The unofficial pp users guide...

[SteveSueMac]

As for flipping the stinger the other way - the instructions are crystal clear on measuring to determine which way you need to arrange the setup.

Washers will help. I originally started with no washers and 1000# bars - had the thing practically reinstalled at Colonial (my original dealer - no longer in business - didn't install it well) and they got a few washers in there and swapped out to the 1400# bars.

Looks like you have a lot of lift on the WD jacks - that much should restore a lot of weight to the front.

Washers for sure and triple check the math and measurements in the installation guide.

Call Sean too - he'll be glad to walk you through it. Good luck!

[rmkrum]

The side-to-side between the yolk tail and it's 'fork holder was somewhat loose at setup... could that be an issue? This was a used hitch.

This could be the source of some of the sway. The yoke tail needs to have very little slack between it and the fork. The yoke is what keeps the bearing assembly centered and transfers sway forces to the tow vehicle as well as makes the pivot point near your rear axle.

In order to tilt downward towards the trailer more, I may need to try different height adjustments or flipping the stinger, because even with a strong helper and a floor jack, we couldn't even get a thin washer in and still get the top bolt through - it was probably 1/4" from fitting. I want to try that again I think, as this was Sean's suggestion too. I tried for an hour with different washer configurations, but didn't want to disobey the manual to flip the stinger around to plates up, or something.

If you loosen all the bolts in the stinger, it should pivot up and down quite a bit. There should be a domed steel rivet-like thing in there under which you put the washers to adjust tilt. Some of the holes are oblong to allow tilt on the top and bottom of the three bolts. Take it apart a bit more to see how this works. There are two holes for installing the rivet--one at the top, and one at the bottom to allow it to tilt both ways. There should be only ONE set of washers and rivet in there, IIRC...

Do go by the book--its right on for instructions to set it up. Have your big torque wrench handy...

[sheriff1]

I found to tight on the lift bars will create weird handling.

[rmkrum]

Yup. I adjust the WD jacks JUST until the front end of the truck feels solidly planted and stops porpoising.

I'm going to power operated WD jacks to make that easier...but that's "Overkill Engineering" on my part.

I think he needs to adjust stinger height to make the rig dead level when fully set up and loaded, then adjust bars to make the ride right. That's how I do it.

[bapp1236]

Hi Gaberz I feel your pain. I bought my Propride new with 1400 LBS bars almost three years ago. Tried everything and got it to pull good with 0 to 10 mph wind, but over that, which is 99% of the time, still sways and uncomfortable to drive at a reasonable speed to get anywhere (60-65 mph). I finally found the answer, I traded in my TT for a 5er. Now I run 70-75 with cruise control on in winds over 30 mph and keep looking back to make sure it's there, problem solved, day and night difference. I got tired of bracing for big trucks and dreading the trip. I finally got a gig I can travel with and can use the way I want. My wife can even drive in on the interstate. I finally woke up.

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by bapp1236

Hi Gaberz I feel your pain. I bought my Propride new with 1400 LBS bars almost three years ago. Tried everything and got it to pull good with 0 to 10 mph wind, but over that, which is 99% of the time, still sways and uncomfortable to drive at a reasonable speed to get anywhere (60-65 mph). I finally found the answer, I traded in my TT for a 5er. Now I run 70-75 with cruise control on in winds over 30 mph and keep looking back to make sure it's there, problem solved, day and night difference. I got tired of bracing for big trucks and dreading the trip. I finally got a gig I can travel with and can use the way I want. My wife can even drive in on the interstate. I finally woke up.

That’s kinda messed up. I get to pull an Airstream with my 1/2 ton, and can and do on occasion pull at 75 or 80 across west Texas with one hand, my wife too.

