Do I NEED sway control??

[SteveH]

Perry,

I've owned and used both types of the Reese Dual Cam, both new and the older type, and don't worry about anything "popping out". The design uses friction and additional lift on the WD bars to help dampen sway, and they are relatively problem free.

There have been a few situations where the cam arms have bent, and a few reported broken WD bars, but for the most part, they are a good hitch. I would say they are probably the best if you don't go to a ProPride or Hensley projection pivot point type of hitch. However, they can be a PITA to adjust, especially the newer design, and if they are not adjusted perfectly, they don't control sway worth a flip.

Read the first post in this thread for a procedure that works: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ams-52579.html

[Inland RV Center, In]

Over the course of better than 46 years, it's usually very obvious to me, when you see a Reese dual cam sway control, augmented supposedly by an additional friction sway control, and sometimes two of them.

The bend in the Reese torsion (tension) bars is almost non existent.

That being the case, they provide little assistance towards sway control.

When Reese bars bend at least 1 1/2 inches or more, when in a straight line, the sway control provided by the dual cam setup, will be at maximum.

The load equalizing bars, (torsion, tension,) MUST appreciably bend in order for the dual cam to be effective.

When they do adequately bend, the addition of the friction sway control is not necessary.

However, usually you will find that when a rig has the Reese dual cam ideally set up, as well as two friction type sway controls, that owner has experienced a sway, and therefore has added everything they can, at least in their opinion, to minimize a future sway.

Once again, it's all up to a persons personal opinion as to what right or wrong, and why, and the risks they wish to take, or not take.

Andy

[perryg114]

Can I add this to an older hitch or do I have to have the current setup? I have a Reese hitch that is probably decades old. I actually have two of these hitches nearly identicle to each other. The both of them use the square load bars. I have a set of 750 lb load bars and a set of heavier ones. I expect they are at least 1000lb rated but they look beefier than that. They were definately over kill for my Excursion. I was looking for a dual cam owner's manual on the Reese web sight and I could not find one.

Perry

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Can I add this to an older hitch or do I have to have the current setup? I have a Reese hitch that is probably decades old. I actually have two of these hitches nearly identicle to each other. The both of them use the square load bars. I have a set of 750 lb load bars and a set of heavier ones. I expect they are at least 1000lb rated but they look beefier than that. They were definately over kill for my Excursion. I was looking for a dual cam owner's manual on the Reese web sight and I could not find one.

Perry

Perry.

The dual cam sway control parts can still be added to the old hitches.

You can measure the top of the bars as they enter the trunion, to determine their ratings.

1 inch = 550/600 pounds.
1 1/8 inch = 700-750 pounds.
1 1/4 inch = 900/1000 pound bars.

The first number is without the dual cam, and the second set of numbers are with the dual cam.

Andy

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Can I add this to an older hitch or do I have to have the current setup? I have a Reese hitch that is probably decades old. I actually have two of these hitches nearly identicle to each other. The both of them use the square load bars. I have a set of 750 lb load bars and a set of heavier ones. I expect they are at least 1000lb rated but they look beefier than that. They were definately over kill for my Excursion. I was looking for a dual cam owner's manual on the Reese web sight and I could not find one.

Perry

Perry,

You can add the cams to your older hitch, but if you have the older bars that are straight on the ends, you will have to add the bolt-on cams that Reese made for those bars.

[r carl]

This is my set up, is it called reese high performance dual cam? I had a choice of 600, 800, or 1200 bars. I see it as the best for 5 or 6 hundred dollars.

[DMT]

Originally Posted by r carl

This is my set up, is it called reese high performance dual cam? I had a choice of 600, 800, or 1200 bars. I see it as the best for 5 or 6 hundred dollars.

Looks like mine. I think the trade name by Reese is "Strait-Line" weight distributing hitch.

Andy, this is about how much my 800# bars bend. Is it enough, or should I adjust to get more?

Don

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by DMT

Looks like mine. I think the trade name by Reese is "Strait-Line" weight distributing hitch.

Andy, this is about how much my 800# bars bend. Is it enough, or should I adjust to get more?

