crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Not sure if this should go in Travel Trailers or Towing...I'm sure NEITHER Les nor Barney will want it! LOL
My other post was getting off topic so I started a new one to discuss this thru...I cut the last exchange below and put a link in that thread to this one...
Sean Woodruff wrote:crappie_fisherman wrote:Sean Woodruff wrote:
I'm sure there is validity in both of our logic as it applies to different vehicles. That's just the nature of all the variables in people, products and performance.
Sean
Sean,
Since I think we beat this horse about brake light...let me ask you a question and take this thread in a diffent direction...
Do you feel that the Hensly bump is an indication of an 'impending jacknife'?
joe.
Well, no, not unless the tow vehicle and trailer lose wheel traction. In other words, on ice it very well could be.
Sean
Okay than let's go with that scenario of losing wheel traction...I said let's take this thread in a new direction...well I started a new thread since the direction was a hard BUMP...HOLD ON...
I'm going to ignore the ice portion as most non-professionals would have their TT's stored when ice is on the road...can I substitute "wet" as in "rain" instead of your extreme "ice" reference?
Here's a couple of situations...one is a real account and others are hypothetical situations that certainly could happen to ANY OF US while towing. Both will have the same TV and TT but different hitches.
TV/TT combo: 2005 Trail Cruiser 30QBSS tugged and GMC Yukon 5.3L 3.73
Case #1 Hensley Arrow Hitch:
Making a left turn at an intersection. It had just started raining and the fresh asphalt was slick. I was not applying the brakes and was coasting into the turn doing maybe 15 MPH. As I went into the turn the TT pushed on the HA and the hitch swung around and slammed into its stop which caused the rear wheels of the Yukon to start sliding sideways which was followed by the TT sliding. I wasn't going very fast and we skidded for about 10 feet - fortunately no damage done.
Although my Jordan controller was set to engage the TT's brakes before the TV's, the mistake I made in this case was not applying the brakes and thereby allowing the TT to push the rear of the TV around. I doubt this would have happened in dry conditions, but now I always apply the brakes during sharp low speed manouvers to ensure the HA remains well behaved.
Case #2 Reese Dual Cam hitch:
Making a left turn at an intersection. It had just started raining and the fresh asphalt was slick. I was not applying the brakes and was coasting into the turn doing maybe 15 MPH. As I went into the turn my DC groaned and clanked and I could feel a slight push on the rear of the TV so I applied my brakes and completed my turn. Next time I will know to apply brakes a little sooner but all is well.
Case #3 Reese Dual Cam on decending a small grade/hill:
We had just climbed a small hill and the 5.3L was working pretty good. It downshifted to 2nd but the cruise control held 50MPH nicely. It had just started raining a few miles prior. As I crested the hill the kids started bickering and distracted me. While decending the hill I had to 'discuss' with the kids their behavior and we were gaining a little bit of speed but nothing too bad...at least I thought. I had the trans in 3rd (i.e. OD locked out) but I did have the cruise on as towing this combo is a pleasure and the HA makes it very safe. Well as I was 'discussing' things with the kids the cruise decided that we were gaining a little too much speed and needed to down shift...I felt the TT begin to push the rear of my Yukon so I tapped my brakes ever so lightly to disengage the cruise and the trans upshifted again...
Case #4 Hensley Arrow on decending a small grade/hill:
We had just climbed a small hill and the 5.3L was working pretty good. It downshifted to 2nd but the cruise control held 50MPH nicely. It had just started raining a few miles prior. As I crested the hill the kids started bickering and distracted me. While decending the hill I had to 'discuss' with the kids their behavior and we were gaining a little bit of speed but nothing too bad...at least I thought. I had the trans in 3rd (i.e. OD locked out) but I did have the cruise on as towing this combo is a pleasure and the HA makes it very safe. Well as I was 'discussing' things with the kids the cruise decided that we were gaining a little too much speed and needed to down shift...before I had a chance to react the downshift caused my TT to SLAM into the back of my Yukon JUST as we were entering a slight sweeping curve...That abrupt slam caused my rear tires to loose traction and the rear of my Yukon began to come around being PUSHED by my TT. I 'tried' to apply the Yukon brakes which quickly made things worse...we were in a complete jacknife slide...thankfully the road straighted out and there was no trafic around us...we skidded this way for a while and then came to rest...I'm not completely sure what caused that to happen...I suspect the down shift caused the HA to 'bump' my Yukon out of control on the wet surface...hmmmm
While many here would say that it was driver error in the fact that they had cruise control ON while towing especially in wet conditions...and I would certainly agree...BUT they were lead to beleive that the HA is a very safe hitch so if their TV could pull with cruise why not take advantage of that?...very plausible...
