# Am I Swaying In The Breeze?



## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

We took our Outbacky for a romp this weekend on one of those freebie weekends offered by Thousand Trails in exchange for the wife and me sitting for a 90 min. sales presentation...Anywho...I'm getting "fish tailing" quite easily even though I have a Hensley-Arrow. It feels as though the rear of my TV is being pushed horizontally to and fro. I speed up a bit which dampens it pretty quickly, but the feeling causes some "white knucking." It doesn't seem to happen as the result of passing big rigs or wind gusts. I think it only happens if I don't keep the steering wheel perfectly steady. Just a slight move of the steering wheel in one direction (with a corresponding corrective move in the other direction) will set this off. I don't know if it's related, but when I brake, I seem to get a small tug of the TV to one side. Any ideas of what may be causing these problems.

BTW...We LOVE this website, but it's really addicting.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this website alive and active,

Eric


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## bentpixel (Sep 2, 2006)

Sounds like something is broken. Hard to say w/o more info. Some random thoughts - are the shear bolt intact, u-bolt torqued properly, struts firm, jacks tighten evenly? When unhitched with the stinger in the hitch box is there any binding or friction when moving it though its arc?








"Fish tailing" is supposed to impossible with the HA. I'll be watching future post with great interest.

Scott


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

Sorry to hear about the swaying.







I hate that feeling. 
I don't know the answer, but I'm sure someone who knows will chime in soon.

Good Luck.

Tami


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

Also if you have low tire pressure it will move around some.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

This is reported when one of the struts are broken. Can also happen with failed shear bolts.

When inspecting the hitch is there any visible difference from one side to the other??


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

bentpixel said:


> Sounds like something is broken. Hard to say w/o more info. Some random thoughts - are the shear bolt intact, u-bolt torqued properly, struts firm, jacks tighten evenly? When unhitched with the stinger in the hitch box is there any binding or friction when moving it though its arc?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the responses!







Shear bolts are intact. Struts are firm and equal length (pointing the orange half of the HA straight down the middle). Shear bolts are intact. Everything seems in order. Maybe I'm pulling the WD bars up too high and lifting too much weight off the backend of the TV. I've been adjusting WD bars until the middle "notch" line (of the three) just disappears under the top portion of the jack assembly. Do you think this might be causing the fishtailing?


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Have you given Hensley a call?? I would think that for the price they get for those things, there would be a pretty good technical assistance program. I know Reese does, and a strait-line is 1/5th the price.

Tim


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

IMHO you describe a phenomenon related to a tongue light towing combination. Not enough down force on the hitch to keep the rear planted/controlling trailer tongue side to side movement under mild or more maneuvers This trailer has low ratio for tongue weight to GVW leaving the Dealers lot. Might consider a trip to the scales to verify your various loaded weights.

The pull under braking is probably related to tire inflation on one side or brake adjustment or possibly intermittent wiring issues. If you have a Prodigy controller intermittent wiring should read up on the display. Start with the simple and work to the complex....

my 2 cents for what it is worth....

Map Guy


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Eric,

In addition it might be worth the moment or two to check your tire type. Do you have those nice SUV tires or a tow rated tire? Something with a soft side wall will cause some wiggle. Our Expedition did that till we changed out to "E" rated tires.

This may not be the root of your problem but COULD be a contributing factor.

Eric


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Wow... A Hensley "fish tailing"... never thought I'd hear that one!

Eric, any chance that the movement you are attributing to the rear fish tailing, is actually the front floating? I don't know how you adjust weight distribution on a Hensley, but it almost sounds like the front of the TV is light.









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

PDX_Doug said:


> Wow... A Hensley "fish tailing"... never thought I'd hear that one!
> 
> Eric, any chance that the movement you are attributing to the rear fish tailing, is actually the front floating? I don't know how you adjust weight distribution on a Hensley, but it almost sounds like the front of the TV is light.
> 
> ...


