RW MiniLite and sway?

[HangDiver]

Everyone loves a good story - especially one with a happy ending!
Best wishes for your camping trips!

[LLMRPh]

SailorSam, can you clarify: was a previous hitch installed wrong by the dealer or did your dealer install the P3 wrong? I'm curious if you originally towed with a different hitch and switched to ProPride because of sway? Also, I am not likely to be able to install the P3 myself so I'll need to take to a dealer to install. I live in Toledo so plan to go get the hitch also if I buy one. I think Hensley and ProPride are both pretty close to Flint right?

[Restcure]

LLMRPh, like SailorSam we also tow with the Propride and have been doing so since 2009. At the time we were towing with a 2005 Toyota Sequoia, which has a relatively short wheelbase When we compared it to the Hensley we like it better for a few reasons. The two big ones were the height-adjustable stinger and the yoke system for keeping the trailer in line.

After lots of back-and-forth with Sean, I installed the 3P myself. You can see my write up at Mods - Propride 3P 1400 Hitch.

We had also heard that it was more difficult to hitch up with the ProPride or Hensley, but that has not been our experience. The WD jacks control the weight distribution by angling the socket on the main hitch unit. When unhitching we slacken the tension on the jacks until the spring bars move freely, and after unhitching we leave the jacks in the same position. Hitching up is usually a breeze.

[SailorSam20500]

Dealer assembled the adjustable hitch bar (aka stinger) on the ProPride upside down. Not sure where Hensley is, ProPride is just south of Flint. Makes sense that Hensley is in that area, Sean worked for them before starting his own company and coming out with the "updated" version of the hitch.
When I made the deal with the dealer to buy this trailer new, I specified that he would install the hitch. I can't put the trailer in my driveway, so I didn't want to be doing the install in a storage facility.
FWIW, I've seen a number of posts of people who did do their own install. I recommend reading "The unofficial pp users guide" on the airstream owners forum.

[Restcure]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

Dealer assembled the adjustable hitch bar (aka stinger) on the ProPride upside down. Not sure where Hensley is, ProPride is just south of Flint. Makes sense that Hensley is in that area, Sean worked for them before starting his own company and coming out with the "updated" version of the hitch.
When I made the deal with the dealer to buy this trailer new, I specified that he would install the hitch. I can't put the trailer in my driveway, so I didn't want to be doing the install in a storage facility.
FWIW, I've seen a number of posts of people who did do their own install. I recommend reading "The unofficial pp users guide" on the airstream owners forum.

From what I understand, the ProPride is Jim Hensley's design - an evolution of the Hensley Arrow. He pitched it to Hensley Manufacturing (not Jim's company, but it uses his name) and they decided to pass... so Sean went into business for himself, manufacturing the new hitch.

For a time there was a lot of acrimony between Hensley and ProPride, but that seems to have cooled down in recent years.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Pulling 36' FR 304BS, around 10,000lbs with Blue Ox 1500/15000 wdh w/sway control. Dealer set it up all wrong...(but would not warrantee the exact same hitch if I bought it on line for $200 cheaper and had them install it). Ball height was too low...needed to go up one set of holes on shank. Bolts mounting head to shank were not tight. Bolts holding chain brackets on trailer frame were wrong length and chains were on the wrong link. Parked in a parking lot by house, moved head up one set of holes...TIGHTENED !! the bolts to correct lbs. reset chains...3.5 links visible from the bottom of frame bracket (as specified in manufacture video) and trailer tracks like a race dog chasing a rabbit around a track at 70mph.

[LLMRPh]

Very interesting about the Blu Ox. I think the ball height is also a bit low. No way I can torque to 247# or whatever that number is. But bolts on frame are only 40# I think. So I can do that. But dealer said bring it over to recheck settings. Am going to do that. I'm heading out about 2 hrs away on July 4 so will see how it does. The guy at the dealer was honestly surprised when I said I'm feeling any sway with the Blu Ox. So I think he will really take a good look at the set up.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by LLMRPh

Very interesting about the Blu Ox. I think the ball height is also a bit low. No way I can torque to 247# or whatever that number is. But bolts on frame are only 40# I think. So I can do that. But dealer said bring it over to recheck settings. Am going to do that. I'm heading out about 2 hrs away on July 4 so will see how it does. The guy at the dealer was honestly surprised when I said I'm feeling any sway with the Blu Ox. So I think he will really take a good look at the set up.

Give me a long enough lever...and I can move the world.
I have a 4' long cheater bar that I'll never let out of my site !! Twisted a 3/4" shank off a 2" ball rusted to a hitch once with it. Won two six packs on that bet.

