Hensley hitches

[Paul Fore]

I will be pulling a 29 foot travel trailer with a 2010 Tundra. The truck has a 5.7 liter, V8 with a 146 inch wheel base. Is the Hensley hitch worth the price or would something cheaper work just as well?

Paul

[LadyWindrider]

From what I have read on here and other places, they cost a lot of money. Only those that have them swear by them. Those of us that don't, get along great with our Reese or Equalizer. If you have enough truck and wheel base to start with, and your truck can handle the load, then a normal hitch should be fine. If you have a questionable truck vs load, no hitch is going to fix that problem. No hitch will increase the capabilities of the tow vehicle, PERIOD! Having said that, I have never used a Hensley, so maybe somebody with one will chime in.

[bikendan]

IMHO, an Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual-Cam will do the job well, with the setup you have.
no need to spend all the extra money for a Hensley, unless you have the extra dough and want the best.

[wboudx]

I had an Equal-i-zer with my 2008 Armada (9100 lbs towing) pulling my 29 ' Flagstaff.

I ordered the Hensley because I went online and ordered the DVD video. They sent me the video with a letter, saying someone would call me in a couple of weeks. When the salesman called, I told him they cost too much. He said he had some hitches that are refurbished for a large discount. I said the price was still too high. He said I had a 60 days trial period at which I could return it at no charge. I said that the return postage would be too high. He said he would pay shipping both ways. I told him my trailer was being serviced at the plant, and I would only have about 15 days left on the Hensley trial period when I get it back. He said he would not start the trial period until I got the trailer back. I did not see where I could lose. I ordered it.

When I got the hitch, I hooked up the trailer with the old hitch one more time and took a 20 mile trip and made notes about speeds on certain roads conditions etc. Everything pulled good as usual. When I got on the interstate, I sped up to 75 mph (I normally never go over 65). Some sway with trucks at speeds 50 and up. I then installed the Hensley. Took the same route. The same route was the same until I got on the interstate. I got up to 75 and I passed many more trucks than the first trip and had absolutely no sway. Five minutes after we got on the interstate, my wife said we are keeping the Hensley.

Walt

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by wboudx

I had an Equal-i-zer with my 2008 Armada (9100 lbs towing) pulling my 29 ' Flagstaff.

I ordered the Hensley because I went online and ordered the DVD video. They sent me the video with a letter, saying someone would call me in a couple of weeks. When the salesman called, I told him they cost too much. He said he had some hitches that are refurbished for a large discount. I said the price was still too high. He said I had a 60 days trial period at which I could return it at no charge. I said that the return postage would be too high. He said he would pay shipping both ways. I told him my trailer was being serviced at the plant, and I would only have about 15 days left on the Hensley trial period when I get it back. He said he would not start the trial period until I got the trailer back. I did not see where I could lose. I ordered it.

When I got the hitch, I hooked up the trailer with the old hitch one more time and took a 20 mile trip and made notes about speeds on certain roads conditions etc. Everything pulled good as usual. When I got on the interstate, I sped up to 75 mph (I normally never go over 65). Some sway with trucks at speeds 50 and up. I then installed the Hensley. Took the same route. The same route was the same until I got on the interstate. I got up to 75 and I passed many more trucks than the first trip and had absolutely no sway. Five minutes after we got on the interstate, my wife said we are keeping the Hensley.

Walt

Good testimonial, good info. That is a pretty long trailer pulled by a short wheel based vehicle. I can understand how the Hensley would be a big benefit with that setup. If I had the extra money, I would even be checking it out with my TV......couldn't hurt.

Thanks for the report.

[Paul Fore]

Thanks for the input and it will help us since we are new to this TT towing.

Paul

[wboudx]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Good testimonial, good info. That is a pretty long trailer pulled by a short wheel based vehicle. I can understand how the Hensley would be a big benefit with that setup. If I had the extra money, I would even be checking it out with my TV......couldn't hurt.

Thanks for the report.

You are exactly right. My trailer should be 26' or less with the Armada wheelbase. I live in Louisiana, and all of our camping is in flatland and I feel 65 and under is safe. I don't think I would have taken the TT to the mountains with my old hitch. I think the Hensley would now make mountain towing safe.

Walt

[PumaPro]

Pulliam (I think) Enterprises. They have a hitch that swings back and forth, from what I understand attaches to the frame by the rear axle on the truck. It's right up there with the Hensley. Check out the Husky Centerline also. Good competition to the Equal-I-Zer, but a bit more expensive. It has active sway control: the trailer doesn't have to sway before the sway control will activate.

[zbittsurveyor]

I know this is a little late for this post, but I remember as a kid my parents towing a 30'+ with an old Bonneville and the thing swaying back and forth while Dad cursed madly. I vowed never to go though that with my family.

I bought a Hensley off Craigslist for $1300 and then picked up the lifetime warranty directly from Hensley for another $500. Last year I towed a 25' Surveyor with a 2001 Sequoia - 4.9 liter engine over 8000 miles cross country. It performed above and beyond expectations. Looking back the $1800 investment was a small price to pay for my family's safety.

Good luck.