Reese Dual Cam for off-road

[HanksLBZ]

Hello everyone,

I was thinking of upgrading my friction sway bar to the Reese Dual Cam setup. When I load the trailer heavy (10k) and in strong winds or semi passing, I get unwanted sway. I read a review that the Reese setup is a pain to hookup if not level and the truck and trailer not perfectly lined up. This would be for my toyhauler which most of the time I am taking it off-road on the most un-level areas. I don't want to remove the bars every time I start to drive down a dirt road. Does anyone have any real world use on this thing?

Or should I just buy a new hitch head with dual friction sway bar connections?

Thanks

[HanksLBZ]

Thanks everyone for the suggestion. I purchased and installed the system. Then took a 1000 mile round trip and it handled great. The hook/unhook was easy too.

[Wishin]

I hook and unhook at my house in a very un-level condition and it is not an issue at all with the Dual Cam. When parking my trailer the trailer is close to level, the truck is pointed down hill and sharp right from the trailer where I can barely fit between the corner of the bumper and the trailer. No issues.

I love the Dual Cam. My only gripe with it is the way it mounts, it could be more heavy duty. I had to beef mine up, but now is a great set-up.

[LIKE2BUILD]

HanksLBZ wrote:
I read a review that the Reese setup is a pain to hookup if not level and the truck and trailer not perfectly lined up. This would be for my toyhauler which most of the time I am taking it off-road on the most un-level areas.

I've never gone off-roading with my TT, but I've used my Dual Cam system for 11 years trouble free. The TT is 34' long and catches a lot of side winds and I've never encountered a sway condition.

I have hooked up on some unlevel camp sites or have needed to be at an angle to back up to the trailer. None of these scenarios have led to it being a pain to get connected. I just always use the same method:
1) Latch trailer coupler onto ball.
2) Use trailer tongue jack to raise up rear of tow vehicle. not off the ground, but a little above unloaded height.
3) Insert WD bars and lash up with snap-up brackets.
4) Wind up tongue jack and take off.

[PUCampin]

My parking spot next to my house does not allow for level straight hook ups. It is not an issue. Drop the tongue onto the ball, latch, then use the tongue jack to raise the trailer tongue up higher than normal. This allows the bars to be snapped up easily, if you do not raise the trailer with the tongue jack it will be nearly impossible to snap up the bars. Once set, raise the tongue jack. I have definitely traveled some un-level terrain and had no issues with the DC. When you do the initial set up, make sure there is good clearance with the cams and the frame. Initial set up with the DC takes some time and adjustments, but once set correctly is an excellent system.

[ktmrfs]

I've never had an issue with our dual cam off road on forest service roads or going to dispersed campsites. Now one issue with a WD hitch is that spring bar pressure is dependent on the bar angle. so if you end up with the combo with a "V" at the hitch point (TV and TT above the ball) rather than on a horizontal surface, there is more pressure on the spring bars and it can get wicked unhooking if your not careful. (Or hooking up for that matter).

I have had NO problems with the combo not being straight when hooking or unhooking. the bars will drop into the cam's properly once you straighten out.

My take, if your existing WD system hooks and unhooks ok when you are offroad and rides ok, then the DC will be fine and really no different hooking and unhooking or traveling offroad.

[Bob_Olallawa]

Much better sway control with the dual cam setup. A bit of extra effort to jack the tongue twice to get them off and then set up on site, but the added safety going down the highway is worth it.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Just disconnect the bars when you pull off the highway to go onto the dirt to find your camp spot. Problem solved, no need to spend more money.

[WyoTraveler]

Our previous TT we had the Reece straight line with dual cam. It was solid in high winds. We went over South Pass in WY with onver 40 mph cross winds. Out TT was only 5000 pounds but I was really impressed. We never drove off road but did drive on icy slick roads in WY in the winter. Hooking up wasn't that difficult in uneven areas. After latching the ball I jacked the rear upward prior to connecting the bars.

[1971duster340]

With that weight, a DC system would be noticeably better for sway vs. friction bars. Your other concern is a loaded question. How much twisting at the pivot point (hitch/ball) is expected? There is only so much give in the rigidity of bars, the hitch/ball connection or the entire WD system as it twist's.
Seems if it is too off-road, you would go slow and wouldn't be getting into the sway issue. I would just remove the bars at the start of the rough stuff.
When you install the system initially, the more level and straight, the better. Most people (me for one) don't understand the concept of the DC sway idea until it's installed. The instructions just say do these steps at these measurments. Well that's correct, but not practical. Where you initially mount (drill the holes) the actual DC's on the tongue is your call and is dictated by the level and straightness.
Once installed and setup, removing the bars or detaching the TT is no different than any WD system. Jack the tongue to get weight off the bars, remove the bars and retract the jack. If that spot is too unlevel it could be a challenge with any WD system.
Our TT days was a 31' Jayco (9500# gross), 1160# tongue wt. behind a 05 3500 Duramax...loved the DC vs. any of my previous WD systems.
Look into Reese Strait Line. I searched for DC installed images and found several where the bars to cams were incorrectly adjusted, so watch out.