[csyrell]

With my 2506s, I have three different experiences. My TV is a F150 XLT. I have a Weight Distribution hitch.

Without the Pro Series Friction Sway Control = Hold on tight and don't make a mistake.

With 1 Pro Series Friction Sway Control arm = Two hands on the wheel at all times. Just keep things smooth and straight. Change lanes too fast, or over-correct too quickly, and it will sway. Stay calm let off the gas and it will come back to you.

With 2 Pro Series Friction Sway Control arms = BUTTERY SMOOTH!!! Just purchased a second control arm and went on a 5 hour (each way) getaway. First time able to drive one handed AND used cruise control. Last leg of journey home was 60 miles of interstate with 15 mph cross winds. In 10 hours of driving I didn't have one instance of trailer sway (i.e. my truck didn't warn me about sway) as it has with the other two scenarios. I also noticed my gas mileage was about 1-2 mpg better than before, probably because of being able to use Cruise Control, but also likely due to less sway means less changes in RPM's.

Getting a 2nd control arm was the best $40 I've spent on this unit. Installation was also a snap - it took me more time to gather my cordless drill, 11/32 bit, and socket set, than it did to drill 6 holes and bolt the base on.

If you are having sway, and have 0 or 1 friction sway bars, then I highly recommend adding at least 1, but definitely 2 to your hitch set up.

[LLMRPh]

Thanks, csyrell! I didn't know it was possible to have 2 friction sway bars. Can you post a picture of your setup? My challenge is that I'm not sure it is physically possible to add a sway brake to the Blu Ox Sway Pro since it's supposed to be an "all in one" WD hitch and sway control. I'll ask the mechanic dude at the dealer though.

[Zak1]

Originally Posted by LLMRPh

Thanks, raspivey (and others). Goop point about sway vs being pushed around. Hard to tell sometimes. My Expedition already has some Hankook Dynapro ATM tires on it (not OEM). I bought it used. I'm going to bump up tire pressure. And check all WDH settings and weights. If I'm still feeling anxiety on the road after that, I may fork out the $$$ for a Hensley or ProPride hitch.

I have a 2016 F150 SuperCrew 4X4, 2.7, 3:55 axle pulling 2016 VLite (around 8000 lbs). Had an equalizer and did not like the sway over 50 mph. Now have the ProPride 3p 1400. BEST INVESTMENT I COULD HAVE MADE.
Absolutely eliminates sway, not just "control sway"...

[LLMRPh]

Interesting. In a way, isn't csyrell's 2 sway brake set up creating the same type of system as a ProPride P3? It creates a 2-bar box stabilizer system, right?

[csyrell]

Originally Posted by LLMRPh

Thanks, csyrell! I didn't know it was possible to have 2 friction sway bars. Can you post a picture of your setup? My challenge is that I'm not sure it is physically possible to add a sway brake to the Blu Ox Sway Pro since it's supposed to be an "all in one" WD hitch and sway control. I'll ask the mechanic dude at the dealer though.

Unfortunately, my trailer is currently in storage between trips (I park it at my dealer), so I can't take a picture of my exact setup. But, if you google "Pro Series Friction Sway Control" you'll see my setup. Only difference is that I have 2 friction sway arms as opposed to a single arm on most setups.

Here's a generic pic of my WDH and a single Friction Arm, compliments of etrailer.com


In my case, the second friction bar mounts on the opposite side, and it comes with a ball and mount for the street (driver) side.

Here's a link to a pic of what I got as a second kit for around $40 at my dealer (again, the pic is compliments of etrailer.com): https://www.etrailer.com/static/imag.../83660_500.jpg

Again, best $40 I've spent was to get that second arm!!!

Chris

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by LLMRPh

Interesting. In a way, isn't csyrell's 2 sway brake set up creating the same type of system as a ProPride P3? It creates a 2-bar box stabilizer system, right?

In a word, NO.

In Csyrell's setup, the pivot point from the trailers point of view is still the ball hitch. 2 stabilizers simply double the friction surfaces that convert sway energy into heat (and noise). Friction stabilizers are the same as a brake with two metal surfaces sliding against each other.
With a Hensley design hitch, the pivot point from the trailers point of view is near the TV rear axle, 40-50 odd inches farther forward. So if the trailer wants to wag, it has to physically slide the TV rear wheels sideways. Unless you have way over corrected the weight distribution or the TV is on a very slick surface, that isn't going to happen

[LLMRPh]

[emoji1303] for all the info.