Has anyone had any issues with their HP dual cam distribution system? I have had two failures and I am getting the feeling that I am not the only one. Just Curious.
Reese has seen my setup, I have had my unit too a Reese distributer and installation center and also been in contact with Reese themsleves. Not the RV dealer. They all agree that it is set up the way it should be. Weights are all within the specs according to Reese. The first failure I had was a cam arm snapped in two. The second failure I had was on the bottom of the hitch head assembly where the distribution arms lock in. The whole assembley snapped at the weld during an approach, the truck and trailer were in a straight line. I guess I would like to know why Reese has changed the head assembley to a newer one if they haven't had problems. This has all been done under warrenty ironically.
Never heard of the problem. I have used the same setup for almost 3 years, 20K miles and no problem yet. Did you take the TT to the scales? Hope they are covering the costs. John
I have weighed everything truck, trailer, tounge, axles etc. I am not buying the fact that it is a setup issue. I am seriously considering going with a different system soon. It is not so much cost factor to me, it is a safety factor.
By "distribution," I think you mean the spring bars.
Ken
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I have a HP dual cam and to date have no issues and I check often.
Is it possible you can post your weights/data/how the TV was being used when the failure occurred? A pic of the failure showing where it failed would be great if at all possible. If you do not have a web site to post pic's let me know and I will post for you. We all learn when something like this happens.
To start I'll post mine, as like I said I have had no issues with mine and trust me I have totally investigated all my WD hitch, receiver and TV setup to what I know on how the system was suppose to be setup. If there is something hidden in the way this systems works, I would truly like to learn what so I can correct it.
I have: Year 2004 vintage
1200# bars with HP trunnion style head with DC using a 6" Reese drop shank. Grease ball, trunnions and use Vaseline on cams. Torqued hitch head bolts to shank to Reese Spec of 300 ft/lb#. Snap up brackets also bolted to frame due to 1200# tongue as Reese recommends.
Hitch head rated 1,700# Drop shank rated 1,200# WD rating.
TT weighs 6,400#, 26 feet long.
Tongue: 1,200#
Using TV in the Sig to pull it. Tow at 60 MPH.
I have set the WD setup using truck scale to know that I have transferred the weight back to the front axle to match unhitched weight. I am transfering 460# forward to the front axles.
Do you know how much weight you are transferring?
It is hard to fathom that you broke one of the HP cam arms. I'm not doubting you as you have the 2 broken parts to show this. Where did did break?
Here is a pic of my setup. Is your like this or another style?
Hope this helps
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
Something else just went off in my head on what may be common to why your cam arm and hitch head may have broke.
IS there enough clearance between the TT frame and the Trunnion Cast lug part to do a complete turn up to the point of jackknife?
Meaning can you jack knife the TV and TT and NOT bind up the trunnion head into the frame causing heavy stresses into the head and cam arm. Basically your fender will crunch first.
See pic below as mine was originally not set up right and it did not take much turn and I was hitting the frame. Now after adjusting the setup I no longer hit the frame. Even during a jack knife that will crunch my TV fender, the trunion lug still does not hit. Before I adjusted it, it could hit and I was not in a jack knife. It could of hit under sharp turning.
When I was hanging on 4 links of chain I would hit here at 57 degrees of turn. A hard hit. It shows the hit here.
Here is a top shot showing the 54 degrees when the head hit.
Then I dropped to 5 links and it gave me more clearance and I now have 74 degrees of turn and even during this the cast lug head slides under the frame. No more hit. See pic.
If yours does not have this clearance setup when you turn it can put a real hard stress both into the cam arm and the hitch head and maybe break both as the TV is supplying the force to break during a sharp turn. Since you do not hear any clunk or jack knife, you may not have realized the system hit. Did you personally check this?
On my 5" channel frame I need to run with 5 links hanging to get this clearance. Your frame maybe is different and needs more to get this same clearance.
The hitch installer may or may not of checked this. You have to do this check with the head in the ball like my pic and not in the truck. My dealer never did this and they are a Reese rep. I no longer go to them for hitch help. I had to find the hit.
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