Yet another reason I won't let my dealer touch my trailer

[Bobbo]

This is one reason why I don’t trust my RV dealer. It was Southaven RV in Southaven, MS. I bought my trailer new and they said they would install a weight distribution hitch as part of the deal. I had them install a Reese Strait-Line hitch with Dual Cam Sway Control. That was 3 seasons and 11,500 miles ago. A couple of days ago, I pulled into a campground in Canada, 1,500 miles from home, and found this. (Narrative continued below the picture.)



Reese specs vs their install:
Bolts 1/2” x 1.5” – used 5/16” x 1”
Grade 5 – used grade 1
Lock washer – nope
Rivet nut – nope, drilled holes and used self threading bolts

Bolt on the backside of other trailer side was tight and had jam nut tight. This side, bolt loose, jam nut halfway up bolt.

I avoided disaster here. One bolt was gone, the other was about 1/4” out from the bracket. Both holes in the frame were stripped out.

I had to drill the holes out and tap them for 3/8” bolts. I did use 3/8” x 1.5” grade 5 bolts and lock washers and tightened the bolt on the back side and tightened jam jut. This was just a temporary fix to get me home. Once home, I will re-do them both to Reese specs.

[ScottG]

One of mine came loose as well and when *I* installed them they were tight. Because I thought my install was good and it still loosened, I modified it as shown above.
I chaulked it up to the extreme forces being put on the brackets but but maybe I was incompetant.

[dodge_guy]

Reese supplies all the hardware. The bolts are self threading. Drill the hole to the appropriate size and then run the self tapping bolt in and torque it. I had mine on 2 trailers with the same hardware. The last trailer it was on for 13 years and never loosened up. I did check them once in a great while, but they were always tight. I do believe they screwed up the install somehow, but it should’ve been caught earlier than this!

[DutchmenSport]

I tend to agree with the other posters here. You are calling "foul" on a dealership you used from 3 years ago and over 11,000 miles ago? Um... I don't think so.

I no longer have a travel trailer, but after many years of TT ownership and 3 different TT's at that, I always checked my WD system over carefully. After 10 years and on the 3rd TT, the hitch head bent (age, wear? who knows?) It was a Reese old style, bars with chain and separate friction sway bar. As soon as I realized the hitch head was not straight any more, I got a new WD system immediately. Went with the Equal-i-zer. I can't blame the original dealership for the bent hitch head after 10 years of use. But I am glad I inspected everything, almost every time I hitched up.

[Dave_H_M]

K Charles wrote:
No such thing as a grade one bolt.

OK, I am familiar with grade 3 and 5 and how the head is marked.

So what grade are the ones that have no marking on the head and are sold by the pound? The cheapest and the softest?

[romore]

ScottG wrote:
Not the dealers fault. the hitch came with those bolts.
You should check them from time to time to make sure they haven't loosened.

X2 You can't reasonably hold the dealer accountable after that length of time, maintenance is your responsibility.

[ScottG]

There are a lot of situations where you can't through-bolt.
In my case the bolt ends up in the webbing of the C channel that makes up my toungue. For most, using the self tapping screws would work fine as long as they're checked once in a while.
I ended up tapping the C channel and using grade 5 bolts - the frame is at least as thick as a bolt, more so at the webbing. Then I painted everything black and used some red touch up paint to make a mark so I can readily see if the bolt has moved.

[K_Charles]

No such thing as a grade one bolt.

[ScottG]

Not the dealers fault. the hitch came with those bolts.
You should check them from time to time to make sure they haven't loosened.