 Well I was refering to the Expedition we had some time ago. We had wiggle, and in reading and conversing with a few people we looked at tires. It seemed to make sense to me with softer side walls that any forces applied to the TT would be felt by the TV and visa-versa.

They were close to needing to be changed anyway so we did the deed. That did get rid of a lot of the occasional wiggle. I am all but 100% sure our hitch was set well and in addition we had the air ride system which kept the TV pretty level and in good contact with the road. Do you think I may be confusing another factor?









Eric


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

We had the same pull upon braking as you describe....although it was not minor! However, it is all fixable!!!!

Check out *Pg 39 of the Manual*....you may need to set your brake controller higher. Also mentioned is to check to be sure the SpringJacks are set at the same hole on both sides. If those aren't even, then there's an adjustment needed to the Strut bars. If the Strut bars are loose, you will have sway. Its a very minor adjustment but it has to do with the front of the H/A being square to the back of your TV. After TT weight reloading several times, several trips for the TV to the dealer for inspections, and trying everything shy of a full brake assembly replacement on the TV, the fix was the hitch setting and it really was that simple!!!

You can do this "trial by error" style and you're likely to get it set right eventually (with lots of trips on & off the road as you get the settings right) or....you can call Hensley @ 1-800-410-6580 and they'll tell you exactly what's needed.


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

PDX_Doug said:


> Wow... A Hensley "fish tailing"... never thought I'd hear that one!
> 
> Eric, any chance that the movement you are attributing to the rear fish tailing, is actually the front floating? I don't know how you adjust weight distribution on a Hensley, but it almost sounds like the front of the TV is light.
> 
> ...


IMHO tongue light introduces a wagging unstable (tugging the ball horizontally and upwards) trailer feeling that mainly tows ok until maneuvers are needed.

Tongue heavy tends to create a feeling of instable TV (pushing the ball horizontally and downwards) -can't hold a straight line from corner to corner(front end instability/wander/feels loose like tie rods/ball joints worn out).

Improper weight transfer will accent either condition greatly no matter the hitch brand. The Hensley is hands down the best hitch out there and you should be able to eliminate the instable feelings.

Hensley FAQ's does state that tugging under braking is a normal feeling due to the design per the installation manual available online at Hensley....

Map Guy


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## bentpixel (Sep 2, 2006)

Morgueman said:


> .... I think it only happens if I don't keep the steering wheel perfectly steady. Just a slight move of the steering wheel in one direction (with a corresponding corrective move in the other direction) will set this off. I don't know if it's related, but when I brake, I seem to get a small tug of the TV to one side. Any ideas of what may be causing these problems.
> ...


Since the hitch seems in working order, I'll suggest checking the front end components. On my commute vehicle I've had the steering damper go bad. It feels like the front wheels are flapping to and fro like a bad shoppping cart wheel. Poor front end alignment is consistant with the tug during braking. My $.02's.
make that $.04's.

Good Luck,
Scott


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

bentpixel said:


> My $.02's.
> make that $.04's.
> 
> Good Luck,
> Scott


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## Rubrhammer (Nov 27, 2006)

This may be obvious but no one has mentioned it. Is your tt level or slightly nose down? If it is tongue high you will get sway.
Bob


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

I don't know the answer to your question... and forgive me for being off topic but how was the Thousand trails thing? We saw that offer and were thinking about it?


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

Rubrhammer said:


> This may be obvious but no one has mentioned it. Is your tt level or slightly nose down? If it is tongue high you will get sway.
> Bob


Very true comment -







of a double check. Would be a contributor to having a tongue weight problem!

Map guy


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

Rubrhammer said:


> I don't know the answer to your question... and forgive me for being off topic but how was the Thousand trails thing? We saw that offer and were thinking about it?


The Thousand Trails park we went to was near Jamul, CA (very close to the U.S./Mexico border. The park was ok, especially for the price...pretty much a parking lot with a swimming pool, rec center, basketball court. However, there were full hookups which was nice. Plus, we got a $50 Shell gas card and a 30-day free trial to use at any of their parks.


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