Have you switched from friction sway control to HA or P#?

[larryscsi]

I have been using the Reese Dual Cam for 6 years on two different TTs. My last trip has got me thinking about going to the P3. The Reese has worked well with a moment here or there. However, the last trip was on Interstate 81 in the mountains with heavy Tractor Trailer traffic. I was on high alert the entire drive and had a lot of sway...

Anyone else have such an adventure and then go to the HA or P3? Please let me know if you found a difference?

Thanks.

[hddecker]

JJBIRISH wrote:
Well I am not going to get into a heated debate here, because these premium hitches are good hitches… and while I haven’t owned one, I have driven units with them… I know how popular they are with their users but am not on board with the just set it and forget it slant usually given them…
I just can’t discount the stories of crashes after unexpected bad sway while using the HA that I have read… or knowing that the Hensley bump is not a myth and the performance of the hitch can be dependent on proper leading trailer brakes to achieve that good performance… I can’t forget the video of a trailer swaying or the one of the hitch bouncing from side to side while going down the road… nor can I forget the poor response some of these people got while trying to figure out what was wrong…
The One thing that really sticks in my craw is the claimed companies threats and subsequent disappearance for the aired credible grievances in public forum and/or in the blog world about them…

Also knowing that a well set-up DC will not sway either even when dropped off the shoulder and pulled back on or in high side winds… something I have tried… actually set up correctly with a well-balanced trailer the DC acts to prevent sway before it starts through the incremental frictions changes of the cams… the equalizer I have never owned or used to know…

So the HA and I assume equally as well the P3 are great hitches that do an excellent job at controlling sway, but in my mind they fall short of utopia and maybe even the high accolades showered on them, but the is just a single opinion in the sea of many…

I would like to see these stories about crashes that are caused by a swaying Hensley, perhaps you can supply a link to them.

Can you make a Hensley sway, absolutely, just don't set it up properly and you sway for one side of the Interstate to the other. A properly set up Hensley CAN NOT sway.

I keep hearing about this "Hensley Bump", that just tells me the the hitch is not setup properly or needs to have the strut bars adjusted. If you towed with a Hensley and felt this so called bump, then you have not towed with a properly setup HA.

I bent a strut bar and yes there was a bump, but that only because one strut bar was not doing it's job.

I am happy for you to have found the proper setup for your DC, but every person that I have talked to that has towed with a DC tells me that their experience was the same as mine. The DC stops sway after the initial twitch, but they still feel the trailer telegraphing to the truck.

I have towed across I90 In SD in cross winds for 30-50 MPH with both my DC and the Hensley there is no doubt the Hensley does a better job. But then that's just my opinion.

[Keith_Haw]

JJBIRISH wrote:
Well I am not going to get into a heated debate here, because these premium hitches are good hitches… and while I haven’t owned one, I have driven units with them… I know how popular they are with their users but am not on board with the just set it and forget it slant usually given them…
I just can’t discount the stories of crashes after unexpected bad sway while using the HA that I have read… or knowing that the Hensley bump is not a myth and the performance of the hitch can be dependent on proper leading trailer brakes to achieve that good performance… I can’t forget the video of a trailer swaying or the one of the hitch bouncing from side to side while going down the road… nor can I forget the poor response some of these people got while trying to figure out what was wrong…
The One thing that really sticks in my craw is the claimed companies threats and subsequent disappearance for the aired credible grievances in public forum and/or in the blog world about them…

Also knowing that a well set-up DC will not sway either even when dropped off the shoulder and pulled back on or in high side winds… something I have tried… actually set up correctly with a well-balanced trailer the DC acts to prevent sway before it starts through the incremental frictions changes of the cams… the equalizer I have never owned or used to know…

So the HA and I assume equally as well the P3 are great hitches that do an excellent job at controlling sway, but in my mind they fall short of utopia and maybe even the high accolades showered on them, but the is just a single opinion in the sea of many…

I'm not questioning what you say about the HA or 3P but would like to read the reviews and complaints you talk about. Mainly because everything I've been able to find was mostly positive except for the hook/unhook thing. Where can I find them?

