SteveRankin
Sequim, WA
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Joined: 05/05/2005
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We had a somewhat similar situation last week with our Hitch Helper.
We have a new hitch bar and it's been very 'sticky' when unhitching. My hunch is that powder coating on it was unusually thick.
We've used a stack under the tongue jack consisting of 2 - 4X4's on the ground, a 4X6 across the 4X4's and the Hitch Helper sitting on the 4X6.
Front view of support under tongue jack with Hitch Helper
View with cone support is sitting on the 4X6 instead of Hitch Helper
We had 3" of Lynx levelers on the low side and the tires were chocked using the expanding chocks between the axles on both sides. We usually engage low range when backing onto the Lynx levelers because the truck will push the trailer onto the Lynx at idle in low range & we don't have issues with overshooting them. So, the truck was still in low range when I went to disengage the hitch draw bar from the Hensley receiver.
The hitch bar didn't release smoothly and pulled the trailer forwards, skidding the tires on the Lynx blocks on the low side. The Hitch Helper tumbled off the 4X6 and the tongue jack spiked a 6" deep hole in the ground. Fortunately, there were only 2 casualties: Our pride, since about a dozen folks were in the midst of Happy Hour at the DP next door, and the screw in the Hitch Helper was bent. One of the guys had a short bottle jack I put under the front of the Hensley receiver to lift it just an inch or so. That gave us enough room to put the 4X6 directly under the tongue jack so we could lift the tongue, re-hitch it to the truck and start over.
We've got a couple of things in the works to prevent this in the future. First, I removed all the powder coating from the wedge portion of the Hensley draw bar. Second, we are going to notch the lumber stack so the pieces lock together. Third, I'm going to rout a spot in the 4X6 for the Hitch Helper to sit in so it's not easy for it to slide.
Moderator edit to re-size picture to forum limit of 640px maximum in any direction.
* This post was
edited 10/03/08 08:23am by an administrator/moderator *
Steve & C. J.
"Gracie" the Rough Collie & "Bo'sun" the Bichon Frise
2009 Arctic Fox 29V
2005 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 4X4 Crewcab
PullRite 20K# hitch
TruControl Brake Controller
Our Beaver Technical page
Wildlife rescue at the Northwest Raptor Center
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bsimonds
Winnsboro, TX, USA
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Joined: 05/27/2004
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RustySocket wrote:Sounds like a lot of hassle for a 2K$ hitch to me.....
I'd sell it and get something safer that doesn't require anything more than backing the ball under the tounge and latching it on the ball.
Someone could have gotten really hurt.
The fackt that a "hitch helper" is needed to me indicates that there is much to be desired when hithing up with the hensley.. especially if unlevel.
Both the standard ball hitch and the Hensley require lateral alignment between the TV and TT to hitch up. The hitch helper allows you to get close backing up the TV and then move the hitch laterally to get it right. There is nothing about the Hensley hitch that makes the hitch helper any more useful than with the standard ball hitch.
Bill Simonds
'07 Maxlite 28RL by R-Vision
'08 Armada LE 4X4
Hensley Arrow hitch
TruControl brake controller
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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From what was described in the initial post...
It simply sounds like the center of gravity on the jack shifted as the OP moved the hitch helper laterally...once the hitch helper shifted the tongue towards the down hill side...the boards under the tongue jack simply 'lifted' on the uphill side and flipped...
Front to back slope shouldn't be an issue given that the wheels are chocked properly.
It was the side to side issue given that the site was sloped pretty well it sounds...I guess the answer for these situations is to NOT rely on the hitch helper when on a serious side to side sloped site...and simply back the stinger closer to the hitch.
Glad no one was hurt for sure...that could have been really bad.
Joe.
DH, DW, 2 DD's
2005 Excursion V10 w/4.30's
- Hensley Arrow
- Prodigy
- Hellwig rear sway bar
- RoadMaster Suspension
- Front 2" hitch
- Bilsteins
2007 JayFlight 31BHDS (3 women & 2 slides...it helps!  )
Mini & the BEAST
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Garfie|d
South-Western Ontario
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Joined: 09/03/2003
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Yep, simple physics dictates the need to keep the hitch helper as close to the ground as possible. An electric tongue jack helps a lot!
Gary
2001 Airstream Safari 25SS tugged by 2001 GMC Yukon 5.3L 3.73
Hensley Arrow • Jordan Ultima • Barker 3000 • Mckesh
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mhweb
Cleveland, OH
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Hitch helpers  My only comment is why were the stabilizers still down when hooking up the trailer?
02 Chevy 2500HD, 8.1, Allison, ext cab/sb
02 Layton 290 TT, Hensley Arrow, prodigy
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freediver
Redding, CA
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Hi all,
Just got back from a trip and had fun reading your replies.
I agree with crappie fisherman that the side to side slope was the issue--front to back probably would not be a problem with good chocking and between the wheels stabilizers. mhweb--the stabilizers were all up until we realized the tongue jack was getting precariously close to sliding off. We started putting the front stabilizers back down to try to hold the jack on the blocks, but it all came down before they were fully down. In hindsight, even if the stabilizers were down, they probably wouldn't have held the weight of the trailer.
