We were once towing a 30' trailer that weighed about 8,000 pounds with a Dodge 2500 CTD and had a serious sway problem. It had sway control but not Hensley. The issue that caused the sway was a sudden dip in the road on only one side. The TT was all over the road, DW was driving and almost lost it. I had not trained her on how and why to use the trailer brakes. From the description of the accident, the same thing MAY have happened to the driver when he pulled off of the main road. The shoulder could have been lower than the pavement causing the trailer to suddenly sway. We had the whole road to recover, he had a gaurd rail in his way.
Accidents happen, the main concern is the safety of the people. I am glad they were safe.
I agree with Barney on the "bump"... Having experienced that a few times and almost losing control on one occasion I could see where that may have happened as well, especially with a lighter tow vehicle and a heavier trailer...
Les
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
Sold Trailer - not RV'ing at this point in time
I this was the "bump" along with "burps" suggestion of the lower side of the road in combo........I would seriously ask myself, is the Hensley "TRULY" worth the money? Yeah in probably MOST cases it is the better product......BUT, in that one instance ie the "BUMP" issue......if you can lose it over the trailer pushing the truck. I would not want to use it!
Along with it is becoming ever more important to me, to make sure the trailer is well balanced side to side, front and aft, level etc when hooked up, such that if your WD/AS system not matter the cost of it, fails etc, You still have a trailer that generally speaking, wants and will go forward in a balanced fashion.
I still have not viewed the article.....I'm beginning to wonder about the safeness of the Hensley vs some of the other systems!
marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
Marty,
In my opinion, the bump is greatly overplayed, especially on this forum. (I am kind of sorry I brought it up!) As long as a person is aware of the possibility and is prepared to deal with it, it is not a problem. I don't see it as a serious issue, and the other towing attributes of the hitch make it well worthwhile. There are trade-offs in just about everything and I don't think ANY hitch has EVERYTHING 100% right - with no disadvantages at all. If I didn't feel completely safe with using the Hensley I would not have it on my trailer, nor would I have recommended it to both of my sons who each have one on their trailers.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch
2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, 7.3L PSD Visit our website here
I wasn't gonna comment on this post due to the rampent speculation but since I too tow with the HA hitch and two guys I consider to be authoritative on the subject (Barney & L Adems) of the Hensley have spoken, I want to speak to the Hensley.., ONLY!
One other issue that could be a contributing factor to the HA is the "A" frame braces in addition to the struts. The shear bolts are designed to shear if the hitch is turned to tight. Not hard to do, speaking from experience. I made the mistake of making a U-turn to tight and bending a strut. I don't use the shear bolts on my "A" frame braces as the first time I sheared them I didn't like the "stretched" hole it left in my "A" frame after they sheared so I ran 3/8" bolts through the frame and nutted them, shear bolts still in top plate. Anyway, when I made that infamous U-turn the strut bent and made the Hensley flop like a noodle and there was NO adjusting tension back on the strut, I tried to no avail. Strut had to be straightened until replaced, that was a chore but I got it done. That's another story.
My experience with the Hensley is if the struts are even slightly loose, you will get movement in the hitch and you will feel the bow wave from passing semi's and everything else that a conventional hitch experiences.
As far as the OP, the true professionals that work on these kinds of investigations will put their expertise into it with the evidence they are privy to. More than that is purely a guess.
Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know much, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.
Thanks for the reply. I too would agree that NONE of the WD/AS systems are fool proof. All have some issue good and bad.
Lets leave it at that, and do the as I mentioned, nd the last paragraph from EJ, wait until the Investigators that look these accidents over and come up with the "WHAT" really happened. I doubt "TO SMALL" of tow rig will be the over all issue! It will be a failure, driver error or some combo there of.
Thanks for the reply. I too would agree that NONE of the WD/AS systems are fool proof. All have some issue good and bad.
Lets leave it at that, and do the as I mentioned, nd the last paragraph from EJ, wait until the Investigators that look these accidents over and come up with the "WHAT" really happened. I doubt "TO SMALL" of tow rig will be the over all issue! It will be a failure, driver error or some combo there of.
Marty
But really how many of these accidents are really investigated and the details released on what happened? No one was killed so. More then likely it get's labeled as an accident and the insurance company pays out and everyone moves on.
How many have these have we seen on these forums over the years and really no answers to what happened, who had to pay, who got sued, etc....
2011 Dodge Ram 3500 4*4 Black dually Laramie 4.10 gears
2011 Arctic Fox 1150 Drybath
2009 Polaris RZR w/fun parts
2011 Polaris Sportsman 550 XP EPS w/stuff
2006 Polaris Sportsman 500 w/stuff
1977 K5 Blazer 1 ton modified
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid (her car)
I agree that most of the accidents we have posted on the forum never get resolved as to cause. However, I think the discussion of the possible causes is good and everyone learns a bit from the discussion. I see no harm at all on speculation, because the different views gives us all a chance to see the many possible results of our actions and decisions when we are towing.
Perhaps a new member or someone new to towing will read some of the ideas in this thread that will help them be a safer driver, or to set up their rig differently to make it a better towing rig. If so, then the discussion has merit rather than just waiting for a professionals "from the scene" opinion. I say let the discussion, even with all the speculation, continue!
Barney
Quote: If so, then the discussion has merit rather than just waiting for a professionals "from the scene" opinion. I say let the discussion, even with all the speculation, continue
Unless an investigator is well familiar with the relatively rare HA hitch I doubt there will be much investigation on the hitch part of the accident. If an HA engineer is brought in to see what failed the problem would be either poor rigging or something totally unrelated to the hitch. So, I am suspect that we will ever really know. The investigator will look at weather, road condition, tires, skid marks, damage, and will ask the driver what happened and perhaps some of the motorcycle riders that witnessed the accident and that will likely be it. It was not a fatality nor was anybody else involved that could be at fault.
If we can get anything out of this we need to be vigilant when towing and be absolutely sure we know the limits of the tow vehicle and our abilities.
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed.
'09 299bhs Tango.
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) As long as a person is aware of the possibility and is prepared to deal with it, it is not a problem. I don't see it as a serious issue, and the other towing attributes of the hitch make it well worthwhile. There are trade-offs in just about everything and I don't think ANY hitch has EVERYTHING 100% right - with no disadvantages at all. If I didn't feel completely safe with using the Hensley I would not have it on my trailer, nor would I have recommended it to both of my sons who each have one on their trailers. 
