Reese Dual Cam HP frame brackets

[HouseApe]

Ordered a new set and it’s new stock. Install instructions are revT 2017.

This kit has the rivenuts in it. Holding the frame brackets onto my frame and they do not appear to bent to the full 90 (I have radius corners). Seems like 88 degrees.

I’m worried that if I bolt the brackets in and torque to 75 pounds they will pull the brackets off the bottom of the frame slightly. They are supposed to be flat to the bottom.

Then I was thinking they did this because of the rivenuts head thinkness?

What’s the groups thoughts?

[HouseApe]

To close this story off. I got the new brackets and installed them today.
The new brackets where definitely at 90. The photos kind of show how the old ones where well over 90.

[HouseApe]

Yes I did not get why they said that either.
Anyway this is actually my second dual cam setup. My first one was a round bar and now have the titan 17K. Hopefully the new cam kit will square.

[JBarca]

The good news, they are sending you a new kit.

Odd they feel it is OK. Years back when I talked with them they wanted the entire DC frame plate flat against the bottom of the frame. Like what they say on sheet 6 of the current instructions for a channel iron frame. They spell it out it "MUST" be in bold letters.

See here https://www.reeseprod.com/support/installation/N26002.pdf

Odd they do not stress it like that on a tube frame. Maybe one too many tech writers doing the instruction updates. Years back their instructions left a lot to be desired. They are better now.

[HouseApe]

Reese is now sending me a new dual cam kit.
Was not easy. Had to send proof of purchase and photos of the issue first.
And they believe it would not case any issues they way it currently is!

[JBarca]

Nice pics,

I agree, your frame brackets are aggravating the cam out squareness issue.

This pic just shows it. Even the chain hanging shows it


Let us know how you make out with Reese. If you want to help this yourself, and you have a buddy in the metal fabrication business, they can put the brackets in a press and correct some of the issue. I have sent a lot of drawings to fab shops and a bend that far off is not what I call a low quality bend. It can be made square without a lot of effort the first time.

That said, it will more then likely work the way it is made, just I myself would address it. I know it can be made to work better. This is fab shop 101 to do a true 90 degree bend.

[HouseApe]

Thanks for all your feedback. I’ll call Reese today. The brackets are the issue.
Finally took some photos. Since the cam arms are at different angles I think they are loading one bar more than the other. And yes I have the bars marked L and R!

[ktmrfs]

John's advice is spot on. I also have about 1500lbs on my tongue. During intial setup first thing I did was put LARGE labels on the bars, Drivers side, Passenger side. My cams have worn like John's, I now have about 30K miles on the system, works well.

Since my frame it tube, I made a plate from 3/16" steel that fits inside the tube, slides down to line up with the bolts and has nuts welded to the plate. No rivnuts etc., just the bolts into the nuts welded on the plate and sandwiching the whole system.

[JBarca]

HouseApe wrote:
Well to update this I’m having an issue with my cam arms. They are not square to the frame and only have a ware pattern on the inside edge of the cam and the spring bar. After about 2000 miles the spring bar still has paint on the outside 1/2 edge of the V.

So it appears my initial concern was valid. I forgot to get some pictures.
This the 17K Reese Titan straight line and my actual tongue tongue weight is1680 lbs.

Hi,

I have several of the Reese DC hitches and have used them since 2003. The camper in my sig is also on a 17K system as I have 1,600# of loaded TW.

I'm still using the same cam arms since 2003, just the bars and head have changed from trailer to trailer.

I saw the same issue with the cam lobe not being square to the WD bar V notch and it would create the uneven wear you are seeing. And this was on the older HP DC of the 2003 vintage when the cam was machined true round and still made in the US.

What I found is you "need to" mark the left bar and the right bar so they "always" go on the same side as you set the cam adjustment too. The WD bars are forged and the V's are not machined. There are too many parts in the system not made accurate enough starting with the trailer A frame to ever have a true even wear in from new.

However, if you dial the DC spot on, it can be centered to allow the WD V notch to be centered on a new non perfect round cast steel cam. Use a flashlight to look for daylight on the front and back. It will be resting on the high spot. In time the cam will wear to be a perfect match to the WD bar V. Then over time, you have a true matched set but only if you always put the same WD bar on the same side. If not the wear pattern will start all over again. And there are no 2 WD bars the same exact length anyway.

