About a year or so ago someone had an excellent post on refurbishing a HA. It included a lot of pictures. I've done numerous searches but can not find it. If the OP or someone has it saved I would sure appreciate the link. Thanks for your help.
Bud
2007 Jayco Eagle 288RLS The Jaybird
2006 Dodge 2500 Mega Cab 5.9 CTD
TruControl, Hensley Arrow
Schnauzer- Sir Winston
Thanks Les...IIRC, there was a member that had taken his HA completely apart and cleaned/regreased the roller bearings, etc. It was really a detailed rebuild, and I can't recall who the poster was.
Those little spring-loaded thingys that keep the WD bars in place are almost worn out again on mine, and I just replaced them this year. I was hitching up on the beach Sunday, and of course the WD bar drops out of the hitch and the well-greased end buries itself in the sand.
That reminds me, I need to add a deep socket set to my TT toolbox....
Anyway for the benefit of the OP, there a number of parts on the HA that Hensley considers to be "wear items", namely, the lower jack tubes, the fittings on the ends of the WD bars that the lower jack tubes attach to, the bronze sleeves that the WD bars fit into on the hitch head, the spring loaded grease fittings that hold the bars in the hitch head. The main bearings are sealed and do not require any maintenance.
Check any of those wear items I listed and see if they are showing signs of elongated holes, distortion or any kind of wear. If so, replace them.
I painted mine with epoxy enamel (black), crappie fisherman went for brake caliper paint in OEM steal-me orange. hee seems to be having better luck with his, the problem is that there are contact areas on the hitch where the paint will chip, and once it chips, the beginning of the end commences.....
* This post was
edited 08/18/09 03:16pm by BurbMan *
OK Don, gee, I don't remember seeing that post on the rebuild - maybe I was on vacastion or something... Anyway, maybe that poster will see the thread and contribute...
BTW Bud, both Burbman's hitch and Crappie_Fisherman's hitch look very good compared to mine Guess I'll have to make the Hensley a winter project, at least for paint ... I think I like Burbman's better in "Tuxedo Black"
Thanks guys. I guess the big decision is picking the color. Some pics I've seen of the repainted ones do look sharp. Although as Burbman suggests maybe from a security standpoint it would be better to leave it faded.
Bud
labman thanks for the reply. That's a good job and color match. Can you tell me the year of your hitch? Mine is about 1200 units older than yours. I've tried to get info from Hensley but they say they don't have a date for my number. Thanks,
Bud
BudnLiz wrote: labman thanks for the reply. That's a good job and color match. Can you tell me the year of your hitch? Mine is about 1200 units older than yours. I've tried to get info from Hensley but they say they don't have a date for my number. Thanks,
Bud
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Guess I'll have to make the Hensley a winter project, at least for paint 