[SailorSam205]

On the install as done by my dealer, my stinger was oriented as yours is. It didn't seem right to me and I sent a pic to Sean. He recommended flipping it. Also, I've always understood that properly adjusted, the WD bars should be parallel to the ground when under tension. So I'll go along with the recommendation to add a washer or three.
Here's an pic of how my stinger is now setup. (On my computer, the picture is right side up... )
BTW, my original concern on the stinger was that it might hit the ground on a bump or going over something like railroad tracks where there is a sharp hill.

[Wazbro]

Another question, I know that for many years (not sure the range of years) GM installed an unsafely flexible hitch that made it difficult to get proper weight distribution and also cracked from excessive flexing. Does your truck have 1 of the poor OEM hitches on it?


They may have changed by 2014, my 2008 had the junk hitch.

[Gaberz]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

The ProPride jack link bars rubbing on the jack base rails seems to be normal. Mine has always rubbed a bit on one side or another in tight turns. Mine are usually nice and shiny after a long trip...I've given up painting them, and just use a little dry spray lube on the rail.

The lack of enough weight return to your front axle may mean that you need to tilt the trailer side of the stinger down just a little bit more. That will pre-load the bars some, and get more tension on them. Max practical lift on the jacks is about 9 inches from the jack upper tube to the base plate--beyond that you don't get much more useful WD, per Sean.

I don't have all that much clearance under the bar U-bolts either--I'm planning to lift the AS on the axles with a lift kit and go to 16" wheels to get a bit more clearance. Of course, that means more stinger adjustments...

I don't quite understand why more lift is giving you more sway, unless you are lifting the rear of your truck. Are you sure the yoke and it's cross member are tight and have proper clearance in the center of the yoke? That could explain some of this if it's too sloppy a fit, or you are lifting the rear of the truck a little.

Does the front end of the truck porpoise up and down any because of the front end being too light? That also can feel like a lack of sway control.

When my rig is properly adjusted, I flat get NO sway. I have Toyota stock tires on the truck. Does your truck have a rear anti-roll bar, tight shocks, and tires sized for the load? a soft suspension can be an issue as well. My Tacoma has the TRD offroad package that has stiffer shocks all around--its real stable all by itself.

So, the yoke still seems very centered looking and measuring. The tail can ding side to side maybe a quarter inch - not sure if that is tight enough or how to fix it if not. I tried to get pics of the gap but you can't really see anything in those pics. The front of the yolk tail is touching tight to the crossmember though, could this cause any troubles?
I've included a pic to show that and to show the stinger angle, which hopefully shows that I can't fit any more washers, as the bolts are at the end of the slots.
I would like to try to flip the stinger to get more ground clearance and see if I might get more angle on it, but was concerned that the manual specifically had me set it up this way, although I can't see any real reason to not try flipping it. I'm still trying to re-read the entire thread for more hints and tricks.

[rmkrum]

OH, the tail of the yoke should NOT be moving 1/4 inch in the crossmember. It should barely have clearance to 'click' back and forth. It needs a little slack, but 1/4 inch will be way too much.

Tighten the bolt on the crossmember fitting gently until there is very little slack--like 1/32 or so. The yoke tail should barely move left-right in the crossmember slot.

If it won't get tight, there is excess wear in that area, and you may have to see about replacing the parts or have it built up by welding a shim in place. A local welding shop should be able to do that inexpensively.

When you get it tight, give it a shot of spray lube or a bit of grease to help keep it from wearing.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by bapp1236

Hi Gaberz I feel your pain. I bought my Propride new with 1400 LBS bars almost three years ago. Tried everything and got it to pull good with 0 to 10 mph wind, but over that, which is 99% of the time, still sways and uncomfortable to drive at a reasonable speed to get anywhere (60-65 mph). I finally found the answer, I traded in my TT for a 5er. Now I run 70-75 with cruise control on in winds over 30 mph and keep looking back to make sure it's there, problem solved, day and night difference. I got tired of bracing for big trucks and dreading the trip. I finally got a gig I can travel with and can use the way I want. My wife can even drive in on the interstate. I finally woke up.

