Propride or Hensley

LSUTiger · 03-17-2013, 09:41 PM

Pulled my new Solaire 297rlds this weekend for the first time. The sway was terrible. I was riding the white knuckle express the whole time. Propride hitch or Hensley will be on order come Monday morning and this equilizer 4 pt hitch can be scrap metal. I hope this makes towing easier and this whole camping experience a little more enjoyable.

In addition I will be ordering something to weigh the tongue to ensure my tongue weight is where it needs to be.
Travis

TURBS · 03-17-2013, 10:00 PM

It would be cheaper to take it to a scale to get tounge weight .
Your going to have to scale it anyway when you change the hitch.

Turbs

jtstromsburg · 03-17-2013, 10:12 PM

No offense, but are you sure the e4 is/was set up properly? When i bought my first TT and the dealer setup my equalizer hitch, it was way off and once home and adjusted, it was great. By all means if you have the budget and desire, get a propride or hensley, but maybe try setting your current hitch up by the book and see what you think then?
If you already set it up as best you can, then your headed in the right direction.
Either way, enjoy!

Dave_Monica · 03-17-2013, 10:15 PM

Hope you're not relying on the dealership to have the hitch set up correctly. Here's a link to the Equal-i-zer site and their installation manuals. There's no reason for that hitch not working for you other than set-up.

Installation Instructions & Parts Breakdown

Dave

LSUTiger · 03-17-2013, 10:29 PM

I was gonna call the dealer, but then decided if this system can make me and my family as safe as we can be rolling down hwy that was the way to go. I just figured the dealer knew what he was doing when he set it up. I'll definitely take another look at it though, and see if I can make some adjustments.

Travis

wyo700 · 03-17-2013, 10:40 PM

The dealer set up my e4 and told me good to go should never have to adjust it. Ha ya until I loaded for first trip in was way out and need a lot of adjustment. Check it out its a great hitch once you get it where it needs to be.

Wildwood Danny · 03-18-2013, 07:21 AM

Check the hitch setup after loading TT as it will be when traveling. Set up per manual, test drive then make adjustments. Get scale weights

I have had 3 other hitches before the Hensley, only 1 was set up properly by the dealer, had to make adjustments. If I didn't have a Hensley, I would have an Equalizer, it worked best for me for my rig.

Let's all keep on talking RVing.

Indymule · 03-18-2013, 08:05 AM

Travis,

What are you using for a tow vehicle? I have a Hensley and love it. I would certainly recommend one.

That being said, your E4 should not be that scarry of a ride. Like others, I would suspect that it is not set up properly.

I will end with, I think the Hensley and Propride offer the best towing safety and you would be well served with either.

youroo · 03-18-2013, 08:12 AM

The Hen & Pro also need (Setup) they are not Magic. A trailer with improper T/W will still fishtail down the road. They will give you a (Politicians ansewer) but you still need to load & set the trailer up Properly!

Youroo!!

MtnGuy · 03-18-2013, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youroo

The Hen & Pro also need (Setup) they are not Magic. A trailer with improper T/W will still fishtail down the road. They will give you a (Politicians ansewer) but you still need to load & set the trailer up Properly!

Youroo!!

I agree with the others......make sure the Equal-i-zer is setup properly. Even though I thought my Reese handled great coming back from the dealer, they had it setup so only 60 lbs. of the lost 300 lbs. on my front axle had been replaced. Tweaking the WDH myself has made a big difference, and now it tows sweet.

To follow up what youroo posted, you should have a minimum of 10% of the total trailer weight on the tongue.......and 12 to 15% would be even better.

You can weigh the tongue via this method without having to buy anything special. Hitching Up - Trailer - Tongue Weight But you would still need to know the actual weight of the trailer to get the proper percentage. A trip to the scales might be in order, if you think you can do that safely. You can also figure out the tongue weight with a trip to the scales.

And if you do decide on the Hensley or ProPpride, careful setup with that will also be necessary as youroo indicated.

pwrstroke2012 · 03-18-2013, 08:23 AM

Check to make sure all your bolts and nuts are torqued correctly (Dave posted website above for manual) ) especially where the arms slide into the shank. I took mine off to lubricate and didn't have the correct torque (65# i believe is correct) and the sway was awful. Read the instruction manual, bought a good torque wrench, and that took care of sway. It is a very good hitch but like any hitch, even the 2500 dollars ones, they have to be set up properly to function properly. I lay odds yours was set up wrong with the incorrect torque.

Wildwood Danny · 03-18-2013, 11:38 AM

It's all in the proper loading of TT and TV, the proper set up of the hitch, and there will always be those times (Evern with the Hensley and Propride) that you will experience some sway or other handling conditions regardless what dealers, suppliers, and other suppliers say.