My point in these examples is that I FULLY AGREE that the HA is one of the most effective hitches to tow a TT with (The Pull-Rite being the other and depending on the TV/TT combo the DC and/or Equal-z-er) are just as effective. But the point in these scenarios (one is REAL BTW) is that the HA 'bump' can cause more harm than good under certain situations. The folks at Hensley do NOT like to discuss the 'bump' as they feel it is a small percentage of 'bumps' will be under the 'wrong' condtions and thus not a big deal..after all the Hitch is such an incredible anti-sway control device...why talk about the negative features?...
Well here's why...we are REAL PEOPLE towing here. Real life situations are NEVER PERFECT. The consequences of the 'bump' under the situations I describe above could be and have been very poor for the people that were towing...While I agree there is reference in the Hensley manual to properly adjusting the brake controller...look at scenario #1...HE DID!!! Under those conditions the lack of applying the brakes caused the issue...
I have a great friend that I encouraged to purchase a HA. He did but he was MOSTLY CLUELESS of the 'bump' and associated BAD THINGS that could happen...why...well I feel the folks at Hensley don't do enough to discuss it...why...AROGANCE is my opinion that their hitch is that good...it IS GOOD...but the negatives NEED TO BE ADDRESSED and discussed with customers and don't let customers beleive that their combo is the best it can be...While I am happy with the stability the HA gives my combo...I also understand the limitations of the design...many on here also do...many not on here MAY NOT...
I am an engineer and like to research and test things...MOST ARE NOT...the first time something like the above situations happen is the first time that person would think of it!...most do not invest the time many of us do on here to 'educate' THEMSELVES. My buddy...is a PRIME example...he's towed 30+ YEARS with traditional WD hitches...the HA is NEW TO HIM and the associated negative things that can be INDUCED BY THE HA are NOT discussed by Hensley.
Don't get me wrong...the POSITIVES should be accentuated in the HA. Unfortunately life is strange and it does throw curve balls at folks. The marketing of the HA leads people IMO to believe they are more 'immune' to those bad things...in MANY cases they ARE...but in some of my examples above...that 'bump' or impulsive load generated and delivered BY THE HA is what caused the situation to go from a controllable one to an un-controllable one.
Here's another example:
CLICK HERE FOR SOURCE
If you scroll to the July 14, 2005 blog entry you will see this...
July 14, 2005
Auburn, WA - After leaving Ellensburg today, we entered the Wenatchee National Forest and started our climb to the Snoqualamie Pass. We have absolutely no idea how you pronouce that. Ellensburg was at 1,500 feet and the pass is over 3,000. There were lots of ups and downs on our way to Seattle. We skirted around the city toward Tacoma and then headed south. Every once in a while we would catch a view of Mt. Ranier.
And then, it happened. Traffic was heavy - it was a four lane divided highway with a concrete road divider on the right. A deer ran across the road and everyone put their brakes on. Thank goodness we didn't hit anyone - and we were the only vehicle damaged. We ran into the concrete divider wiping out the front of the truck. No one was injured. The trailer fish-tailed but came to rest just behind us with damage to the front right panel. The Hensley Hitch was destroyed and we took it off in pieces. Our insurance company sent two tow vehicles. It took two hours to remove the Hensley and hitch up the trailer to one of the vehicles. Then, they loaded the truck onto another vehicle and off we went. They towed us to a repair shop who also let us park the trailer in their yard. This is where we will live until the truck is repaired. We will have to replace the Hensley before we can go anyplace, but will wait until we get to an Airstream place to repair the trailer. The guy who owns the repair shop gave us a quick estimate of $7,000 on the truck just by looking. Of course, they will have to put it on a lift and dismatle some things to come to an exact estimate.
We're both worn to a frazzle but are grateful that we weren't in an ambulance heading to a hospital. It's nothing that can't be fixed.
What's my deal or beef with Hensley you may ask...NOTHING...I just want to point out a few examples that like to get swept under the carpet and feel the what I would call 'mis-guided arogance' by those selling these to not fully explain the 'feature' of the 'bump'. I pray each and every time my buddy gets out there that he understands the dynamics involved with this hitch. ..I think our time around the campfire together have instilled a bunch of these scenarios...and he is a very intelligent engineer...so I think he is okay...but what about the others?
