?propride hitch and transmitted shock to trailer?

[Jimbob24]

f150 max tow and 25' FB signature.

never done this before.

was considering propride hitch. I want maximum safety. but am drawn to the idea of an equalizer hitch (which my dealer sells and would install) + an Air Safe hitch (which people seem to rave about)

People with Air safe hitches claim that the trailer is so smooth that they don't get slammed open or closed doors, jolting, etc. This is so compelling to me that i'm now considering the Equalizer+ Air Safe combo instead of the propride.

Propride users out there how is the jarring and transmitted shock of going over bumps / railroad crossings with your hitch?

thx for the comments.

[rmkrum]

I'm totally satisfied with my ProPride setup. I'll spare you the blather about how much I love it... I don't understand how an AirSafe system would not negate the ability of a WD hitch to transfer weight. I can see their utility in a fifth-wheel or gooseneck tow setup...because there is little flex in thse systems.

I can only point to the fact that my setup does NOT pop rivets or re-arrange stuff sitting on the counter-tops or dining table while traveling. Last long trip was 8 weeks on the road back and forth from California to as far as Alabama, over 8,000 miles when the hitch was brand new.

That said, I adjust my WD bars to just enough tension to firmly 'plant' the front end of my Tacoma. From that point, its no worse than towing on the ball.

The Taco 4x4 is fairly softly sprung, and I think it is well-matched to the Airstream. If I had a bigger, stiffer truck, it might be an issue...

From what I read on the forums, the F-150 should be gentle enough on the AS, unless you plan to take it on really rough pavement, or go off-road at high speeds...

Have a look around at the various forums.

[SteveSueMac]

I have nothing else to compare with - my first ever trailer (and my current trailer) is a 27FB connected to a Chevy 3/4T diesel with a ProPride. Early on - I had some "porpoising" because I wasn't applying enough weight transfer to the from axle of the truck. Never bone jarring, but now dialed in, it's very smooth.

Don't know if a half ton will react differently.

Good luck!

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I have nothing else to compare with - my first ever trailer (and my current trailer) is a 27FB connected to a Chevy 3/4T diesel with a ProPride. Early on - I had some "porpoising" because I wasn't applying enough weight transfer to the from axle of the truck. Never bone jarring, but now dialed in, it's very smooth.

Don't know if a half ton will react differently.

Good luck!

It absolutely reacts the same. I'm fiddling with a set of remote control power WD jacks on my ProPride to make it easier to tune while underway. I find stopping, adjusting, and the usual rinse and repeat to be a pain... See my group engineering, planning, and scheming results on this subject at http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ng-172468.html More progress when the weather warms up around here--its been a bone-chilling 45 degrees out when I get home from work...

If I'm too light on WD tension, it porpoises quite a bit. About another 1/2" to 1" on the jacks solves the issue. It seems to be related to how much stuff we load in the front of the trailer and the bed of the truck. If the rear of the TV squats too much, its rather a seasick ride. A quick tweak and all is well again...

[Drathaar]

Originally Posted by Jimbob24

f150 max tow and 25' FB signature.

never done this before.

was considering propride hitch. I want maximum safety. but am drawn to the idea of an equalizer hitch (which my dealer sells and would install) + an Air Safe hitch (which people seem to rave about)

People with Air safe hitches claim that the trailer is so smooth that they don't get slammed open or closed doors, jolting, etc. This is so compelling to me that i'm now considering the Equalizer+ Air Safe combo instead of the propride.

Propride users out there how is the jarring and transmitted shock of going over bumps / railroad crossings with your hitch?

thx for the comments.

JB, with a F150, I don't think you're going to need an Air Safe hitch, unless you have some extremely stiff suspension in that truck, but YMMV. I use one with my 2014 F350, but did not use it with my old 2000 F250.

The Air Safe does smooth things out, but it isn't a silver bullet. You will still see things get bounced around on occasion. A door on the sink cabinet has come off in travel due to the screws backing out of the hinges. Something to watch for regardless of which hitch you buy.

One thing to be aware of is an Air Safe is heavier than HE Double Hockysticks. I'd say right at 100 pounds with the EQ gear on it. My days of putting that beast in the receiver by myself are over.

[pt.reyesfan]

Originally Posted by Jimbob24

f150 max tow and 25' FB signature.

never done this before.

was considering propride hitch. I want maximum safety. but am drawn to the idea of an equalizer hitch (which my dealer sells and would install) + an Air Safe hitch (which people seem to rave about)

People with Air safe hitches claim that the trailer is so smooth that they don't get slammed open or closed doors, jolting, etc. This is so compelling to me that i'm now considering the Equalizer+ Air Safe combo instead of the propride.

Propride users out there how is the jarring and transmitted shock of going over bumps / railroad crossings with your hitch?

thx for the comments.

I have been using a ProPride hitch on white box and airstream trailers for over 9 years. No problems.

