Hensley vs Propride P3 - extensive write up

It was the mid-2000's when I first learned about the Hensley hitch design, and largely ignored it due to its unrealistic price and very little knowledge and experience out there.

Add to that, I am a 3rd gen RV'er and never had a problem towing or hauling anything. Why would I spend thousands on a trailer hitch?

Well the web is now full of very favorable reports of the Hensley hitch and its only competitor the Propropdie 3P. I am well aware of what went down in which Propride came to be, in a nut shell it was a falling out with Hensley and Jim Hensley was paid to create a redesigned version of his original that would not infringe on the original patents held by Hensley MFG. Who cares.

So, after many years of research and now owning one myself, the design works as stated. There is no debate, no doubt about it.


Actually, debate remains IMO, in the form of 2 questions.

1) Are these expensive hitches really needed, or does it cover up problems?

My answer; It depends

It could definitely cover up and mask a poor set up, no doubt about it. And I have a great set up, so I don't have a super clear reason why I bought one, other than curiosity. My rig is very well matched between truck and trailer (2010 Sequoia and Visa 23BHD, well under 4500lbs loaded to the brim. (And its worth noting I pulled the same trailer with a 2012 Honda Pilot with great success as well. That should speak volumes). So?everything is very balanced and properly adjusted. Everyone's story is different, my point is that mine was really good, and the Hensley improved it even more.


2) Which one to buy? Hensley or Propride?

Well, I will go in depth on this to share what I think. I will caution you now, there will not be a crystal clear winner.


Let's start with what is the same then get into a pro/con list.

- Both use the very same linkage design, despite connections on the trailer being different, this linkage is what makes each hitch special.
- Both perform the very same due to near identical linkage, projecting a virtual pivot point to near the rare axle of the tow vehicle, like a physical 5th wheel pivot point.
- Both perform as a WDH the very same. (And this is not what makes either hitch special.) It is the same WDH bars as used on many other WDH hitches in fact they buy the WDH bars from other hitch MFG's.
- Both have the same basic hook up and disconnect procedure
- Both can at times be challenging to connect and disconnect for the same reasons
- Both have the same weight rating options
- Both require the same maintenance which includes a lot of grease.
- More prone to fail than every other WDH out there due to its complexity and forces involved.
- There is more component movement occurring (when turning) then people realize!
- Over time and miles, both need to be rebuilt.
- Both will "bump" the TV if the brake controller is not set to come on sooner than normal. (Very easy boost change for Prodigy P2 and P3)
- Representatives from both companies are easy to work with. Hensley got my money because after months and months, they continued to follow up with me and Propride did not. Good sales technique, but in hind-sight they might have been more desperate for sales than Propride.
- Both have the option to replace the screw jacks with chains
- Both can be purchased for less than $2,000, but the Hensley will be a re-manufactured unit at this price.



Hensley Pro/Cons
- Typical installation is very easy if you follow the directions
- Strut bars must be constantly checked, as do U-bolts on the jack/frame brackets on occasion
- Vertical jack adjuster is nice so you can adjust from one side of the trailer vs jumping side to side to make small adjustments
- Adjusting the hitch box angle (on the trailer) is just slightly easier because of a hard connection on both ends of the jacks. (Propride uses a metal bar with holes, which adds more slop)
- Subpar manufacturing. Poor paint. Very messy welds. Rough construction overall. Old, no longer used features exist (hood like cover, big slots, and extra holes) on the main hitch box/head, possibly due to fear of patent infringement if ?updates? are made. I?m not sure.
- A fair number of failures (cracking and bending), possibly due to having more units on the road for a much longer period of time and components that are easier to damage when the situation goes beyond normal.
- Strut bar breakage is not all that uncommon. Plenty of pictures of bent pins used to attach the bars to the hitch head and WDH jack brackets.
- Fully welded stinger, non-adjustable angle
- To change the ball mount height, you have to exchange units by first calling them and shipping the old unit back. 50lbs depending on the exact stinger. FYI.
- Has an emergency kit available and number when calling off hours

Propride Pro/Cons
- Typical installation on TT?s requires more work to mount the frame under the ball and attach it with U-bolts. Often this requires heavy mods to the LP frame, or raising it up with washers to clear the U-bolts.
- Claim of no drilling?which isn?t true for many installs.
- No strut bars to constantly check, but U-bolts must be tight like the Hensley. And there are more U-bolts to check on the Propride
- Jacks have side adjustment nuts
- WDH bars attached with a metal bar with holes on each end, to welded hooks on the jacks, they are not fixed with hardware.
- More bolts to tighten, some to higher torque than many home owners can obtain, all found on the yoke.
- Smaller overall size when fully installed
- Manufacturing quality is good, and even exceptional when compared side by side.
- Stinger is welded and bolted to allow the hitch angle (on the truck) to change. This can be HUGE for some, as most trucks have the rear already slightly upward. Notice the angle of the WDH bars in most installations? Pointed to the sky? The Propride can reduce the WDH bar angle, and give you more weight distribution adjustment just like other WDH systems do.
- Failures? I have not found one hitch box/head failure pic or comment, but I found two stinger pics with broken welds.
- LOTS of trouble with the jacks tipping over while loaded. This is Propride weakest link, and could/should really be improved based on how simple the change would be.
- Doesn't have an emergency kit, probably because it has fewer parts to loose and bend.
- Rep can be emailed anytime, I do not know about off hour emergencies.