Getting Rid of my Dual Cam system

[Mike_Up]

I really like this system but it's such a darn pain. It's so complex no one, anywhere, has any idea how to adjust it or install it.

I just had it transferred to a new trailer and new bars also werer needed. Backed it up at home to get it in the driveway and bam, broke out the top socket of the head. I've been told here that it was installed/adjusted incorrectly and I believe that.

And now, the dealership is arguing that it was installed correctly. After talking further to them, the dealer doesn't have a clue and I can't believe they got it installed as far as they did.

I really like my Strait Line system but it's just to complex and I'm done with it.

I'm looking at going with either a EQUAL-I-ZER brand or Blue Ox brand. To be honest I really like how easy and simplistic the Blue Ox brand is. What I don't like are the very VERY vague installation instructions and their short 3 year warranty. This is the system my Dealership pushes.

It's not that the Equalizer brand is bad, I just don't like how you have to tear the head apart to get to the washer adjustments and tear down the brackets to adjust them. This system looks nearly as confusing as the Reese Strait Line (HP Dual Cam and WDH).

So is the Blue Ox inferior to the Equalizer Brand or do they both work well???

Here's a big point to me, since I have to back up at extreme angles, how do they do this. I called both makers and they said they hitches wouldn't hit the ball threads/nut when turning but what's your experience.

The Reese Strait Line system has so many binding points it's nuts. I think mine bind on the cam installation bracket, broke the top socket out of the head, the T end of the Trunnion twisted while forcing it's way out of the head, and hit the ball threads. All of this because the dealer refused to adjust the head to a greater angle to get the bars below the cam brackets. They are sticking to their guns saying you can't adjusted the head beyond the threads on the adjustment area, therefore limiting how far back they could tilt the head. They only got 5 chain links from the bar's end to the snap up bracket with a 1200 lbs bar.

So now I'm going to shell out money and hope to install this thing in a timely manner, myself, on an uneven, slanting driveway because no one in my area knows how to install a hitch unless it's a simple WDH with no sway control.

Can you believe the guys at the dealer even said it was my fault for breaking my head because I didn't take out my WDH bars before backing up. :E :E :M Guess I'm suppose to put 900 lbs on a hitch receiver that states only 500 lbs when no WDH is used?!! :M

So Guys can you help me, Equalizer brand or Blue Ox. BTW, both are about the same amount of money and both claim 4 point sway control.

[pbarnett85]

Mike,
My vote is for the Equal-i-zer. I set mine up with basic hand tools on the dirt pad that I keep my TT on. The new bracket design doesn't shift around. At least mine hasn't. It controls sway quite well and allows for very tight turns. Our rigs seem to be very similar except I have a 2wd MAX TOW and my TT is about 1000lbs heavier and a foot shorter. Our first trip was a 2600 mile trip from CA to TX and back. I made a few tweaks while on the road and by the time we were back home it pulled like a dream.

[Mike_Up]

Housedad wrote:
The snap up brackets and the dual cam brackets that mount to the frame on the newer manufactured units are not bent right. This causes the cams to be too far out away from the frame.

This has always been a source of confusion. The old style Cam chain brackets, like I have, are straight. The U bolt nuts go to the outside of the bracket and the U bolt loop goes toward the inside so that the chain pulls straight up.

The 'new' style of Cam chain bracket has the top half of the bracket bent towards the A frame. The U bolt is installed with the nuts on the inside of the bracket and the loop of the U bolt towards the outside. This allows the bracket to be installed with the loop on the outside of the bracket and the chains to be pulled straight up.

Previous with the "old" Cam chain bracket I have, people were installing it on the end of the Cam with the loop on the outside, causing the chain to be at angle, being further out at the Cam and being pulled in at the A frame snap up bracket. This caused a lot of stress and broken Snap Up brackets from what I was told.

If you were installing the "old style" Straight Cam chain brackets with the loop to the outside, it would make it appear that the Cams were to far outside of the frame.

Just another source of confusion when installing the Strait Line system. My installer intially had the bracket installed in the wrong orientation also.

This system is just to confusing for most installers who read to little, and work way to fast, to get the job done so that they can make more money. As someone stated, this system is mainly for DIY's that will actually spend the time to read the manual thoroughly and spend the time to make the correct adjustments after they read how to do them correctly.

Even if this is the best low cost system for sway control when 'installed' correctly, I'll never own one again. If I ever change campers, the hitch will be sold. I'll not use it again on another camper nor will I purchase another one.

I'm really hoping the dealer will install the Equal-i-zer or the Blue Ox Sway Pro as a replacement.

[Mike_Up]

I'd rather have holes than someone weld. The reason is that someone who isn't a good welder can do more harm than good. They can weaken the metal even further. I've seen it done from less than good welders.

I don't know if any of their service personel are qualified or certified to be welding on any frames.

[Housedad]

LITEPHIL wrote:

Fisherguy wrote:
Mike, if the extra holes are that important to you they should weld up the old ones for you, grind them down and paint the A-Frame.
I still think the Reese is the way to go (with trunnion bars though)

Welding up the holes would more than likeley distort the frame in that area. I still think he should just get the Reese system dialed in. Its a really nice set up and really isn't that hard to set up.

Welding up holes on tubular trailer frames is done all the time.

