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Old 10-29-2017, 09:15 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wetzk View Post
Watch the video
Ah, ok it's in the video from Hensley. Not only bad marketing, but dangerous implications.
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Old 07-29-2019, 02:00 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingbiscuit View Post
Thanks for all the responses. As you can see by my posts, I've gone back and forth on this.
Since 2003, and for over 150,000 miles, we tow our 30' Airstream Classic with the Hensley Arrow full-sized hitch. It is straight forward to use, and the towing stability is as claimed. Agree that our Airstream is a much different tow, but we tow it with our Infiniti QX80 - just as we do with our 19' Escape.

We are sold on the Hensley hitch product, and we are adding the Cub to our 19'. Have the Cub in our workshop ready to mount in a couple of weeks. Will make a post with step-by-step pictures when complete.

Wish you the best on your choice.

73/gus
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Old 11-17-2019, 06:58 AM   #43
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Hensley Cub installed - wonderful tow

Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott View Post
We are sold on the Hensley hitch product, and we are adding the Cub to our 19'. Have the Cub in our workshop ready to mount in a couple of weeks.
Installed our Hensley Cub, and we now have over 3000+ miles towing with it. Hensley Cub is a wonderful addition. It is a super improvement over the ETI-installed Reese 83660 we used during our first 6000 miles towing.



Turning and backing are precise. Towing is level with 4" drop hitch bar, and you rarely feel you have a trailer hitched to our Infiniti QX80. It added about 70 lbs to tongue weight.



Our driving included high-speed interstate, 2-lane rural, speed limited steep and twisty mountain roads, and major city rush hour 6-lanes shared with crazy drivers. System provides rock solid stability when passing by large trucks at 70+ mph.



Hensley customer service was excellent in getting the mounting just right. Installation required one modification to fit properly with ETI storage box. One part was damaged in shipment, and they quickly replaced it.

Can highly recommend Hensley Cub to anyone towing an ETI product.

73/gus
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Old 11-17-2019, 07:30 AM   #44
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Sway

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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
I don't recall anybody on this forum, since 2008, complaining about sway on any of the Escape trailers. I have a $350 Pro Series on a RAV4 and have several times had to make abrupt lane changes and never experience sway.
Uh...well I did experience sway last week. But I do have to say there were reasons other than speed. It was a perfect combo. Traveling at highway speed in windy conditions on a smooth , level highwayplus a huge, solid walled semi passing at a very fast clip right beside us. I thought it was a flat tire causing the wobble. But slowing down and being alert to those conditions saved the day.

Our 19 settled down immediately when we slowed (safely,)in spite of the wind and semis all around us.

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Old 11-17-2019, 07:52 AM   #45
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Having towed Escapes for past 7 years over 50,000 miles. majority of time without a w/d set up, there was only once where I had an issue. Out in the middle of nowhere, coming down a mountain onto flat land, a gust of wind pushed me and the trailer over one lane of the highway. We both went across sideways as one unit. I do not think it was a sway issue but a wind issue. Since both the trailer and truck was pushed over together, it was like we had a w/d set up, since we moved as a unit, together. I'm not sure the result would have been any different with a w/d set up.
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Old 11-17-2019, 08:34 AM   #46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emjay View Post
Traveling at highway speed in windy conditions on a smooth , level highway plus a huge, solid walled semi passing at a very fast clip right beside us.
We had high winds (40+ mph) coming down Jacumba Mountains on I-8E, on I-10 in west NM, and on US 60 near Show Low, AZ. Trailer remained rock solid during the entire trip. We experienced several huge, solid walled semi at a very fast clip right beside us too.

Glad your experience worked out.

73/gus
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Old 11-17-2019, 09:01 AM   #47
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Folks, it has nothing to do with your experiences of driving hundreds of miles with no sway. It's about the perfect storm when after 500,000 miles you have sway that scares the s#i+ out of you, your trailer/truck is destroyed, or someone is hurt or killed. I wear a seat belt. Since I've driven a 1,000,000 miles without the need for a seat belt can I safely go without one?

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 11-19-2019, 05:42 AM   #48
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Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
Folks, it has nothing to do with your experiences of driving hundreds of miles with no sway. It's about the perfect storm when after 500,000 miles you have sway that scares the s#i+ out of you, your trailer/truck is destroyed, or someone is hurt or killed. I wear a seat belt. Since I've driven a 1,000,000 miles without the need for a seat belt can I safely go without one?

