Holland Binkley / Hensley Trailer Saver BD3 Hitch Question

[crcr]

This is a question for anyone here who might own, or have owned a 5th wheel hitch with the Holland Binkley head, Hensley Trailer Saver or other hitch with the same head. I have a Hensley Trailer Saver BD3 Hitch I bought second hand. I'm trying to test it to get the jaws to pop shut. But I haven't yet purchased a fifth wheel, so I can't test it the normal usage way.

I've tried using a steel clamp in such a way (see picture) as to get the jaws to snap shut. The jaws will move part way closed, but I can only get them to go so far before it becomes too difficult to tighten the clamp any tighter. I don't know if I just can't apply enough force with the twist handle of the clamp you see me using in the image, or if there is something wrong with the Holland Binkley head on this hitch.

Any suggestions as to how to test it in better way without a 5th wheel would be really helpful. Or can anyone advise me as to what I might be doing wrong, if anything? Is it possible that something might be wrong with the head? Or do you think I'm just not able to apply enough force using the clamp pictured? Thanks in advance for any advice at all from those who are more familiar than myself with this 5th wheel head.

image hosting adult

Moderator edit to re-size picture to forum limit of 640px maximum width.

[GoPackGo]

sayoung wrote:
Having never seen one of these hitches, what is it that sets these above others ? Just curious as we have been looking at trading up to a 42 ft from our 35

The main advantage to a Hensley BD3 or TS3 hitch is that it is an air hitch. Makes for a great ride. I have been using a BD3 while full timing and would never go back to a non-air hitch. The BD3 is manually inflated and adjusted and also has two shock absorbers built-in to it.

If you visit the Hensley site, you will see how they work. Note they are not cheap, but do work well.

[crcr]

MLATION wrote:
Wow that's interesting. Mine only has one and they only show one in the breakout. Wonder why there's two.
I do have both the upper and lower tabs on the jaws but no spring on both.

That's a lot of force to close those.

I have mine pulled completely apart right now to clean and have it powder coated.

Gosh, no wonder mine is so difficult to test close with a clamp -- apparently just not enough force can be applied in that manner.

[MLATION]

Wow that's interesting. Mine only has one and they only show one in the breakout. Wonder why there's two.
I do have both the upper and lower tabs on the jaws but no spring on both.

That's a lot of force to close those.

I have mine pulled completely apart right now to clean and have it powder coated.

[crcr]

MLATION wrote:
There's only one spring on the jaws...

The Binkley Holland head from my BD3 has two springs. You can see them in the pic, taken by looking up into the jaw mechanism from the underside. Pardon the masking tape in the pic, as I was about to do some touch up spray painting in there. Notice there are two completely separate springs, one up high -- you can just see the middle part of the spring plus the ends -- the rest is hidden by part of the head. And the more visible lower spring mostly covered in masking tape.

[MLATION]

There's only one spring on the jaws.

Here's the parts breakdown doc.
http://literature1.safholland.com/sites/damedit/literature/XL-FW445-01_en-US.pdf

Hitch head part number is FW0001 for single pivot and FW0002 for dual pivot.

Also the head is 8k/32k. If I recall correctly, the only way to achieve the full rating is to have it permanently mounted. i.e the 32k rigid hitches. Appears anything removable or has air is derated due to the mounting configuration.

[crcr]

JIMNLIN wrote:
8000 lb load and 32000 lb draw is one big benefit. The Holland/Binkley is a step up from the lightweight rv hitches like B&W/Reese/Curt/Pulrite/etc.
And their popular with rv and commercial folks with custom hauler beds...... and air ride hitch systems like the EZ Floater.

My first Binkley was a used unit and looked like the picture. The old guy that had it on a flatrbed F450 and pulled a 38' Teton and like most RV folks never lubed it.
I tore it down and gave all the pins and holes a cleaning and re-lubed with a dab of red grease. Much better/quicker jaw and pivoting operation.

I don't see the 8000/32000 spec for removable Hensley air ride hitches with the Holland/Binkley head. Perhaps that is what the head itself is rated for? ... I don't know.