[LITEPHIL]

Fisherguy wrote:
Mike, if the extra holes are that important to you they should weld up the old ones for you, grind them down and paint the A-Frame.
I still think the Reese is the way to go (with trunnion bars though)

Welding up the holes would more than likeley distort the frame in that area. I still think he should just get the Reese system dialed in. Its a really nice set up and really isn't that hard to set up.

[Fisherguy]

Mike, if the extra holes are that important to you they should weld up the old ones for you, grind them down and paint the A-Frame.
I still think the Reese is the way to go (with trunnion bars though)

[Ron_Gratz]

husk wrote:
I have seen others comment about the pressure the Andersen puts on the coupler latch...it looks to me as though it provides the same sort of rotational force to the ball to move weight to the front of the TV...in other words virtually the same in that force as the Reese or Equalizer....what am I missing? thanks.

The Reese and Equal-i-zer do not apply any significant longitudinal force to the trailer's A-frame.
They apply a significant vertical force to the A-frame and that vertical force is what generates the load distribution.
WD torque is generated by the upward force acting on the rear end of the WD bars multiplied by the length of the bar.
Generation of WD produces no significant longitudinal force against the ball.

The Andersen WDH, via compression of the polyurethane "springs", exerts a significant longtudinal (forward) force against the trailer's A-frame.
This forward force causes the ball coupler to push forward against the ball.
WD torque is generated by the chains pulling rearward at the bottom of the ball mount and the coupler pushing forward against the ball.

Ron

[Mike_Up]

Well the dealer looks to be stepping up to the plate. They seen where the install was done incorrectly and agree. However they're really wanting to just replace the head and redrill holes for the cam. I told them that I'm not comfortable have another 4 holes in the A frame of the trailer and would rather go with another system that doesn't require holes drilled.

We'll see how it's going to work out but as of now, they'll come to my home to do the reinstallation of the hitch.

I looked at their display of the Blue Ox, old system with torque bolts on spring bar lobes and adjustable tilt on head. But the ball is much higher than the spring bars and the bars can not even hit the ball threads as the bars would just swing underneith the ball.

The only thing that would hit, would be the spring bar release pull pin on the bar lobes. It's on the top and would hit the head if at to far of an angle.


Since the demo was fixed in a straight configuration, I couldn't swing the head from the tongue to see what angle but looks like it still would never touch the pull pin even at the most extreme angle.

Glad the dealer is working with me. Right now they are just seeing how they're going to replace the head and see if replacing it completely with another hitch system can be done. Mainly I think they have to figure out what costs they're willing to spend to fix their error.

They also couldn't say they didn't know how to install the Reese Strait Line System as they has a Reese Strait line marketing protective desk pad right at the customer counter showing the Trunnion Strait line system and the Round bar Strait line system in full color and full setup.

I have a feeling that they will only be willing to replace the Strait Line head, redrill the holes, and do the install at my home. While nice, I really don't want all the holes and would prefer them to either install the Equal-i-zer system or the Blue Ox Sway Pro. They did say their Blue Ox rep was out this week and they will be receiveing the newest version of the Sway Pro.

[husk]

dodge guy wrote:
Thanks for the links, but it still looks like a mickey mouse design to me. I don`t see the friction material on the ball shank doing much for sway control! And the hitch still transfer weight just like a typical "bar" based WD system. it just pulls back on the bottom of the hitch. which by the way puts alot of pressure against the coupler latch, which it was never designed for!

I have seen others comment about the pressure the Andersen puts on the coupler latch...it looks to me as though it provides the same sort of rotational force to the ball to move weight to the front of the TV...in other words virtually the same in that force as the Reese or Equalizer....what am I missing? thanks.

[BritRam]

Thanks Guy's. Seems like a bunch of mixed opinions. has anyone got any pic's of this system ??

[dodge_guy]

Thanks for the links, but it still looks like a mickey mouse design to me. I don`t see the friction material on the ball shank doing much for sway control! And the hitch still transfer weight just like a typical "bar" based WD system. it just pulls back on the bottom of the hitch. which by the way puts alot of pressure against the coupler latch, which it was never designed for!

[Housedad]

dodge guy wrote:
OK. I just looked at the Anderson WD hitch. not sure I like that design. it looks like it was pieced together with chain and left over metal stock. And I don`t see no form of sway control. I think I would stick with the Dual Cam and set it up properly.

It does have a Sway system. It uses a unique friction device using the hitch head. Check out these videos to see.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_dATB6ePWk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRoQ_yQZQwQ

[Fisherguy]

There's a 44 page thread on the Anderson:
New Andersen WD hitch

[dodge_guy]

OK. I just looked at the Anderson WD hitch. not sure I like that design. it looks like it was pieced together with chain and left over metal stock. And I don`t see no form of sway control. I think I would stick with the Dual Cam and set it up properly.

[ktmrfs]

BritRam wrote:
Just wondering if anyone has tried out the Anderson WDH & Sway control system.My neighbour has it & loves it. Very light wieght & very simple...I believe its about $450 US. It would cost me $250 to add Dual Cam to my Reese so thinking of spending the extra on the Anderson......Any thoughts ?

I looked at it, but for me it is no go. IIRC the max tongue weight on the system is 1200lbs. I'm at 1400-1500 depending on load. I've got my Reese DC set up perfect and I guess I'll keep it.