This past weekend we went camping and on the way home on the interstate I noticed just the slightest swaying of my camper. I didn't think this was possible with the Propride P3 but it was happening. At 55mpg, the towing experience was perfect but while in a 70mph zone, I brought the speed up to 60mph and the rear of the trailer started to sway back and forth about 3 inches. Nothing uncontrollable but I had never experienced this before with the Propride. I simply brought the speed back down to 55mph and everything was fine again. My trailer is a 27 footer that weighs about 8,500 when loaded and my TV is a 2015 Chevy 2500HD. Tongue weight was at 1,100 lbs before we left home. I had no way to check it for the trip back home but it had to be very similar. I did crank the weight distribution up more on the trip home. No real reason for doing so, I just did. Any thoughts on why this happened? Maybe I cranked the weight distribution up too much for the trip home and took off too much tongue weight? Tires on the trailer? I'm scratching my head as to why this happened. Your thoughts are appreciated.

If tension on the hitch is all that changed it sounds like a reasonable place to start. Changed the setting just for fun? Trying to get a softer ride? I'm not real familiar with thAt hitch but I looked it up on the web a long time back and seem to remember it not having a real high weight limit. Could the hitch be overloaded?

When I owned a TT I used a tongue scale on a regular basis. Always good to know what percent in on the tongue.

Also consider that the trailer was loaded in some way that has it pointedslightly above 'level'...I prefer pointed slightly 'down'

Anything in the tanks? Sometimes 1/2 full tanks can start sloshing around. Better to be completely full or empty. I have felt the occasional wiggle even with the Hensley. It won't sway for me but the movement will go to the weakest point, usually the tires, if not aired up. Was the tt loaded differently on the trip home. I have found that even moving one heavy item from the rear room to the front of the tt make a noticeable difference in towing.

I think the only real way to figure out what is going on is to weigh your truck, your combination W/O WD connected and then weigh it again with the WD hooked up. That way you can determine the actual tongue weight and how much weight is being transferred back to the front axle.This might be the first story of issues with the Hensley/Propride hitch I have ever read. From reading the Airstream forum you would think that it is impossible for this to happen because these hitches are designed "to prevent sway" not just to dampen it down. I do believe this claim but like all hitches, you will have to get it set up properly.You can call Shawn at Propride and he will be able to instruct you as to how the set your hitch up. I have heard lots of good feedback about their customer service.Driving 55 is safe but my sweet spot is right at 65. No sway at all with my Equalizer which is a far inferior hitch when listening to Hensley/Propride owners.

Minor sway issue | Good Sam Community

campigloo
Explorer
Aug 11, 2015
If tension on the hitch is all that changed it sounds like a reasonable place to start. Changed the setting just for fun? Trying to get a softer ride? I'm not real familiar with thAt hitch but I looked it up on the web a long time back and seem to remember it not having a real high weight limit. Could the hitch be overloaded?
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Aug 11, 2015
When I owned a TT I used a tongue scale on a regular basis. Always good to know what percent in on the tongue.
BenK
Explorer
Aug 11, 2015
Also consider that the trailer was loaded in some way that has it pointed
slightly above 'level'...I prefer pointed slightly 'down'
camp-n-family
Explorer
Aug 12, 2015
Anything in the tanks? Sometimes 1/2 full tanks can start sloshing around. Better to be completely full or empty.

I have felt the occasional wiggle even with the Hensley. It won't sway for me but the movement will go to the weakest point, usually the tires, if not aired up.

Was the tt loaded differently on the trip home. I have found that even moving one heavy item from the rear room to the front of the tt make a noticeable difference in towing.
aftermath
Explorer III
Aug 12, 2015
I think the only real way to figure out what is going on is to weigh your truck, your combination W/O WD connected and then weigh it again with the WD hooked up. That way you can determine the actual tongue weight and how much weight is being transferred back to the front axle.

This might be the first story of issues with the Hensley/Propride hitch I have ever read. From reading the Airstream forum you would think that it is impossible for this to happen because these hitches are designed "to prevent sway" not just to dampen it down. I do believe this claim but like all hitches, you will have to get it set up properly.

You can call Shawn at Propride and he will be able to instruct you as to how the set your hitch up. I have heard lots of good feedback about their customer service.

Driving 55 is safe but my sweet spot is right at 65. No sway at all with my Equalizer which is a far inferior hitch when listening to Hensley/Propride owners.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Aug 12, 2015
Check the yoke under the frame. It may be loose allowing the hitch head to move around which will destroy the sway prevention qualities of the hitch.
Barney
mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 12, 2015
IMHO this is telling you that without that hitch you would've been dead on the way home or maybe long before that. You have a very bad sway problem that is being masked by the Propride, but it's so bad that even the Propride can't completely mask it.
RobWNY
Explorer
Aug 12, 2015
I have sent an email to Sean at Propride. I appreciate everyone's input and will check everything to make sure it's tight. This has never happened in the past since using the Propride hitch so it has to be something I did or something is loose or some other reason I'm not thinking of. I'll report back here once Sean answers my email to let everyone know his thoughts.
BenK
Explorer
Aug 12, 2015
Agree...over dependence on the expensive hitch system...

Also suggest going out and weighing the whole setup, axle by axle
fully loaded

With the WD Hitch system tensioned and no tension

That is the only way to know

Post back with the actual weights (tensioned and no tension) and your
TV's ratings: GVWR, F/R GAWR, GCWR Forget about the MTWR (Max Tow
Weight Rating), unless you have a stripper TV and a trailer with
10% tongue weight
RobWNY
Explorer
Aug 13, 2015
I received an email response from Sean at ProPride. Here it is

"Removing too much weigh off the rear axle of the tow vehicle by raising the weight distribution jacks too much can certainly throw some movement into the hitch and then the trailer. The hitch will only move from the tow vehicle side so if the rear end is light it could have been drifting a little at higher speeds."

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