Will Ford's "Trailer Backup Assist" work with a Hensley Hitch

[wilsodf]

I recently upgraded my TV from a 2018 Ford Expedition to a 2020 Ford Super Duty. My expedition had Ford's Trailer Backup Assist". I set up the Expedition's back up assist with an Equalizer hitch and it worked great. The new Ford Super Duty's now come with this feature.

I am thinking uf upgrading to the Hensley hitch and was wondering if anyone has had any luck setting up this system since the hitch is different from one that pivots on the ball vs Hensley where the ball is fixed.

If someone has successfully programmed one into their Ford and if it works, what measurement did you use from the back up camera to the ball. The set up as I remember from my expedition was you measured from the back up camera to the ball. Did you used this same measurement for the Hensley - from the back up camera to the ball that is fixed into the Hensley hitch?

Hensley sent me a video of an actual customer that Ford used in a commercial for the Expedition and claims this customer has set it up and it works great. I watched the video and in a couple of frames, you can barely see the orange color of the hitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N60kpbrob8o

Let me know if anyone has successfully set up one? I have searched this site and found a few posts on this, but they are older with no real resolution of someone successfully setting up the hitch and using the system.

I also posted a pic of where I have the sticker set up on my FC 27FB

[wilsodf]

Just posting again to get more visibility to this. Has anyone had luck setting this hitch up with Ford's Tailer Backup Assist?

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by wilsodf

Just posting again to get more visibility to this. Has anyone had luck setting this hitch up with Ford's Tailer Backup Assist?

I have a pro-ride hitch.
The way the pro-ride works (similar to hensley) it really doesn't work very well because the marker is easily lost when making tight turns. I have heard some make it work in a minimal sense. Before I had the pro-ride I had a Blue Ox and it didn't work well with that either. Some of it has to do with the fact the marker can't be placed back far enough back on the tongue due to the LP tanks. There are others that have tried experimenting with putting the marker on the tank. Might try that.

I have found that it isn't worth messing with. Backing up the trailer isn't that difficult once you get some practice. Everyone has their own way of learning to back up. For me the principle is always: Turn in the direction of the error. So if I don't want the trailer to go left I turn left. If I don't want it to go right I turn right. Seems to work well for me. The more I back up the easier it gets.

The back up assist does work great for my cargo trailer though!! Small trailers are notoriously difficult to back up. The pro back up assist works wonderfully for that.

[turk123]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I have a pro-ride hitch.
The way the pro-ride works (similar to hensley) it really doesn't work very well because the marker is easily lost when making tight turns. I have heard some make it work in a minimal sense. Before I had the pro-ride I had a Blue Ox and it didn't work well with that either. Some of it has to do with the fact the marker can't be placed back far enough back on the tongue due to the LP tanks. There are others that have tried experimenting with putting the marker on the tank. Might try that.

I have found that it isn't worth messing with. Backing up the trailer isn't that difficult once you get some practice. Everyone has their own way of learning to back up. For me the principle is always: Turn in the direction of the error. So if I don't want the trailer to go left I turn left. If I don't want it to go right I turn right. It seems to work well for me. The more I back up the easier it gets.

The backup assist does work great for my cargo trailer though!! Small trailers are notoriously difficult to back up. The pro back up assist works wonderfully for that.

I agree with this last post. Large trailers with little viability like an Airstream is more difficult using the backup assist. It just does not feel right. I have several trailers including a car hauler and the backup assist is great! I tried it on my 27 international (without propride) and had problems with it losing the marker on the A-frame. When it did work, I felt it was a bit out of control. Maybe I didn't give it enough time, but it is very different than backing up the traditional way that I've learned many years ago.

I'll leave the backup assist for the boats where it was originally designed for.