The situations I describe are a VERY SMALL percentage of what can and does happen.
I am a HA owner...with my combo at an 8000# TV and 9000# TT with 137+" of wheel base and ~12-13% tongue weight as verified by a scale, I have a very inherently STABLE combo to begin with...I should not need sway control under 'most' situations...I've spent time at the scales to make it that way...BUT I KNOW I need sway control for those SMALL PERCENTAGES of situations...hence my HA for me...BUT I also understand that there are situations that the HA can actually INDUCE a situation that my old DC could not...the IMPULSIVE LOAD. A tightly coupled ball with DC simply cannot SLAM into the back of my TV and cause my rear wheels to be abruptly pushed/skidded...so I adjust my driving habits accordingly...My buddy didn't...first time out with him...we got BUMPED...I keep talking thru these scenarios with him and share these situations with other HA owners and many not 'active' on these forums are not aware either...so I try and help educate them and explain that these situations I describe are a very very small percentage AND they are FAR BETTER OFF WITH THE HENSLEY...but they still need to be aware and not be ignorant just because they have a HA!!!
When I talk with some of the folks 'associated' with Hensley I can hear the 'arrogance' in the answers...while you are no longer VP of Hensley...you know the product. And I picked up on some arogance even though you may not have intended it...when you thru in the 'ice' reference above...maybe it was just sarcism...I'm not sure...but how many non-professional folks actually tow in ice situations?
When I called and ordered my HA I was NEVER TOLD of this 'bump' and the associated fall out it could cause...there is a cryptic reference to ensuring that your brake controller is properly adjusted but no explaination as to why...but case #1 above is case in point that even WITH a properly adjusted brake controller you could STILL get the bump...case #4 also illustrates that...
Sure bad things happen to good people each and every day...but to continue to ignore a situation that could put innocent folks in a bad situation because they aren't engineers and don't understand dynamic forces...is IMO arrogant and short sighted...
What do I propose?
Well I know Ron Estrada will be reading this...I propose a more complete and thorough section of the Hensley manual to educate people on this situation rather than the cryptic 'properly adjust your brake controller' reference. Also EVEN the TruControl GOLD in cases #1 or #4 would NOT have prevented that situation. It would have certainly helped on July 14, 2005 though...
Life is strange and has many twists and turns...at the end of the day I will CONTINUE to tow with my HA...but again...I understand or think I understand the limitations of the hardware I am trusting my families safety with...I don't feel everyone that tows with the HA fully understands those limitations...and the lack of discussion by the Hensley folks about these limitations just further propagates that situation.
All of the above are of course JUST MY OPINIONS on the facts I have been able to find...I have links to the data if anyone would like more proof...take them for what you paid though...I've been bored while trying to sell a brand new TruControl Silver so figured while I was expending MY PERSONAL TIME to recoup my cash...I'd do a little typing! (BTW...that's sarcism) 
Hopefully I haven't ruffled too many feathers with this long winded manifesto...that was NOT my goal...sorry if it did...the HA IS an incredible product...but it does have limitations as with anything...I just feel those limitations are like that crazy aunt upstairs...we don't talk about her BUT SHE IS THERE...
Joe.
DH, DW, 2 DD's
2005 Excursion V10 w/4.30's
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Kenneth
Washington, the state
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"Snoqualamie Pass. We have absolutely no idea how you pronouce that." sno-KWALL-a-me
I have a Hensley Arrow. I've towed in rain, snow, ice, mud, gravel, fast, slow, cities, highways, and never gotten the bump.
Has anyone seen the hitch when it bumps? Exactly what part of the hitch is bumping? Are the strut bars adjusted correctly...mine are snug-tight. What else could it be?
I'm free of prostate cancer for 5 years now.
All men over age 50 should get an annual PSA blood test. Mine had a low reading, but the yearly jump was significant. The biopsy showed cancer just entering the aggressive stage. Dr. Hackenslash removed it.
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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I have gotten the Hensley bump several times... And each time it was virtually as described in Joe's examples... When coming back from a rally last year we were towing on the Interstate... That part of the road was under construction and there was a pretty heavy "crown" on the road... It had also just rained a little while before...
