When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm looking for help with my (new to me) Ex. I bought it primarily for hauling my big family and my big camper. I am having wandering issues with it while going down the freeway doing 55-65 mph. I have attached a photo of my camper. It's a 2017 Venture Sporttrek. I'm thinking with it loaded it's about 9k lbs and it's 36' long. I am pulling with an original Orange Hensley Arrow hitch with the 12k bars.
As far as my Ex goes, it's a 2001 Limited 2wd, v-10 with 170k miles. I purchased it stock but since added; Rear Hellwig sway bar, replaced rear shocks (mid to low grade), Air Lift 5000 bags and I installed a Tranny gauge to monitor my temps while pulling. Mine hasn't been extremely hot but yet spewed fluid and caught my exhaust pipe on fire. That's a different issue for another day!
I heard the typical loose steering wheel can effect it. Maybe something else up front? Maybe the factory leafs? I am completely at a loss and the wife is starting to regret the Ex purchase. If I can get this wondering under control, happy wife, happy camping life!
I'm looking for help with my (new to me) Ex. I bought it primarily for hauling my big family and my big camper. I am having wandering issues with it while going down the freeway doing 55-65 mph. I have attached a photo of my camper. It's a 2017 Venture Sporttrek. I'm thinking with it loaded it's about 9k lbs and it's 36' long. I am pulling with an original Orange Hensley Arrow hitch with the 12k bars.
As far as my Ex goes, it's a 2001 Limited 2wd, v-10 with 170k miles. I purchased it stock but since added; Rear Hellwig sway bar, replaced rear shocks (mid to low grade), Air Lift 5000 bags and I installed a Tranny gauge to monitor my temps while pulling. Mine hasn't been extremely hot but yet spewed fluid and caught my exhaust pipe on fire. That's a different issue for another day!
I heard the typical loose steering wheel can effect it. Maybe something else up front? Maybe the factory leafs? I am completely at a loss and the wife is starting to regret the Ex purchase. If I can get this wondering under control, happy wife, happy camping life!
Camped along the Ohio river last week. Leith Run, a small forest service cg. Sites a bit close together for my taste, but still a nice park. Have to reserve well in advance for the prime riverfront sites.
Looks nice! I might have to try that one out, not too far from me.
I'm looking for help with my (new to me) Ex. I bought it primarily for hauling my big family and my big camper. I am having wandering issues with it while going down the freeway doing 55-65 mph. I have attached a photo of my camper. It's a 2017 Venture Sporttrek. I'm thinking with it loaded it's about 9k lbs and it's 36' long. I am pulling with an original Orange Hensley Arrow hitch with the 12k bars.
As far as my Ex goes, it's a 2001 Limited 2wd, v-10 with 170k miles. I purchased it stock but since added; Rear Hellwig sway bar, replaced rear shocks (mid to low grade), Air Lift 5000 bags and I installed a Tranny gauge to monitor my temps while pulling. Mine hasn't been extremely hot but yet spewed fluid and caught my exhaust pipe on fire. That's a different issue for another day!
I heard the typical loose steering wheel can effect it. Maybe something else up front? Maybe the factory leafs? I am completely at a loss and the wife is starting to regret the Ex purchase. If I can get this wondering under control, happy wife, happy camping life!
Thank you for reading!
Shawn, could you please start a new thread about this topic? It may get more looks and advice if not buried here in a big thread like his one, even though it is a camper related topic.
I'm on the road tonight, so not a lot of time, but I will have more to add later.
A very good first step would b to visit a CAT scale to get all of your weights. EX by itself, hitched to the TT without the WD engaged and again with WD set as you travel. It's pretty cheap, $15-ish and can tell you a lot as well as remove any guessing about your actual weights and hitch setup.
Besides the wandering, how does it tow otherwise?
Sean, the sleeves where the spring bars mount into the lower hitch head is a normal wear item. That same lower head (the black part of the main body) has some history of cracking on or around where those sleeves mount, that is an expensive fix (replacement), but if that area is solid you are good to go. My hitch had gotten some water into one of the 4 bearing sets ( they are all inexpensive trailer bearings and seal) so I replaced those two bearings and repacked all of them with new seal. Another potential trouble spot is on the rear side of he orange head where the strut bars mount, those hole can get worn, stretched or pulled apart by improper tensioning, but those ones look OK in the pictures. It does look like everything is there from the ad pics and in decent shape, just needs fresh paint like most HAs do. With any HA freshen up or installation I would recommend new hardware especially the zerk/spring fittings that keep the spring bars in place.
Sean, the sleeves where the spring bars mount into the lower hitch head is a normal wear item. That same lower head (the black part of the main body) has some history of cracking on or around where those sleeves mount, that is an expensive fix (replacement), but if that area is solid you are good to go. My hitch had gotten some water into one of the 4 bearing sets ( they are all inexpensive trailer bearings and seal) so I replaced those two bearings and repacked all of them with new seal. Another potential trouble spot is on the rear side of he orange head where the strut bars mount, those hole can get worn, stretched or pulled apart by improper tensioning, but those ones look OK in the pictures. It does look like everything is there from the ad pics and in decent shape, just needs fresh paint like most HAs do. With any HA freshen up or installation I would recommend new hardware especially the zerk/spring fittings that keep the spring bars in place.
Did you notice the socket head cap screws under the zerk bolts? Is that a later model change or addition or a user modification?
Did you notice the socket head cap screws under the zerk bolts? Is that a later model change or addition or a user modification?
Good catch, no, I did not notice those.......I wonder what they are doing there? As you know the zerk assemblies should be holding the bars in places, maybe they are using some other brand of bars that has the grooves farther down where those socket heads are......?
Good catch, no, I did not notice those.......I wonder what they are doing there? As you know the zerk assemblies should be holding the bars in places, maybe they are using some other brand of bars that has the grooves farther down where those socket heads are......?
They wouldn't scare me too bad if the owner new why they were there and if there was a decent reason to put them there. The weight bar bushing area is a weak zone on the Hensley so I would pay close attention to that area for sure.
Trailer brakes not locking up. Advice on what to test next?
Controller is a Tekonsha Prodigy P3. Manual override prompts brakes to activate but do not lock up. I took the trailer in to a Les Schwab for inspection; ended up re-packing the bearings and replacing the rear axle brake assemblies. Front axle assemblies were dirty but still had life on the magnets. Tested again: still no lock-up. Leaving for a major trip over the Sierras in 4 days. What should I test next?
So the trailer brakes are activating but just not locking up?
Are they all properly adjusted, if they aren't set to just barley drag a whisker when off the ground and spun they may not be tight enough to lockup with a full pull on the manual lever.
So the trailer brakes are activating but just not locking up?
Are they all properly adjusted, if they aren't set to just barley drag a whisker when off the ground and spun they may not be tight enough to lockup with a full pull on the manual lever.
exactly. When I use the manual override, I hear the brakes engage and the trailer slows down somewhat. But not enough to lock the brakes as I understand they should if I am calibrating the controller settings.
I will I'll check the freewheel resistance and see if I can adjust the mechanism. Thanks.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