What’s RV is less stable than a 5er travel trailer? Pretty much nothing.

I can do maneuvers all day with my 35’ TT at speeds that would roll you over almost instantly. You’ll have to park due to crosswinds that I sort of notice.

You’ve mistaken the TT type for its hitch. A 5er or a GN is great hitch. Sorry about the failure of getting the Hensley-patent hitch correct. It’s the same as a 5er once set correctly. But this trailer type far superior for stability. A 5er is bad mojo in anything but ideal conditions. They’ll sway. And when they go over, it ain’t purty.

Change the suspension to an independent one from MOR/ryde and add disc brakes. They need plenty of help. It’ll last longer and tow FAR better.

.

[sheriff1]

Originally Posted by slowmover

What’s RV is less stable than a 5er travel trailer? Pretty much nothing.



I can do maneuvers all day with my 35’ TT at speeds that would roll you over almost instantly. .



.

A legend in your own mind...

[Gaberz]

Tightened up the yolk fork quite a bit, rechecked everything again, 5 hour trip...
Nightmare, windy day, stopped at every rest area trying to adjust up/down, and still can't get the rig over 50 without getting squirrely.

Adjusted trailer load, you name it, nothing helped. The only thing I noticed that really got me was some warm rear truck tires.

I also experienced the dreaded hensley bump! The last half hour leg of the trip was nice, with slower traffic due to the rain. I was going thru a work zone, speed limit 30, traveling 20 or 25, downhill. As two lanes came to one, the typical speed demon snuck in from the closing lane nearly clipping the cones and had to hit the brakes right in front of me. I was already on the brakes, and had to hit them a bit more, just when the 15 Chevy decided to downshift and engage the 'grade brake assist' junk.
The trailer hit us so hard that it actually squealed the back tires as they slid sideways. My passengers thought we got rear ended, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. SCARY stuff!
Thankfully I keep plenty of distance and always have a hand ready at the brake controller.

Anyhow, we returned from camping last week, and as of today there is a 2018 Silverado Crew 2500HD in my driveway. No more half ton. I'll be remeasuring for the stinger and taking the trailer for a spin in the next week or so, and I'll report back. I may also try the original Equalizer again, so there may be a PP for sale soon. Proceeds to accessorize the new truck.

[ITSNO60]

Following this thread as this is the first I have heard of these issues with the PP (with the exception of the bump which I understand can be nearly eliminated with more gain on the trailer brakes) and I was pretty set on getting one.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Gaberz

Tightened up the yolk fork quite a bit, rechecked everything again, 5 hour trip...

Nightmare, windy day, stopped at every rest area trying to adjust up/down, and still can't get the rig over 50 without getting squirrely.



Adjusted trailer load, you name it, nothing helped. The only thing I noticed that really got me was some warm rear truck tires.



I also experienced the dreaded hensley bump! The last half hour leg of the trip was nice, with slower traffic due to the rain. I was going thru a work zone, speed limit 30, traveling 20 or 25, downhill. As two lanes came to one, the typical speed demon snuck in from the closing lane nearly clipping the cones and had to hit the brakes right in front of me. I was already on the brakes, and had to hit them a bit more, just when the 15 Chevy decided to downshift and engage the 'grade brake assist' junk.

The trailer hit us so hard that it actually squealed the back tires as they slid sideways. My passengers thought we got rear ended, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. SCARY stuff!

Thankfully I keep plenty of distance and always have a hand ready at the brake controller.



Anyhow, we returned from camping last week, and as of today there is a 2018 Silverado Crew 2500HD in my driveway. No more half ton. I'll be remeasuring for the stinger and taking the trailer for a spin in the next week or so, and I'll report back. I may also try the original Equalizer again, so there may be a PP for sale soon. Proceeds to accessorize the new truck.

Have you talked with Sean? I would highly recommend it. You can send him pics, get advice - no one knows better than he does. Something sounds wrong with your setup. Call him. He’ll help you figure it out....

