Adequate Tow Vehicle Rating

[scrubjaysnest]

One of the biggest problems in the RV industry is overloaded campers, the other problem is over loading the TV. That said after 30 plus years of RV'ing experience I always try to reduce what is the TV and the camper, in this case the TM. The only time I ever put a camper on the scales was a POP-UP Coleman Mesa and at a little over 2600# it was no where near the makers GVWR which like the TM is a lot above the axle makers rating. So we all need to watch our weight.

Another thing I will never do again is tow a 17 foot bay fisher with 3 adults in a vehicle rated at 4500# TC and that was done with almost no elevation change between Ocala and Cedar Key Fl. The TV was an Isuzu Rodeo, 3.3 liter v-6, a french made truck tranney and 4:10 axle with disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on the back. The TV frame was tube the same size as on my Dodge. Boat and trailer with gear weighed less then 2000# because it didn't by law require trailer brakes. 3 adults weighed about 550#. So although close it wasn't at the TV TC. The TV had insufficient HP to safely move in rush hour traffic and braking was slightly above marginal in the 40 to 45 mph traffic. That experience wasn't as bad as towing the pop-up towards Asheville, NC with the S-10 on I-26. The grade as best I remember was 6 to 8%. The best the truck could do without over revving the engine was about 15mph. The 18 wheelers were even passing us. Thank goodness it is a 6 lane highway there. My personnel experience is a 3500# TC is to marginal for a trailer weighing over 2000#. Yes it can be done but it is to scary of a thing for me. I can just see someone rear ending me because they weren't paying attention. Their fault yes, but I also would pay the price.

Because of these life experiences, we avoid interstates and rush hours. Even if this means going through in the middle of night, stopping before and after.
I guess that is my rant

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

Except that TM's don't have trouble with sway.

The Cub does more then just eliminating sway (completely). It improves the overall stability of the vehicle, steering (especially on uneven roads) and improves handling (most notably during braking). It also creates a tighter turning radius.

Koz

Yoda, add me to your "light weight" club as well. My 2000 Honda Odyssey tows my 2009.5 2720 just fine. And I agree with your point, and one I have made before, that is one of the major advantages and concept of a TM. To the point, I just bought a new TV, a 2011 Toyota Venza,which, except for a slightly shorter wheelbase, will be an upgrade vs the Ody - both rated at 3500.

Just curious, on the Hensley Cub, it does not look like one could use it on a swing hitch or at least after the Cub is mounted, one could not break and swing, a swing hitch.
Is that correct?

Safe, saving gas and having fun at the Forum...

[ZekenSpider]

Originally Posted by mjlaupp

How do you deal with the frame brackets and jacks when you open the slideout on the 3326? It looks like they would have to be dismounted.

We disconnect the jacks at their lower attachment pins and pivot them to a horizontal position as we pull out the slide. The jacks fit nicely under the slide out floor. That leaves the WDH bars hanging so we use bungee cord to temporarily tie them up under the tongue.

I'll send some pix the next time we do a set up (in about two weeks).

P.S to moaboy; Just curious, on the Hensley Cub, it does not look like one could use it on a swing hitch or at least after the Cub is mounted, one could not break and swing, a swing hitch.
Is that correct?

I think it would not work on the swing hitch without modification. I'll look at it carefully next time it is set up and comment on what I see. The WDH bars and jacks are easily removed. The frame brackets are not easy to remove and may interfere with the swing pivot and latch. The big orange head usually remains installed on the hitch ball(but is also removable).

Jerry

[mjlaupp]

Originally Posted by ZekenSpider

We disconnect the jacks at their lower attachment pins and pivot them to a horizontal position as we pull out the slide. The jacks fit nicely under the slide out floor. That leaves the WDH bars hanging so we use bungee cord to temporarily tie them up under the tongue.

Thanks Jerry.

I have been mulling over replacing my F250 with a mid size SUV. The Cub was an option, but that issue had me stumped.

