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Another WDH question... Husky Centerline TS versus Husky Centerline HD
Still yet to pick up our rig, will do it this weekend, but before I do, I need some feedback. They are throwing in the Husky Centerline TS WDH which for all I have read is a pretty decent system. But, they also have the Husky Centerline HD, which I can get for the difference in price.
I have read some very good things on the HD, comparing it to the line between the Equalizer or the Dual Cam and the Hensley and other high end hitches.
I am leaning towards the HD, but am looking for some more recent feedback on the HD.
I tow a long (41' hitch to bumper) and heavy TT (11,000lbs) with a short wheelbase tow vehicle (137" EXcursion) with a Hensley Arrow keeping them playing well together. So my opinion is colored by that setup, I have no idea what you are driving or will soon be towing but in my opinion money spent on a high quality WD hitch is well spent, the longer/heavier the trailer the better the investment. So with the info provided I would do the upgrade to the HD hitch, just make sure the spring bars are correctly sized for the real actual tongue weight of the trailer, not any advertised weights.
I tow a long (41' hitch to bumper) and heavy TT (11,000lbs) with a short wheelbase tow vehicle (137" EXcursion) with a Hensley Arrow keeping them playing well together. So my opinion is colored by that setup, I have no idea what you are driving or will soon be towing but in my opinion money spent on a high quality WD hitch is well spent, the longer/heavier the trailer the better the investment. So with the info provided I would do the upgrade to the HD hitch, just make sure the spring bars are correctly sized for the real actual tongue weight of the trailer, not any advertised weights.
Sorry about the lack of detail. That's what i get for posting from my phone.
TV: 2016 Ford F250 XL Gas, 4WD(FX4)
TT: 2017 Forest River Wildwood 27RKSS, 33' 8"
Rated
Hitch Weight: 860
Dry: 6798
Cargo: 2862
Anticipate a couple hundred pounds in the bed, and 3 adults.
Doing a real quick look at the husky line of hitches, it looks like they have the centerline TS and HD.
The TS looks like it is the HD bars and brackets without the compression cylinders at the head of the trunion bars.
To me, it looks like the TS falls In line with the e2 and Reese SC hitches. Where your sway control is essentially just friction at the bar/bracket interface.
The HD has the bar bracket friction plus the compression cylinders to help put an active resistance/corrective force on the trailer to keep it from coming out of line and force it back into a straight line if it does. To me this puts it in the Reese straight line DC and curt true trak category, which is a step above the others IMO.
Depending on what you are towing and what your TV is, you may not need the HD, but I highly doubt you'd ever regret having it.
When I bought my straight line I hated the idea of spending that much money on a hitch, but I haven't missed the money one bit and I've got a hitch that I know is working and keeping my family safe on the road.
I'd go for the HD. Especially if it is only a few hundred to upgrade.
The TS uses 4 points of friction, much akin to the equalizer, which might make it slightly better than the SC and e2.
Ill still take the HD and its active sway control. I'm actually slightly bummed I didn't know about this hitch when I was shopping for mine. I would have vetted it out with the DC and true trak.
I have the e2 because my trailer is only 6000 lbs. I would like to report it is perfect for my use. If I got close to 10,000 lbs, I would have the equalizer with the 4 points.
The TS uses 4 points of friction, much akin to the equalizer, which might make it slightly better than the SC and e2.
Ill still take the HD and its active sway control. I'm actually slightly bummed I didn't know about this hitch when I was shopping for mine. I would have vetted it out with the DC and true trak.
I can see the HD working very well.
Thanks for taking the time to look at the details and not just breeze by. Apparently the HD has been around for a while, but as stated, not much info from users on the net. The ones i do find are either a rave review, or someone else asking the same question.
The video I posted previously is what has finally pushed me towards the HD, along with your comments. (I'm getting it for around $460 out of pocket, by upgrading from the TS which they included free as part of the TT).
Years ago, i had a car trailer get wild on me (mostly my fault in an light tongue), but it made me better understand the need for sway control and a WDH.
Since this is our first TT, and our first time pulling with the new F250, I want to be as safe as my budget allows, which isnt the Hensley or the ProPride. As well as have a certain level of confidence in the equipment.
