Anyone broken a Hensley?

[sperduton]

Anybody broken a hensley arrow?
I've had one since 2004. Been happily towing. On the way home tonight. I'm 4 turns from the house and I turn the corner and the hitch makes noise that didn't sound right, but I was about a half mile from the house. The next two turns were fine. The last one and there was a bang and scraping noise. I stop in front of the house to find both strut bars hanging, one bent, the hitch all jacked sideways and the bottom of the hitch cracked where the hitch bars go in. I have no idea yet what happened, but I had to take the thing off in the street so I could put on a normal hitch and get the camper into my driveway. Not so happy at the moment and it appears now to be a $2500 piece of scrap metal.
I haven't called Hensley or done at detailed looking at the hitch because it was dark out when I got home.

[93Cobra2771]

dieselsyndrome wrote:

Also, have you had a chance to break look at the spring bar bushings? I'm very curious to know their condition.

Note to self - keep a watch on the area that failed.

I am not sure how to take apart the area to look at the spring bar bushings. But if anyone wants to analyse this hitch you are more than welcome. Because otherwise it is being sold for scrap metal.

Watching the hitch is a good idea. I perhaps was always looking at the wrong area. I looked at the orange part, struts and the screw buckles. I have always stored the hitch with a light coating of oil (Rust Check) and the hitch was religiously greased. I even oiled any moving parts. The bolts were all torque checked prior to the trip.

I would add to those of you towing with this hitch or any other than any unusual noises coming from the hitch area is cause for concern. Inspect your hitch immediately. Perhaps if I knew where to look for a failure I could have prevented the near accident that would ensued had it broken while driving.

Easiest thing to do would be to wipe the grease off the bottom and take a pic looking straight into the bushings.

The bushings where the spring bars go into the head are wear items. I'm assuming you've never checked them before since you don't know how they come out - basically, you remove the zerk fittings at the top - that releases the spring bars. There is a single bolt between where the spring bars go into the head itself. Take that bolt out and the bushing will come right out.

However, with the damage your head has, chances are it won't come out. So a picture looking straight into the bottom where the bushings are would work, once cleared of grease.

I'm curious to see how ovaled out the bushings were, and whether or not it was enough to possibly contribute to the failure by binding or something like that.

Also, I wouldn't scrap all of the unit - the jack screws and some of the assorted pieces, as well as the one good strut bar, would be worth more than scrap to a Hensley owner. Might be worthwhile to throw them on craigslist before scrapping them. In fact, I might be interested in the screw jacks for the right price as spares.

[dieselsyndrome]

Also, have you had a chance to break look at the spring bar bushings? I'm very curious to know their condition.

Note to self - keep a watch on the area that failed.

I am not sure how to take apart the area to look at the spring bar bushings. But if anyone wants to analyse this hitch you are more than welcome. Because otherwise it is being sold for scrap metal.

Watching the hitch is a good idea. I perhaps was always looking at the wrong area. I looked at the orange part, struts and the screw buckles. I have always stored the hitch with a light coating of oil (Rust Check) and the hitch was religiously greased. I even oiled any moving parts. The bolts were all torque checked prior to the trip.

I would add to those of you towing with this hitch or any other than any unusual noises coming from the hitch area is cause for concern. Inspect your hitch immediately. Perhaps if I knew where to look for a failure I could have prevented the near accident that would ensued had it broken while driving.

[93Cobra2771]

mhardin wrote:

dieselsyndrome wrote:
...... But at this point I don't think I can trust Hensley again.

Out of the thousands of Hensleys on the road, I've heard of very few that have failed like yours. I don't think it matters which hitch you buy, it may break. Unlikely, but possible.

But, I do understand your position - when my last f-350 left me stranded with the trailer, I quit towing until I replaced it. I just couldn't trust the truck any longer. Overkill, I know, but I just couldn't get past it.