Thanks
Keith

[Lantley]

Like the OP I traveled I-81 frequently. My Equalizer hitch was OK in most conditions but the trucks and curves of I-81 led me to find a better hitch.
I came across a Hensley rep.at the Hershey RV show and the rest is history.
I towed my 10K loaded TT with a Ford Excursion for years without issue.
It is often mentioned how much better a 5'er tows vs. a TT. However now that I own a 5'er I don't necessarily agree with that opinion.
My 5'er tows great and is very stable. But my HA TT combo was equally as stable as well.
A fiver tows better than a TT combo using a friction based hitch, however I don't notice much of a difference between my current 5'er and my prior HA combo.
I strongly recommend the HA or PP for those looking for a superior towing performance.

[JJBIRISH]

Well I am not going to get into a heated debate here, because these premium hitches are good hitches… and while I haven’t owned one, I have driven units with them… I know how popular they are with their users but am not on board with the just set it and forget it slant usually given them…
I just can’t discount the stories of crashes after unexpected bad sway while using the HA that I have read… or knowing that the Hensley bump is not a myth and the performance of the hitch can be dependent on proper leading trailer brakes to achieve that good performance… I can’t forget the video of a trailer swaying or the one of the hitch bouncing from side to side while going down the road… nor can I forget the poor response some of these people got while trying to figure out what was wrong…
The One thing that really sticks in my craw is the claimed companies threats and subsequent disappearance for the aired credible grievances in public forum and/or in the blog world about them…

Also knowing that a well set-up DC will not sway either even when dropped off the shoulder and pulled back on or in high side winds… something I have tried… actually set up correctly with a well-balanced trailer the DC acts to prevent sway before it starts through the incremental frictions changes of the cams… the equalizer I have never owned or used to know…

So the HA and I assume equally as well the P3 are great hitches that do an excellent job at controlling sway, but in my mind they fall short of utopia and maybe even the high accolades showered on them, but the is just a single opinion in the sea of many…

[BurbMan]

larryscsi wrote:
Anyone else have such an adventure and then go to the HA or P3? Please let me know if you found a difference?

Yup. Back in 2002 we decided that if we wanted to really travel with the TT with the kids and dogs, I couldn't be hanging on to the steering wheel for deal life. Nothing kills a vacation (well, few things) like screaming at the kids to shut up, Dad has to concentrate on the road!

Twelve years later and never looked back. The purchase was a definite *ouch* on the wallet, but no downside after that. I know I can travel in any kind of weather on any kind of roads and not have to worry about controlling the trailer.

hddecker wrote:
Try dropping a wheel off of the shoulder with your Dual Cam, then try it with an HA. That will show you the difference.

Folks, he ain't lying. On a GOOD day, the HA (or P3) seem just like any other hitch. On a BAD day, like uneven pavement in a construction zone, high winds, heavy truck traffic, or ALL 3 AT ONCE, that's when you get your money's worth out of these hitches.

[Wes_Tausend]

...

I had an Eaz-Lift 1000# WD hitch that came with my last 30' TT, and it worked reasonably well without the addition of any friction sway-bar. I do believe the Dual Cam is slightly more stable than the Eaz-Lift, but the economical $200 Eaz-Lift is a "handling" match to any other, more expensive, normal WD hitch.

At first I towed with a tiny, anemic V-6 Mazda (Ford Ranger) truck locally, then eventually went to a more interstate suitable 3/4 ton V-10 SUV for high speed highway use. I bought a used Hensley with the intent to go back to a 1/2 ton V-8 someday, to replace both the puny Mazda and HD Excursion. But I never bothered to install the Hensley for several years.

Even with the Excursion, without the Hensley, strong winds on interstate caused some minor sway, and major alertness. I never experienced any winds with the mini-truck and seldom went over 45 mph anyway. But my feeling was I would definately want the Hensley with the mini-truck in any brisk wind, at any speed.