As we were crossing the crown in the road, I had a little left turn dialed in and traffic suddenly was stopping in front of us so I had to hit the brakes fairly hard... As I did this, the trailer tongue swung to the left and my #9400 TT gave the truck a pretty good whack as it pivoted on the Hensley cams... The whack was hard enough to break the truck rear end loose and I pretty much had my hands full trying to control the combination...
Now, admittedly, I didn't have the TT brakes "leading" the truck brakes far enough or at least so it would seem, but that bump from the "worlds safest hitch" darn near caused us to loose control and have an accident...
Since then I have totally reworked my entire brake system on my new trailer and have increased it's braking force dramatically BUT I'll offer this for your thoughts...
Even though the TT brakes are set to lead the TV brakes by a goodly amount, I submit that when towing a heavy trailer like mine with a lighter tow vehicle (truck weighs #6350 empty) it is possible for the truck brakes to overcome the trailer brakes in a hard stop and for the bump to still occur...
Here is why I say that... The TT weighs about #9400 loaded and is equipped with 4 wheel DRUM brakes... The TV is about #7650 loaded and has 4 wheel DISK brakes... DISK brakes are much more efficient than drum brakes and as such when in a hard braking situation I submit that the TT brakes will not supply as much braking power as the TT brakes when the weight of the 2 vehicles is considered... Put another way, the ratio of braking power to vehicle weight will be transcended in a hard long braking scenario and the truck will eventually apply more braking force to itself than the trailer will apply to itself and then what happens - - - BUMP!!!
And that scenario has happened to me as well, several times... I think that the effectiveness of the Hensley Arrow is directly proportional to not only truck and trailer weight but throw in environmental conditions as well and terrain too...
Here's what I think - - - the Hensley is a fine hitch BUT has it's limitations... Under most conditions, those limitations will not be exceeded by most of us, but in a few scenarios, the downfall of the Hensley will be readily apparent and the bump will manifest itself...
And to those who might ask, yes, my Hensley was setup properly and checked EVERY time I tow... The Jordan Ultima 2020 I use is now set to aggressively lead the truck brakes and my entire brake system on the TT has been reworked and is in perfect operating condition...
No, I have not experienced the bump since I reset and reworked all these items, but the fact remains that this condition can and will occur under certain conditions...
In this writers opinion, that bump is highly suspect in at least one instance I read about on these forums and is also responsible for my nearly loosing control of my rig and what could have been an unfortunate outcome... The driver's ability to respond to the bump action certainly enters into the equation, but the fact is, my wife is afraid to drive the rig for fear of the bump happening when she is driving...
I have towed with a lot of different systems and brake controllers over the years and I believe that the Hensley and Pullrite systems are the 2 safest systems out there... Out of those 2, I also believe that the Pullrite hitch is the better of the two for pure stability under all towing conditions... I have NEVER experienced a "bump" of any type with my Pullrite hitch under ANY towing conditions...
Now, the Pullrite has a few other small disadvantages but IMO they are insignificant in respect to it's superior towing stability... If I ever get another truck where I can employ the Pullrite (20K version) and keep my spare tire on the truck, I'll sell my Hensley and go back to the Pullrite... It is, IMO, the most stable of the two hitches and in that respect, the superior product......
My opinions for what they are worth...
Les
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Sailbad
Oklahoma City
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Kenneth wrote:"Snoqualamie Pass. We have absolutely no idea how you pronouce that." sno-KWALL-a-me
I have a Hensley Arrow. I've towed in rain, snow, ice, mud, gravel, fast, slow, cities, highways, and never gotten the bump.
Has anyone seen the hitch when it bumps? Exactly what part of the hitch is bumping? Are the strut bars adjusted correctly...mine are snug-tight. What else could it be?
I agree with Kenneth. I've towed thousands of miles in all kinds of road conditions with the Hensley with no adverse effects.
I did get the bump once when I neglected to properly set my brake controller and jumped on the brakes. But that was my fault not the hitch's.
Dave C.
2005 Silverado 2500 CC
Duramax 6.6 3.73 V-2
2003 Wildcat 27RL
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Ron Gratz
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I guess this thread could turn into a poll on how many users have experienced the Hensley bump (so far, it's two "yes" and two "no). However, I'm sure Joe was not intending to take a poll.
Even if the majority of HA owners have not experienced the bump, that does not mean the bump should be ignored. On average, five out of six people who play Russian roulette with a six-shooter do not have a problem. That does not mean one should ignore the dangers of the game.
In another forum, one Hensley employee joked about the bump, stating:
QUOTE
You know, I've never felt the bump (except for the shin kind). I've been towing with them since '97. I told Sean we should actually market that: Do the Hensley Bump!
