New WD Hitch Needed- Reese DC or SC?
We are very seriously considering upgrading to a new trailer, a Jayco 32BHDS. Listed dry tw is ~900lbs, so I am figuring after propane and battery, close to 1200lbs + what is loaded in the trailer, so...
Forum Discussion
The Reese DC is an excellent WDH when installed right and dialed in. If cam lobes aren't centered right on the bar ends, the handling/sway is awful. When right, it's amazing. I towed one whole season last year with our DC WDH, but without the cam arms mounted. Struggled a lot. Then installed them at the beginning of this season - such a night and day difference.
A few weeks ago, I tried towing a friend's truck and TT combo (similar wt. length TT to ours) which has one friction bar. The Reese DC was the clear winner. The DC is nice because it has a self-centering action, unlike friction bars, Equal-iz-er, etc.
Agree 100% with this. Expecting the screws to hold with only 1.5 threads engaged is silly. You'd think Reese could come up with something a little better...
I had the Reese forming screws (correctly torqued) back out on our DC with around 950 lbs TW which damaged the screws and threads in frame. I decided to prevent this from ever happening again so I mounted the brackets as in the photos. Installed a plate inside the A-frame tubing with flange head nuts welded on. Pushed it into position and plug-welded it in place through two 1/4" holes in the A-frame. Ground the welds down and painted. Made up a spacer plate to go between the A-frame and bracket as the radii are different. I used new longer flange head bolts with same thread pitch. Also, the torque can be increased from Reese's standard 50 ft-lbs to 75 with my install.
A few weeks ago, I tried towing a friend's truck and TT combo (similar wt. length TT to ours) which has one friction bar. The Reese DC was the clear winner. The DC is nice because it has a self-centering action, unlike friction bars, Equal-iz-er, etc.
mrekim wrote:
These tube frames are 11 Gauge. That is .12 inches thick. A 1/2 X 13 bolt has .077 threads per inch. That means that the 1/2" self tapping screw will cut 1.5 threads into the frame.
I'm amazed that people even manage to get the bolt torqued to the 50 ft lbs specified in the in the instructions without stripping the threads out of the frame.
There's a good chance that those 1.5 threads will not resist a force that attempts to pull the screws out. A turn at an intersection that places the trailer "above" the tow vehicle (driving down hill) could be enough to do it.
If Reese wasn't having lots of problems from tube frame installs they wouldn't even offer the rivet nuts.
The shoulder on the rivet nut is thin and not much larger than the hole. If you want the DC to sit flat to the frame then you can recess the inside of the DC mount with a drill bit.
I would be more concerned about everything staying together with only 1.5 threads than I would with the shoulder of the rivet nut.
Agree 100% with this. Expecting the screws to hold with only 1.5 threads engaged is silly. You'd think Reese could come up with something a little better...
I had the Reese forming screws (correctly torqued) back out on our DC with around 950 lbs TW which damaged the screws and threads in frame. I decided to prevent this from ever happening again so I mounted the brackets as in the photos. Installed a plate inside the A-frame tubing with flange head nuts welded on. Pushed it into position and plug-welded it in place through two 1/4" holes in the A-frame. Ground the welds down and painted. Made up a spacer plate to go between the A-frame and bracket as the radii are different. I used new longer flange head bolts with same thread pitch. Also, the torque can be increased from Reese's standard 50 ft-lbs to 75 with my install.