Use common sense and make you adjustments and use all of the wealth of info that is out there on setting up your tow rig.

Keep on talking about RVing

LSUTiger · 03-18-2013, 11:57 AM

The truck that I am using is a 2012 Chevy Silverado 4x4 with a 5.3 and the 3.42 rear end. I didn't have a lot of time to make to many phone calls, but I spoke to dealer today. He says that everything was set up correctly and he has been doing this for X number of years and has never had a problem. Told me to go up on the L brackets that are on the travel trailer. Not the answer I was looking for. Could it be a problem with the trailer itself? Ill keep you guys posted.

Travis

Dave_Monica · 03-18-2013, 01:20 PM

Do the wheel-well measurement before and after hooking up. You don't want the front measurement to change after hooking up the camper. If it has increased. try moving the L brackets up a set of holes. If the measurement has still increased, you'll have to add a washer or two to the hitch-head to angle it down more. It's quite easy to set-up if you have the tools and patience.

If the camper is swaying you either have insufficient tongue weight or insufficient weight transfer. If the load is too light of the bars on the L brackets, there isn't sufficient friction to control sway.

Dave

jlgail4309 · 03-18-2013, 07:37 PM

Propride is the best hitch on the market at this time. They are worth every penny you spend on them. You can put a price on being safe most people do. You can adjust on the friction hitch and make it better. But it's only as safe as the friction. When the wind blows and big trucks pass that trailer will sway. 1/2 to a 3/4 ton big Feeling that my family was safe made my mind up.

lbrjet · 03-18-2013, 07:56 PM

I have put 4700 miles on my E4 with zero sway. Been traveling with plenty of trucks and high winds, sometimes together. I spent time getting the hitch set up right and would never use anything else. Of course if I was towing with a Jeep I may be using something else, don't know.

jlgail4309 · 03-18-2013, 08:16 PM

F250 he's using a 1/2 ton . You guys have about the same size trailer. I not for sure but the friction in the hitch might not be enough. LBEJET what do you think you have put some miles on your hitch. With a 3/4 ton My Jeep pulling a 20 foot is like a half ton pulling a 29 foot. The force applied to the side of the trailer is going to push that hitch and the truck max.
I not sure he could go wrong with a hensley or a propride. If it helped my little Jeep it will help his 1/2 ton for sure.

DDC · 03-18-2013, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwood Danny

It's all in the proper loading of TT and TV, the proper set up of the hitch, and there will always be those times (Evern with the Hensley and Propride) that you will experience some sway or other handling conditions regardless what dealers, suppliers, and other suppliers say.

Use common sense and make you adjustments and use all of the wealth of info that is out there on setting up your tow rig.

Keep on talking about RVing

I have had my Hensley set-up by the dealer four times, once on each trailer I bought, never ever had to do any other adjustments. Also there is NO sway or any other handling conditions with the Hensley, I have never used a Propride but looking at the similar design to the Hensley I would expect that it also has NO sway.

Wildwood Danny · 03-19-2013, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDC

I have had my Hensley set-up by the dealer four times, once on each trailer I bought, never ever had to do any other adjustments. Also there is NO sway or any other handling conditions with the Hensley, I have never used a Propride but looking at the similar design to the Hensley I would expect that it also has NO sway.

I ordered my Hensley direct from the the factory and installed it myself on the Wildwood, the dealer installed it on the LaCrosse with instructions from me because the service techs had not seen one before. Here in Kansas we have a lot of wind with gust, no sway, but you do get shoved around some, the Hensley will let you make corrections without that losing control feeling. Have towed over 15,ooo miles with the Hensley, don't go anywhere without it and the DW. Not everyone will or can spend the money for a Hensley. I have had Easylift, Blue Ox, Equalizer and Hensley all on one trailer trying to make a safer and better handling tow combination. The Equalizer was very close and was usable, but DW bought me a Hensley and sold my Equalizer.

I still think you will have some issues of somekind with TT movement, maybe minor regardless of what hitch you use as there are too many variables, such as TT, TV, loading, road conditions, weather conditions, drivers condition. One thing that the Hensley won't cure is porposing, it will maybe help, but not cure.

I stand by my statement, read the manual, load properly, also use correct air pressure, adjust, adjust, adjust, and use all of the experience wealth on this great Forest River Forum.

Keep on talking RVing.

LSUTiger · 03-20-2013, 06:27 PM

Took a closer look at my 4 point hitch today and for some reason the dealer had the brackets on the tongue of the trailer set diffrently. On driver side had two holes on the top left open and on the passenger side had one hole at the top left open. Any reason as why this would be? I recieved my scale in today to measure tongue weight. I am right at 700 lbs. Next thing I am going to do is get to the scales.

Travis

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