Enjoy,

Perry
Bad analogy. A WDH might be compared to a seat belt, but the question is not whether to use a WDH or not. The question is whether a Hensley is necessary vs a traditional type WDH.
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Old 11-19-2019, 06:46 AM   #49
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Can't you get anti sway control without WDH?
The NV3500 is a heavy duty tow vehicle and will easily tow a 19' Escape. and really wonder if you need the WDH if your concern is just sway?
I will admit I'm in the never towed with a WDH because just never felt the need to. Now I don't have the miles towing others of you have on a travel trailer but do have 1,000's and 1000's towing a bass boat but different animal.
I just bought a 2014 Nissan Armada Platinum edition and the tow specs are like the NV3500. The Armada has automatic leveling and I will say I like that and the two times I've towed the Escape so far really like the set up.

Assuming you can get just anti sway without a full WDH is there one forum members would suggest?
We decided Escape was the best bang for your dollar when it comes to travel trailers mostly because of this forum so would trust the knowledge you share about towing an Escape just as much.

Enjoy the journey.

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Old 11-19-2019, 11:45 AM   #50
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Originally Posted by stratos175 View Post
Can't you get anti sway control without WDH?
...
Assuming you can get just anti sway without a full WDH is there one forum members would suggest?
The interesting feature of the Andersen No-Sway WD is that the sway-damping action depends only on the weight on the ball, no the adjustment of the chains for weight distribution. The chains do need to be tight enough to prevent slack, but that's all. If someone wants friction-based sway control with minimal WD action, that's a possible option.

With no WD at all...
  • In Europe, the common device for mechanical sway control is a coupler which clamps onto the ball with friction pads. This doesn't work here for most hitches, because our hitch balls are mounted on a threaded stud, so the action of a clamping coupler will tend to loosen them.
  • The latest approach is to actively control the trailer brakes, damping out sway if it occurs. This works best if the left and right trailer brakes are individually controlled, which requires some rewiring work on the trailer, but there are also systems which just apply both brakes together.
  • Tow vehicles now often have trailer sway control logic which uses the tow vehicle's control of individual wheel drive and braking to manage the trailer.
  • The only non-WD sway control device type which is common in North America is the classic clamped bar friction device (such as the Pro Series brand friction sway control sold by Escape with one of the WD systems), which has a number of mechanical issues which affect its effectiveness.
  • A hydraulic damper (shock absorber) mounted like the friction bars would be more effective, but no one has sold those for many years.
I'm not recommending any of these, but that's what exists.
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Old 11-19-2019, 01:01 PM   #51
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Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
The question is whether a Hensley is necessary vs a traditional type WDH.
Yes, necessary for us. After 16+ years towing with a Hensley Arrow, we are confident the Cub will greatly decrease (or eliminate) sway and produce a tunable, precise, and comfortable tow experience.

73/gus
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Old 11-19-2019, 03:51 PM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott View Post
Yes, necessary for us. After 16+ years towing with a Hensley Arrow, we are confident the Cub will greatly decrease (or eliminate) sway and produce a tunable, precise, and comfortable tow experience.

73/gus
But for an Escape, the Hensley is probably overkill. Most people who tow an Escape will likely say that they have a no-sway, precise, easy to use, and comfortable towing experience - without the weight/expense/complexity of the Hensley hitch.
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Old 11-19-2019, 08:39 PM   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emjay View Post
But slowing down and being alert to those conditions saved the day.

Our 19 settled down immediately when we slowed (safely,)in spite of the wind and semis all around us.
Emjay: Did you brake both truck and trailer with the tow vehicle pedal or only the trailer with brake controller manual slide? I ask because the one time I experienced sway (driving too fast and light on the tongue due to poor loading) I was able to correct with braking trailer only. Regardless of how stable one thinks his rig is they should practice braking only the trailer just in case they need to do it quickly in an emergency.
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:51 PM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iowa Dave View Post
I had the same experience as Glenn with our 19 and the pro series hitch towed by our Highlander. I never knock another man's equipment or decisions. I will say I wouldn't personally spend the money if I didn't think I needed to. It is fair to point out that at times many of us buy something better than what we really need just because, so no criticism from this corner. Just make sure it will fit, research like you are doing is important.
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I haven’t had any bad experiences with our pro series hitch ,but I agree I won’t knock someone else’s decision to buy something related to safety equipment. Looks heavy but I think they are the best.
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Old 11-20-2019, 06:13 PM   #55
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Originally Posted by Iowa Dave View Post
It is fair to point out that at times many of us buy something better than what we really need just because, so no criticism from this corner. Just make sure it will fit, research like you are doing is important.
Agree. When others add the Hensley Club, can describe the bracket mod we made to get all to fit properly. Installation is an easy morning task. We are still "tuning" the ride.