Bingo - 25k isn't a lot of miles, but it is towing a camper. Lots of time and wear and tear. As with any moving part, it can eventually break.

I think, no matter what hitch, an inspection of ALL the towing equipment should happen. From the receiver to the tongue of the TT, axles, shackles, etc.

Also, have you had a chance to break look at the spring bar bushings? I'm very curious to know their condition.

Note to self - keep a watch on the area that failed.

[sperduton]

In my instance after using hindsight and some of the things I noticed with
my trailer/truck and I didn't put as much thought into...I think that
inspecting the hitch more often would have led to me discovering a crack as
opposed to not realizing it until the hitch totally failed. It was a
learning experience. In the interim I weighed the tongue of my camper and
I'm closer to the hensley limit than I'd like so I decided to load the
camper different and be more mindful of what I'm loading in the front of
the camper as well as to travelling with full or empty holding tanks, etc.
load the truck different as well as getting a new hitch receiver.
I was prepared to install the refurbished hensley when I happened to surf
Craigslist and found a used pro pride 1.5 hours from my home and I
purchased it for half what a new one would cost.
So what I learned is that hitches are moving parts and while the manual
does not say, they require more intense periodic inspection. Just like
replacing the hitch reveiver on my truck because of wear or weakness.

What I also will say is that I still think that these hitches breaking are
in the minority for the amount of them out there. I also think it happens
to the people who have the heavier tongue weight campers and I think it's
why Pro-pride specifically made that area heavier. Having towed with
friction sway control, 2 friction sway controls and the reese dual cam
setup. Other than a 5th wheel, I'd never...And let me say again...I'd Never
go back to another hitch other than the hensley or pro pride...Yes...They
tow that well and to me are still worth every penny.

I also believe you can buy a pro-pride for the same price as a refurb hensley

[mhardin]

dieselsyndrome wrote:
...... But at this point I don't think I can trust Hensley again.

Out of the thousands of Hensleys on the road, I've heard of very few that have failed like yours. I don't think it matters which hitch you buy, it may break. Unlikely, but possible.

But, I do understand your position - when my last f-350 left me stranded with the trailer, I quit towing until I replaced it. I just couldn't trust the truck any longer. Overkill, I know, but I just couldn't get past it.

[dieselsyndrome]

Would like to hear some specifics about your TT and TV as far as weights and such. Would also be curious to see what the spring bar bushing looks like.

If you bought the unit new, it is under warranty.

I purchased the unit used 2 years ago. The Hensley was new in 06 as I purchased it from the original owner along with the trailer. The trailer was mint and previous owner was meticulous in the care of the unit so there is no reason to doubt that the hitch was also treated in the same manner.

The trailer is an Airstream Classic 30 and the TV is a 08 ML320 CDI. The entire setup was done professionally and it towed like a dream.

Hensley will not warranty the hitch since I purchased it used. So I'm out of luck. Hensley is offering to sell me a re-manufactured hitch for $2300 plus give me a "trade in" on the old hitch. But at this point I don't think I can trust Hensley again.

[BurbMan]

dieselsyndrome wrote:
Broke my Hensley last week. Came off the I91 onto the 7 in Vermont had to brake a bit harder and heard the Hensley bump. After that the hitch started to make a "knocking" sound. I drove for about 10 minutes and then stopped. I checked the strut bars and they were still tight. Everything looked normal other than the hitch was off to one side. I added more grease and continued. When I got to the I90 I heard more of the "knocking" sound and pulled off at the next rest stop outside of Albany. The hitch was still off to one side, but everything looked ok (struts tight nothing looked out of the ordinary). I unhitched and re-centered the hitch manually and re-hitched. Added more grease and continued. No more noise everything seemed fine. Drove about 70-75 rock steady. Then after Syracuse got off onto the 690 and then off the highway and "bang". Trailer started swaying violently. I was able to stop and limp to the Camping World which was around the corner. Hitch destroyed. What a let down. Only about 25k on this thing. Good thing it didn't happen 5 minutes earlier. Ended up buying an Eaz-lift but not happy with it. Maybe time for a ProPride.

