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Old 06-26-2011, 01:14 PM   #1
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Bent Snap-Up Bracket on Reese Dual Cam? (Solved)

For the second time in only three trips I’ve had a snap up bracket pry open at the top and nearly fall off of my frame while traveling. The first time was on our first (short) trip after installation. On the way home we stopped off at Camping World to have them take a look since they did the sale/install. They told me they had never seen this before and replaced the bent one with a brand new one. The next trip we had no problems. Then, this trip, the same thing happened again but to the other side. Has anyone else had this happen? Does anyone know WHY this is happening? Thanks.
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Old 06-26-2011, 06:01 PM   #2
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I had the same thing happen to me on my first trip. I replaced the bracket. The dealer claims that they overtightened the bracket (what is the recommended torque on these?) and reimbursed me for the replacement bracket. This makes me wonder if the bracket is designed to slide slightly if put in an unusual bind. I thought this was a Reese DC issue until my two camping buddies walked up about the time I discovered the issue. They have both had the issue and neither has a Reese DC setup. They both have typical WD hitches with single friction bars. They have both bolted their snap up brackets to their trailer frames. Since I am leaving Tuesday afternoon for my second outing, I will be watching this closely. I chose the Reese DC setup becuase it was the least expensive hitch I could find that resists sway before it happens. I also appreciate that it does not add an appreciable ammount of tongue weight to the truck. Some of the more expensive alternatives did. Both hitches have a lot of satisfied users and should work fine. I will post my results when I return. Now, where can i find that sanp up bracket torque spec?
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Old 07-01-2011, 10:56 AM   #3
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I've read when backing up with the dual cam into tight spots it's recommended to disconnect the bar's first. This might have something to do with it but not sure.
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Old 07-02-2011, 06:53 AM   #4
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Roger, I have a 3 year old reese and have never had this problem.
I back up with it on all the time and have made some pretty sharp turns
with no problem.
I suggest 2 things.....

Call Reese and see what they say.
Reese

2nd if you are parking or maneuvering where the trailer will be at a sharp
angle to your truck have someone else drive while you inspect the hitch.
Or at least stop and take a look at the chains and bars to see if
something is at a "funny" angle.
Maybe you will see something in a bind that will clue you to the cause.

With my light weight trailer I use the 800 LB bars.
I am guessing you have higher rated bars??
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Old 07-02-2011, 07:40 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coops1 View Post
I've read when backing up with the dual cam into tight spots it's recommended to disconnect the bar's first. This might have something to do with it but not sure.
There are certain conditions where a sharp turn will cause the spring bars to rub the yoke or the yoke bolt. Square spring bars and the coupler on top of a 6" tongue frame will lead to that, which I have. In addition, my trailer tongue is not on the same plane as my trailer frame, which can add to the problem. I have to use a 1" raised ball to help alleviate the problem of my spring bars hitting the yoke bolt, but they will still rub the yoke during a sharp turn.

There is enough clearance between the spring bars if you use the round bars, the coupler is on the bottom of the tongue frame, or if the frame is 5" or less.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Towing: Reese Dual Cam rub

I haven't heard of that condition causing the snap up bar to bend, but the stress of that rub may present itself in areas other than the yoke, so it sounds possible to me.
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Old 07-10-2011, 02:37 PM   #6
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Well we are on our third outing with our new trailer and I bent a snap-up bracket odd that I posted in a thread 10 days ago and then have it happen

A little history... when we bought our trailer we had asked for 1200 lbs bars (DHW 660 + 100 for propane + battery + gear = +800) and after getting it home we discovered they installed 800 lbs bars which was not what we paid for, we a made a call and they said they didn't have stock and would have to order them in.

Fair enough, off we go with the 800's for our first trip and have no problems. Second trip was to the scales with the new 1200's to test weight's and all was good. Yesterday we headed out and found the bent bracket when we arrived at our site.


One thing I can confirm is parking the trailer so far I haven't had any tight turns so I think this has happened while moving forward. So I've been racking my brain trying figure out when the cracking while turning left stopped...
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Old 07-11-2011, 12:22 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KyDan View Post
Roger, I have a 3 year old reese and have never had this problem.
I back up with it on all the time and have made some pretty sharp turns
with no problem.
I suggest 2 things.....

Call Reese and see what they say.
Reese

2nd if you are parking or maneuvering where the trailer will be at a sharp
angle to your truck have someone else drive while you inspect the hitch.
Or at least stop and take a look at the chains and bars to see if
something is at a "funny" angle.
Maybe you will see something in a bind that will clue you to the cause.

With my light weight trailer I use the 800 LB bars.
I am guessing you have higher rated bars??


