So I will probably buy a ProPride in the next week or so. However, I still have some questions before doing it. I have read a lot of stuff in this forum – the HA bump, how it works, jacknifing, comparison with HA, etc.
I know that it’s safer most of the time since it eliminates sway. But when it fails is it worse than a dual cam? Is it easier or harder for me to recover from a bad situation with it or a DC? Keep in mind that I’m the safest driver I know (even my wife drives faster). I don’t ever go fast than the speed limit and while towing I’m usually in between 45-55 mph and always with a huge distance from the cars in front of me.
Can we get any kind of sway if our WD is not correctly set?
What is the worst possible scenario that can happen with it and how would I recover from it? How can I tell it's happening? How this scenario works with a DC, equalizer or friction sway bar?
Can I jacknife it on purpose while backing up for parking, etc.?
Thanks!
2011 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 5.7L V8 (next will be a 3/4, someday)
2012 Jayco Flight Swift 267BHS (5963lbs dry, 6650 wet)
Propride hitch (I had a Reese dual cam round bar WDH for 4 months)
chracatoa wrote: So I will probably buy a ProPride in the next week or so. However, I still have some questions before doing it. I have read a lot of stuff in this forum – the HA bump, how it works, jacknifing, comparison with HA, etc.
I know that it’s safer most of the time since it eliminates sway. But when it fails is it worse than a dual cam? Is it easier or harder for me to recover from a bad situation with it or a DC? Keep in mind that I’m the safest driver I know (even my wife drives faster). I don’t ever go fast than the speed limit and while towing I’m usually in between 45-55 mph and always with a huge distance from the cars in front of me.
Can we get any kind of sway if our WD is not correctly set?
What is the worst possible scenario that can happen with it and how would I recover from it? How can I tell it's happening? How this scenario works with a DC, equalizer or friction sway bar?
Can I jacknife it on purpose while backing up for parking, etc.?
Thanks!
But when it fails is it worse than a dual cam? The term "fail" is a little vague. If for some reason the 3P, or any other hitch, comes apart, they are all bad. But such failure is far less likely than a loss-of-control incident without sway control. The Hensley design never fails otherwise unless something comes loose which is wholly preventable.
Is it easier or harder for me to recover from a bad situation with it or a DC? It is easier to recover from a "bad situation" with the 3P--- if you mean a swerving type bad situation. The DC helps hold a straight line, but once it is already turning, does nothing to help recover.
Can we get any kind of sway if our WD is not correctly set? If a lot of weight is allowed to be removed from the front axle by TT tongue weight, steering control can suffer with any hitch, which can require extra attention to control and seem like sway. Adjust the WD to keep about the same weight on the front wheels of the truck as it has empty. The 3P WD is not so directionally sensitive like some hitches, and can be more easily adjusted for best overall truck ride.
What is the worst possible scenario that can happen with it and how would I recover from it? How can I tell it's happening? You can forget to connect something, like any hitch, and your first clue will be erratic handling/steering. FIRST, doublecheck all connections before moving at all, using a checklist if necessary.
Then, right after hitching up, before you get moving fast, experiment with some gentle swerving at slow speed and be alert for unusual looseness or noise. Also try your brakes to make sure they are connected properly.
If something goes wrong on the highway along the lines of breakage, carefully slow and pull over. Keep in mind how heavy the tow combination is, and don't make any sudden, extreme turning or braking moves if you can avoid it. Speaking of "recovering", I probably don't need to say buckle your seatbelts just in case!
How this scenario works with a DC, equalizer or friction sway bar? If for some reason you end up towing on a slippery road, the 3P improved leverage will give you more turning control than friction sway-equipped type hitches that try to keep your vehicle, as well as the TT, from turning at all. That is basically the difference between the Hensley design sway control and ordinary WD hitches; good leverage vs sticky friction.
Can I jacknife it on purpose while backing up for parking, etc.? Yes. Be very careful during sharp backing turns to avoid a turn beyond linkage travel. This is true with any hitch actually.
By all means take it easy with your new ProPride 3P hitch until you feel confident with it. Don't worry, you will feel very, very good about it when you get used to it. Concerning a new 3P ProPride, contrary to many machines that need to be "broke in", it is the driver that needs breaking in during "newness". When your smile is fully from ear-to-ear, you have it!
Wes
...
Days spent camping are not subtracted from one's total.