I have learned alot of different techniques for getting the WDH set up right by reading, and watching videos. Now to apply that learning while working with someone familiar with the equipment.
It looks like the HD doesn't come with the bars as a kit so you have to order what you need.
looking at your trailer, I'd be looking at the 1,001 - 1,400 lbs bars. don't let them talk you down to the next step, IMO.
with a 9900 lbs GVW camper, you could easily exceed 1,200lbs on the tongue once you figure the batteries, propane and cargo inside. figuring 15% of your max GVW puts you over 1400 on the hitch, but you should be able to shift your cargo around to come in under that.
the only downside I've read to the HD is you have to be pretty straight when hooking up or you can't man-handle the bars against the compression cylinders to get them on the brackets. so practice backing up but that tells me that the cams must be very good at doing what they are supposed to. this is one reason I shy'd away from the curt true trak. the design works on the same principle as the centerline HD, but I didn't see how it could effectively do what it was supposed to do if I could easily move the bar to get it hooked up. the reviews on the centerline seem favorable in that regard. I think if you can get into that hitch for less than $500, it will be money well spent. I think the TS is probably a very good hitch, on par with the equalizer brand, but the HD just looks to be more proactive and helps center the trailer.
don't be afraid of getting the bars too tight, and double checking on a scale is always a good idea to verify your set up. if you are trying to hook the bars up with the full tongue weight on the hitch, you'll never get them tight enough to be effective. you'll likely have to raise the rear of your truck slightly with the trailer jack to get the bars tight enough
don't trust that the dealer will get it right for you. verify your setup yourself. quick and dirty is to measure your front wheel well height unloaded, and adjust your bars so you are as close as possible to that measurement when you are all hooked up. if you get it set up that way, you are pretty close.
the newer f250's sag in the rear with a load. if you aren't happy with the amount of tail sag, and your front measurement isn't any higher than it was unloaded, then you might look at airbags or timbrens. keep in mind though, that if you raise the back, you unload the spring bars and reduce the amount of forward weight transfer. so if you add airbags later on, you will have to tighten your hitch up a bit to get the weight back up to the front.
be sure to post up some pics when you get it home!
It looks like the HD doesn't come with the bars as a kit so you have to order what you need.
looking at your trailer, I'd be looking at the 1,001 - 1,400 lbs bars. don't let them talk you down to the next step, IMO.
with a 9900 lbs GVW camper, you could easily exceed 1,200lbs on the tongue once you figure the batteries, propane and cargo inside. figuring 15% of your max GVW puts you over 1400 on the hitch, but you should be able to shift your cargo around to come in under that.
the only downside I've read to the HD is you have to be pretty straight when hooking up or you can't man-handle the bars against the compression cylinders to get them on the brackets. so practice backing up but that tells me that the cams must be very good at doing what they are supposed to. this is one reason I shy'd away from the curt true trak. the design works on the same principle as the centerline HD, but I didn't see how it could effectively do what it was supposed to do if I could easily move the bar to get it hooked up. the reviews on the centerline seem favorable in that regard. I think if you can get into that hitch for less than $500, it will be money well spent. I think the TS is probably a very good hitch, on par with the equalizer brand, but the HD just looks to be more proactive and helps center the trailer.
don't be afraid of getting the bars too tight, and double checking on a scale is always a good idea to verify your set up. if you are trying to hook the bars up with the full tongue weight on the hitch, you'll never get them tight enough to be effective. you'll likely have to raise the rear of your truck slightly with the trailer jack to get the bars tight enough
don't trust that the dealer will get it right for you. verify your setup yourself. quick and dirty is to measure your front wheel well height unloaded, and adjust your bars so you are as close as possible to that measurement when you are all hooked up. if you get it set up that way, you are pretty close.
the newer f250's sag in the rear with a load. if you aren't happy with the amount of tail sag, and your front measurement isn't any higher than it was unloaded, then you might look at airbags or timbrens. keep in mind though, that if you raise the back, you unload the spring bars and reduce the amount of forward weight transfer. so if you add airbags later on, you will have to tighten your hitch up a bit to get the weight back up to the front.
be sure to post up some pics when you get it home!