UNQUOTE
The Hensley bump is not a joking matter. As Les posted above, "---that bump is highly suspect in at least one instance I read about on these forums and is also responsible for my nearly loosing control of my rig and what could have been an unfortunate outcome---". IMO, trying to dismiss the existence of the bump by making jokes about it is not a good display of corporate responsibility.
I totally agree with Joe. If Hensley Mfg is as concerned about towing safety as they claim to be, they should openly acknowledge the existence of the Hensley bump, explain its potential safety problems, and emphatically discuss ways in which the risk of bump-related problems can be reduced. IMO, that would be demonstrating good corporate responsibility.
It's unfortunate that Sean Woodruff decided to stop posting on ORF. It would be very interesting to hear more of his views on the dynamics of the Hensley bump. Perhaps we could continue the dialog by having parallel threads -- one on ORF and one on Sunnybrook Talk Forum. Sean could post and respond on his forum and ORF members could post and respond here.
Just some thoughts.
Ron
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Thanks to those 'brave enough' to post in this thread!
I knew it would be controversial when I penned it. But I wasn't intending to lamblast Hensley. My point...if you read the post is that NOT EVERYONE will experience the bump and those that do will likely NOT have ADVERSE results. BUT the fact remains that when 9000#'s of TT moving at a slightly higher rate of speed SLAMS into the back of your TV at just the WRONG moment...is BAD.
Also the point is that the marketing of the HA is geared towards IMO setups that 'need' some extra stability...just take a look at the marketing videos...smaller TV's with larger TT's...
Do people remember a guy named Newton?
Well Newton's first law of motion is often stated as:
An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Newton's Second Law of motion can be characterized by F=MA
Newton's first law of motion predicts the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are balanced. Newton's second law of motion pertains to the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are NOT balanced. The second law states that the acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object. The acceleration of an object depends directly upon the net force acting upon the object, and inversely upon the mass of the object. As the net force increases, so will the object's acceleration. However, as the mass of the object increases, its acceleration will decrease.
And Newton's third law of motion:
"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the force on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. Forces always come in pairs – equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.
Physics or better stated NEWTON'S laws of motion are precisely what I am talking about with the 'bump' in just the WRONG situation.
Let's face it SWAY CONTROL IN GENERAL is NOT needed 99% or more of the time we tow with a PROPERLY BALANCED TRAILER...we carry sway control for those situations where SWAY can START. In my cases / scenarios above...it is my opinion that the HA is what turns a family towing outing BAD.
When in a curve...the HA 'effectivness' IS REDUCED...the geometry involved with the design is VERY EFFECTIVE when going straight...but as we turn and the geometry changes that effectivness REDUCES...couple that with a BUMP on a slick road and any of us could be toast...it happens that fast.
Believing that just because we tug with a HA we are immune to 'bad things' is a false sense of security IMO.
Les points out a situation that could have been disatrous for him and his F250...luckily he was able to overcome the condtion that could have turned ugly quick. We need to be educated of the 'potentials' in our hardware so we are ready to REACT as quickly as we can...THAT IS MY POINT.
If Hensley wants to ignore it and not talk about it...well...isn't that what this forum is for...to share our knowledge so others learn?
I've posted over on SunnyBrookTalk.com and have received a few PM's asking what my intentions are...over there it seems negative talk about the HA is not common...while I am NOT a SunnyBrook owner and I have posted that on the open forum...I AM a HA owner and they have a dedicated HA forum.
Sean has indicated his willingness to discuss this topic over there...I'm sure he would agree with Ron G's suggestion and I will be more than willing to post on both sites the discussion.
Again thanks for the discussion...I just hope my proposal of an appendix to discuss the 'bump' for HA owners in a more detailed fashion than the cryptic brake controller setup blurb. How many of the 10,000 HA owners regularly frequent either here or there to learn about these issues?...ponder that one before you fire back and state that you have 'never had the bump'...
Take a look at the data provided in my original post...accidents DO HAPPEN with the HA regardless of what Hensley says...we need to be educated so it doesn't happen to us!
Thanks again to Les and Ron for their responses.
joe.
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Dixonmatco
Santa Rosa, California
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Thanks for a very interesting thread. I personally am a very "mechanical" guy with experience in suspensions and many other things mechanical. Discussions like this are one of the reasons I like this forum. I have studied the Hensley design and understand the problem that is stated here. I cannot, however, tell you how to make it go away, as I believe that it is inherent in the system.