[mojoe7009]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

Following this thread as this is the first I have heard of these issues with the PP (with the exception of the bump which I understand can be nearly eliminated with more gain on the trailer brakes) and I was pretty set on getting one.

Get one! I have never experienced anything remotely like this with my ProPride. I have towed my 30’ Classic from Florida to California to Ohio and back to Florida through the mountains of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina with zero issues. All kinds of conditions and all kinds of camping spots. Speeds mainly around 65 but an occasional run at 75 to pass a truck. Zero sway, zero braking issues and the “bump” rarely happened. Certainly nothing scary.
It’s an awesome hitch and gives me total confidence in all conditions.

[Daquenzer]

Setting the gain correctly is very important. And setting the gain should be done when loaded and not when the TT is empty. 800 or 1000lbs can make quite a difference in how that trailer stops. It may mean putting the gain up quite a bit.

[cwf]

34'.. 2017 2500 HD. Set 7.0 on brake.. ProPride.. 40MPH gusts at varying ages... no worries. When running light load, 6.5 is good.

[CarterKraft]

Originally Posted by Gaberz

Tightened up the yolk fork quite a bit, rechecked everything again, 5 hour trip...
Nightmare, windy day, stopped at every rest area trying to adjust up/down, and still can't get the rig over 50 without getting squirrely.

Adjusted trailer load, you name it, nothing helped. The only thing I noticed that really got me was some warm rear truck tires.

I also experienced the dreaded hensley bump! The last half hour leg of the trip was nice, with slower traffic due to the rain. I was going thru a work zone, speed limit 30, traveling 20 or 25, downhill. As two lanes came to one, the typical speed demon snuck in from the closing lane nearly clipping the cones and had to hit the brakes right in front of me. I was already on the brakes, and had to hit them a bit more, just when the 15 Chevy decided to downshift and engage the 'grade brake assist' junk.
The trailer hit us so hard that it actually squealed the back tires as they slid sideways. My passengers thought we got rear ended, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. SCARY stuff!
Thankfully I keep plenty of distance and always have a hand ready at the brake controller.

Anyhow, we returned from camping last week, and as of today there is a 2018 Silverado Crew 2500HD in my driveway. No more half ton. I'll be remeasuring for the stinger and taking the trailer for a spin in the next week or so, and I'll report back. I may also try the original Equalizer again, so there may be a PP for sale soon. Proceeds to accessorize the new truck.

Without knowing your actual weights it's going to hard I think to dial your setup in.
I have learned allot from my trailer experience and I have found some trailers are just prone to "sway". I emphasize "sway" because I think most of us consider sway as the tail wagging the dog. That is the kind of sway that will cause you to jack knife and crash.

There is another "sway" that is wind induced and moves the tongue of the trailer and subsequently the bumper of the truck causing the driver to have to counter steer constantly. I suffer(ed) from the latter being that my trailer is 12' tall and 36' long it has allot of wind load area. The flat tail of my toy hauler also causes some of this effect as I have read due to low pressure area at the rear of the trailer.

In my opinion you will need to identify the type of "sway" and the weights of your rig, all of them, to identify the appropriate solution.

In my case a PP type hitch made the "wind sway" tolerable and not as tiresome but did not get rid of it. Even changing tow rigs from a Diesel Excursion with 1 ton springs to a F350 Crew cab dually did not eliminate it altogether. I have over 1500 lbs of tongue weight on a usual trip as a point of reference.

[james.mileur]

Originally Posted by Gaberz

The trailer hit us so hard that it actually squealed the back tires as they slid sideways. My passengers thought we got rear ended, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. SCARY stuff.

. . . as of today there is a 2018 Silverado Crew 2500HD in my driveway. I may also try the original Equalizer again, so there may be a PP for sale soon.

Please do call Sean and report back. I've actually read this entire thread and am on my second TV/TT with a Pro Pride and "scary" is an absolutely not in the PPP vernacular. Thx.