends it either flows leaving a stretched area a kinked area or it fails leaving a gag. Which took place is what we need to see.

I agree with those posting that there is little likely hood the chains had anything to do with this. The term Chains Plural is misleading in that the only way both chains could be involved is if the the truck or trailer was lifted straight up to a point that the chains became tight, not likely.
Any horizontal displacement could only cause one chain to become tight.

[rodsterinfl]

The most important thing is that you are ok Annie.

Just a little data.

no this is what I appreciate about you Sean. Thanks for responding on the forum.

It looks like your chains were bound between the pivot head and the bars and jammed the head from pivoting and forcing the weight resistance on a straight line once jammed.

Don't worry. Things will happen. When I backed my AS into something and dented the panel in I was freaked- mad that someone had put a board up on a shelf sticking way out but also realizing that regardless, it was my fault. Minimize the loss and realize the lesson learned, always planning carefully and safely as best you can.

[Zackybilly1]

I understand the concern for a newbie/fellow camper and wanting their first experiences to be good ones but I find the "witch hunting" irritating at the very least. Based on the facts displayed on the stinger, there is nothing PP/Sean could have done to cause that short of putting a hinge in the stinger. It is also verification of the weld quality for those who questioned it, as well as, the yoke design. People tend to focus on the bad but there has been some good information obtained out of this, as well.

I have two Hensley Arrow on the floor of my shop (I chose to retire them) and two ProPrides in service. The ProPrides are head & shoulders above the Hensleys in numerous respects, no doubt about it. I own & run a big manufacturing facility, design and sell my own equipment. I can't help but to evaluate other people's designs and workmanship especially on unique equipment. I try not to hand out too many blue ribbons but the ProPride is what the Hensley should have evolved into if they had been trying to improve their (Arrow) product. They didn't and ProPride easily surpassed them. The end-users are the ones that benefited from Sean's desire to provide a new & improve hitch. I'd buy another tomorrow if I had a need for it and although I have the machinist, tools & technology, I certainly couldn't build one for what his retail for. As a side note, I called Hensley, ask them a technical question and got the "canned" speech...I was embarrassed for them and wasted my dime calling them.

I do sympathize with the OP...however, bought experience comes in many different sizes. The less mechanical ability, usually the bigger the cost. I think Sean was more than fair sending the replacement at his cost and for the life of me, can't understand why he has to defend his honor every time someone creates their own issue. Good thing anvil manufacturers aren't responsible for everything that gets screwed up on them.

If a manufacturer is liable for any possible way a user can have or create an issues...before long, no-one will be providing these goodies for our trailers or they'll have to build the "possibility" into their cost pushing the price out of most people's reach.

I don't know Sean from Adam and don't need to....I know what I need to know about Sean through his products. They speak volumes on their own. I may destroy one this weekend but it sure as hell won't be Sean's fault. Sometimes you just have to suck it up, write it off to education and move on with a better understanding.

Z

[rodsterinfl]

How from the stated facts and photos here do some feel it warranted to categorize as "faulty"?

Exactly Pharmgeek. From the look of it. Something was above the bars and the angle of bend and upward bend suggest a hard turn. With the head jammed, the turn would have forced all the weight/load in a straight line, probably from the original position. The only two factors are operator or product. Whatever was between the bars and the head (note the bent up areas) was part of the issue.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

Exactly Pharmgeek. From the look of it. Something was above the bars and the angle of bend and upward bend suggest a hard turn. With the head jammed, the turn would have forced all the weight/load in a straight line, probably from the original position. The only two factors are operator or product. Whatever was between the bars and the head (note the bent up areas) was part of the issue.

Initially I couldn't see how the chain could be responsible for the damage because I was thinking in terms of the chain being in tension - in which case I felt it would surely have let go before causing such major damage to the 2" bar.

But if it is suggested that somehow chain links caused jamming of the pivot mechanism and as such the links were in compression, then that is a different scenario and I could see that situation.

If that happened though, I would expect to see some significant "squishing damage" (Technical term?!) evident on the links. I wonder if that was found?

This all starts to sound a bit like train derailment investigations I used to be involved in years ago!

Brian.

[Jim Flower]

Excellent post Zack!

[AWCHIEF]

Actually I think what we need is more facts and less cheer leading. Reading both the threads on this near catastrophic failure it is clear to me that all the facts have not been made public.

[Jim Flower]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Arrow - The shear bolts would have sheared. The strut bar would have bent. The hole that the strut attaches to on the main orange hitch head would have ripped out to the trailer side. ProPride - the frame bracket that holds the tail of the yoke will shift to the side. There are no shear bolts because there is no drilling into the frame to install the ProPride.

Like this?
Backing uphill in the mud. Jim

[dkottum]

oh oh . . . two hitch conspiracies in one thread.

[cwf]

Liking our ProPride!