OP here. Please reread the part about the 1/2” bolt that locks the shank tight into the receiver. NO slop there. Bars are straight and swapping doesnt help. With bars in place both measure the exact same distance from the ground at the ends. Both L brackets are within 1/4” of each other to the ground at the camp site I’m in. Didn’t have to do any side to side leveling.
I’m out camping for the next week so I’ll put the rotary laser level (+/- 1/32”} on everything when I get back onto my dead level pad.
Strange.