Trail Air and Hensley Combo, Pin Box Confusion

[ihsolutions]

At the rally this past summer, I took advantage of the Lippert offer for the Trail Air Tri-Glide hitch. This was to be installed on my 2011 BH 3670RL. Lippert replaced my 1621HD pinbox with their L05 model Tri-Glide.

At that time, my tow vehicle was a short bed 2500 truck, with a superglide (autosliding) hitch. The length of the pinbox was causing a near-collision situation when I would turn, causing the back of the pinbox to nearly touch the sides of the bed.

Lippert's solution was to install a slightly shorter pinbox. I believe I have the M19 version now, but am not sure. It is mostly the same but extends about 3" less far from the front of the trailer.

Now, I've got a 2012 3500HD dually on order, and am forced to get a new hitch, no longer needing the slider. Because my M19 pinbox is slightly shorter than the stock 1621HD, I am concerned about the trailer being too close to the pickup, such that I might not even be able to get the tailgate down while connected.

I'm looking at a Hensley trailer saver hitch, and feel like the trail air is redundant. Should I remove the trail air and sell it, or keep the trail air and buy a reese or other hitch? Or even still, buy the Hensley and keep the trail air?

I'm so confused, and because I'm going through Classy Chassis for the truck, I have to have the hitch selected and installed before I ever have a chance to test fit things on my trailer, which is located in Michigan. If anyone has a 2011 or 2012 Chevy, and can shed some light on clearances with these setups (or even the stock pinbox) I'd love to hear what you have to say!

 

[porthole]

The Hensley hitch uses standard slotted rails, which is what Classy Chassis uses quite frequently.
If you get the Hensley you will get a hitch that claims to take up the same issues the Tri glide claims, up and down and fore and aft movement.

We have the Hensley and use it with a MOR/ryde pin box. I had the Trail air tri glide and did not like it, especially connected to a Super glide hitch.

 

[Bob&Patty]

A Mor/Ryde pinbox would be the way to go. Might even be cheaper and I think they are the same length as a OEM pinbox.

 

[JohnDar]

Jeff, I don't know if the 2011/2012 beds are any different than the 2009, but when we had the standard 1621HD pin and the 16K Reese hitch, all was level. Now, with the same hitch and the 5th AB pin, the rig is a tad nose high. The 5th AB is longer than the 1621HD by about three inches (I had to trim the pin box cover that much to reinstall it). But, the Reese hitch is adjustable up/down, and that may be something to look at in a new hitch for your truck. I think I can drop my hitch head an inch and bring the trailer back to level without interfering with the truck rails. Something for me to look at this spring.

But, if the back of the pinbox is coming close to the side of the bed now, it will most likely do the same with the new truck since the beds are the same width, unless you're really riding high on the hitch. The only time I need to watch the movement is when making sharp moves positioning the rig on site. Fortunately, the plastic cover touches the side rails inches before any real solid (metal) contact occurs and flexes. When that makes contact, I rethink what I'm doing and reposition.

 

[porthole]

Jeff, What "Classy Chassis" are you getting? Hauler Bed? Does CC add the air ride to the GM 3500 Hauler version? These could make your needs quite a bit different.

 

[ihsolutions]

Duane, I'm keeping the stock bed but they are doing things like bedliner, running boards, 5'er hitch, air horn, grab handles, tonneau, etc. Nothing to affect the stock ride height or shape of the box.

My concern is not whether the unit will ride level. My concern is if the current Trail Air hitch I have is too "short" (meaning it does not extend far enough out), so that I will not be able to open the tailgate, or even hitch up at anything less than a near straight angle.

 

[porthole]

Well, the "too short" pin box will not allow the tailgate to open

 

[aatauses]

Perhaps you could call trail air and see what they say. I have called them a few times on my center point and they have been more that helpful--good customer service .
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