New 1500 series pickups and Hensley Arrow

Well for sure the Hensley would GUARANTEE a safe pleasant towing experience.

Any weight distribution hitch worth buying these days has sway control integrated into the design. It would not make sense to buy a simple basic hitch to save a couple hundred bucks.

The reality is that by and large, "tag axle" towing is not that big of a deal. Sounds like this rig will be well within its limits, and probably would not even need weight distribution save for the receiver rating of 500lbs.

Any of the dual cam, equalizer style hitches will be more than capable of what she is towing.
As long as, just with 5W/gooseneck hitches, one has an appropriate amount of hitch wieght. IF not, while a Hensley will stop and or control fishtail sway. One is still towing an unsafe trailer IMHO!

I've always made sure my trailers are safe towing at 60 mph with no bars, straight behind the TV, no sway issues other than say a cross wind or larger truck going by movements. You feel these issues even if you are solo! Bars should make this effect a bit less....but if hit by a 60-80+ sidewind....you may very well move half a lane over as I did going across I205 over Columbia river in east Portland.

Backing is a bit different due to the pivot being farther back. I doubt it will jack knife per say. As one will hit the tanks etc before you can get to 90*.

Marty

Define tag trailer. Just a typical flatbed tag? Or are you talking about a camper and using trucker terminology?
Either way 6klbs needs nothing as far as the truck is concerned.
Vehicle sway control does nothing to help a trailer that sways on its own. Sure it will modulate it but will be continuously using brakes and throttle. Literally a bad solution “if” there is an issue.
Unless worried about needing some help for the springs, I can’t imagine doing anything but hook n go on that light of a trailer unless it tows reeeeaaally poorly.
You of anyone should know this based on your professed towing knowledge.

mkirsch wrote:
Well for sure the Hensley would GUARANTEE a safe pleasant towing experience.

Any weight distribution hitch worth buying these days has sway control integrated into the design. It would not make sense to buy a simple basic hitch to save a couple hundred bucks.

The reality is that by and large, "tag axle" towing is not that big of a deal. Sounds like this rig will be well within its limits, and probably would not even need weight distribution save for the receiver rating of 500lbs.

Couple hundred bucks? What you talkin aboot Willis?
Simple WDH with sway control = $500 new or dime a dozen used for half that much.
A pro pride is like 4 grand…..
You must’ve meant save “a couple thousand bucks” is not a big deal?

4x4ord wrote:
I’ve never towed with a half ton nor have I towed a tag axle RV. My sister has a newer GMC Denali 1500 with the baby Duramax and tow package. The truck is rated to tow up to 13000 lbs. She has no experience towing. The trailer they are planning on buying is a 24 foot tandem axle tag trailer with a GVWR of about 6000 lbs. Is buying a Hensley Arrow hitch for such a small trailer of much value or is the GM anti sway control along with a typical weight distribution hitch more than adequate to provide a safe and pleasant towing experience?

You might want to double check that tow capacity because it’s nowhere near 13,000. Depending on what configuration of cab/box she has, the most it would be is 9,100. And I’m not saying that the truck can’t tow the camper she wants. That sounds like a good match.

^^^ I checked. Looks like the 2022 crew cab 4x4 1500 with the Duramax and the max tow package is rated for 12900 lbs conventional towing:Click

Ok you never mentioned max tow. Just the tow package. Those are 2 different packages. People get confused and see the high tow rating and assume that’s what they have. Her towing capacity will be posted on the drivers door jamb.
Here’s the fine print on your link:

1 Maximum trailering ratings are intended for comparison purposes only. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the Trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The trailering capacity of your specific vehicle may vary.

4x4ord wrote:
. She has no experience towing.?

Get the Arrow -- no white knuckles when an 18 wheeler passes her. My wife would not drive until we got the Arrow because of the 18 wheeler bow wave. Now she want to do ALL the driving. That is OK with me.

Looks like the GCWR is around 17K or 19K depending on the tire rim diameter.

So yes, she "COULD" go to 13K or so! I would not go much higher than 8-9,000 with my 1500. Thats higher than my rated number with a 4.3 V6. At some point in time, you just plain over task a given truck chassis with the load behind it! That little dmax has more or close to the same HP/torque spec, more gears in transmission etc than some of the late 90's BIG diesels in 25/35 series trucks rated at or about 12-13K also. I would fully expect the baby dmax to do just fine.

With this said, a trailer with dual 3500-4000 lbs axels, add in 1000-1200 lbs of hitch weight. 2-4 bodies(people or dogs etc) in that truck. Your maxed out payload, rear spring wise etc. My dual cab has around 3000 lbs of payload to max axel capacity, ~2000 to GVWR.

You know how to figure out the how fast up a hill that rig will go based on the motor specs, gearing etc. It's more of a what will the chassis handle?

With that, an aerodynamic trailer will need less HP, better speed towing, fewer issues with wind, be it actual or bow waves from trucks etc.

Marty

Grit dog wrote:

mkirsch wrote:
Well for sure the Hensley would GUARANTEE a safe pleasant towing experience.

Any weight distribution hitch worth buying these days has sway control integrated into the design. It would not make sense to buy a simple basic hitch to save a couple hundred bucks.

The reality is that by and large, "tag axle" towing is not that big of a deal. Sounds like this rig will be well within its limits, and probably would not even need weight distribution save for the receiver rating of 500lbs.

Couple hundred bucks? What you talkin aboot Willis?
Simple WDH with sway control = $500 new or dime a dozen used for half that much.
A pro pride is like 4 grand…..
You must’ve meant save “a couple thousand bucks” is not a big deal?

No.

The "couple hundred bucks" is the difference between conventional WDH and WDH with sway control. The Hensley was not even part of that statement.