Forum Discussion

myredracer's avatar
myredracer
Explorer II
Mar 01, 2015

Q on install of Reese cam arm bracket

I didn't get around to installing the cam arms on our TT which was new last year and ran without it and now I want them in for this season. I had these installed on a previous TT with just under 1K lbs tongue weight and the Reese forming screws didn't stay tight and the threads got damaged. This time I want to do something better. The WDH was purchased in 2013.

Our brackets in the photo have a radius between the bottom horizontal part and the side of maybe about 1/4" radius. The bottom of the bracket has a pronounced dip in of about 1/8" from the side to the center.

I've read on this forum about some installing a 1/4" plate on the outer side of the A-frame and grinding a radius on the bottom to match the radius on the bracket. My plan is to install nuts on the inside of the A-frame tubing by tack welding 2 nuts to a small plate and pushing it in place with a 6' long threaded rod that I can remove afterwards. I'm also thinking of plug welding the plate inside the A-frame to the A-frame so that the flange bolts could be removed without the inside plate moving.

Is most of the force taken up between the A-frame and bracket on the outer side of the A-frame or is it intended for the bottom of the A-frame to rest in the bottom of the bracket? Is installing a 1/4" plate between the A-frame and bracket actually going to help anything much? With such a curve on the bottom of the bracket, there isn't much surface area to rest against the bottom of the A-frame, plus it may not square to the outer part of the bracket.

I'm so sure I like the arrangement/placement of the square head setscrew on the inside of the A-frame with just the outer side of the A-frame in contact with the bracket as it could allow vertical movement (I think). Would it make sense to mount a nut inside the A-frame and another flange head bolt and then use spacers of some sort to take up space between the bracket and A-frame (approx. 1/2"?)?

I will use a 1/2-13 flange head bolt and flange head nut so I get more contact area between the parts that may help to keep things tight. I'm also going to use Loctite red or blue as well. Bolt and nut will be as in pics.

8 Replies

  • JBarca's avatar
    JBarca
    Nomad II
    Mar 05, 2015
    Hi Gil,

    Glad it worked out. And glad Reese remains a company who stands behind their product. Whoever they had forming the frame plate brackets you have, had some serious QC issues.

    Glad it worked out.

    John
  • myredracer's avatar
    myredracer
    Explorer II
    Mar 04, 2015
    After a couple of emails to/from Reese, they are going to send me the later style brackets. Excellent customer service. Thanks John for suggesting that! Hope to have it all done for the first camping trip at Easter.
  • myredracer's avatar
    myredracer
    Explorer II
    Mar 03, 2015
    Thanks John & Mrekim for the comments and advice. The first thing I will do is contact Reese and see if I can get some new brackets. Here's a couple of pics of the bracket fitted up against the A-frame tubing (at very rear of A-frame).

  • mrekim's avatar
    mrekim
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2015
    ScottG wrote:
    My brackets were installed per the instructions and have stayed tight for 10 years. I would try it again making sure I predrilled with an appropriate size bit.
    Good luck.


    I think the thickness of the frame will have a huge impact on success. For example a C channel frame will probably be thicker and it may be that a tube frame made 10 years ago would be thicker than one made today.

    I would say that the bare minimum would be to use rivet nuts. I know Reese has them as an optional means for installation.

    With the 11 Gauge tube frames we have these days there's not much thread engagement for those screws. There's also not much margin for error when tightening them.


    The instructions say to tighten the 1/2" 13 TPI self tapping screws to 50 foot-lbs. I suspect the reason that Reese offers the rivnuts is that if you actually follow the instructions and torque the screws to 50 ft lbs on a ~1/8" frame you'll strip out the hole. 13 TPI in 1/8" is only 1.625 threads engaged:

    1/8" * 13 threads/inch = 1 5/8 threads.

    11 Gauge is slightly thinner.....
  • mrekim's avatar
    mrekim
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2015
    myredracer wrote:


    I've read on this forum about some installing a 1/4" plate on the outer side of the A-frame and grinding a radius on the bottom to match the radius on the bracket.


    I did something like this. I wanted the beefiest possible mount with no modification of the A-Frame. That no modification of the A-Frame requirement created a lot of extra work.

    You don't need to be precise so that you match the bracket radius. You are just trying to ensure that the bracket still rests against the trailer frame and not the plate in order to minimize the gap between the plate and the frame. You could also just make the bottom of the plate higher than the bottom of the frame tube.

    A plate also provides some insurance.

    Rather than put the plate inside the A-Frame, you could also drill slightly larger holes in the frame and weld nuts to a plate that gets welded to the outside of the frame. The nuts would go in those holes.

    Many would call this overkill, but I would plate the the inside where the pinch nut goes and both sides of the snap up too.

    Also, consider bolting the snap-up. You could use the same approach as with the DC mount.

    I think that if you have the DC mount and the snap/ups solidly bolted to the frame that you will have greatly reduced the chance for movement. A plate on the inside of the A-Frame as insurance and snugging up the pinch bolt should do the trick.

    You probably don't need to weld a nut on the inside for the pinch bolt.
  • JBarca's avatar
    JBarca
    Nomad II
    Mar 03, 2015
    Gil,

    Take your cam arm frame bracket and hold it up to the frame. Take a pic of how badly it fits your frame.

    Then call Reese and ask them if they can exchange your brackets for ones that fit properly on your trailer. Odds are favorable they may send you new ones.

    The latest new ones are not made like that anymore.

    Here is the 2010 vintage next to the 2013 vintage






    And for a trip down memory lane, 2 sets I bought, 1 in 2003 and 1 in 2007. Both where made in USA


    I agree, do not use the self tapping screws.

    Hope this helps

    John
  • myredracer's avatar
    myredracer
    Explorer II
    Mar 01, 2015
    ScottG wrote:
    My brackets were installed per the instructions and have stayed tight for 10 years. I would try it again making sure I predrilled with an appropriate size bit.
    Good luck.


    All was previously installed as per Reese instructions. There is a very long Reese DC thread here somewhere that talked about the screws loosening when tongue weights get up to around 1K lbs and more. Will have to some more digging to find the right thread. I remember the particular thread discussing a few different methods of upgrading from the stock Reese forming screws along with some good pics.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Mar 01, 2015
    My brackets were installed per the instructions and have stayed tight for 10 years. I would try it again making sure I predrilled with an appropriate size bit.
    Good luck.

About RV Tips & Tricks

Looking for advice before your next adventure? Look no further.25,174 PostsLatest Activity: Oct 25, 2025