Bars not releasing

genekiwi wrote:
I have the Reese dual cam wdh setup.

I have used this on a Jayco 23B and Jayco 28rls with no problems.

When unhichting, I would raise the front of the trailer, unclip the saddles and drop down the chains. The bars would be loose and drop down.

Since putting it on the Heartland 26rls, the bars do not separate and I have to tap cams to move to release the bars. Yes, I learned how to do this without taking my leg off.

The higher I raise the front of the trailer the less tension on the bars but I still have to tap to separate.

Is this a normal situation on some trailers? I have had this looked at by three different hitch guys. They said don't worry.

Anyone have any idea what the problem might be or is this okay?

Hi,

By your wording, I am assuming the problem you are having is this: (Please confirm)

When unhitching, I let the snap up bracket down, unhook the chain, but yet there is pressure on the WD bar on the cam and it is hard to get off the cam? Did I get that right?

Looks like this, right?


If so this is the issue.

When the installer moved the cams from the old camper to the new camper they "tightened" the 1/2 bolt that holds the cam arm onto the DC frame plate.

See the bolt here from cam arm to the DC frame plate


The issue is that bolt is just a hair too tight. If you unloosen it a little bit, approx. 1/4 turn as a start, the problem will lessen and then tweak a little more the problem will even lessen more, then if you go too far, the cam arm will fall to the ground. Plunk!

The key is to find just enough tension the arm will not drop to the ground which can be a pain in the neck during hook up to being too tight and the WD bar does not want to come off.

When the cam arm bolt is "tight", pinching the cam arm to frame bracket, it is holding a level of spring load, not much in the big picture, but enough the cam arm is not moving down any. So the WD bar has to slide off under pressure.

The cam arm only needs to move 1/64" to 1/32" and all the pressure is gone and the bar will almost fall off. Yet left tight, you have to pry it off.

When the "event" happens, use the pipe as a lever between the top of the WD bar and the bottom of the A Frame and push down a little and the pressure is all gone.

Go tweak the bolt a little loose and report back.

Hope this helps

John