Hi all!I happend upon a WDH at a garage sale for $5 and just couldn't pass it up! I didn't really know what I had until I did a little research. Turns out I have the original ("vintage") dual cam set up from Reese.After I contacted Reese about how to figure out the rating of the bars, I have 750# bars. This will work out well because my current TT is 7500# max.I have a few questions before I start to use this system. Can I use the adjustable shank that I have for my traditional WDH? Any advice on set up? Most of the posts are for the newer style.Thanks!

By "vintage: Dual Cam do you mean it looks like this?Barney

Yes, except the bars that came with have knobs on the top & bottom of the end that sits on the shank. I would post pictures, but the link shown on the help file doesn't seem to work any longer.

Massey16 wrote: I would post pictures, but the link shown on the help file doesn't seem to work any longer.Pic posting tip- new easy method thanks to Moderator 1492: Upload pics at this link, then just copy the url and paste directly into the body of your post.

I tried to use that link and my pictures don't seem to upload by either dragging & dropping or selecting???

"Vintage" Reese Dual Cam WDH | Good Sam Community

BarneyS
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2014
Massey16 wrote:
Snip...
The shank that came with the hitch is not adjustable as you can see from the picture above. Can I use this one instead?

Yes, you should be able to use that one as long as you can get the old one off of the head. I was not able to see what it looked like in the picture other than it looked quite rusty. :W

Edit: I see you were asking if you could use the pictured shank and hitch head combined. Yes you probably can if the trunnions on the bars match up to the same size of the newer hitch head.

When setting the hitch up, I should take my measurements and get it all set up while leaving these loose?

I would attach it as normal, draw up the bars so there is the required pressure on them but don't torque down the U bolts on the mounting plates completely. Leave them just a bit loose and drive around as I mentioned. Then when you stop in a straight line get out and tap them in the correct direction to center the bars on the cam. They will snap into place. Then torque the nuts on the U bolts all the way.

And then tap them into place? Just trying to get it all down before I attempt this.
Yep!

Also, I know the bars may be light in the long run, but we don't put much in the camper and I doubt my tongue weight is near 750#. Only way to tell is to get it set up and head to a scale.

Lastly, anything to replace on these other than hardware? I was going to remove all the bolting, blast it all, paint it, and reassemble.

That is one possibility but you can also replace the brackets quite cheaply or use the ones that you already have from your old hitch. They are just the standard snap-up brackets.

Also, those bars should be ok IF you tongue weight is not above 750lbs but I would not rely on a guess for that. Most people are quite surprised when they actually weigh their rigs and find out the "real" tongue weight and total weight. I would get to a scale sooner rather than later.
Barney
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
Hope no one minds a question from the peanut gallery:

Does this "vintage" w/d hitch have built in sway control, or does that have to be added?
Massey16
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
I'll measure everything up to make sure they match up well. Anything else to do but scuff the pieces up and paint?
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jul 18, 2014
Just make sure the bar ends fit into the hitch head with plenty of surface for the bars to not fall out of the head when under tension.
Robin1953
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
Massey16 wrote:
Thanks for the responses Barney! I read that post and there is a lot of great info there on setting up things. But, I have a couple of follow up questions.

The shank that came with the hitch is not adjustable as you can see from the picture above. Can I use this one instead?

Yes you can use that shank. I have used that trunnion style hitch with even a longer shank. It is sitting in my outbuilding now. Lost the trunnion bars and other hardware somewhere along the line when I switch to a fiver a few years back.
Massey16
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
Thanks for the responses Barney! I read that post and there is a lot of great info there on setting up things. But, I have a couple of follow up questions.

The shank that came with the hitch is not adjustable as you can see from the picture above. Can I use this one instead?

When setting the hitch up, I should take my measurements and get it all set up while leaving these loose?

And then tap them into place? Just trying to get it all down before I attempt this.

Also, I know the bars may be light in the long run, but we don't put much in the camper and I doubt my tongue weight is near 750#. Only way to tell is to get it set up and head to a scale.

Lastly, anything to replace on these other than hardware? I was going to remove all the bolting, blast it all, paint it, and reassemble.
Massey16
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
Good call!!!
opnspaces
Navigator II
Jul 18, 2014
Massey16 wrote:
I tried to use that link and my pictures don't seem to upload by either dragging & dropping or selecting???

Just curious if you are using a windows computer and if so what browser are you using: Internet explorer, firefox, chrome? When you drag a picture to the middle of the screen it should popup a window with a new address to copy and paste into your message.

Could you be using a popup blocker that is preventing it?
BarneyS
Explorer III
Jul 18, 2014
As far as setup goes, the advice given in the 2nd part of this thread will apply no matter if you have the old style or the newer style of Dual Cam system. You MUST get the V of the bars EXACTLY centered on the cam when the truck and trailer are in a straight line for the system to work as intended.

I used the old style dual cam for quite a few years and found the easiest way to adjust it was to drive around a parking lot making several R & L turns and then drive straight for a short distance so the truck and trailer are exactly in line with each other. Then get out and tap the frame mounting brackets either forward or backward and they will "snap" into place. Once that happens you can then torque the large U bolts to the correct tighness to hold the cam mounting plate in place. Check that tighness frequently as if they loosen up or stretch the bars will drag the cams so the system doesn's work right and, in fact, may make the trailer tend to sway a bit as the bars fight each other for center. This is why it is so improtant to have those bar V's exactly centered on the cams.

Other than that, there is no special trick or problem installing the old style Dual Cam system. Hopefully, you can raise your propane tank to allow the U bolts to fit under it. I used longer sheet metal screws through a 1/2 inch or 5/8 in nut under the propane tray to act as a spacer.

You will like the way the Dual Cam works if you get it adjusted correctly. Your shank should work fine as long as it fits the hitch head you purchased. Most are pretty much the same.
I agree with the comment above about the bars possibly being a bit light and your tongue weight probably being around 1000lbs when you are ready to go camping.
Barney
mkirsch
Nomad II
Jul 17, 2014
You have the "trunnion" style weight bars.

The bars BarneyS pictures are round bar style.

750lb may be a little light for a 7500lb trailer, though. Your tongue is likely over 1000lbs.