Hensley Trailer Saver 5th wheel hitches are rated as follows, pin rating/gross trailer weight rating:
BD3 3500/18000
TS3 4500/25000
TSLB2H 5000, or 7500 w/opt 3rd air bag/32000

[crcr]

MLATION wrote:
There's no trigger on these hitch heads. They are positive locking by force. In order to close them you need to push very hard on the back of the jaws. It takes a lot of pressure to lock them manually and I've never been able to do it as both jaws need to be pushed at the same time.

There is an easy way if you are just wanting to test. You could remove the spring that holds the jaws open and then you'll be able to close them with your hands and then the block will slide into place. The spring is located on the underside of the head at the back of the jaws. Just don't forget to put it back in correctly if you do this.

For the poster that said they had to push the lever in to lock the hitch. There's something wrong if you have to do this to get it locked. This hitch should automatically close and lock the lever to the 8 o'clock position when you back into it with the lever set in hitching position at 9 o'clock.

Thanks. I removed the head unit from the base, and there are actually two springs in the jaw. One is immediately visible. The second you can barely see, as it's above the first spring, up higher in the mechanism. I think I could remove the bottom spring, but I would have to dismantle the head unit to get to the top spring.

Using the clamp, I can partially close the jaws, but they reach a point where apparently the clamp can't apply enough pressure to get them to snap shut. I don't really want to dismantle the head, so I'm cleaning and lubing everything and then will mount the head unit back on the base. I can't see any obstruction that could be keeping the jaws from closing.

[hone_eagle]

sayoung wrote:
Having never seen one of these hitches, what is it that sets these above others ? Just curious as we have been looking at trading up to a 42 ft from our 35

Big air bags ,2 or 3 three.They are much bigger then a pin box air bag therefore more squish.
The air is about 1/2 what pin box needs ,remember at around 90 psi the bags act more like a solid.
Mine runs arun 40-50 psi with 4000# of pin .

[hone_eagle]

Jimnlin reminds me that when I got mine it needed to be lubed ,the jaws were very 'tight' from dust/dirt as it had been sitting in storage.
Possible that is all it needs, and a heavy truck to 'lean on it'

[JIMNLIN]

8000 lb load and 32000 lb draw is one big benefit. The Holland/Binkley is a step up from the lightweight rv hitches like B&W/Reese/Curt/Pulrite/etc.
And their popular with rv and commercial folks with custom hauler beds...... and air ride hitch systems like the EZ Floater.

My first Binkley was a used unit and looked like the picture. The old guy that had it on a flatrbed F450 and pulled a 38' Teton and like most RV folks never lubed it.
I tore it down and gave all the pins and holes a cleaning and re-lubed with a dab of red grease. Much better/quicker jaw and pivoting operation.

[sayoung]

Having never seen one of these hitches, what is it that sets these above others ? Just curious as we have been looking at trading up to a 42 ft from our 35

[Dtank]

You will find lots of knowledgeable folks familiar with the Holland Binkley (but no Hensleys) on the Escapees HDT forum. Heavy 5ths = serious tow vehicle/s and serious hitches.

😉

[PhoneDude_8289]

What Mlation said. I have had and used a BD3 for close to six years, love it. Take care of it, maintain it. It should last a very long time. Like the hitch reads "TRAILER SAVER", it should also read "TRUCK SAVER".

[MLATION]

There's no trigger on these hitch heads. They are positive locking by force. In order to close them you need to push very hard on the back of the jaws. It takes a lot of pressure to lock them manually and I've never been able to do it as both jaws need to be pushed at the same time.

There is an easy way if you are just wanting to test. You could remove the spring that holds the jaws open and then you'll be able to close them with your hands and then the block will slide into place. The spring is located on the underside of the head at the back of the jaws. Just don't forget to put it back in correctly if you do this.

For the poster that said they had to push the lever in to lock the hitch. There's something wrong if you have to do this to get it locked. This hitch should automatically close and lock the lever to the 8 o'clock position when you back into it with the lever set in hitching position at 9 o'clock.