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mister_d

Southeast, MI - hardly qualified to be a

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Joined: 09/17/2006

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Posted: 05/06/12 03:45pm

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I installed our new to us Hensley Arrow yesterday. Today I took it for an hour drive around town on the local expressways and was very happy with its performance. However, the TT wasn't loaded down as it's still in its "winter" prep.

Standard Front Wheel Well: 37 1/8
Currently: 37 3/4

I have the HA spring bars under quite a bit of tension... so much that the rear (trailer end) is pointed up and no longer parallel to the frame.

Assuming that when I load the TT down for our trip this coming weekend the ride changes, how should I adjust the bars so that the front end of my TV goes down more without bringing the back end of the spring bar up?

I've read the HA manual several times but it doesn't appear to have my answer.

Our Adventures
2011 F150 4x4 Ecoboost 6.5 SCREW 3.73 Max Tow
2011 Lacrosse 296BHS video tour
Hensley Arrow
Me '77 DW '78
DD '04 DS '07

BarneyS

S.E. Lower Michigan

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Posted: 05/06/12 05:14pm

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It is entirely normal for the WD spring bars to point up a lot when the hitch is tensioned. My bars are tensioned almost as far as they will go which makes it look funny but it works fine. There is no reason for the bars to be "parallel to the frame" with the Hensley because the bars are attached to the jacks which pivot. There are no chains to "crash" into the mounting brackets like a normal hitch.
I believe that Hensley mentions it someplace in their manual about the ends of the bars pointing up and not to worry about it, but I have not looked in quite a while.

Another thing about the Hensley. You don't have to necessarily worry about fender heights as much as a normal hitch. As long as you are getting close to as much WD as you want, the truck is going to behave well and you will not get any sway. You may find, as I did, that you will have to jack those bars up almost as far as they will go. Some of that depends on how worn the bar insert in the bottom of the hitch head. As it wears, you need to jack up the bars more to get the same weight distribution. When you run out of room on the jacks, it is time to replace the bar insert (not a major expense).

Just adjust the jacks to get the WD you want and don't worry about how much the bars are "pointing up".

Barney

2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch
2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, 7.3L PSD
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Wills250psd

walnutcove NC

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Posted: 05/06/12 05:38pm

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I may have ?'s tomorrow as my HA is due to be delivered.

mister_d

Southeast, MI - hardly qualified to be a

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Posted: 05/06/12 05:44pm

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Does changing which hole I have pinned change the amount of tension I'm able to place on the spring bars?

BarneyS

S.E. Lower Michigan

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Posted: 05/06/12 06:30pm

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Yes it does but, if I remember correctly, you need to have at least one or two empty holes above the pin. Check with your install manual. If you don't have one I can e-mail you a copy.
Barney

goducks10

Keizer OR

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Posted: 05/06/12 06:45pm

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Theres a video on youtube with Ron Hensley installing his hitch. He raises the bars all the way up till they stop. Looks funny, but works. I suppose people that know about hitch adjustment but don't know about Hensley hitches will think you have it adjusted wrong since the bars aren't parrell to the tongue.

Joeyo67

Midwest

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Posted: 05/07/12 07:09am

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Hey BarneyS,

I too have a HA with 1000lbs spring bars. I have the struts set with two open holes left, as this is what they recomend. But in tightening down the spring bars, I just tighten to the second hash mark of the strut. I haven't tried going past that marker. How are you guaging the WD of your TT to TV? Is it by sight - TT Nose down? Or are did you do this at a CAT scale where you read the weight numbers after adjusting it?

Thanks, Joe

OTeam

The Stable:
2003 Maxima
2010 370z
2011 Expedition 4x4 Limited
2012 Tracer Touring Edition 3150 with Hensley Arrow

Happily married with our two boys and two girls, plus the d.o.g. Tigger
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Ron Gratz

full time RVer

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Posted: 05/07/12 07:23am

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goducks10 wrote:

Theres a video on youtube with Ron Hensley installing his hitch.---

I believe his name is Ron Estrada.

mister_d

Southeast, MI - hardly qualified to be a

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Posted: 05/07/12 07:34am

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I can't access youtube @ work but he posted the video under HensleyRon and it's titled "Hensley Hitch Hook Up" I believe... that's the one I found last night anyways.