Thanks again. I told them today on the bars, they didnt seem to have any problem with it.
The quick and dirty is what I will need to go with for the one hour drive home, then at the next chance hit the scales, which is about a 30 minute drive the other way.
I will be sure to post pics as soon as I get it home.
Finally picked up our rig yesterday, and after setting up the HUSKY HD with a tape measure, we ended up with only about 5/8 of an inch difference in wheel . After we load it up with the 'always there stuff' I will take it to hit the scales.
Here is a pic of the rig after i got it to the temporary location until i practice moving it around, backing it up, etc. Sorry, its dark, but I will get better pictures saturday.
Let's me say this. After setting it up (i forgot to get pictures then, during daylight, as i was already running about 3 hours late), I jumped right on the road and drove 1.5 hours, about 1 hour on interstate and highway, and about a half hour on side/secondary roads.
This pulled like a dream. The only issue was some of these city roads in Texas are 14 foot sectioned concrete slabs, and that can get the bouncing going, not bad, but easily noticed.
[I am going to post a more detailed experience with this drive in a new post, but here is the quick and dirty] Set up: Wow, a bit tough to get the bars on and off, not really the amount of force, but the space to get the tool in place. Maybe another inch of lift on the trailer/truck would give me the needed clearance, ie. a block of wood under the trailer jack.
Interstate Driving I took my time over the 10 miles to get used to the rig at various speeds and conditions. Then jumped onto a very busy interstate. I had absolutely no sway, no pushing, and no tugging. It pulled what i would consider perfectly. Trailers racing past me at 75+ mph, me at a max of 70, averaging less than 65 over the course of the interstate, changing lanes, heavy and light traffice. If i got a sense that there was sway, it was gone before i could even attempt to identify it.
Other A bit noisy in tight slow maneuvering. Wife doesn't like that sound, but i need to look a bit closer.
For others reading this I haven't pulled a trailer in 25 years, and that was a car trailer, without any WDH, and only 22 feet in length. This rig is 33.8 feet in length and I put on the Husky Centerline HD WDH.
I felt extremely, yet cautiously, comfortable pulling this rig. I don't know if it was the WDH, but it quickly gave me confidence in my set up. I was driving 60 MPH in a matter of minutes, and confident to pull for a long haul.
Thanks everyone. New post on this later this weekend.
May I ask a ballpark price on what the hitch cost ? I've browsed around a bit online, but couldn't find much info on the HD.
Since I was upgrading from the dealer bundled WDH, i got everything for about $450. [Note this is based off of RETAIL prices, Amazon would be cheaper than a dealer] You need to purchase the head unit and then the appropriate bars for your load. Following meborder's recommendation, I went with the 1001-1400lb bars, but you can get 800-1000 lb bars too.
When looking on amazon, the costs are:
Husky 31390 Center Line Head Assembly: $554.82 + free shipping on Prime
Husky 31513 Center Line Spring Bar - (1001 lb. to 1400 lb. Tongue): $86.12 + free shipping on Prime (includes bar tool)
Husky 31512 Center Line Spring Bar - (801 lb. to 1200 lb. Tongue): $96.99 + free shipping on Prime.
So, you are looking at around 625-700 after any tax etc, and depending on the bars you need.
Based off my first pull, for an inexperienced tow driver, in a fairly new (2K mile) Tow vehicle, I am going to say its worth every penny of it.
[I should methion that the truck is also equipped with its own sway control, and integrated brake controller.]
10-11-2016, 05:31 PM
but that tells me that the cams must be very good at doing what they are supposed to. this is one reason I shy'd away from the curt true trak. the design works on the same principle as the centerline HD, but I didn't see how it could effectively do what it was supposed to do if I could easily move the bar to get it hooked up. the reviews on the centerline seem favorable in that regard. I think if you can get into that hitch for less than $500, it will be money well spent. I think the TS is probably a very good hitch, on par with the equalizer brand, but the HD just looks to be more proactive and helps center the trailer.
