Hensley Trailersaver TS3 vs. BD3

[ihsolutions]

My new 2012 DRW Silverado is on the dealer's lot now, and it's time to decide on a new hitch.

I am torn between the Hensley Trailersaver TS3 vs. the BD3.

The TS3 is rated for 20k and the BD3 18k. The TS3 can handle up to 4,500lb pin weight, where the BD3 only goes up to 3,500lbs.

I like the BD3 because it breaks into two pieces and I can remove it myself. The TS3 is 300lbs and does not come apart.

I have a lot of experience with heavy hitches, coming from a pullrite superglide that weighed 250lbs. I hated that I couldn't remove it myself.

I'm committed to one of these two hitches, but it seems silly to have a truck with huge payload capacity only to de-rate it by getting a hitch that can't handle the payload. Aaron at Hensley says most of the hitch is over-engineered per the stated specs, except the airbags. If you go over the 3,500lbs of the pin weight, you will have problems (he says).

Right now my BH 3670RL is well under 3,000lbs loaded, but what if I decide to get a newer, heavier unit in the future? Probably all the Heartland rigs are OK, except maybe a toy hauler. I have no expectation that I will go to something that heavy, but I probably said the same thing about never getting a fifth wheel...and that was 3 trailers ago!

Any advice or recommendations are appreciated. It's been a tough call and I need someone to push me over the fence, one side or the other.

Jeff

 

[2psnapod2]

You could always use a winch to remove it if needed. But I would go with the heaver capable hitch.

 

[JohnDar]

How often do you need to remove the hitch to use the full bed for hauling stuff? Do you normally leave the hitch in the bed over the winter when you probably don't tow as much or do you take it out and store it in the garage? Then there's always that technique that some subscribe to of leaving the hitch hanging on the pin.

 

[ihsolutions]

When I had the Superglide, I did not remove it nearly as often as I would have liked. Because I had nobody to help me, the times I needed it.

The truck does not get driven from Nov 15 through Apr 15. Put into indoor storage. No snow! I need it to last 20 years. Like the old one would have, if I hadn't sold it.

A friend suggested getting the BD3 (lower rated), and use it until such time as I have a need for something bigger. Should my financial fortunes change drastically enough that I'm buying a brand new DRV or something else really heavy, a $1500 loss on a hitch would be the least of my worries, hypothetically. That logic makes some sense, though it's unlikely to come to fruition.

 

[JohnDar]

I'd be leaning towards the lighter hitch then, simply so I could remove it unaided, when needed. And as you mentioned, it can handle anything in the Landmark or Bighorn lines. If the future holds a monsta rig for you, then getting another hitch is just part of acquiring new toys. Kinda like me having to buy a big arse red truck just because we (more like she) decided to upgrade from a TT to a Bighorn. Still miss the Avalanche.

 

[porthole]

I did a lot of searching and researching when I got our hitch. Don't remember the final reasons why, but the TS3 won and is in the truck. It is heavy. And I'm sure there is a good reason why it is near twice the weight of the BD3 model.

You can hang it on the pin as suggested above , but - it is not the easiest to set back down in the slots.
When I hang mine on the pin I add a ratchet strap to the top front of the hitch and then run it down alto the bottom. I then ratchet up the strap to keep the hitch level.

 

[d_conaway]

I'm sure you've bought a hitch by now...but I just ran across your post and thought I would give you my two cents as the owner of a BD3 hitch. First of all, I love the function of this hitch. While the bed of the truck and the king pin are moving up and down, the hitch airbags do a great job of soaking up that movement. Smooth a silk most of the time. To address your comment about the hitch coming apart into two pieces.....yes it does...but the top part is quite awkward to hang onto when trying to hold it in place to drop the large pins in. The bottom piece is approx 100lbs and is really not a one man job when trying to put it in the bed rails. So, my solution was to add a small "block & tackle" hoist in my garage, made a sling from heavy strapping to attach to the hitch. Then I simply back into the garage and lift the hitch a few inches out of the rails and then pull the truck out of the garage. I made a small storage rack out of 4x4s on wheels to set the hitch on--and then slide it under my workbench for the winter....covered of course. Whatever you decided..I hope you're having fun! Dave

 

[ihsolutions]

Thanks Dave, for your thoughts.

I guess this is a good time to circle back and explain what happened. I chose the BD3 hitch, and picked it up at the Romeo, MI facility which is nearby my house, so I didn't have to pay shipping.

I used the hitch for a couple trips down into Ohio during the warm March weather we had. I experienced awful chucking on I-75 south, just north of the Michigan/Ohio border. So much so that my wife, who normally doesn't care, asked me to do something about it.

