# Reese Dual Cam Hp Setup Question



## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

I've got a question about the dealer setup on my Reese Dual Cam HP setup with 1200# spring bars.

The dealer installed the above system (aka Strait Line). It seemed to perform fine on the drive home from the dealer. When I went to unhook, I ran into a small problem. After I jack the TV and TT up to remove the spring bars, I canâ€™t' rotate the hanger bracket around the end of the spring bar. There is no tension on the spring bars at this point and the TV and TT are in a straight line. I had to remove the u-bolts to get the bars off. Same problem on trying to re-install.

I have read through the Reese installation instructions and have come to the conclusion that the snap-up brackets are too close to the hitch and need to be moved back and then have the cams readjusted.

I just wanted to bounce this off of you guys and see if you think Iâ€™m on the right track.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Jim


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## Sigearny (Aug 20, 2005)

I might be missing something but after you release the over-center thingy. you just have to unhook the chain whichever link you are hooked on and wallah. Then you can rotate your bars to be perpendicular with the TT TV and lower them till you can take them off. I have to jack mine up also to make it easier to lock the over center mechinism.


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

The only time I have been unable to remove my bars was when my rig was parked in a "V" - trailer was nose-down and TV was nose-up. I don't know if that helps at all, but that's all I got!


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

If you are straight and you cannot get the bars out of the locks then there is no way the cam is locked correctly. The U part of the chain is 5 to 6 in long and from the cam location to the back of the bar, there should be around 3 to 4 in of steel.

Can you snap a picture?

John


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

I have a photo, but I'm having trouble getting it posted.

Jim


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

I know whatcha mean. Sometimes if I'm not parked in a straight line you can't get the end of the chain plates to swing past the end of one of the WD bars. You can indeed fiddle with it by pulling the cam arm down and get it to release.

One time I got fed up with it and just drove the truck foward about 2' and pulled the WD bars off the cams that way


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## outbackmac (Feb 1, 2005)

Speaking of set up. is it normal to see wear on the cams?


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

macfish said:


> Speaking of set up. is it normal to see wear on the cams?


Yea, Reese says you can put a lttle vaseline on them for noise and wear.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy my Equal-i-zer setup?









But seriously Jim, I would like to see a picture or two. I'm not real clear on what it is that's binding.
I'm not sure what the posting problem is right now, but it should be solved soon!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

The chain brackets should be vertical when connected.

Never had your problem either. Maybe tap with a hammer on the plate thingy??

My bars have wear spots, as well as the chain bracket that they slide on.

good luck
kevin


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

PDX_Doug said:


> Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy my Equal-i-zer setup?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


GRRRRR







I just spent 5 minutes writing up a detailed explanation and then the server dumped my response when posted. I'm not going to re-do it, I'll just try and post a picture at another time









I still think there is a problem going on with the board that is unresolved.


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## BenandTina (Jul 13, 2005)

If you are trying to do what I think you are, my cams are loose enough to push them down and push the bar over where I can turn the cam thingy that has the chains on it and get them loose. If that is not what you are asking, let me know and I will try to help you.
Ben

My bad. After reading your message again it looks like you don't have the HP cams. It sounds like the ball on your hitch needs to be tilted. The bars should be parallel to the trailer frame when hooked up. If they are angled up the hitch is out of adjustment.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

BenandTina said:


> My bad. After reading your message again it looks like you don't have the HP cams.


Maybe some further explanation is on order from the original poster. There actually are little "U" bolts that attach the chain to the cam connector plate on the HP system. Sometimes the end of these won't want to allow the plate to spin off and instead hits the end of the WD bar. I think you may have had it right. I too just drop the cam down and then spin it off if it gets in the way.


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

Ok let's see if we can skin this cat differently.










Jim


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

OK, I just looked at my sons HD set up. The U bolt should be on the outside and the nuts inside. This should give it clearance to lower past the bars.

John


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## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

John, I have the HD setup and you are correct. The U bolt on the outside and the nuts on the inside.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Yup, exactly.

I agree with John, filp the chain plate over so the bend in the "U" points out, and the bolt ends point in. This will indeed give you a little more clearance.

Also, your cams need to be adjusted so that they sit right in the middle of the bend in the bar. If the cams are even 3/8" too far forward you may not have the room you need to spin that plate off. The clearance is normally very close.

Again, worse case scenario if you are really stuck: release the WD chain tension, disconnect the safety chains and electric from the truck and just slowly drive off. I had to do this once when I parked in a jack-knife position and didn't feel like fooling with it.