The most important thing to remember is that there are many things that can cause dangerous situations towing and many things that can be done to reduce the effects of those things. No one item is a "cure all" and there is no subsitiute for a properly matched, balanced and setup TV/Trailer rig, regardless of the hitch type.
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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I don`t get the bump with my Dual Cam! but if I did I would look into it to try and find the reason for it, just as joe did! I agree with joe 100% it`s a good hitch, but it has negatives just like other hitches out there. and the owner/operator needs to be aware of what could possibly happen in a given situation so they can be better prepared for the proper execution. and the last thing you want in an emergency maneuver, is for the TV and TT to be locked together as one so there is no pivot point for you to exucute your maneuver.
I have been keeping an eye out for a used one, but after reading some of the problems with the bump that people have and now that I have my DC dialed in. I think I may just leave well enough alone. how does that old saying go? "if it ain`t broke don`t fix it"!
Wife Kim 
Son Brandon 8yrs
Daughter Marissa 7yrs
Dog Shadow
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02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear, Hellwig sway bar
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BurbMan
Long Island, NY
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When I first installed the HA I got the bump almost every time I hit the brakes. I called Hensley and they told me to turn up the volume on the brake controller and that pretty much solved the problem.
The last time I got the bump was a few years back, under the same conditions that Joe described in his scenario #1.... a slow-speed left turn when fast braking was necessary. Not only did the HA bump me, it destroyed my OEM hitch receiver (I'm sure we're all seen THOSE pictures...).
I agree with Joe and Les, it's not enough of a problem to negate the benefits of the HA, but it has the potential to create a very dangerous situation under the right conditions. At a minimum, I think Hensley should advise owners up front to be sure that they have their brake controller dialed in right. AND, if they feel the bump under any circumstances, that is an indication that TT braking force is not set high enough.
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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dodge guy wrote:I have been keeping an eye out for a used one, but after reading some of the problems with the bump that people have and now that I have my DC dialed in. I think I may just leave well enough alone. how does that old saying go? "if it ain`t broke don`t fix it"!
Kevin,
While the bump is real...I wouldn't and didn't let it keep me from buying it...because I do feel the positives far outweigh the negatives...read on...
BurbMan wrote:
The last time I got the bump was a few years back, under the same conditions that Joe described in his scenario #1.... a slow-speed left turn when fast braking was necessary. Not only did the HA bump me, it destroyed my OEM hitch receiver (I'm sure we're all seen THOSE pictures...).
I didn't make this stuff up!
BurbMan wrote:I agree with Joe and Les, it's not enough of a problem to negate the benefits of the HA, but it has the potential to create a very dangerous situation under the right conditions. At a minimum, I think Hensley should advise owners up front to be sure that they have their brake controller dialed in right. AND, if they feel the bump under any circumstances, that is an indication that TT braking force is not set high enough.
When I said above to Kevin that the positives outweigh the negatives I meant it.
My point of this WHOLE thread was to make folks aware of the potentially 'bad' sitation...no matter how remote...the time to 'learn' about it is NOT when it happens!...education and knowledge is what I am advocating here...and I feel that Hensley isn't doing enough to educate ALL owners...the ones that do not frequent these types of forums could certainly NOT know about this...and there are many that DO frequent these boards that simply have never had it happen to them and I pray that it never does...but as you can see...it IS REAL and can happen to anyone...so just because we think we have a safe hitch...which we do...under just the 'wrong' circumstances...it can turn bad quick...that's all...we need to help educate each other so if and when it happens...we know what is happening and what we should do to try and pull out of it.
To clear something up based on a PM I received...I am not saying that the hitch ITSELF generates the energy...it is the TT's weight that creates the energy thru the nature of moving at a slightly higher rate than the TV as the TV brakes or slows thru go pedal lift...and as the cams collapse ontop of themselves and SLAM the stop...it unloads that energy FROM THE TT onto the REAR OF THE TV...the hitch itself is the catalyst that allows that stored energy to be unloaded.
But don't take my words as I feel the hitch is bad...all I want to see is a more OPEN DIALOG about this VERY REAL 'feature'...that's all.
Thanks again to all you who posted your experiences...think about it...there are 10,000 HA owners...we are just a small percentage of them...and above you see TWO EXAMPLES from Les and Don that have had this happen to THEM and they are VERY experienced towers...
joe.
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