Reese WD head clarification
Hey Guys I have a Reese weight distributing hitch with trunnion bars along with dual cam setup. It was purchased in 2010 may but wether it was made in that era is unknown. It came with 1200/12000 b...
Forum Discussion
Hit Steve, some answers to your questions.
Mrekim's responses are also helpful as he has the new style head and a newer "vintage" of the latest DC. I say newer as the 2010 redesign of the HP DC has gone through a few updates since the silver one came on the market in 2010. At this point you will end up with a version of the silver DC and that is OK we can help on the difference and what to look out for on your channel iron frame.
I see your going for the 1,700# kit. OK understand. That part number was the 1,700# er
Yes, you will still need the hi rise ball. You need to lower the head so in turns the trunnion lugs do not hit the frame and it creates more clearance at the Dc area.
This camper frame is 5" with the standard ball. Unless 6 plus links are used, you can hit the frame with the cast lugs. It is on the edge of working.
Your on a 6" frame. problem is worse. So going to a 1 1/4" hi rise lowers the head and allows room for the trunnion lug to not hit the frame.
And having the head lower helps create more clearance between the WD bar and the cam bar yoke when your running 6 links under load.
Here is the problem when you do not account for the clearance. In a turn and worse a compound angle turn, when the WD bar ends up on the bump of the DC yoke casting, the WD bar acts as a lever and try's and at times succeeds in breaking off the cam
Here is one fatality caused by not knowing of this binding
Here is another.
We figured this out back in 2006 and trying to help others along the way not run into this. The new Silver HP DC helped address some of these concerns, but not adjusted right the same problem can happen.
What is the GVWR of your camper? Curt offers one here
http://www.etrailer.com/Balls/Curt/C40043.html
I bought mine from Tractor Supply, don't know if they have them up your way. Goose neck trailers use this same hi rise high rated ball. A trailer place, open deck, gooseneck trailers, I'm sure may have them.
While mine is 25,000# rated, (it was all I could find) The high rise ball only needs to be rated heavier then the GVWR of your camper. If they have a 1" hi rise and 14,000# rating and that is less than your camper, it works.
I'm sort of lost on your question. If you mock up the setup use 6 to 7 links under load, then adjust/move the frame plate so the round cam sits in the V of the WD bar.
ALSO, heads up. The 18" dimension I shows was for the 2003/2004 gold vintage of the HP DC. Not the new silver one. In 2010 when they redid the HP DC this changed. The 18" is no good for the new DC
Sorry I painted them.... they are black round knobs in this pic. Here is a close up. See the round heads of the carriage bolts?
BUT... odds are high the snap up brackets you get on a new 1,700# hitch will be the newer heavier ones with the ribs on them. Mine are the older ones. The new ones must still be bolted. That big hitch on heavy TW's can still bend them in a turn.
The shank, since you are going 1,700# you need the 2 1/2" shank. They only offer 2 of them. I have both... You need to figure out your ball height of the camper. Ground to inside of the ball coupler with the camper level. And then from ground to top of truck 2 1/2" receiver opening unhitched. We can help sort out which shank you need.
Here is shorter drop/rise one
This is the drop mode on the shorter drop one.
That worked on my camper when it had a 24" ball height.
Then I dealt with LT tires and raised the camper. I had to flip up the shank, like this. I think I was on ~ 25 1/2" ball height
And the larger 6" drop 2 1/2 shank. On my smaller older camper. This was a 18" ball height camper
Hope this helps. When you get the kit, let's talk again before the install.
John
Mrekim's responses are also helpful as he has the new style head and a newer "vintage" of the latest DC. I say newer as the 2010 redesign of the HP DC has gone through a few updates since the silver one came on the market in 2010. At this point you will end up with a version of the silver DC and that is OK we can help on the difference and what to look out for on your channel iron frame.
I see your going for the 1,700# kit. OK understand. That part number was the 1,700# er
Steve6l wrote:
I'm going to buy a brand new kit from a local dealer. Will cost $1060 after tax which is about the same as it would cost me off etrailer.com except I wouldn't have to worry about shipping and import fees into Canada which are always costly.
Kit# 66075
Pretty sure it will be identical to the one on etrailer.com with the new style hitch type with the raised ball mount and newer style silver cams.
Will I still need a raised ball?
Yes, you will still need the hi rise ball. You need to lower the head so in turns the trunnion lugs do not hit the frame and it creates more clearance at the Dc area.
This camper frame is 5" with the standard ball. Unless 6 plus links are used, you can hit the frame with the cast lugs. It is on the edge of working.
Your on a 6" frame. problem is worse. So going to a 1 1/4" hi rise lowers the head and allows room for the trunnion lug to not hit the frame.
And having the head lower helps create more clearance between the WD bar and the cam bar yoke when your running 6 links under load.
Here is the problem when you do not account for the clearance. In a turn and worse a compound angle turn, when the WD bar ends up on the bump of the DC yoke casting, the WD bar acts as a lever and try's and at times succeeds in breaking off the cam
Here is one fatality caused by not knowing of this binding
Here is another.
We figured this out back in 2006 and trying to help others along the way not run into this. The new Silver HP DC helped address some of these concerns, but not adjusted right the same problem can happen.
What is the GVWR of your camper? Curt offers one here
http://www.etrailer.com/Balls/Curt/C40043.html
I bought mine from Tractor Supply, don't know if they have them up your way. Goose neck trailers use this same hi rise high rated ball. A trailer place, open deck, gooseneck trailers, I'm sure may have them.
The guy also told me that Reese Max ball was only 14000# and he couldn't get any other ones rated higher, should I look elsewhere for a different ball?
While mine is 25,000# rated, (it was all I could find) The high rise ball only needs to be rated heavier then the GVWR of your camper. If they have a 1" hi rise and 14,000# rating and that is less than your camper, it works.
One thing about adjusting the cam yoke until it is center is that adjusting it until it sits directly in the upmost part of the bend in the bar? Once snap up bracket location is picked?
I'm sort of lost on your question. If you mock up the setup use 6 to 7 links under load, then adjust/move the frame plate so the round cam sits in the V of the WD bar.
ALSO, heads up. The 18" dimension I shows was for the 2003/2004 gold vintage of the HP DC. Not the new silver one. In 2010 when they redid the HP DC this changed. The 18" is no good for the new DC
And on mounting snap up bracket it's kind of unclear where you bolted the on? (Can't see any shiny hardware?)
Sorry I painted them.... they are black round knobs in this pic. Here is a close up. See the round heads of the carriage bolts?
BUT... odds are high the snap up brackets you get on a new 1,700# hitch will be the newer heavier ones with the ribs on them. Mine are the older ones. The new ones must still be bolted. That big hitch on heavy TW's can still bend them in a turn.
The shank, since you are going 1,700# you need the 2 1/2" shank. They only offer 2 of them. I have both... You need to figure out your ball height of the camper. Ground to inside of the ball coupler with the camper level. And then from ground to top of truck 2 1/2" receiver opening unhitched. We can help sort out which shank you need.
Here is shorter drop/rise one
This is the drop mode on the shorter drop one.
That worked on my camper when it had a 24" ball height.
Then I dealt with LT tires and raised the camper. I had to flip up the shank, like this. I think I was on ~ 25 1/2" ball height
And the larger 6" drop 2 1/2 shank. On my smaller older camper. This was a 18" ball height camper
Hope this helps. When you get the kit, let's talk again before the install.
John
