Hensley Hitch used...yes no? Equal-izer too?

ryand · 11-03-2012, 05:59 PM

After a season of using The Husky Centerline I am looking at possibly changing the hitch....If you could have a used hensley for a good price 600-800 would you go for it? My big complaint about the centerline is the fact that the TV and TT need to be in perfect alignment for hitch/unhitch. It has burned me a few times this season. Looking at the Equal-izer as well as it seems much more mainstream and easy to hook up. the Centerline head is also close to 100# and great for the lower back.
Any input would be appreciated.

SaskCampers · 11-03-2012, 06:20 PM

Blue Ox works well and you don't have to be perfectly aligned to hookup or un hook. I thenk the Hensley is more finicky than any of the others though, but if I could get one for 600 to 800 I would be all over it I think.

Twisty · 11-04-2012, 02:13 PM

I bought a used ProPride and did not use it. It is VERY heavy.
I use a Reese round bar WDH that I already had and added the Dual Cam anti sway.
Once set up it is easy to use under any circumstances.

Len & Cheri · 11-04-2012, 02:41 PM

If you can get one at that price, why not? I myself wouldn't buy one at full price. I have the Reese Dual Cam and have no sway. Once set up its a great hitch.

JoeyO · 11-04-2012, 03:11 PM

I bought a used hensely, love it! It wasnt as cheap as it was from their supply of used & repainted models. It also has their warranty etc.

So, as for finickey when connecting? Yes, it can be. Sometimes you just need to study the angle at which you need to back in from in order to connect to the TT. It can drive you nuts if you did not pull it straight just before you disconnect as well. But, on the flip side, its one BAMF for pulling in rough weather and such. I love it!

DDC · 11-04-2012, 03:28 PM

I have a hensley and it is now on it's fourth trailer so as you can tell I've had it for a long time, it does not control sway it totally eliminates it, once in a while it can be awkward to obtain the correct angle ( I'd estimate that to be once in about forty hook ups) but it is a dream to tow with and it sounds like you could get one at a great price.

jeeplj8 · 11-05-2012, 12:48 PM

just curious where one gets a rebuilt Hensley? I did not see them listed on their website...

SaskCampers · 11-05-2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeplj8

just curious where one gets a rebuilt Hensley? I did not see them listed on their website...

Call or send them an email, they will get back to you pretty quickly.

crasher · 11-05-2012, 02:37 PM

I would be curious as to what "rebuilt" means in the case of this kind of equipment.

thebrakeman · 11-05-2012, 02:54 PM

I've engaged/disengaged my Equal-i-zer at some pretty sharp angles without a problem. I try not to do that, as it really loads up 1 side more than the other. But easy of engagement is not affected at all.

JoeyO · 11-05-2012, 03:05 PM

used ones from Hensely are just re-painted, new pins and then inspected. Paint job was garbage, but it was, and still will be, good to go.

Gizmo0706 · 11-05-2012, 04:01 PM

We were using a equalizer and switched to a Propride 3p for the first part of the year and really did not care for it. I had a few problems with the weight distribution systems among issues adapting it to my trailer. I had a failure of one of the weight distribution jacks while turning into a gas station hundreds of miles from home. Several hours later I had it fixed but by that point I had lost all confidence in the hitch. All this is to say that there is something to be said about simplicity. The Hensley and Propride and great hitches that demand a premium price but they do add more weight and complexity to the trailer. I ended up back with the old faithful equalizer hitch that has performed without issue for years on several trailers.
To answer your question as to buy or not, I would probably buy it if the price was really good, if nothing more than to clean it up and sell it for profit.

DDC · 11-05-2012, 04:37 PM

Don't know about the propride 3p but in all the years I've been using my hensley I have never had anything fail, it is easy to hook up almost all the time and it does not bang or squeal, as far as simplicity is concerned if you stand back and look at a hensley and apply some simple geometry to your thought you will wonder why all hitches are not like this one.

dmand001 · 11-15-2012, 04:46 PM

The Andersen WDH is relatively new and unlike any today but it is anti sway, anti bounce w/ WD as well plus a ton more. Their concept is revolutionary w/ their tapered ball shaft/brake pad and bushing setup. Once you get the concept of how it works you'll be a believer. It has nothing to compare it to thus a lot of ignorance about it all over. Check out their videos for yourself. I think it's a game changer. Owners of this hitch agree, no doubt.

Walke · 11-15-2012, 06:21 PM

Many RV'ers have towed for 20 years plus feel so comfortable with todays WD heavy "anti-sway" (resistance bar) hitches because they are so much better than the old days. Most quote "No Sway" even when they drive with such caution that the trailer could "never sway".

The Hensley ELIMINATES sway, you can let the rig go down a hill and it will pick up speed pushing the TV, even at 70 MPH there is no sway. Even when you have to make a quick turn to avoid a circumstance, NO SWAY.

