The_Barbarian
Bakersfied, CA
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Joined: 04/14/2002
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This took ten minutes. My neighbor drove up, asked what I was working on, and I told him I would love to add a grease zerk to the top of the reciever hitch. He said, "Ok - lets do it." He had the 5/16 zerk in his garage, the 21/64 drill bit, a metal punch, the tap to create the threads. I had the drill, the floor jack, the 3 in 1 oil for the tap, and the hammer for the punch.
I set the floor jack under the Hensley Arrow to support it as we unhooked it from the ball.
I set the punch and started to drill.
We used a standard 3/8 electric drill
Setting the tap ~ mixed in some 3 and 1 oil to make it run smoothly. When I was done I blew the newly tapped hole with a can of dust off.
We reset the Hensly Arrow and greased the zerk.
2007.5 GMC Sierra SLT Duramax 4x4 Crewcab
2001 Coachmen 291fls Travel Trailer
Hensley-Arrow
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PapPappy
Wilmington, NC
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Joined: 12/23/2007
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Nice job......of course, now you've just voided the warranty! ha ha!!
Bill & Claudia / DD Jenn / DS Chris / GS MJ
Dogs: Sophie, Abby, Brandy, Kahlie, Annie, Maggie & Beau 
RIP: Cookie, Foxy & Gidget over the Rainbow Bridge.
2000 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C, Ford V-10
Purchased April 2008 FMCA# F407293
The Pets
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The_Barbarian
Bakersfied, CA
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Joined: 04/14/2002
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Uh - the hole is in the top receiver hitch to the trailer not the Hensley Arrow.
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SteveRankin
Sequim, WA
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The_Barbarian wrote:Uh - the hole is in the top receiver hitch to the trailer not the Hensley Arrow.
Actually, I had several issues with this besides the incorrect subject line.
1. Since there is very little movement at the ball on a Hensley Arrow hitch, why bother to install a grease fitting.
2. The HA wasn't removed from the trailer during the drilling or tapping of the hole in the trailer tongue, so I have to assume that (a) any chips that dropped in the hole are still there, and (b) the flashing on the inside of the drilled hole wasn't removed.
3. The threads of the zerk probably protrude past the inside wall of the trailer tongue. While the top of the ball has a flat spot which would provide room for the protruding zerk when the trailer is level, the HA does tilt and then the ball could hit the protruding zerk and something will need to give.
4. Finally, drilling and tapping that hole creates a nice spot for a crack to start in the tongue.
All in all, the benefits of having that grease fitting are outweighed by the problems I see in the installation as well as the potential for bigger problems later on.
Not only that, I have to wonder why the need for a zerk to grease the ball when the ball hardly moves when the TT is equipped with a Hensley Arrow. The other issue is drilling the
Steve & C. J.
"Gracie" Rough Collie & "Bo'sun" Bichon Frise
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2010 Dodge Ram Laramie 3500 4X4, Cummins 6.7, CrewCab SRW LB
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LarryJM
NoVa
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Joined: 11/09/2007
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SteveRankin wrote:The_Barbarian wrote:Uh - the hole is in the top receiver hitch to the trailer not the Hensley Arrow.
Actually, I had several issues with this besides the incorrect subject line.
1. Since there is very little movement at the ball on a Hensley Arrow hitch, why bother to install a grease fitting.
2. The HA wasn't removed from the trailer during the drilling or tapping of the hole in the trailer tongue, so I have to assume that (a) any chips that dropped in the hole are still there, and (b) the flashing on the inside of the drilled hole wasn't removed.
3. The threads of the zerk probably protrude past the inside wall of the trailer tongue. While the top of the ball has a flat spot which would provide room for the protruding zerk when the trailer is level, the HA does tilt and then the ball could hit the protruding zerk and something will need to give.
4. Finally, drilling and tapping that hole creates a nice spot for a crack to start in the tongue.
All in all, the benefits of having that grease fitting are outweighed by the problems I see in the installation as well as the potential for bigger problems later on.
Not only that, I have to wonder why the need for a zerk to grease the ball when the ball hardly moves when the TT is equipped with a Hensley Arrow. The other issue is drilling the
Yea for a lot of the reasons you have stated, I think I would pass on this mod.
Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
ALL TRAILER MODS>>ETERNABOND INSTALL>>RAINKAP INSTALL
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The_Barbarian
Bakersfied, CA
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Joined: 04/14/2002
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We dropped the Hensley Arrow off the trailer coupling - that was the purpose of the floor jack. I blew the chips and shavings out of the hole and off the Hensley Arrow ball using a can of dust off until I it blew clean. The bottom of the zerk does not interfere with the ball on the Hensley Arrow. The ball may not move much, but it moves enough for it to be greased. I have not heard of a trailer coupling cracking ~ but I am sure I am going to hear about it now.
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wayne_tw
South Dakota/Georgia
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Joined: 07/21/2007
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The_Barbarian wrote: I have not heard of a trailer coupling cracking ~ but I am sure I am going to hear about it now.
You bet! Do something to your rig and you will find a zillion people who poo-poo it. Unless, of course, it is the famous curved shower rod so the fat a@@es can get in the shower and wash their fat a@@!
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Carjoy
Talladega,Al.
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Joined: 04/20/2009
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When I install my Hensley Arrow in Oct-i996.I put a greese fitting in the reciver hitch,I had no problem.Greasing the ball, sure was a time saver and you could greese it when you though it needed.My 2cent added.
Roy in Talladega,Al.
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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Joined: 03/23/2004
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LarryJM wrote:SteveRankin wrote:The_Barbarian wrote:Uh - the hole is in the top receiver hitch to the trailer not the Hensley Arrow.
Actually, I had several issues with this besides the incorrect subject line.
1. Since there is very little movement at the ball on a Hensley Arrow hitch, why bother to install a grease fitting.
2. The HA wasn't removed from the trailer during the drilling or tapping of the hole in the trailer tongue, so I have to assume that (a) any chips that dropped in the hole are still there, and (b) the flashing on the inside of the drilled hole wasn't removed.
3. The threads of the zerk probably protrude past the inside wall of the trailer tongue. While the top of the ball has a flat spot which would provide room for the protruding zerk when the trailer is level, the HA does tilt and then the ball could hit the protruding zerk and something will need to give.
4. Finally, drilling and tapping that hole creates a nice spot for a crack to start in the tongue.
All in all, the benefits of having that grease fitting are outweighed by the problems I see in the installation as well as the potential for bigger problems later on.
Not only that, I have to wonder why the need for a zerk to grease the ball when the ball hardly moves when the TT is equipped with a Hensley Arrow. The other issue is drilling the
Yea for a lot of the reasons you have stated, I think I would pass on this mod.
Larry
I was thinking the exact same thing! more so for the stress point you now created! other than that.....great job!
Wife Kim 
Son Brandon 9yrs
Daughter Marissa 8yrs
Dog Shadow 
07 Cherokee 32B
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear, Hellwig sway bar
Reese HP dualcam,Prodigy brake controller.
A bad day of camping is
better than a good day at work!
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DeutscheMan
Oregon Coast
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Joined: 08/17/2003
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Thanks for the effort you went to showing us this project. I've never seen this done before. I think before I would risk compromising the most critical part of the tow package, I would do a little more research. As Steve pointed out, drilling a hole in a part that handles that much stress could be asking for problems. If not, then I think it's pretty innovative. BTW, you may want to check your propane bottles. From what I saw in one of the pictures, (hard to tell from a picture) they appear to be rusting.
Bill
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