I had been thinking about routing or creating a "bed" on the top block that would hold the hitch helper in place so it can't slide. My "tower" of 5 blocks is all nailed together so the individual pieces don't slide off each other. I just need to "nail down" the hitch helper so it won't slide off the tower of blocks.
Chris, Connie, 4 kids
'00 Coleman Cheyenne (keeping it!)
'05 Suburban K2500 8.1L
'06 Arctic Fox 26Z2
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kat1958
Henderson, NV
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Joined: 03/28/2006
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I just recently purchased a hitch helper. Does it need to be greased or something first to make it easier to use. Pretty stiff.
2006 Ford F-150 Super Cab 5.4 Triton/3:73, Hensley TruControl Brake Controller, Ride Rite Air Bags, 2006 Sprinter 2991RLS, Hensley Arrow Hitch, Kipor 2000i, Xantrex RV2012, 1 Lovely Teenage daughter, who is now an U.S. Army Soldier, and 2 Crazy Dogs.
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Lantley
Ellicott City, Maryland
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freediver wrote:Hi all,
Just got back from a trip and had fun reading your replies.
I agree with crappie fisherman that the side to side slope was the issue--front to back probably would not be a problem with good chocking and between the wheels stabilizers. mhweb--the stabilizers were all up until we realized the tongue jack was getting precariously close to sliding off. We started putting the front stabilizers back down to try to hold the jack on the blocks, but it all came down before they were fully down. In hindsight, even if the stabilizers were down, they probably wouldn't have held the weight of the trailer.
I had been thinking about routing or creating a "bed" on the top block that would hold the hitch helper in place so it can't slide. My "tower" of 5 blocks is all nailed together so the individual pieces don't slide off each other. I just need to "nail down" the hitch helper so it won't slide off the tower of blocks.
Seems like you were in a precarious situation. The hitch helper and blocks were teetering the whole time due to the slope of the hill. Bottom line is you need to carry more substantial blocking. Something similar to Steve Rankin's photo may have worked better. I assume the base of your blocks was not stable enough. If the hill was truly too steep you may have been better off without the hitch helper.
I have not experienced a scenario where I did not use my HH. I've needed to cross my blocking as shown in Steve's photos a few times. My suggestion would be to carry more blocks including a few 4x4's and a couple of 6x6's. There should be no need to nail blocks together. The nails served to keep the blocks together but there was no way to hold HH to the blocks. Therefore it all came tumbling down.
Create a stable 4x4 base andstack your 4x4 blocks from there. You simply had your blocks stacked poorly. "Be careful out there"!
Of course all of this Monday Morning Quarterbacking is just my humble opinion.
.
01 PSD X,06 Trailvision 31BHDS Edge Evolution
4"exhaust,AFE,C-Betr,Tornado
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Hensley,Prodigy,exhaust brake,Swift Hitch
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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When I initially purchased my HA...I got the hitch helper (HH)...but after getting my mirror that I use for hitching...I found that the HH was not necessary and I returned it. I have not regretted figuring out a way to hitch without the HH...I hitch all by myself each time and have no issues...seeing where you are actually going is a HUGE help in itself...
joe.
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willald
NC
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Joined: 07/15/2002
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RustySocket wrote:Sounds like a lot of hassle for a 2K$ hitch to me.....
I'd sell it and get something safer that doesn't require anything more than backing the ball under the tounge and latching it on the ball.
Someone could have gotten really hurt.
The fackt that a "hitch helper" is needed to me indicates that there is much to be desired when hithing up with the hensley.. especially if unlevel.
Before anyone believes the misinformation in this post, a few things need to be noted here:
First off, a hitch helper is NOT needed with a Hensley. Your implication that Hensley requires that hitch helper piece, really just shows you don't know much about the Hensley. Seems like this is a case of someone just looking for an excuse to bash a product they don't own.
Read around, you'll see that 95% of Hensley owners never have needed the hitch helper, nor care for it. Most of us, with just a little practice, can hitch up a Hensley without such and never really have a problem. I would be one of them. I was given a hitch helper (free) with our Hensley, and NEVER have seen the need for it. Only thing I use it for is a wheel chock, LOL. 
Second, the problem described here could happen regardless what type of hitch, and whether the hitch helper was used or not. Has more to do with the type of foot used on the tongue jack and the slope of the trailer, than it does any particular hitch type. This could happen to anyone, and I'm glad the OP mentioned this. Its a good reminder, to show people that you need to be extra cautious when the trailer is sitting on a slope (REGARDLESS what type of hitch you use).
Anyway, back to the original topic: This is actually one of the reasons I'm always a little nervous about stacking up too many blocks, for what the tongue jack sits on. I usually just set the tongue jack 'foot' on one or two of the Lynx leveling blocks, thats about it. That way if it falls off the blocks for whatever reason, it won't fall far.
Will & Angela
2 wonderful children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
(wanna see? Here is a picture of it  )
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