I picked up my Hensley for $600, I hung it in my garage, cleaned, painted, purchased a $500 LIFETIME all perils/accident warranty which entitles the owner to receive the parts required to connect it to your exixting and all future TT and TV's. Best purchase of any RV accessory. Another bonus, the heavy portion of the WD hitch stays on the TT, I built a box and the coupler now stays with the trailer. No heavy, grease coated, lifting!

dmand001 · 11-15-2012, 07:11 PM

Hensely or the updated P3 are good compared to before but the Andersen WDH is here and the future. Change is hard but the hitching landscape is "achanging". Anti bounce.....interesting isn't it? The concept is new but it will go on as it's that good. Study the videos, only a few clips out there. A ride you've never felt before, shhhhh so quiet. Remarks like, "I have to look back to see if the trailer is still there," is a common one of owners, thus making driving the safest under most adverse conditions. I've read somewhere that it may just be the hensely killer.

Walke · 11-15-2012, 08:18 PM

I have looked at these Anderson Hitch clips. I would never pay the $2000 plus for a Hensley, getting one used was the key. These new Anderson hitches look interesting, if I was in the market they would be worth a look. I am not sure they would ELIMINATE sway like a Hensley with a resistance technique on their ball assembly, it would tend to CONTROL sway like many of the others, with no noise because of the horizontal chains. You're right, towing is a A-changing !

dmand001 · 11-15-2012, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walke

I have looked at these Anderson Hitch clips. I would never pay the $2000 plus for a Hensley, getting one used was the key. These new Anderson hitches look interesting, if I was in the market they would be worth a look. I am not sure they would ELIMINATE sway like a Hensley with a resistance technique on their ball assembly, it would tend to CONTROL sway like many of the others, with no noise because of the horizontal chains. You're right, towing is a A-changing !

Yes, the Hensely does remove sway as it functions as a rigid unit, TV & TT but so stiff, the bounce, rock&roll in the trailer as it has no dampening feature. The Andersen is like sway on demand, when the hitch feels the force of a sway pressure it tightens up & equally counters it w/in that tapered ball/shaft brake-pad similar to you braking your car, just the right amount. The sway is instantly corrected but more importantly the vibrations those dips and bumps are dampened via that bushing. Think one could sleep in a trailer while moving and not be bothered too much.

happy hitching

**Sean Woodruff** · 11-16-2012, 01:35 AM

The Anderson hitch is a friction based sway damping hitch. It is no different than any other sway damping hitch that applies friction to sway forces. Once the sway force overcomes the friction force the trailer WILL be swaying.

Anyone saying the Anderson will be a Hensley (or ProPride 3P) killer just doesn't understand the difference between sway elimination and sway control.

Every friction based system on the market works by applying FRICTION to sway that exists. The only difference in all the designs is the LOCATION THEY APPLY THE FRICTION to the pivoting force.

A Jim Hensley designed hitch (Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P) does not let sway begin. It eliminates the leverage that the trailer has on the tow vehicle by projecting the effective pivot point to near the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

With the Anderson, Equalizer or the Reese Dual-Cam the trailer load is applied at a distance behind the rear axle and has a MUCH greater leverage on the tow vehicle. Pivoting still occurs on the hitch ball and FRICTION force must be greater than the pivoting force or that leverage will attempt to turn the tow vehicle. This is why longer wheel based vehicles are more stable with conventional hitches.

The other fact of all the conventional hitch design is that they ALL require tongue weight to operate and apply force for the friction. Change your loading or your weight distribution and you change your sway control friction. Any time the tongue weight changes when cresting a hill you change the effectiveness of your sway control.

The Arrow or the 3P DO NOT rely on tongue weight to work. They change the geometry of the trailer coupling. There is no friction involved anywhere.

Anyway, just thought I'd clear up the notion that you can compare any of the conventional hitches to the Hensley Arrow or the ProPride 3P. The fact is, it's like comparing apples to cashew nuts.

I have put it out a request on a lot of forums to the hitch companies but may not have here. I'd like to have an INDEPENDENT testing engineer company take every one of our hitches and test all of them. They can write an independent report to finally answer which actually works. To date NONE of them will put up the money for the testing. I'm ready to do it. Will they contribute to the cost? I say we all (the hitch companies) put our money where our mouths are so that all of you are not confused by the false marketing hype and false notions people post all over the forums.

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dmand001 · 11-16-2012, 05:01 AM

No hype, Andersen NO-sway WDH, says it on the installation manual. Their liable if not true, one would think. We're all ignorant till we have gathered enough conclusive information on things we do not know about. The ball tapered shank, brake pad and bushing setup of the Andersen no-sway WDH is new and the genius of the system. There's nothing like it, it's better. To put it simply, it's like the disc brakes in a car, it will stop the car when enough pressure is applied. It's like having a sway detector built in, not allowing sway to take place, applying the right amount of pressure needed.

BTW, some dealers have it below $400 which will not break the bank. Try it and it will clear up the hype and ignorance for sure.

When there's something new it will be challenged as it should. There's now a better way in hitching, find out first hand.

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