# Installed My New Hensley Hitch



## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Well, it took me about 4 hrs total (I did take my time) but I have the new Hensley arrow installed on our 31RQS. Took it for a shake down cruise, and what a difference. I am swapping out the 6 inch drop to a 4 inch drop, just to bring it up to level. Can't wait until the Danforth Bay rally to check it out over a longer trip!
For anyone contemplating this job, be prepared to extend the length of you safety chains...The Hensley adds about 12 inches to an already long trailer. The breakaway and umbilical cord had enough length already.


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

I can see it being my little project for Saturday. I'll try it on the trip to Normandy Farms and if I still think its as great as EVERYONE say Florida the next week. I'm amazed that everyone that has one loves it and won't tow without it.

John


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## Excursions R Us (Jan 25, 2006)

Welcome to the club. Enjoy your rides!
Cheers,
Rob


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## bentpixel (Sep 2, 2006)

Congrats on your new HA.
Need to hitch 'em up and move 'em out.








Happy Trails,
Scott


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## JimBo99 (Apr 25, 2006)

Great move!! You'll be bragging on it to others soon.


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Congrats Calvin on the Hensley and enjoy the new hitch









Don


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

We'll be having a gathering of the Orange at Danforth...well, 2 of us anyway....


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## JimBo99 (Apr 25, 2006)

Maybe we should have a "Hensley Rally." Hopefuls would be welcome too!


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## daves700 (Jun 12, 2006)

congrats on the new hitch .... they sure do seem like very nice hitches


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

JimBo99 said:


> Maybe we should have a "Hensley Rally." Hopefuls would be welcome too!


I like the way you're thinking....


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

JimBo99 said:


> Maybe we should have a "Hensley Rally." Hopefuls would be welcome too!


Hensley does, every year at the plant.

J-


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> QUOTE(JimBo99 @ Mar 26 2007, 10:58 PM)
> 
> Maybe we should have a "Hensley Rally." Hopefuls would be welcome too!
> 
> ...


At $3000 a pop, they can afford to throw a "rally.'









Mark


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## zoomzoom8 (Nov 8, 2005)

Congrats!!!! Welcome to the club!!


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

wolfwood said:


> We'll be having a gathering of the Orange at Danforth...well, 2 of us anyway....


And the Green...

Orange and the green...and pipers too....I crack myself up.

Seriously though, congrats on the Hensley. I told Clare that the only way I would tow a 31RQS is with a Hensley, so that helped slow down her fever. We could have a contest in Danforth to see who can hook up fastest, Wolfwood, or Calvin&Hobbes.









Tim


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## Jeannie (Oct 26, 2006)

The Hensley is a great choice.







You won't be sorry.


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## kvanek (Jan 14, 2007)

Jeannie said:


> The Hensley is a great choice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You will love the hitch. I just made a 2600 mile trip with a 31RQS and a Hensley.
Hitch works great.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

kvanek said:


> The Hensley is a great choice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You will love the hitch. I just made a 2600 mile trip with a 31RQS and a Hensley.
Hitch works great.
[/quote]
So, does that mean the verdict is in and the trial is over? Defense rests!


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

I should have mine tomorrow. Lets see if it makes a believer out of me. I can see it now I'll drive to Florida with the Hensley and drive home with the Equal-I-zer.

John


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

johnp2000 said:


> I should have mine tomorrow. Lets see if it makes a believer out of me. I can see it now I'll drive to Florida with the Hensley and drive home with the Equal-I-zer.
> 
> John


I don't think so, John....not unless you are a VERY silly man


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

johnp2000 said:


> I should have mine tomorrow. Lets see if it makes a believer out of me. I can see it now I'll drive to Florida with the Hensley and drive home with the Equal-I-zer.
> 
> John


If that happens John, you would be first perosn that I ever heard of doing that. Then again, there is always a first time for everything.

Tim


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> We'll be having a gathering of the Orange at Danforth...well, 2 of us anyway....


And the Green...

Orange and the green...and pipers too....I crack myself up.

