I camp in a lot of undeveloped campgrounds where the "pad" is a potholed gravel or dirt spot that barely resembles a flat area. I typically hook up with the tow vehicle way up or down grade, tilted with respect to the trailer, or at nearly a 90 degree left/right angle from the trailer.It appears that a Hensley would be nearly impossible to hook up in this manner. Videos and posts referring to "non-level" hookups generally show a smiling person easily hooking up while at a very gentle tilt on a nice flat asphalt or concrete surface, much like a TV infomercial.Am I wrong in believing that for very rugged campsites, a Hensley hitch would be problematic to connect?(Obviously with a ball hitch, there's enormous latitude in the tow vehicle orientation with respect to the trailer).

If you leave the hitch alone after unhooking and pulling out (except for raising or lowering the tongue) you should have no problems at all in hooking back up. Just don't play with the jacks so the angle will be the same as when you pulled out.I have hooked up at all kinds of angles and tilt and have not had any problems.Barney

Hi,I seldom stay in level spots ("level concrete pad"! What's that?). In addition, I am frequently parked among trees or rocks that require the tow vehicle to be at an angle to the trailer.I can't speak to the ProPride, but so far, I have always been able to reconnect my Hensley. As the previous post recommends, leave the hitch head alone once you disconnect. Also disconnect slowly so the hitch bar slides out rather than dropping out of the hitch head.There is a bit of a learning curve with hooking up the Hensley (and sometimes it takes me a little longer to get it) but once hooked up, I far prefer it over the Reese Dual Cam that I originally had. No sway, correct weight distribution (verified on a scale), no greasy parts, only one piece to mess with, quiet,...and quite frankly a much more relaxing towing experience.Hope this helps,Steve

As both Barney and Steve said. Once you properly unhitch, don't touch the screw jacks. It also helps for the truck to be back in practically the same spot. Not too bad once you get used to it.

93Cobra2771 wrote:As both Barney and Steve said. Once you properly unhitch, don't touch the screw jacks. It also helps for the truck to be back in practically the same spot. Not too bad once you get used to it.And that right there is the hard part. Couple that with some uneven ground settling, when camped awhile thru weather events.... And the challenge grows.

I had the same concern when we bought our HA...in very soft sand with tires at 15 psi, you are almost guaranteed not to be able to get the truck back in the same position. In fact leaving the screw jacks in the unhitching position was meaningless since they would need to be re-adjusted anyway. The trick is to use the screw jacks to change the attitude of the hitch head to match that of the stinger. Sounds hard but really not at all once you do it once or twice. the hitch will give if you are off level side to side.See pic below, never had an issue re-hitching. Note the mirror on the tank cover, that was before my back-up camera LOL.FYI that TT in the pic is 34' and weighs 8500 lbs at the scale.

Hooking up Hensley / Pro pride while off camber

jmiller
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
I have never had a problem with mine.
Lspangler
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
the biggest ah ha moment for me was realizing I had to have the wheels straight as soon as the stinger entered the hitch head. If you have to keep turning you aren't lined up and need to move your rear tires over a bit and try again.

The Propride is supposedly much easier to get hooked up due to the shorter stinger and steeper ramps. I have the Propride and really like it so far.

Linc
mhardin
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
What the others have said. It's no biggie to hook back up. If your truck was able to park it and drive away, your truck will be able to re-connect. If something is a little different, just use the jacks to adjust the angle.

Mike
93Cobra2771
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
^------What they said.

After you've used it a few times, you get used to seeing what it's supposed to look like right before it starts going in. In cases of changing conditions, or not able to get truck in same spot, you simply tweak the screw jacks to change the head tilt one way or the other.

Once you make contact with the stinger, your steering wheel should be straight. As you back in to the hensley, the head shouldn't move to either side. If it does, then you need to shift back over a touch. Having the steering wheel turned when hitching up makes it a lot harder to do.

I like the tool in the above photo.
pasusan
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
I made this tool to be able to align the head perfectly with the shank:

Don't need it every time - just when at weird angles.

Hope this helps...
mbutts
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
When I get the trailer out of storage park it on my front lawn to load, I'm backing up a 10% grade driveway and then onto a 15% grade lawn. In the year or two I've had the ProPride, it hasn't been a problem unhooking or recoupling later.

When I had a "regular" weight dist Reese hitch, I'd have to drop it on the ball and pull out into the street to put the weight dist bars on, so I think the 3P is easier in my case.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Jun 10, 2014
I had the same concern when we bought our HA...in very soft sand with tires at 15 psi, you are almost guaranteed not to be able to get the truck back in the same position. In fact leaving the screw jacks in the unhitching position was meaningless since they would need to be re-adjusted anyway. The trick is to use the screw jacks to change the attitude of the hitch head to match that of the stinger. Sounds hard but really not at all once you do it once or twice. the hitch will give if you are off level side to side.

See pic below, never had an issue re-hitching. Note the mirror on the tank cover, that was before my back-up camera LOL.

FYI that TT in the pic is 34' and weighs 8500 lbs at the scale.
Huntindog
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
93Cobra2771 wrote:
As both Barney and Steve said. Once you properly unhitch, don't touch the screw jacks. It also helps for the truck to be back in practically the same spot. Not too bad once you get used to it.
And that right there is the hard part. Couple that with some uneven ground settling, when camped awhile thru weather events.... And the challenge grows.
93Cobra2771
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
As both Barney and Steve said. Once you properly unhitch, don't touch the screw jacks. It also helps for the truck to be back in practically the same spot. Not too bad once you get used to it.
SteveAE
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
Hi,

I seldom stay in level spots ("level concrete pad"! What's that?). In addition, I am frequently parked among trees or rocks that require the tow vehicle to be at an angle to the trailer.
I can't speak to the ProPride, but so far, I have always been able to reconnect my Hensley. As the previous post recommends, leave the hitch head alone once you disconnect. Also disconnect slowly so the hitch bar slides out rather than dropping out of the hitch head.
There is a bit of a learning curve with hooking up the Hensley (and sometimes it takes me a little longer to get it) but once hooked up, I far prefer it over the Reese Dual Cam that I originally had. No sway, correct weight distribution (verified on a scale), no greasy parts, only one piece to mess with, quiet,...and quite frankly a much more relaxing towing experience.

Hope this helps,
Steve