Yukon xl 2500 w/ Hensley hitch or new/modern 3/4 truck

[Wanderer1]

Hi all, how would the stability of my current 2003 yukon xl 2500 with a possible hensley hitch upgrade compare to the stability of a modern 3/4 ton with only a simple friction based WDH? I have a modified 8.1 and 410 gears so power is great. I can cruise at 70mph. But when it gets windy, there is too much sway from my 37' / 11k camper. Sometimes I'm down to 55mph just to keep it in the lane. Dealt with this for 5 years... ready to make a change. I know a $3k hensley hitch will be night and day better than my current friction based WDH. I only had an suv this whole time due to my large family. But kids are leaving for college...I can buy a truck next year if I want to. I'm debating on either buying the hensley hitch (keeping the beloved yukon) or just using that money towards a newer truck -- as long as the new truck will do fine with my current WDH. Thoughts?

[BirchyBoy]

What is your SUV rated for regarding the hitch weight? I think those Henley’s are pretty heavy. If it were me, I’d wait and get a better tow vehicle.

[Wanderer1]

I actually don't know the hitch weight. And I just tried looking it up, can't find it. I see it has a 3k payload capacity though and I installed airbags (love them!).... and yes the hensley hitch a few hundred pounds.

[tuffr2]

You will be in shock going from a 2003 to a 2022. A lot has happened in those 19 years in the truck industry.

1st they no longer ride like trucks.
2nd they are nose bleed expensive.
3rd you can get some sweet features like massaging seats or retracking running boards and satalite radio.
4th you get a lot of safety features too like lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring.
5th you get great power. Trucks are no longer under powered.

[capt who]

+1 on the newer trucks. I just got home from a trip out west with a 2020 F250 6.7 pulling a 25' Airstream. About 5700-5800 miles towing and another 2000 mi not towing. I am very happy with the truck and thought I would need some type of WDH and sway control but I used a Gen-y torsion flex hitch and did not notice sway or other issues. Ford claims to have control built in on all their trucks. I am not telling anyone that they don't need some WDH or sway control but on my rig I don't feel it is needed. BTW millage for the trip was 15.44 mpg. I tried to keep my speed around 65 mph

[move on]

Agree. If your tow vehicle weighs more than your trailer, as in your case, there is no need for a WD or sway control hitch. It won't sag and it won't sway.

[Wanderer1]

Which of course is not my case. I would just hate to switch and find out that I still need the hensley hitch for my monster TT. If I have to that hensley either way then I just might as well buy it and hold onto my yukon for a few more years.

[kdauto]

37' is a helluva length for a TT, more than any 1500 tows and many 2500s too. Since you are looking at a soon to be empty nest maybe you could downsize the TT?

I wouldn't haul that with any less than a 3500 with GOOD tires and good tires on the TT.

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by capt who

+1 on the newer trucks. I just got home from a trip out west with a 2020 F250 6.7 pulling a 25' Airstream. About 5700-5800 miles towing and another 2000 mi not towing. I am very happy with the truck and thought I would need some type of WDH and sway control but I used a Gen-y torsion flex hitch and did not notice sway or other issues. Ford claims to have control built in on all their trucks. I am not telling anyone that they don't need some WDH or sway control but on my rig I don't feel it is needed. BTW millage for the trip was 15.44 mpg. I tried to keep my speed around 65 mph

To expand on this....Ford's 'built in' trailer sway control is not a proactive sway preventer. The system reacts after it detects a sway condition exists. It does nothing before that to prevent the sway.

Once Trailer Sway Control is engaged it selectively applies brakes to individual wheels and adjusts engine power as an aid to assist you in getting the swaying trailer back under control.

[scbwr]

You could get the Hensley and see if it works with your trailer. If not, the only thing you might have to do if you get a different truck is to get a different stinger if the height of the newer truck is different. The Hensley could very well solve your problem but I wouldn't go that route if you are exceeding the weight limits of your truck.

And, what hitch do you currently have? I had a Equalizer hitch that worked very well, but it was with a relatively small trailer.

[Wanderer1]

Thanks for the input guys. As stated, I have a length issue on exceedingly windy days, not a weight or power issue. My yukon xl has a 2900 lbs payload capacity and a 12k towing capacity. And the engine is worked...has over 500 lbs of torque at this point. And it won't be a complete empty need for a long time, we'll still have one or two kids with us for another 10 years, so no downsizing yet. I currently have a husky center line hitch, I readjusted it many times in the last five years...I have it dialed in to the best it can be. And it's fine most days except when the wind creeps up to maybe 30 or 40 or above.

[Wanderer1]

Generally speaking, really just seeing how well any of you 3/4 single axle pickup guys do while towing a 11k / 37' camper on windy days. Fine with a standard WD hitch like I have or feel a hensly hitch would be a great improvement to your situation. Newer 3/4 ton trucks are 7500+ lbs. My 2003 yukon xl 2500 is under 6k lbs. I would think a higher truck would offer more stability apple's to apple's. But maybe not much. Idk.

[Kenrbass]

I would suggest a 3/4 ton crew cab long bed. Your short wheelbase is the issue. 37' is a moster tt.
I tow a 33ft with 3/4 crew, long, and I only use a ball on the 2.5" receiver. No leveling, sway, nothing.
By the way, those 3/4 ton burbans are very much in demand.

[KM Rolling]

We have a ProPride hitch (very similar to the Hensley). Does not matter what truck, I will not tow a TT again without one. Makes a world of difference.

Wife likes it too.