Towing a long, heavy travel trailer for an extended
period can be especially challenging. Especially if your travels
take you from mountains to deserts, narrow winding roads to high speed
interstate highways, and in weather ranging from blistering heat to rain
and potential ice.
The hitches used with most travel trailers, while functional,
leave much to be desired. Since travel trailers attach near the rear
bumper of the tow vehicle through a ball hitch, handling is at best compromised.
Any force, such as a passing 18 wheeler, can cause the trailer to sway.
The longer the distance between the rear axle of the tow vehicle and the
hitch ball, or the shorter the wheelbase of the tow vehicle, the more severe
any trailer sway will affect the directional stability of the tow vehicle.
If you tow a travel trailer you will experience the effects
of the trailer trying to redirect the tow vehicle. These effects are
typically moderate.
Most people dismiss this until something unusual happens and the trailer
begins to sway from side to side behind them. After this happens,
many change to a different type of hitch or replace their travel trailer
with a fifth wheel trailer or a motor home.
Although I had felt the push from passing trucks and wind
gusts during most of my towing experience, I had never "been concerned."
Then it happened. With a strong cross-wind and a passing truck, trailer
sway began as I (over) corrected for the passing truck. The 34'
trailer began to swing wildly from side to side. Fortunately, I reacted by manually activating the trailer brakes. This brought
the trailer back into line. Unfortunately, drawers opened, the refrigerator
spilled its contents onto the floor, and the contents of overhead cabinets
spilled out. WHAT A MESS! Once fishtailing occurs, you learn
quickly. After that experience, I drove a little slower (I was below
the posted speed limit when the sway began), paid more attention to wind
and passing trucks AND I ordered a Hensley Arrow Hitch.
The following pages go into the concept, installation
and use of the Hensley Arrow Hitch.