See here when I was using 1,200# bars on the same cams. This is with 20K miles on the cams at this point.





The WD bars


As to your issue with the riv nuts, I really do not like them on a hitch this strong. Fortunately, I have 6" channel iron frame and I can through bolt the cam arms and the snap up brackets on. I had to shim out the cam arm due to the square corner on the channel iron, but the older Reese instructions even mentioned to do that. If your on a tube frame, I myself would create a through bolt (size to size on the bolt) setup and use a large washer plate on the tube inside.

On the out of square DC frame bracket, yes I have seen that too. It stinks from bad manufacturing. To try and use it, make sure one side has full contact to the bottom of the frame. Ideally the outside frame side. The other side will have air to the frame, but the one tight side will help with the loading. The cam arm will most likely flex the bracket flat to the bottom with a 1,600# WD bar load. This is most likely why Reese allows the +/- 2 degs.

Hope this helps

John

[HouseApe]

Yes I’ll call then again. I do have the same one as yours on the right hand side with the welded inside 90. The outside bend is the issue it’s not at 90. The radius is good and is not interfering with the corner of the frame.

I also have the nutcerts holding the cam brackets on.
My measured tongue weight is1,680 lbs and I have the 1,700 lbs bars.

[myredracer]

Try phoning Reese again. When I had our issue with the cam arm brackets they sent me new ones, no questions asked and no need to send them photos. They've had manufacturing issues with these in the past and it's a known problem. Below is a photo I what ours looked like at first. Unacceptable.

Another option would be to take them to a welding shop, get them to heat up the metal with a torch and bend it to 90 degrees. But if the bottom isn't flat, it's not going to be a good solution.

First photo shows the brackets I originally received when I bought the DC package and the replacements sent by Reese. Big difference! I don't understand how Reese could have let this stuff get out into the marketplace. Poor QC somewhere...

If you have the 17K setup and have a TW upwards of about 1200 lbs, I would NOT use Reese's forming screws. The A-frame tubing is quite thin and you won't get enough thread engaged which will end up loosening. The best solution IMO is to through-bolt through the A-frame tubing.

I cut away the end cover on the A-frame tubing. Made up a plate with nuts welded on one side. Welded a bolt to end of the plate. Welded a nut to the end of a piece of EMT tubing (after removing the plating). Pushed the EMT into the A-frame tubing and bolted it on with new bolts along with some loctite and tightened to 75 ft-lbs (IIRC). Plug-welded the plate onto the A-frame tubing, sanded down the welds and touched up with some paint.

Made some shims to match the radius between the bracket and A-frame tubing. Just took some 3/16" flat stock steel and ground the radius by hand with an angle grinder. End result is a very tight fit between brackets and A-frame. I did this 5 years ago and it has been good ever since.

Once you take the time to deal with the idiosyncrasies of the Reese DC, it's a truly excellent WDH. I love ours and how it performs.

[HouseApe]

TUCQUALA wrote:
Get some sheet metal approx the thickness of the rivet heads, make a couple of shims that fit around rivets, and bolt up!! Been using method on 2 different trailers for the past 9 yrs. No problems, PERIOD!!!!!

That’s not the issue. The issue is the cam frame bracket is not at 90 and is not sitting flat on the bottom of the frame causing the cam arm to be at an upward angle. I would have to make a tapered shim to correct this.

[TUCQUALA]

Get some sheet metal approx the thickness of the rivet heads, make a couple of shims that fit around rivets, and bolt up!! Been using method on 2 different trailers for the past 9 yrs. No problems, PERIOD!!!!!

[HouseApe]

This thread shows the issue I have straight out the box!

[HouseApe]

Well to update this I’m having an issue with my cam arms. They are not square to the frame and only have a ware pattern on the inside edge of the cam and the spring bar. After about 2000 miles the spring bar still has paint on the outside 1/2 edge of the V.

So it appears my initial concern was valid. I forgot to get some pictures.
This the 17K Reese Titan straight line and my actual tongue tongue weight is1680 lbs.