Talking to Aaron at Hensley we determined I would probably experience a smoother ride with the TS3 hitch, due to the fact we could set it with a lower overall airbag PSI because it is rated for a heavier load. Aaron exchanged the hitch for me, and there was a noticeable improvement in chucking, however, it still happens more than it did with my old 3/4 ton truck and Superglide hitch. Why? I'm not sure.

If anyone figures out a way to really improve the chucking situation with a TS3, I'm all ears. I've been told the Mor/Ryde pinbox might not be the answer, and although I have a Trail-air Tri-glide in my garage, nearly brand new, it's too short for the new truck (can barely get the tailgate down when perfectly straight).

An optimal solution, if I were to guess, is the TS3 with a tri-glide for my application. Too bad I didn't get the new truck last summer, this would have all been moot.

 

[jmgratz]

I believe you need to get the Mor/Ryde pinbox. It cut out the chucking on mine.

 

[danemayer]

Jeff, we have a BD3 and the only time we get chucking is on awful roads. Most of the time it's so smooth you can forget you're towing. Our pinbox weight spec is about 400# heavier, plus we've got the generator and washer dryer right up front. Our actual pinbox weight is 3500, which maxes out our SRW and the hitch. I keep the hitch airbags inflated so there's about 3/4" clearance from the top of the hitch's vertical travel.

This isn't my area of expertise, but I'm wondering if your weight distribution is too light in the front. If you wanted to run a test to see if weight distribution has an effect, maybe try towing with the fresh tank nearly empty and gray #1 2/3 full.

 

[porthole]

Talking to Aaron at Hensley we determined I would probably experience a smoother ride with the TS3 hitch, due to the fact we could set it with a lower overall airbag PSI because it is rated for a heavier load. Aaron exchanged the hitch for me, and there was a noticeable improvement in chucking, however, it still happens more than it did with my old 3/4 ton truck and Superglide hitch. Why? I'm not sure.

Because of the geometry of how the TS-3 works, the chucking is supposed to be minimized, that would explain your improvement. The TS-3 is a newer design also, so as the manufacturer learns.....

however, it still happens more than it did with my old 3/4 ton truck and Superglide hitch. Why? I'm not sure.

Probably because everything was maxed out with that truck and now you have a truck more then capable with the suspension, so you feel the give and take of the suspension itself, where before there was only take and no give. I also went from a 3/4 ton SB with a SuperGlide to a 1 ton DRW long bed, apples to oranges.

If anyone figures out a way to really improve the chucking situation with a TS3, I'm all ears. I've been told the Mor/Ryde pinbox might not be the answer, and although I have a Trail-air Tri-glide in my garage, nearly brand new, it's too short for the new truck (can barely get the tailgate down when perfectly straight).

An optimal solution, if I were to guess, is the TS3 with a tri-glide for my application. Too bad I didn't get the new truck last summer, this would have all been moot.

You can't use the Tr-glide anyway - sell it and get a MOR/ryde pin box.
On my 3/4 GMC I had the SuperGlide with a MR pin box. I never pulled the trailer without the MR pin box, so I have no baseline with that.
When we got the great deal on the TrailAir Tri-Glide at Nashville I bought that. Used it for 1000 miles and put the MR back on. For my application the TriGlide just didn't work. Sold it to a member here and as far as I know it works great for them.

So for me, with a DRW (that needs air bags ) I am using the TS-3 and a MR pin box. Works pretty good. And if your trailer is really heavy you can add a differnt shear spring in the MR pin box.

BTW, experiment with the air in the hitch bags. I have found that when I have the trailer loaded heavy, bike and cart in the garage and full water, the ride is better with the hitch set with the white line about 1/2" high.

 

[2TrakR]

I experienced awful chucking on I-75 south, just north of the Michigan/Ohio border.

US-23 or I-75? US-23 just north of the OH/MI border is the _worse_ piece of pavement in the State. I get motion sick [almost] with any of my vehicles in that section. Pulling our 5th wheel through there was horrendous.

 

[RollingHome]

Jeff, we have the TS3. We too experienced "intermittent" bad chucking. Many times when braking I had to let off the brakes to stop the chucking...which seem to increase in a harmonic way. This year I installed a Moryde KPB. The chucking reduced enough that I was able to increase brake strength (gain) on my integral GM brake. Chucking is not gone completely but it greatly reduced. I honestly do not know what the answer is. I really would like less chucking action. I was talking to one owner that uses a pull-rite with no chucking what so ever. Another guy used a goose neck with no chucking problems... But, then again some people have no problems, or do they ??? I definitely like the cushioning action the TS3 provides. Saves me and the equipment. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress.