For RV owners researching premium anti-sway hitches, one question appears constantly:

“What is the difference between the ProPride 3P® and the Hensley Arrow®?”

At first glance, the two hitches look remarkably similar. That is no accident.

Both systems originated from the same revolutionary towing concept developed by inventor Jim Hensley — a man whose personal towing experiences led him to completely rethink trailer stability decades before modern sway control became a major industry discussion.

But while the Hensley Arrow® introduced the towing world to converging-link hitch technology, the ProPride 3P® represents the most advanced evolution of Jim Hensley’s original vision.

To understand why, you first have to understand the story behind the invention itself.

Where the Hensley Hitch Story Really Began

The origin of the Hensley hitch goes all the way back to 1955.

At the time, Jim Hensley was serving in the United States Army and stationed in Colorado. After the birth of his first child, Jim returned home to Illinois on leave and decided to bring his wife and newborn son back to Colorado with him.

To make the journey, Jim purchased a 30-foot “house trailer” — what today would be called a travel trailer.

Money was tight.

Jim could not afford one of the few commercially available Reese hitches on the market, so he built his own towing setup using a used trailer dolly equipped with caster wheels to carry the tongue weight.

The result was a disaster.

About 40 miles into the 1,000-mile journey, one of the dolly tires blew out. The entire dolly became useless and was loaded into the trailer. Jim continued the trip with:

• The nose of the car pointed upward
• The rear suspension overloaded
• Severe fishtailing and trailer sway the entire way

Despite the dangerous towing conditions, Jim and his young family made it to Colorado safely.

A few months later, Jim was reassigned to Korea, and the family made the same terrifying trip back to Illinois.

Those two journeys changed everything.

Jim later recalled constantly thinking:

“There has to be a better way to tow a trailer.”

That single idea eventually transformed the RV towing industry forever.

The Real Problem: Trailer Sway

At the time, weight distribution systems were beginning to improve.

Reese spring bars helped:

• Redistribute weight
• Reduce rear sag
• Improve steering balance

But they did very little to solve trailer sway.

The problem was still there:
The trailer could freely pivot behind the tow vehicle.

Jim understood something many in the industry still misunderstand today:

Trailer sway is fundamentally a geometry problem.

As long as the trailer pivots on a ball behind the rear axle, outside forces can leverage the tow vehicle and create oscillation.

Most sway control systems still attempt to:

• Reduce sway
• Dampen sway
• Resist sway

Jim wanted to eliminate it entirely.

Early Ideas That Led to Pivot Point Projection

Jim explored many early concepts.

Some resembled systems that would later appear in products like PullRite hitches, where the pivot point moved closer to the rear axle.

But Jim disliked:

• Complex under-vehicle frameworks
• Limited turning angles
• Mechanical complications

He also explored lock-and-unlock pivot systems that changed pivot points during turns.

But he worried those mechanisms could fail under real-world towing conditions.

Jim kept refining the concept.

The goal became clear:
Create a hitch that allows normal turning while preventing trailer leverage during towing.

The First True Prototype

In 1972, Jim built the first simple prototype of what would become the converging-link hitch design.

The design worked.

But the timing was difficult.

Travel trailer sales were booming, and Jim’s business demanded his full attention.

Then tragedy struck.

In 1977, Jim’s wife Nina passed away after battling cancer.

With two children at home and a growing business, hitch development once again had to wait.

But the idea never left him.

The Birth of the Eliminator Hitch

By the late 1980s, Jim finally committed fully to developing the hitch.

He completed the design and secured a patent.

After struggling to interest manufacturers, Jim made the decision to produce the hitch himself.

Central Innovative Incorporated (CII) was formed to manufacture and sell the Eliminator Towing System.

The first Eliminator hitch was sold in August 1992.

This was the first true generation of the Hensley towing concept.

The Eliminator proved something revolutionary:

Trailer sway could actually be eliminated — not merely controlled.

How the Hensley Arrow® Was Created

In 1993, two Michigan RV owners contacted Jim after hearing about the Eliminator.

One had just purchased a new travel trailer but planned to sell it immediately because of terrifying sway experiences.

After installing the Eliminator hitch, he reportedly called Jim and said:

“This thing really works.”

That customer eventually licensed Jim’s patent.

In 1994:

• Hensley Manufacturing was formed
• The hitch was renamed the Hensley Arrow®

The Hensley Arrow® introduced converging-link hitch technology to a much larger market and quickly became known as one of the most effective anti-sway systems ever built.

For many RV owners, the white-knuckle driving experience disappeared almost immediately.

Why the ProPride 3P® Was Developed

For the next 14 years, Jim continued improving the design.

He developed:

• Stronger components
• Better weight distribution systems
• Improved hitch geometry
• Easier adjustment methods

However, many of those improvements were never implemented into the Hensley Arrow®.

Then, in 2007, two major events happened simultaneously.

Jim’s relationship with Hensley Manufacturing ended.

At nearly the same time, Sean Woodruff — the longtime Vice President of Hensley Manufacturing — also left the company.

Sean had spent 10 years working directly with:

• Dealers
• Customers
• Warranty issues
• Installation concerns
• Real-world towing feedback

Together, Jim Hensley and Sean Woodruff decided to build the most advanced version of the design ever created.

In October 2007, development began on what would become the ProPride 3P®.

The mission was simple:

Take everything learned from thousands of real-world towing experiences and build the ultimate sway elimination hitch.

What Makes the ProPride 3P® Different?

While the Hensley Arrow® and ProPride 3P® share the same core Pivot Point Projection geometry, the ProPride 3P® introduced major engineering improvements.

Adjustable Hitch Bar

The ProPride 3P® introduced a fully adjustable hitch bar.

Benefits include:

• Easier trailer leveling
• Compatibility across multiple tow vehicles
• Improved setup flexibility

The older Hensley Arrow® relied on fixed-offset designs.

One-Piece Yoke Design

The ProPride 3P® uses a one-piece yoke system.

This:

• Prevents pivoting on the ball
• Improves rigidity
• Reduces wear over time

This was a major structural improvement.

No Frame Drilling

The ProPride 3P® eliminated the need to drill into the trailer frame.

Benefits include:

• Easier installation
• No frame weakening
• Cleaner mounting system

Improved Weight Distribution Geometry

The ProPride 3P® relocated the weight distribution jack position for improved leverage and strength.

This reduced:

• Stress on components
• Potential bending problems
• Uneven force loading

Bolt-In Spring Bars

Unlike earlier systems, the ProPride 3P® spring bars bolt directly into the hitch head.

Benefits include:

• Reduced wear
• Improved safety
• No accidental spring bar disengagement

Thicker Control Links

The ProPride 3P® uses thicker control links than earlier Hensley Arrow® systems.

These links endure tremendous towing loads.

The thicker design improves:

• Strength
• Durability
• Long-term reliability

Stronger Hitch Box

Some earlier Arrow® hitch boxes could warp over time under extreme loads.

The ProPride 3P® redesigned the hitch box with thicker materials to improve:

• Structural rigidity
• Long-term performance
• Overall towing precision

Advanced Powder Coating Process

The ProPride 3P® introduced improved powder coating pre-treatment processes that help:

• Prevent rust
• Reduce paint chipping
• Improve long-term appearance

Side-by-Side Comparison

Why the ProPride 3P® Represents the Final Evolution

The ProPride 3P® was not created to reinvent Jim Hensley’s original concept.

It was created to perfect it.

The core philosophy remains the same:
Eliminate trailer sway by eliminating the geometry that causes it.

But the ProPride 3P® refined nearly every aspect of the system through:

• Stronger engineering
• Better materials
• Easier installation
• Improved durability
• Real-world customer feedback

The result is the most advanced Hensley hitch design ever produced.

The Most Important Difference

The biggest difference between the ProPride 3P® and conventional sway control systems is not just component upgrades.

It is philosophy.

Most sway control hitches still rely on:

• Friction
• Resistance
• Dampening

The ProPride 3P® eliminates sway before it begins by changing the geometry itself.

That distinction changes everything about:

• Highway stability
• Crosswind behavior
• Emergency handling
• Driver fatigue
• Long-distance towing confidence

FAQs

Is the ProPride 3P® based on the Hensley Arrow®?

Yes. Both systems originate from Jim Hensley’s converging-link hitch design.

Did Jim Hensley help develop the ProPride 3P®?

Yes. Jim Hensley worked directly with Sean Woodruff to develop the ProPride 3P® after leaving Hensley Manufacturing.

Does the ProPride 3P® eliminate sway?

Yes. The Pivot Point Projection™ geometry eliminates trailer leverage that causes sway.

Why did ProPride redesign the original system?

The ProPride 3P® addressed durability, installation, adjustability, and wear issues identified through years of real-world towing experience.

Is the ProPride 3P® easier to install?

Yes. The ProPride 3P® eliminates frame drilling and includes improved adjustability.

What is the biggest improvement in the ProPride 3P®?

Many owners point to the stronger engineering, adjustable hitch bar, improved hitch geometry, and enhanced durability.

Conclusion

The story of the ProPride 3P® begins long before modern RV towing.

It began with a young Army serviceman pulling a dangerously unstable trailer across America while wondering:

“There has to be a better way.”

Jim Hensley spent decades solving that problem.

The Eliminator introduced the concept.

The Hensley Arrow® brought it to the RV market.

The ProPride 3P® became the most refined, durable, and advanced version of the design ever built.

Today, the ProPride 3P® continues Jim Hensley’s original mission:
Create a towing experience that is safer, more stable, and dramatically less stressful.

Because responsible towing is not about managing sway better.

It is about eliminating sway at its source.