[ShinyPete]

Jimbob24-

As above posters we have been very pleased with a ProPride hitch used to link our Flying Cloud 27fb and ‘15 F150 w/MaxTow. We have never had anything come loose in the coach, or any rivet pops that I know you of.

I run our xl tires on the truck @50 psi and the Goodyear Endurance tires (E-rated) in the coach @65psi. We made a short tow yesterday and the only thing that moved was the short end cushion on the couch next to the fridge that just stands there with no attachment to the wall.

I have nothing against other hitches nor fellow Airstreamers that want 3/4 or 1 ton tow trucks for carrying capacity. For us though, our combo does exactly what we need, it tows like it is welded together, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the whole setup.

Whatever you choose, take your time on the hitch setup. Don’t let the dealership or anyone else step back and go “yeah that looks good”. NO Spend the required time researching how to setup your combo with measurements and scale trips, get it right, and get out there!

Hope this helps.

[m.hony]

A $20 gadget cut down a lot of jostling and bobbling for me- a hitch tightener/anti-rattle device to take up the slop/free play where the shank goes into the receiver-
That $20 did as much as anything to improve the ride quality.
I have an Equal-i-zer hitch with 1,200# bars.
I have Centramatic balancers on the trailer wheels. That probably smooths out things inside the trailer, but it doesn't feel any different from the driver's seat.
I like the ProPride idea- prevent/eliminate sway in the first place.

[accordionman]

I also have nothing to compare it with. I tow with a F 250 6.7. Don't notice any un necessary bouncing with the jacks adjusted properly. I know that depending on the cruising speed and the quality of the roads that we're on, there is more or less movement of the Classic. Haven't had anything bounce out of proportion. Just started in May of this yr and still love the way that the propride controls ( eliminates ) any sway from the trailer.

Just my .02

[cwf]

the 34' was towed since new with an Ezy.. it was worn out when we purchased. Stuff in the trailer moved.. a lot.. Installed PP... things still moved... installed Centramatics... great improvement. Replaced Axles.. Ta-Da!!! things really stopped moving..

Fast forward 2 years.. the drawer 'latch' feature began to fail... they were worn out. Replaced failing drawer guides.. problem solved.

Since then, replace drawer guides as they stop working... if they slide out without lifting the drawer face, they are bad.

I cannot speak to increased vibration associated with the PP hitch.. I can not speak to it..

However, I contemplated the AirHitch... and it seemed there would be some additional 'porposing'.. and that is why I decided not to use. The PP setup seems more 'solid' and trailer nose.. so, severe impacts will surely be transferred to some extent.. even an air hitch has limited movement that can be exceeded.

[Countryboy59]

I use a Hensley, F350, 27' Serenity. No issues with things coming loose on crappy Michigan roads. Even if it did, I'd prefer loose screws to sway problems.

I imagine the Propride is similar.

[Roadtech]

Originally Posted by m.hony

A $20 gadget cut down a lot of jostling and bobbling for me- a hitch tightener/anti-rattle device to take up the slop/free play where the shank goes into the receiver-
That $20 did as much as anything to improve the ride quality.

Do you have a source and part number for this you could share? I could use one of these.

[m.hony]

I got it from Amazon in 2014.
It is called a Stowaway Hitch Tightener.
The auto parts stores have them.
There are other brands and other styles like shims vs. the u-bolt style of this one.

[Martee]

Originally Posted by Jimbob24

f150 max tow and 25' FB signature.

never done this before.

was considering propride hitch. I want maximum safety. but am drawn to the idea of an equalizer hitch (which my dealer sells and would install) + an Air Safe hitch (which people seem to rave about)

People with Air safe hitches claim that the trailer is so smooth that they don't get slammed open or closed doors, jolting, etc. This is so compelling to me that i'm now considering the Equalizer+ Air Safe combo instead of the propride.

Propride users out there how is the jarring and transmitted shock of going over bumps / railroad crossings with your hitch?

thx for the comments.

I was towing my FC 25FB with a Propride hitch and 2014 Toyota Tundra...and the ProPride seemed to do the job reasonably well. But then I encountered some poor gravel roads that you cannot seem to avoid when getting to some of the more remote state parks. And the Propride being very low on ground clearance always struggled.

I replaced the Propride with the Reese StediFlex with 1200# bars. The Reese is a more conventional WD hitch and quite similar to the Equalizer in design. The Reese provides a big change in ground clearance for me, and the overall simplicity of design makes it easier to dial in the WD and both Hitch and Unhitch now is much easier.

I put my Propride in the garage until I get either more towing experience or making a trip where only good roads are present.

[rmkrum]

Or consider raising axles a few inches to gain more clearance? Dexter makes blocks specifically to do this. Search the forums for ‘lift kits’ if I remember correctly.

[Paprika]

"Or consider raising axles a few inches to gain more clearance?"

That's what I did. A 2.5" Dexter lift kit added to my International 27FB this summer made a big difference in getting in and out of boondocking sites.