Reese dual sway and w/d hitch

[bob34787]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Bob, I live very close to I-80, and I take it pretty regularly. I see all kinds of RVs being towed by delivery companies taking them from Elkhart Indiana to destinations west. Many of them I've seen are unsafe as evidenced by their propensity to sway (these are new, white box trailers), and IMHO shouldn't be on the road. Some of them are fine. Some of them have HUGE 5th wheel trailers on 3/4 ton trucks that should clearly be on a 1 ton dually. The tow with what they drive, whether the setup is suitable or safe or not.

I'm not too sure I'd be really quick use RV delivery folks as a shining example of what to do or not do.

Roger

I agree, however my point is that I do not think they have wrecks on a routine basis or they would choose a different setup. I have had mine on I4 at 70+ without sway bars and have had no problems. My truck is bigger than a dodge ram but than again his unit is smaller, unless he is going to be doing a lot of interstate driving he should be fine. He can at least pick up his trailer and find out if there is too much sway for him, at 900.00 he can get a hitch installed anywhere. All opinions expressed are from my own experience and should be viewed as such, when I was not retired I drove about 45,000 miles a year so I might feel more comfortable in situations that make others nervous.

[SteveH]

I own a late model Reese Dual Cam hitch and use it to tow my '01 25' Excella with a 1/2 ton GMC Ex Cab pickup, and although it's finally working good, I would recommend another brand/model of hitch.

IMHO, the RDC hitch is just too difficult to get setup and adjusted properly, and if it's not adjusted properly, the dual cam sway control is just there for looks and ballast.

You see, in years past I had the earlier model of the hitch...the one where the cam plates were bolted to the "A" frame with "U" bolts, and it worked great, and was easy to adjust, so I naturally assumed the newer updated model would be the same, or better. It is not. Believe me when I say if you follow Reese's instructions on how to adjust the cams, it will not work correctly.

I worked with my hitch off and on for about 9 months before I figured out a procedure to adjust the cams that would work and make the anti-sway portion of the hitch work the way it was supposed to. I have a very short thread on this section of the forum that explains my "procedure" in detail if you want to look it up.

If I were doing it all over, I would probably buy a ProPride, and be done with it. Yes, they are expensive, but so was 9 months of my time fiddeling with the RDC.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Just when did how fast you can go became a criteria for how safe your rig is?

NO dealership will take the time too set your rig up properly.

When I decided on the Hensley I was very concerned about all the talk about how hard it was to get set-up correctly and the time it would take to hitch-up.

Read the Manual twice before installing.

After using measurements to get the preliminary settings, and a trip to the scales fully loaded, no other adjustments, with the exception of the jack bars, to compensate for varying weights to get the trailer level have been necessary.

10min alone yesterday hooking-up to move on the pad, familiarity=proficiency.

This isn't Rocket Science after all, do your homework, learn the proper methods for the system you are using. If your not comfortable while on the road or getting there isn't enjoyable, what's the point?

Stream Safe

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Just my opinion, but if the dealer is trying to get you to sign disclaimers, they are probably just trying to sell you a hitch. This doesn't mean that you don't need one or wouldn't benefit from using one, but I think this dealer is just trying to pad the deal.

If it were me, I'd shop around for another Airstream dealer, or at least another hitch installer if you decide that you need a w/d hitch.

I shopped the entire USA for our Airstream.

We purchased from Colonial Airstream simply because they knew what they were doing and knew how to take care of their customers.

Oh ya, we were living on the left (west) coast at the time. We drove the 3,000 miles to New Jersey to pick up our new trailer.

As for their asking people to sign forms related to hitches and their vehicles, I could not DISAGREE WITH YOU MORE!

They do this to ensure that their customers have some sort of clue about the ramifications of towing a trailer.

They do this to ensure that their customers have bothered to look at the towing capacity of their proposed tow vehicle.

They do this so their customers will understand what hitch options are available to them and to give them the opportunity to learn about hitch systems.

They do indeed install hitch systems.

I purchased my hitch on line because I could get it cheaper. They installed it. I could not find anyone who would install the Reese Dual Cam hitch for a better price.

IMNSHO Colonial Airstream is one class act.

They treat their customers very well both before and after the sale. Wish the same could be said for Airstream dealers in the Pacific North West.

Buckaroo, who apologies for the emotion in this post...

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

NO dealership will take the time too set your rig up properly.

Stream Safe

Actually, Robert, Kramer's Kampers north of Chicago did exactly that for us when we bought the Bigfoot... and they did it as part of the deal. It was a great experience, and the tow home was awesome.

Roger

[overlander64]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

NO dealership will take the time too set your rig up properly.

Ace Fogdall RV in Cedar Falls, Iowa did an excellent install job on my Reese Dual Cams/Strait-Line Hitch on my Cadillac, and they made the fine adjustments to the Reese Dual Cams/Strait-Line Hitch on my Suburban. The only time that I have had to tamper with my hitch is when I have repainted the hitches. (The Cadillac was setup with my Minuet while the Suburban was setup with my Suburban)

Kevin

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by overlander64

(. . . . . the Suburban was setup with my Suburban)

Kevin

I'm sure glad we got that figured out. .

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Actually, Robert, Kramer's Kampers north of Chicago did exactly that for us when we bought the Bigfoot... and they did it as part of the deal. It was a great experience, and the tow home was awesome.

Roger

EXACLTY, and I'm sure your not alone in that regard.

[Sean Woodruff]

A dealership requiring a "release" to be signed isn't all that uncommon. It is becoming more and more common.

The dealership ALWAYS gets a piece of the liability in a sway accident. That's just the world we live in. The irony is that the "release" probably won't do much good if something did occur because the case would be settled long before the "release" would help.

[slowmover]

[QUOTE I just purchased a new Dodge Ram Hemi with built in sway control and did not think I needed such. The tongue and trailer weight are both in the middle of my truck's capacity and I presently tow without a w/d or sway control.
Is this true, that you must use one if you tow an airstream?[/QUOTE]

I'll write this only a bit jokingly: What does your Dodge Owners Manual say in regards Tongue Weight, Weight Distribution and such behind that Hemi . . jokingly because my poor little 3/4T Cummins requires a WD Hitch when TW exceeds 350lbs, (even if it is just a loaded landscape trailer; trailer type is irrelevant) according to the 2004 Owners Manual.

It would never occur to me to move a trailer where a WDH (with antisway) could be used since the experience is so much better (by any definition). Let go of any irritation and look forward to making your rig as roadworthy as possible. And that possibility can be realized on this forum by reading threads and asking questions as you verify your hitch rigging with weight scale numbers.

The day I took my 34' trailer 100 miles to have a Hensley installed was done without antisway connected, and the WDH was disconnected. It took, I found, the exact same motions (on an abbreviated time/distance scale) to "twitch" the back of that trailer into other traffic lanes as it did when I pulled a 53' flatbed or van when over-the-road as a professional driver.

With the proper hitch I could no more shake that trailer loose than I could my own shadow.

[Clyde-2]

Someone once told me (but I cannot confirm) that you can be convicted of vehicular manslaughter if you are in an accident pulling a trailer with an under-rated hitch set up. We towed our first TT home (33' Flagstaff) with a 2007 1/2 crew cab GMC. No WD setup or sway bars. Fortunately it was only 50 miles home and we averaged about 45 mph. Truck was squatting like crazy. Learned our lesson quickly. Now have a 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban and Reese DC Straightline. Picking up our 2007 25' Safari SE on Monday . Can't wait to get a real "home away from home" and turn heads while we travel !! Will retain the Reese system, dealer is transfering over to our Safari for us.