Hensley Arrow: How does it REALLY work?
There have been several discussions on this hitch that have become somewhat 'controversial'. I am NOT trying to stir this controversy/bashing back up. Instead, I'd like to see a good, intelligent di...
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BTW, some of the most useful parts of this thread are found back on those pages. I found it extremely helpful to review that part of the thread last week.
I think Tim is exactly right. I also went back and have reviewed darn near this whole thread in the last couple of days (ok, I'm a glutton for punishment). That includes a review of the Hensley pantent documents.
After all that review, I'm convinced that, video clips notwithstanding, Ron & Tim have this thng down cold. The key, for me at least, is the drastic reduction in the moment applied to the TV via the Hensley vice what's felt by the TV with a conventional hitch. And it's all due to the difference in the length of the "lever arm" provided by the linkage. Which, in my view isn't and can't be "locked". Some of the later discussion on the thread ( the 1# or so difference in forces) ends up being in the noise compared to the effect of the shift in pivot point.
Since Ron & I went around a bit about the way the struts are "tightened" (compressed vs. tensioned), and the patent documents, upon review, clear imply they are under tension, I went down to the trailer this afternoon to see if anything else had changed vis-a- vis the patent. Nothing else has.
By the way, if you try to read the Feb. 2005 patent document to figure out how the Hensley works, you'll waste your time. The hitch descibed in that patent is a whole different beast than what they currently sell.
Andy