Seriously though, congrats on the Hensley. I told Clare that the only way I would tow a 31RQS is with a Hensley, so that helped slow down her fever. We could have a contest in Danforth to see who can hook up fastest, Wolfwood, or Calvin&Hobbes.









Tim
[/quote]
I will put my money on Wolfie and KB. I think I got out of- and back into- the magic bus so many times while trying to hook up, I lost about 15 lbs. I've been told it gets better, but jezzum crow... And my DS isn't much help, he gets so hemmed up when I'm backing, you'd think he was signing at a Sunday morning church service...


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## JimBo99 (Apr 25, 2006)

There is a process to hitching up. But I think the HA is much easier to hitch than the ball type. I use a mirror on my tailgate to back up and line up. First thing move the hitch receiver head to the center position (lower the little latch bar that is in the head and move it to the center slot and use a little persuasion if you have too). Then when backing watch in your TV side mirrors to line up centered on the OB. Then as you get close use the tailgate mirror. When you get within an inch or so of the stinger going into the hitch stop and get out and line the receiver up with the stinger. First align the hitch to the same angle as the stinger bar. Then raise or lower the OB to match up vertically. Then use your hitch helper that is under the tongue jack to move the OB to line up horizontally. Use some white grease on the stinger bar, especially the beveled part (the paint will wear off and make it slide in easier with use). Then back up slowly until the stinger bar is seated in the receiver, and put you parking brake on. If the beveled part does not fully go into the receiver, you can pull it in by using the over latches cam action. It should pull it right in.

Once you get the hang of it, it goes pretty easy. I do it by myself too, as too many cooks spoil the soup. I find something for the DW to do while I'm hitching. Usuall takes me about ten minutes for the whole process. I have had the HA and the OB for nearly a year now and have made two very long trips, unhitching and hitching at least 25 or more times. Hope this helps.

Jim


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

Calvin&Hobbes said:


> Well, it took me about 4 hrs total (I did take my time) but I have the new Hensley arrow installed on our 31RQS. Took it for a shake down cruise, and what a difference. I am swapping out the 6 inch drop to a 4 inch drop, just to bring it up to level. Can't wait until the Danforth Bay rally to check it out over a longer trip!
> For anyone contemplating this job, be prepared to extend the length of you safety chains...The Hensley adds about 12 inches to an already long trailer. The breakaway and umbilical cord had enough length already.


Congrats on the HA. But I can't believe this thread has gotten this far without someone saying it, WHERES THE PICTURES.


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

Well I received my Hensley today. WOW if I didn't know any better I would have thought it was brand new. The guy listed it as having the 1000lb bars but it has the 1400lb bars







. Didn't take to long to mount it and fine tune it. So far I'm impressed quality all the way. I would have taken it for a test spin but I need to get longer chains big surprise. getting it hitched isn't to bad with the mirror. I think I will either paint the stinger orange or switch to a backup camera so I can see it better.

Up for sale shortly:
Mckesh mirrors with extra convex mirror

10k/1k Equal-I-zer (If I like the Hensley)

John


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

johnp2000 said:


> Well I received my Hensley today. WOW if I didn't know any better I would have thought it was brand new. The guy listed it as having the 1000lb bars but it has the 1400lb bars
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dibs on the mirrors.

Don't need the hitch, I already have the Hensley


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Thanks Jim for the tips- one thing that has crossed my mind... If I get the height right while backing, and I get "close enough" (+- a couple of inches left to right), can I reach inside the HA, lift that little centering bar (which I think is the hitch stop you mentioned), and slide the hitch (again, L or R)to where ever the stinger is? or is having it off center going to mess up the overlatch bars? Hope my description is close- having spent 15 years with the Reese WD system, all these new component's names will take a little getting used to! (at times I think I'm studying for a test- walking around the house reciting the new components and then pointing them out on the manual) Thanks again, and I do have pictures- just have to find the time to load them.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Calvin - Awewsome, I would love to get a Hensley. For it will be a dream. Can you tell me if the hitch system can be change from TV to TV easily?