We bought another 30' TT and continued to use the Eaz-Lift until I sold it with the previous TT. Now I had to install the Hensley, or buy something else. They do take slightly more time to install.

With the Hensley installed, sidewinds no longer mattered except for the typical worse fuel economy. These hitches do everything they say they will... track straight as an arrow. You will not ever experience, "a lot of sway" nor need to be, "on high alert" as you did in your last trip. High winds feel more like a good handling one-piece motorhome... everything moves as a solid unit, or not at all.

The Hensley downside? For me there is less clearance in my driveway dip because the Hensley (and P3) rides lower. There is also about one foot of extra length that dis-allows full-rig street parking between driveways in front of my house. Finally, the hitch does take more care, therefore time, to couple on uneven ground. For practice, try disconnecting from your TT by lining both rigs up level and pulling the pin on the receiver to drive away. Then try re-connecting to your Dual Cam by carefully lining up the square bar with the receiver, with the hitch-head, bars etc, still hanging on the ball. The Hensley style procedures are very similar. Watch your fingers, all tensions must be neutral both disconnecting and connecting. I have done this with the Eaz-Lift prior to installing my Hensley, so I know it works.

Other advantages? Besides the obvious handling issue, my pick-up tailgate clears to full drop, there are no exposed messy bars or ball (they stay on) and the Hensley turns sharper (nearly 90 degrees) than conventional hitches. My Excursion tailgate doors cleared either type hitch.

Wes
...

[hddecker]

SteveAE wrote:
My experience was similar to the others above when I switched from the Reese Dual Cam to the Hensley Arrow. Night and day. If I had to go back, I would quit towing a travel trailer.
That said though, after two years I still haven't dialed hooking up to the point that it is a quick as a ball type hitch. But that is a minor inconvenience for the increase in performance and (I believe) safety.

Steve

Steve two things number one, do you have help when your hooking up. If you do try it with out the helper.

Number two, remember back to when you were in grade school learning about geometry.

Now back the TV up so your hitch is lined up, check the angle and height of the receiver against the draw bar, adjust and back I the cab and hook up.

I found that as soon as I quit over thinking the set up the easier it was, that plus having someone trying to help, that doesn't understand the concept.

[hddecker]

I had a Reese Dual cam, got a new truck and couldn't drop the tailgate down with the TT attached.

I looked for some way to move the trailer back 6" or so, the only hitch that would do it safely was the HA. I sure am glad I had to spend $2K to do it. I can now drop the tailgate and have absolutely zero sway. Unlike the dual cam that does a decent job only stopping sway after it starts, the TT can not sway with the HA.

Coming across SD, WY, and MT last fall with crosswinds gusting to 50MPH, TV and TT tracked straight down the road without any unusual steering input needed.

Try dropping a wheel of the shoulder with you Dual Cam, then try it with an HA. That will show you the difference.

[SteveAE]

My experience was similar to the others above when I switched from the Reese Dual Cam to the Hensley Arrow. Night and day. If I had to go back, I would quit towing a travel trailer.
That said though, after two years I still haven't dialed hooking up to the point that it is a quick as a ball type hitch. But that is a minor inconvenience for the increase in performance and (I believe) safety.

Steve

[Mvander]

I have a friend who went 3p because a poor set up from the dealer left him a bit freaked out about towing. I helped him dial in the original set up and it felt good to me but he was so trigger shy he went p3 any how.

I tryed his p3 and i guess my expectations were to great. Nothing wrong with it. Just feels the same as a well set up standard wdh.

That being said i dont think you will be disappointed by switching.

[mbutts]

I went from a Reese to a ProPride. Like Hookie said, it's night and day. It took me about three years to talk myself into it, but I sure am glad I did.

[hookie]

All I will tell you is that it made a world of difference going to the HA when I had my 05 Durango AND then Yukon XL 2500. Like night and day from the Equal-i-zer. It simply eliminated all sway and tracked true to the truck. A huge amount of money but worked as advertised.