Fooling with it involves turning the cam plate straight up, dropping the cam just a little, pushing the WD bar inwards until it touches the cam arm, then you will have enough clearance to get it off.


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

Well it came from the dealer with one u-bolt facing in and the other facing out. The directions clearly have them facing in. If they are facing out, I could get clearance if I cut of the last couple of threads.

Jim


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## BenandTina (Jul 13, 2005)

If I remember correctly, the instructions have the u-bolt in and the nuts facing out.


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## BenandTina (Jul 13, 2005)

I stand corrected. I just looked at the instructions online and the nuts are to be to the inside with u-bolt to the outside. Sorry!


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

It's amazing, one picture truely is worth a thousand words. We could have discussed this forever, but post a photo and the Reese experts have the problem solved quick as a wink. Great going guys!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

I'm gonna through this out here and see what happens.....

My directions say to have the u-bolt facing out, but the illustration clearly shows the u-bolt on the inside...

I was just reading a thread somewhere else on the Net that said the same thing.....they recommended having the u-bolt on the inside and the nuts on the outside to gain clearance.









Steve

For the record, mine has the nuts facing out.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

huntr70 said:


> For the record, mine has the nuts facing out.


...it's like tee ball around here sometimes.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Well at least in his picture (below), you can clearly see that the bolt ends are only about 1/2 as tall as the "bended" side. He will get more clearance with the threads facing in. Although, if his cam was in the middle of the bend in the bar it wouldn't really matter.


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

The cam is in the bend of the bar when the bar is up in position. I don't understand how the bend in the bar could be over the cam in the unloaded position (TV & TT jacked up as in picture) and in the loaded position (with the chains in place on the snap up brackets and 5 links hanging and no jack in use). Am I missing something?

Jim


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## 4H1DinaOB (Jan 5, 2006)

Both U-bolts are facing in on my HD Reese setup and I have run into this situation a couple of times while either hooking or unhooking. I found that by raising the tongue jack even further (while still connected to the TV) it would pull the bars forward and allow the U-bolt to clear.

Jonathan


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Doft said:


> The cam is in the bend of the bar when the bar is up in position. I don't understand how the bend in the bar could be over the cam in the unloaded position (TV & TT jacked up as in picture) and in the loaded position (with the chains in place on the snap up brackets and 5 links hanging and no jack in use). Am I missing something?
> 
> Jim


When the load is taken off the bars the cam drops down with it and should stay almost in place as it follows the bar down. It (the cam) will slide slightly out of the center of the bar "socket", but I don't think it should move as far as I see in your picture. Perhaps your truck & trailer were also out of alignment in that shot ?? That would definately explain the movement.

All that aside, you can still get it disconnected by following my earlier instructions above.

Good Luck


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

California Jim said:


> Although, if his cam was in the middle of the bend in the bar it wouldn't really matter.


Jim,

I may be wrong on this (being an Equal-i-zer guy), but the bend in the bar will only be centered over the cam when traveling in a straight line. When turning, the bar will slide forwards or backwards over the cam. Isn't this the whole concept of what makes the system work? Turning causes the bar to move 'up' on the cam, which in turn creates greater tension on the bar and more resistance to turning?

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks for all of the help guys. I'm going to just setup the whole system from scratch with the instructions and see where that gets me. It'll be a week or so before I get it done. I'll let you know what the reults are.

Jim


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## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

I also see in the picture the U bolts are not even tight.

Make sure as per the instuctions you torque the U-bolts and pinch the chain link.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

kjdj said:


> I also see in the picture the U bolts are not even tight.
> 
> Make sure as per the instuctions you torque the U-bolts and pinch the chain link.


I just walked outside and looked at mine, the threads run out on the u-bolt before the chain will pinch.

Steve


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## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

Let me add a different take. My threads are in. My wife hooked up the camper on our trip a week ago and put them out. When you actually looked at the guide plate with the threads in out position it was tilted at about a 10-15degree angle away from vertical when it was all hooked up (chain was not coming vertically down from the lock). When I put threads in, then the chain is vertically down and the guide is not tilted. I worry that if the guide is tilted it will place excess strain on the point in which it hooks onto the cam.

That said, I tightned my nuts down and pinched the chain (some folks u bolt might be different, not fully threaded, etc). Perhaps you could get new U bolts that thread deeper so you can pinch the chain down. Then you can saw off the excess thread (just did that last week).

Prior to sawing off the excess thread, I would have to manually force the cam down some and that allowed the WD bar to move inward a little and then the guide could clear the bar end.

Danny


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