73/gus
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Old 09-24-2020, 11:42 PM   #56
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Can you tell me what modification you needed to do on the storage box. Thanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott View Post
Installed our Hensley Cub, and we now have over 3000+ miles towing with it. Hensley Cub is a wonderful addition. It is a super improvement over the ETI-installed Reese 83660 we used during our first 6000 miles towing.



Turning and backing are precise. Towing is level with 4" drop hitch bar, and you rarely feel you have a trailer hitched to our Infiniti QX80. It added about 70 lbs to tongue weight.



Our driving included high-speed interstate, 2-lane rural, speed limited steep and twisty mountain roads, and major city rush hour 6-lanes shared with crazy drivers. System provides rock solid stability when passing by
large trucks at 70+ mph.



Hensley customer service was excellent in getting the mounting just right. Installation required one modification to fit properly with ETI storage box. One part was damaged in shipment, and they quickly replaced it.

Can highly recommend Hensley Cub to anyone towing an ETI product.

73/gus
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Old 09-25-2020, 06:02 AM   #57
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Hensley Hitches are popular with our aluminum cousin, Airstream.
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Old 09-25-2020, 06:04 AM   #58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott View Post
Installed our Hensley Cub, and we now have over 3000+ miles towing with it. Hensley Cub is a wonderful addition. It is a super improvement over the ETI-installed Reese 83660 we used during our first 6000 miles towing.



Turning and backing are precise. Towing is level with 4" drop hitch bar, and you rarely feel you have a trailer hitched to our Infiniti QX80. It added about 70 lbs to tongue weight.



Our driving included high-speed interstate, 2-lane rural, speed limited steep and twisty mountain roads, and major city rush hour 6-lanes shared with crazy drivers. System provides rock solid stability when passing by large trucks at 70+ mph.



Hensley customer service was excellent in getting the mounting just right. Installation required one modification to fit properly with ETI storage box. One part was damaged in shipment, and they quickly replaced it.

Can highly recommend Hensley Cub to anyone towing an ETI product.

73/gus
Any pictures of the set up?
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Old 09-25-2020, 09:12 AM   #59
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Hensley Cub details

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Any pictures of the set up?
As our daughter said when driving and towing our 19' with the Hensley Cub, "You must look in the mirror to remind you that you're towing a trailer."

This shows the Hensley Cub installed on our 2019 19' with our Infiniti QX80 tow vehicle.



We recommend purchasing the adjustment jacks instead of the "swift-lift" adjusters. Jack adjustment, tuning your ride, is easy with a cordless drill and 3/4" socket.

Our daughter's family received their 2020 21NE on Thurs. Sep 9, and they too installed the Hensley Cub. The Hensley Cub installation manual is excellent, and Hensley provides everything down to the drill bit required. We installed the Cub on a Saturday, with much of the time spent waiting for primer or paint to dry.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverSlim61 View Post
Can you tell me what modification you needed to do on the storage box. Thanks
You do not need to modify the ETI storage box. The modification mentioned is for the Cub frame brackets. To get the proper 25-1/2" ± 1/2" distance from the front edge of the frame bracket to the center of the hitch ball, we had to cut off about 1-1/2" of the frame bracket top section. We documented the step-by-step showing the frame bracket modification. I cut it with my 12V Bosch jig saw and the Bosch basic metal blade. Used a new blade on each bracket. Need to keep the blade tightly against the lower metal section to completely remove the top piece. We needed to cut a little more, re-prime, and repaint to get the tight fit.

We talked with Hensley about our trailer, sent them pictures, and they described exactly what we needed to do. Hensley confirmed it would work before we purchased. Recommend that you also discuss your particular set up with Hensley.

Our hitch bar is a 4" drop, matching our Infinity QX80. Our daughter's hitch bar is Zero-drop (straight) matching their Mercedes ML350 diesel tow vehicle. If you change tow vehicles, Hensley has a hitch bar exchange program.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Hensley Hitches are popular with our aluminum cousin, Airstream.
Yes, Hensley is a most popular Airstream hitch. For delivery, our dealer installed a Hensley Arrow on our 2004 Airstream 30' Classic, and we've used it now for 17 years. We tow our 30' Classic with our Infiniti QX80 and the Hensley Arrow.

Send me a private message if you would like more pictures or to discuss.

73/gus
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