Thor


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Hey Thor... It does move very easily, it is just the stinger that mounts on the TV. The whole hitch assembly is actually on the TT.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Calvin&Hobbes said:


> I will put my money on Wolfie and KB. I think I got out of- and back into- the magic bus so many times while trying to hook up, I lost about 15 lbs. I've been told it gets better, but jezzum crow... And my DS isn't much help, he gets so hemmed up when I'm backing, you'd think he was signing at a Sunday morning church service...


*~~~~~~>Hitching Class at 10:00AM in the Lower Field<~~~~~~~~*

Seriosly tho', I think you watched us hitch up last fall. KB straightens the hitch, straddles it, puts her hands together ("prayer" style"), keeping her hands where I can see them and fingertips square over the hitch. I know where the center of the 4Runner is and keep her fingertips square & centered on that mark. She watches the stinger and advises if I need to stop, change angels, pull forward, back, back harder, etc) and adjusts hitch height/angle as needed (She sets her hands as I begin to back and I generally start backing far enough away so that I am straight to the TT. Most adjusting now is Hitch height only.). The first couple times we did this, it took 2,3, sometime 4 attempts....and I learned at Twin Mtn that, if I don't back into the actual connection hard enough, I'll just be pushing the TT backwards







Once we both relaxed with the process, got more familiar with "how it all works", and got our own signals down, we generally hitch-up in 1 smooth shot now! She'll stop me just before the Stinger makes contact, make any final hitch height adjustment needed, and backs me in. Hmmmm....that final "kachunck" is such a sweet sound! We'll be happy to run you through the drill in May!!


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## JimBo99 (Apr 25, 2006)

Calvin&Hobbes said:


> Thanks Jim for the tips- one thing that has crossed my mind... If I get the height right while backing, and I get "close enough" (+- a couple of inches left to right), can I reach inside the HA, lift that little centering bar (which I think is the hitch stop you mentioned), and slide the hitch (again, L or R)to where ever the stinger is? or is having it off center going to mess up the overlatch bars? Hope my description is close- having spent 15 years with the Reese WD system, all these new component's names will take a little getting used to! (at times I think I'm studying for a test- walking around the house reciting the new components and then pointing them out on the manual) Thanks again, and I do have pictures- just have to find the time to load them.


Yes, you can do that. But it is much easier if it is in the center position. Put this in the center position first, then use your mirror to line up straight with the TT. If you don't have one get one of those "Hitch Helpers" that goes under your tongue jack pipe. Put it on when you unhitch. Use it to move your TT side to side to perfectly line up. I use a cordless drill driver with a 3/4" socket. (that also fits your spring bar adustment nuts and your TT stabilizers).

Also, when I unhitch I put the wheel chocks on first, then put down a board on the ground and set my Hitch Helper on it and let the tongue jack pipe down just so it starts to take the tongue weight off the TV. Then loosen your spring bar nuts all the way. When I hitch I use these spring bar adjustment nuts to position the HA head unit where I want it in angle to the stinger. Then the rest. When I'm all htched up and I'm ready to raise the tongue jack, I set the spring bar tension by turning thier nuts until I get to the middle mark.(Do this before you raise the tongue jack). You can set it anywhere between the three marks, mine just rides best at the middle one.

Jim


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## snsgraham (May 18, 2004)

The license plate mounted backup camera makes backing up to the TT a non-issue!!

Scott


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

snsgraham said:


> The license plate mounted backup camera makes backing up to the TT a non-issue!!
> 
> Scott


This is number 1 on my "want list"....


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## kvanek (Jan 14, 2007)

wolfwood said:


> The Hensley is a great choice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You will love the hitch. I just made a 2600 mile trip with a 31RQS and a Hensley.
Hitch works great.
[/quote]
So, does that mean the verdict is in and the trial is over? Defense rests!
[/quote]

YES


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

kvanek said:


> The Hensley is a great choice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You will love the hitch. I just made a 2600 mile trip with a 31RQS and a Hensley.
Hitch works great.
[/quote]
So, does that mean the verdict is in and the trial is over? Defense rests!
[/quote]

YES
[/quote]
Excellent!

(now it's time to change your signature, too







)


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