Dual Cam Setup

JBarca wrote:

It is a fact that making a turn with a conventional WD hitch where the truck and trailer wheels are on different surface angles changes the hitch head tilt in relation to the trailer A frame. If the trailer wheels are on level ground and the truck on a surface that on angle (say 5 or 10 degrees for example) in relation to the TT, the hitch shank in the back of the truck is going to follow the truck and the hitch head with the tow ball in the coupler will pivot the WD bars. The hitch head movement will change the loading on the inside and outside turn WD bar. How much it will change will depend on the angle and the head tilt of the hitch.

Let's see if I have this right. If the truck and trailer are in line and the truck is pointing down the it will reduce the tension on the WD bars and if it's pointing up it it will add to it. Does that seem right?

I'm not picturing how tuning changes things from side to side though.

JBarca wrote:

On the DC, since the chain does not swing like a non DC WD hitch it is easier to spot that the inside turn WD bar can totally unload in spring force. And it does not take very much angle between the truck and trailer. I have seen it and measured it in my own driveway.

I don't think the truck and trailer need to be on different planes for this to happen. I think all that is needed is for the inside bar to make it a certain distance back in the turn. Basically, once it completely pops out of the curved portion of the bar it frees up.

Here's a photo. I think that once the outside bar gets past that arrow that the inside bar will be completely unloaded.





The outside bar rides up the bend in the end of the bar. I assume this has the same impact as adding tension to the chain. Maybe this action is another piece of the puzzle. The inside bar pops loose and may be "free" as soon as it's popped completely out of the bend. As you turn the outside bar gains tension quickly while the inside bar looses tension due to the bar angle.

JBarca wrote:

On the non DC hitch the chain attached to the WD bar will swing towards the TT. Since it is attached to the WD bar, it is harder to see that inside WD bar unloading. And it may take more angle difference between TV and TT to go to zero load, however the load is still significantly reduced because the hitch head is titled in a force unloading direction.

This one I'm having a problem seeing. I always figured that, since the chain restricts movement, the inside bar won't unload much. If I'm picturing this correctly, as you turn, the outside bar chain will get pulled forward some and the inside one will get pushed backwards. Since the chain restricts movement and will effectively pull the spring bar up as it's pulled either forward or backward it seems like there will always be a non-trivial load on both bars.

I admit, I'm not picturing the compound angle hitch head movement you're describing yet. Would you expect both bars have a non-trivial amount of tension on a turn on flat ground?