Yes, we have the 1200 LB bars. We placed a call to our local Camping World and told them of the second snap up bracket bending and they were super helpful and put a replacement in the overnight mail to us. We received it and put it on prior to our trip home from Outer Banks, NC. Less than 1 hour down the road, we pulled into a Food Lion parking lot for a short stop. Upon pulling out with really only mild maneuvering around the islands in the parking lot, we heard the typical popping of the bars moving in and out on the cams. We continued to pull out onto the highway and wondered if all was still okay with the brackets. So, at the very next red traffic light my dw jumped out to have a quick look and low and behold, the brand new replacement snap up bracket was now bent in the exact same way!!!!! We were perplexed as #1) this should not be happening and #2) we had our entire 8 hour drive ahead of us with a very bent bracket. The bolt that tightens the bracket down (located on the inside of the frame) was now on a downward angle with the end that touches the hitch frame being only 1.5" from the top edge of the frame.

Got back on the road and immediately got on the phone with Reese. Talked to a guy named Dane who after getting all our specs said he could not imagine what would be causing it as the 1200 bars should easily be handling our load. So, he is putting a pair of "reinforced" snap up brackets in the mail to us. These have an upward flange that looks like it is supposed to minimize or prevent the snap up brackets from bending open. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

We have always removed the bars prior to backing into a site or backing down our driveway so that we do not put the bars in a bind...but simply maneuvering in a parking lot should absolutely NOT cause this. It seems to be happening when the truck is on one angle and the trailer in the opposite or at least that is our best assumption at this point.
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Old 07-11-2011, 04:04 AM   #8
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Send the hitch back for a refund, then purchase a Equalizer 4PT-Anti-sway hitch. They work great and nothing to bend!
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Old 07-11-2011, 06:49 AM   #9
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How about some pictures of the bent snap up brackets, and also of the entire setup ???
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Old 07-11-2011, 07:05 AM   #10
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We need a photo of your hitch area while it's hitched.
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Old 07-11-2011, 10:17 AM   #11
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Will try to get a photo in the next couple days. Trailer is unhooked but you'll be able to see the snap up bracket and how it bent.
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Old 07-11-2011, 11:05 AM   #12
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How many chain links under tension are you using ??

Be careful that the free hanging chain link nearest the snap-up bracket is free to move around. I have seen several pictures of people that have that chain link in a bind....in other words, above the chain link under tension instead of at the bottom of that link hanging loose.
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Old 07-11-2011, 11:42 AM   #13
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What I really want to see is a side shot photo of your rig hitched
up ready to roll.

There has got to be some interference there somewhere.
It's not just the weight on the WD bar chain that's bending the
bracket.
The bar or chain must be tangling in something else.

A side photo of the rig hitched would be real helpful.
And one from above looking down would be nice too.....
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Old 07-11-2011, 12:34 PM   #14
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Here's a couple photos of mine. Bent Bracket and #2
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Old 07-11-2011, 12:40 PM   #15
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Yep, our bracket looks just like yours, Coops1 - except that our bolt was even straighter up and down.
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Old 07-11-2011, 12:58 PM   #16
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Wow......I just couldn't picture what it looked like.

The only thing I can think of is that the bolt is not tight enough to "cut" into the frame. Other that that, I don't have the foggiest.
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Old 07-11-2011, 01:18 PM   #17
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We were "told" by the install guy at CW in Winchester that you don't want to "over tighten" these bolts. He said to tighten them to snug and then go only one more turn as it was not good to over tighten them. But now, this has happened twice with brackets installed by CW and once to the one we had to put on ourselves in the Outer Banks.
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Old 07-11-2011, 01:19 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KyDan View Post
What I really want to see is a side shot photo of your rig hitched
up ready to roll.

There has got to be some interference there somewhere.
It's not just the weight on the WD bar chain that's bending the
bracket.
The bar or chain must be tangling in something else.

A side photo of the rig hitched would be real helpful.
And one from above looking down would be nice too.....
Nope, our chain hangs off, loose, straight down. Nothing to get caught up or bound between the bars at all.
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Old 07-11-2011, 01:23 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnguy View Post
How many chain links under tension are you using ??

Be careful that the free hanging chain link nearest the snap-up bracket is free to move around. I have seen several pictures of people that have that chain link in a bind....in other words, above the chain link under tension instead of at the bottom of that link hanging loose.
Dane, at Reese, said they recommend that there should be no more than (6) links in between the cam U-bolt and the snap up bracket. We have been right at link #6 but at the start of our return trip from OBX, tried link #5 so as to throw a bit more weight to the front of the truck. After discovering the 3rd bracket bent just an hour down the road, we put it back to #6 for the remainder of the drive home. Just wanted to go back to what we had been doing and not wanting to try something new. The previous two snap up brackets bent when we were on link #6.
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Old 07-11-2011, 01:30 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Look'in To Ecapé View Post
Dane, at Reese, said they recommend that there should be no more than (6) links in between the cam U-bolt and the snap up bracket.
Hmmm, I am pretty sure my instructions stated a minimum of 5 links under tension.....and I don't think there was a maximum. Either way, with 5 or 6 links, that should not cause the problem.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Look'in To Ecapé View Post
We were "told" by the install guy at CW in Winchester that you don't want to "over tighten" these bolts. He said to tighten them to snug and then go only one more turn as it was not good to over tighten them.
I can understand that over-tightening could weaken the metal.
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