Dual Cam Setup
I'm working on setting up a new Reese Dual Cam setup. I think I need a 1" extended ball, and wonder if I would benefit from a 2". Here's are some photos of where I'm at now: Side view, I think...
Forum Discussion
The stripping of self tapping screws is a known problem. I myself do not have any faith in self taping screws on a hitch. My frame is channel iron so can easily use bolts and nuts with lock washers.
Several Open Roads forum members have gone to through wall bolting on tube frames with a backer plate on the inside to prevent tube crush. Turk2500 has done this. He has pics of it, I'll see if I can find them. A search may turn them up.
If the ends of the A frame rail tubes are open one member, Fisherguy, created a tap plate, a plate with 2 nuts welded on it and he then slid that down the open frame tube to hold the nut inside. He has pics on here as well.
Others have done other versions of this as well, just those 2 fellow campers I know and knew how they worked through it.
While in your case, lack of grip or torque may well be the cause, if the DC frame plate is not dead tight and flush to the bottom of the A frame rail, this can and will allow the frame plate to rock around causing the problem and pulling on the screws. I thought you used a C clamp when setting up, so I'm thinking the self tapping screws are not going to cut it on your rig.
Think forward to converting to bolts. Sooner or later they will rear their ugly head again.
Also in case you did not know, on 1,200# and heavier TW's, is is best to bolt on the snap up brackets as the C clamp snap up setup has been known to spring open in turns. Reese came out with heavy duty snap up to help offset this to create a no drill situation, however before that, if you called them, they told me there are no issues bolting them on. And I did.
I have had my original ones bolted on since 2003 and running 1,200# and now 1,600# TW's with 1,700# bars and have not had a problem with the snap up flaring open. I used carriage bolts as they fit in the square pre-punched holes Reese put in them. Others have used hex bolts. I suggest if you do drill them on, favor the top of the hole with the drill bit in the snap up so the bolt shank is touching the snap up verses the snap up having to sag down to meet it.
Hope this helps.
John
PS. How was camping in the new rig!
Several Open Roads forum members have gone to through wall bolting on tube frames with a backer plate on the inside to prevent tube crush. Turk2500 has done this. He has pics of it, I'll see if I can find them. A search may turn them up.
If the ends of the A frame rail tubes are open one member, Fisherguy, created a tap plate, a plate with 2 nuts welded on it and he then slid that down the open frame tube to hold the nut inside. He has pics on here as well.
Others have done other versions of this as well, just those 2 fellow campers I know and knew how they worked through it.
While in your case, lack of grip or torque may well be the cause, if the DC frame plate is not dead tight and flush to the bottom of the A frame rail, this can and will allow the frame plate to rock around causing the problem and pulling on the screws. I thought you used a C clamp when setting up, so I'm thinking the self tapping screws are not going to cut it on your rig.
Think forward to converting to bolts. Sooner or later they will rear their ugly head again.
Also in case you did not know, on 1,200# and heavier TW's, is is best to bolt on the snap up brackets as the C clamp snap up setup has been known to spring open in turns. Reese came out with heavy duty snap up to help offset this to create a no drill situation, however before that, if you called them, they told me there are no issues bolting them on. And I did.
I have had my original ones bolted on since 2003 and running 1,200# and now 1,600# TW's with 1,700# bars and have not had a problem with the snap up flaring open. I used carriage bolts as they fit in the square pre-punched holes Reese put in them. Others have used hex bolts. I suggest if you do drill them on, favor the top of the hole with the drill bit in the snap up so the bolt shank is touching the snap up verses the snap up having to sag down to meet it.
Hope this helps.
John
PS. How was camping in the new rig!