Don

Place a straight edge on the bottom of the bar.

Then see how much the bend is just before the cam bend.

A goal of about 1 1/2 inches provides amazing results.

Andy

[Gene]

I understand you cannot back up with certain hitches, though all I know is the Equalizer is not one of them. I imagine that affects which ones people buy. I don't know why you can't back up but that seems to me a very good reason not to buy those.

Gene

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I understand you cannot back up with certain hitches, though all I know is the Equalizer is not one of them. I imagine that affects which ones people buy. I don't know why you can't back up but that seems to me a very good reason not to buy those.

Gene

Gene,

You are not supposed to back up with the friction slide type sway control without taking it off. If you jack-knife the rig, you could bend the brackets or the slide control, but I used to back up all the time with the one I had and sustained no damage as result....I just did not jack-knife it.

Usually when these things get bent, the ball bracket has been installed too far foward on the trailer tongue causing the friction slide to bottom out when the tow vehicle turns too far to that side.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Gene,

You are not supposed to back up with the friction slide type sway control without taking it off. If you jack-knife the rig, you could bend the brackets or the slide control, but I used to back up all the time with the one I had and sustained no damage as result....I just did not jack-knife it.

Usually when these things get bent, the ball bracket has been installed too far foward on the trailer tongue causing the friction slide to bottom out when the tow vehicle turns too far to that side.

I know about the no back up rule. But for me a rule is just begging a challenge. I must admit previously the ball thingy was too forward and caused me to bend the thick cast iron on the hitch where it's partner is.

Taking off the friction bar before backing is best practice. Usually I'm in too much of a hurry or too lazy or both. Not the best personality traits. As Arlo Guthrie said "you can't always do what you are supposed to do".

[DMT]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Place a straight edge on the bottom of the bar.

Then see how much the bend is just before the cam bend.

A goal of about 1 1/2 inches provides amazing results.

Andy

Thanks. I'll check when it comes out of storage in the spring.

[Relentless]

I have an Equalizer and back out of my storage shed every time I use the trailer. Because of tight quarters, I need to jack knife while backing, of course very slowly. After 4 years I have not had any issues except for a lot of creaking and groaning.

John

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

I know about the no back up rule. But for me a rule is just begging a challenge. I must admit previously the ball thingy was too forward and caused me to bend the thick cast iron on the hitch where it's partner is.

Taking off the friction bar before backing is best practice. Usually I'm in too much of a hurry or too lazy or both. Not the best personality traits. As Arlo Guthrie said "you can't always do what you are supposed to do".

My towing guru says that it isn't necessary to take the friction bars off when backing up, at least not on his installations. I do, though, because our bars can be noisy. Well, if I remember I do.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by Relentless

After 4 years I have not had any issues except for a lot of creaking and groaning.

John

You? or the friction bar?

[graysailor]

It would be nice if people who are posting would not add links to advertising unless that link pertained to the topic of discussion.

[abutters]

We have the same model Airstream and it pulls very nicely by virtue of the sway control. We were recently in the Keys for a month, and happened to be moving from one state park to another, crossing all those bridges in a 40 mph crosswind. Although not as sophisticated as the Hensley, our Reese Dual Cam system kept my truck and trailer on a straight course without much movement at all.
I dare say the people traveling in the opposite lane were also happy I had sway control.

[BAB]

Sway control is just a basic necessity for an Airstream. Safety AND comfort make this mandatory.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by BAB

Sway control is just a basic necessity for an Airstream. Safety AND comfort make this mandatory.

PLUS covering a liability to your family and or passengers.

Andy

[Matt Kline]

I stay off the interstates if at all possible. Probably less than 100 miles on Alaska trip, and maybe 100 to Newfoundland.
We are retired and this is supposed to be fun. We meander around on secondary roads getting a feel for the people and places. Every interstate in every state is about the same in my opinion, and I HATE the danged trucks. Drove one for ten years in my early days and know how hard it is to stop 80,000 pounds. In my day we were governed to 62 mph. Now the sky is the limit and it's not safe.