Hensley failure

I would send that back to Hensley and get it fixed under warranty, for what these things cost I would be hard pressed to just 86 it.

[93Cobra2771]

dieselsyndrome wrote:
Broke my Hensley last week. Came off the I91 onto the 7 in Vermont had to brake a bit harder and heard the Hensley bump. After that the hitch started to make a "knocking" sound. I drove for about 10 minutes and then stopped. I checked the strut bars and they were still tight. Everything looked normal other than the hitch was off to one side. I added more grease and continued. When I got to the I90 I heard more of the "knocking" sound and pulled off at the next rest stop outside of Albany. The hitch was still off to one side, but everything looked ok (struts tight nothing looked out of the ordinary). I unhitched and re-centered the hitch manually and re-hitched. Added more grease and continued. No more noise everything seemed fine. Drove about 70-75 rock steady. Then after Syracuse got off onto the 690 and then off the highway and "bang". Trailer started swaying violently. I was able to stop and limp to the Camping World which was around the corner. Hitch destroyed. What a let down. Only about 25k on this thing. Good thing it didn't happen 5 minutes earlier. Ended up buying an Eaz-lift but not happy with it. Maybe time for a ProPride.

Hensley failure

Would like to hear some specifics about your TT and TV as far as weights and such. Would also be curious to see what the spring bar bushing looks like.

If you bought the unit new, it is under warranty.

[sperduton]

Lynnmor wrote:
After seeing the thin metal parts I would never buy one. Hensley needs to go back to the drawing board and design something with some strength.

dis you get it new? If so, they will warranty that. Yours broke in the same spot as mine did.

For reference, that area is wider on the propride.

you can see the difference in this picture

[Lynnmor]

After seeing the thin metal parts I would never buy one. Hensley needs to go back to the drawing board and design something with some strength.

[dieselsyndrome]

Broke my Hensley last week. Came off the I91 onto the 7 in Vermont had to brake a bit harder and heard the Hensley bump. After that the hitch started to make a "knocking" sound. I drove for about 10 minutes and then stopped. I checked the strut bars and they were still tight. Everything looked normal other than the hitch was off to one side. I added more grease and continued. When I got to the I90 I heard more of the "knocking" sound and pulled off at the next rest stop outside of Albany. The hitch was still off to one side, but everything looked ok (struts tight nothing looked out of the ordinary). I unhitched and re-centered the hitch manually and re-hitched. Added more grease and continued. No more noise everything seemed fine. Drove about 70-75 rock steady. Then after Syracuse got off onto the 690 and then off the highway and "bang". Trailer started swaying violently. I was able to stop and limp to the Camping World which was around the corner. Hitch destroyed. What a let down. Only about 25k on this thing. Good thing it didn't happen 5 minutes earlier. Ended up buying an Eaz-lift but not happy with it. Maybe time for a ProPride.

Hensley failure

[93Cobra2771]

The spring bar bushing is a wear item - you are supposed to grease them every 500 miles. They will start ovaling out eventually but not a big deal unless it wears so much they eventually break.

The lower jack tube pieces can be flipped over if the holes are getting elongated. Takes a lot of miles for that to happen.

[sperduton]

CarnationSailor wrote:

Since the Hensley manual does not list any items to be periodically replaced, what is your reference regarding which items should be replaced at what interval?

On my Hensley I had to replace the lower part of the jack tubes and I think I replaced the brackets that were on the spring bars, but it was easy to see the holes were starting to wear out. Other than that, in hindsight I wish I had taken it off more often just for an inspection and I would have caught that the spring bar bushings were wearing out. Also probably would have seen the crack before it became a complete failure.

[sperduton]

I would keep an eye on the bushing that the spring bars ride in. They wore out on my hensley and I didn't realize it.