[Bill]

Where are you folks finding meaningful information about the Cub? I've been to the Hensley site, and the opening page contains an uninformative picture, but nothing else. I've tried to download an instruction manual for the Cub, but it is not there. I've tried to download the video, but they won't allow a download until I give a name and email address (precursor to a spam blitz?). I've looked for a price, and it is not available unless you call them - why? For a clue, I look at the price of a Hensley Arrow. And I note that pplmotorhomes.com, which carries every hitch in the world (more or less), doesn't carry Hensley.

Hensley is supposed to be one of the good guys, but I can tell you that if any other site did these things when I wanted information, I would dismiss their product out of hand.

The primary advertised benefit of a Hensley hitch seems to be that it reduces sway. For most trailers, this is important, but TMs don't sway, so why would I buy one?

As for the picture on the intro page, it looks to me like the jacks are simply another version of the chains on most WDHes. Why are the jacks better than chains?

The anti-sway device appears to be a pair of rods extending from the hitch head / ball mount back to the trailer A-frame, with a black box in the middle. What is in the box? It is not described. I initially assumed it was a hydraulic shock absorber, but the box is too small for that. From the size, it probably contains a friction pad or sleeve. If so, why is it better than a inexpensive Reese friction sway control - which the towing expert on this board actively discourages, by the way. See
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=2923

It looks like the jack brackets might get in the way of the swing tongue, but from the info available, I can't tell for sure. Beyond that, since many members of this board have conventional chain-lift WDHes on swing-tongue TMs, and we know they work - again, why the Cub?

So I am mystified. Zeken Spider, you've got one. Help me understand all this.

Bill

[Barb&Tim]

Bill, here is a youtube video that was kinda hard to find on the Henley Cub website:

http://hensleymfg.com/watch-video/yo...os-by-hensley/

Tim

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by Bill

Where are you folks finding meaningful information about the Cub? I've been to the Hensley site, and the opening page contains an uninformative picture, but nothing else. I've tried to download an instruction manual for the Cub, but it is not there. I've tried to download the video, but they won't allow a download until I give a name and email address (precursor to a spam blitz?). I've looked for a price, and it is not available unless you call them - why? For a clue, I look at the price of a Hensley Arrow. And I note that pplmotorhomes.com, which carries every hitch in the world (more or less), doesn't carry Hensley.

Hensley is supposed to be one of the good guys, but I can tell you that if any other site did these things when I wanted information, I would dismiss their product out of hand.

The primary advertised benefit of a Hensley hitch seems to be that it reduces sway. For most trailers, this is important, but TMs don't sway, so why would I buy one?

As for the picture on the intro page, it looks to me like the jacks are simply another version of the chains on most WDHes. Why are the jacks better than chains?

The anti-sway device appears to be a pair of rods extending from the hitch head / ball mount back to the trailer A-frame, with a black box in the middle. What is in the box? It is not described. I initially assumed it was a hydraulic shock absorber, but the box is too small for that. From the size, it probably contains a friction pad or sleeve. If so, why is it better than a inexpensive Reese friction sway control - which the towing expert on this board actively discourages, by the way. See
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=2923

It looks like the jack brackets might get in the way of the swing tongue, but from the info available, I can't tell for sure. Beyond that, since many members of this board have conventional chain-lift WDHes on swing-tongue TMs, and we know they work - again, why the Cub?

So I am mystified. Zeken Spider, you've got one. Help me understand all this.

Bill

I did like you Bill took one at the site and dismissed it. I won't deal with sites that want my personal information first.

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

Bill, here is a youtube video that was kinda hard to find on the Henley Cub website:

http://hensleymfg.com/watch-video/yo...os-by-hensley/

Tim

Thanks for the link Tim. We put over 12000 miles on the TM last year and it didn't sway once even on the slalom course, I mean Blue Ridge Parkway

[Bill]

Thanks, Tim. Although that was a video for the Hensley Arrow, I imagine that a lot of it is applicable to the Hensley Cub, for which there doesn't seem to be a video. Although I feel more knowledgable now, most of my questions still stand.

Bill