Dual Cam Setup

buzzard616 wrote:
Having read the whole string I am concerned that NOBODY has suggested that many of your clearance and binding issues would be rectified by switching to a bent bar hitch for your deep TT frame.



The frame on the TT in the photo is nowhere near as deep as yours but you can see that there would be nothin' but air between the bars and the frame.

Hi Blizzard,

Since mrekim did not have the Reese round bar hitch head the issues associated with that style hitch when using a DC have not been discussed.

While the Reese round bar hitch head has some frame clearance going for it, it has other issues far beyond those of the trunnion bar hitch. The wost being the fact that when used on the DC, many users cannot get the WD set correct on the truck as they run out of hitch head tilt.

See this pic.


That hitch head is tilted all the way back to the TT. There are 5 usable positions of head tilt. 2 positions tilt the ball "towards" the truck, 3deg and 7 deg, the 3rd position is almost straight up. The last 2 positions are towards the TT. One at ~ 3 degree the other at ~ 7 degrees.

When using the DC you need to establish the correct chain clearance near the DC arm. In mrekim's case, he setup on 6 links under tension to create proper clearance. Then he tilts the hitch head to gain the correct WD on the truck. The Reese HP trunnion bar head can tilt 14 degrees towards the TT in fine increment from the serrated washer adjustment.

The Reese round bar head runs out of usable adjustment with those 2 rear tilt positions at 7 degrees. Many forum users have started with the round bar to later, sell it and buy the trunnion bar hitch to get the WD correct. When the TW of the camper comes close to the round bar ratings the problem is even more aggravated. If you have say 1,200# WD bars on a 800# TW, then you may get by and it work. Not so when you start getting closer to the 1,200 and need more head tilt.

It is not a round bar issue, it is the Reese round bar head tilt system with the hex washer used with the DC. A older drawtite head with washer added/subtracted tilt can work.

Every hitch has pro's and con's. There is no perfect one size fits all. In this case, the trunnion bar clearance can be obtained on the trunnion bar head with the correct tow ball and hitch adjustment. It is not that the Reese round bar hitch is bad, it just does not fit this application well.

And as mrekim stated, round bar or trunnion bar does not change the snap up issues associated with thin tube style A frame rails.

Just pointing out what may not be so obvious so folks following along can see all the conditions when they get a new hitch.

John