- 2000 Excursion V-10 - 2004 Cougar Keystone M-294 RLS, 6140# tare
- Hensley Arrow - Champion 4000w/3500w gen
- Linda, Wes and Quincy the Standard Brown Poodle
...
chracatoa wrote: But when it fails is it worse than a dual cam? Is it easier or harder for me to recover from a bad situation with it or a DC?
If something were to break it may be worse than using the DC because you would have two pivot points instead of one. This, of course, depends on just what broke. Actually, there is really not much that can break except possibly the adjustable shank. That part could also break on a DC hitch and in either case you would not have control of the trailer except by the safety chains and trailer brakes.
Quote: Can we get any kind of sway if our WD is not correctly set?
The sway control is not dependent on the WD. Even if you did not have the WD spring bars tensioned at all you would still have the sway control.
Quote: What is the worst possible scenario that can happen with it and how would I recover from it? How can I tell it's happening? How this scenario works with a DC, equalizer or friction sway bar?
The worst thing that could happen is that your drawbar or stinger would break as I mentioned above. You would hopefully still have some control of your trailer via the safety chains and brake controller.
To recover, I would apply the trailer brakes manually by using the manual control on the brake controller and then gradually slow down to a stop. This would hopefully keep the hitch in tension by letting the trailer pull back on the truck and give you control.
Quote: Can I jacknife it on purpose while backing up for parking, etc.?
It has a range of motion just like any hitch does. You can probably turn just as sharp or sharper than an normal hitch before something binds up or the trailer corner hits the truck. I don't know exactly what the degree limit of the hitch is but it is quite a bit and I have never had a problem with that with my Hensley.
Hope this helps you out a bit.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch
2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, 7.3L PSD Visit our website here
I highly recommend spending $20 on some CAT scale measurements before $2000+ on a new hitch that you might need to spend another $20 at the scale anyway. The Reese dual cam is picky about being set up correctly. It can actual cause more sway and instability when towing than using none. Spend half a day adjusting what you have and I think you'll be very pleased with its performance. 45-55mph towing speeds are relatively low. Most people on here seem to tow at 60-65mph. Seems like most people I encounter on the freeways I travel on tow at 65-75mph. My Reese was out of adjustment for a couple trips. 55-60mph was white knuckles. But I corrected that and could tow at 75mph if I chose to, rock solid.
6000 pound dry, or 7000-7500 pounds loaded is a lot for your TV. How much payload do you have?
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009 2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS 2012 VW Passat TDI
I was trying to brainstorm if the VPP hitch could be worse in a normal situation compared with a regular hitch. It seems not to be the case. Of course, if it breaks or something that system is compromised like any hitch though we can have more pivot points in this one.
I'll be weighing my rig on Sunday (on the way back from last camping in a while, our 6th one) to check what kinds of weights I'm dealing with my Sequoia. I'm probably close to the limits. After that I should pre-order it.
ETA: I guess I misled you guys with the questions (my apologies). When I said "when it fails" I meant in a normal scenario (though the car may be overspeeding, or the road slippery, etc.).
Also, I know a 3/4 ton would be better. This is my first trailer. When I started looking I knew nothing about wheel base and payload. I just looked at towing capacity. I bought the one of the largest capable SUV and a trailer that was 66% the maximum weight I could tow. Then the new towing ratings came and slashed it down. I'm still okay but very close to the limits. If I had to start again I'd buy a 3/4 ton or a 1/2 ton pickup truck. Can't do that now.
We only have in our trailer what we need for every trip - I'm trying to make it as light as possible. The car is empty except for people. After the scales on Saturday I can still remove more stuff if needed (I have tools and other nice to have stuff that I can still remove).
Buying a premuim hitch should also help with my setup.
First, the tow ratigns mean very little for today's half tons and RVs.
Your combo will put your TV near GVWR for sure and the scale will tell you exactly. But the Reese should do a fantastic job even at 300-500 pounds over GVWR when properly set up. I would not "invest" in the PP but rather the time to fine tune what you have.
Could you post your weight numbers for the TT's tongue and the loaded TT weight. I have a feeling the adding the PP is going to put you over your RAWR.
that's what I'm going to check on Monday. The PPP should add ~80 lbs more to the rig (remember that I have to remove the DC spring bars, my current hitch and everything which should weigh aroun 100lbs so if I subtract that it should still add around 80 pounds).
I can find 80 pounds worth of stuff to remove. Tools, extra water, etc. But I'm very light right now. The only things heavy I have are 4 chairs, 1 keurig coffee maker and a 44 pound road trip grill. The rest is food, drinks, water, clothes, blankets, etc.
Offline
