failing tapping screws on Reese Dual Cam :(

[boubou]

Reese Dual Cam WD/Sway control hitch with 800 Trunnion bars (need to change to 1200 lbs I believe)
We went out on 2 short trips with it and today, I noticed that 1 of the bracket on the A frame holding the cam with 2 self tapping screws is loose
That concerns me a lot
I read great reviews about this WD and chose it specifically but now, very disappointed about it's early failure.
I've googled it and find other people with same problem but unable to find real solution.

anyone?

this picture is not mine, but this is basically what's happening

not mine by boubou1, on Flickr

[TURBS]

I installed a nut serts in mine to eliminate the self tapping screws.
You install them and squeeze them together with an installation tool then you have a blind hole nut.

[boubou]

Ok, I don't know what these blind nuts are but will mention to the shop when I bring for repair.
How do these work? Fit same holes?
Should I get him to replace the other side to prevent future failure at the same time?

[TURBS]

I would have them all replaced!
I will post a picture of them when I get home for you.
this is the installation tool
this is what the nut looks like

[TURBS]

nutserts installed to give you an idea what they look like .

[boubou]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Attachment 8651
Attachment 8652

nutserts installed to give you an idea what they look like .

So I guess these nuts are there to hold the plate in place and serve no structural purpose? is there a specific type or strength of nutserts?
I've heard of some of the Reese nuts used shearing (not what happened here, just bad thread I think)

Did you have that same problem or did you just not like the nuts included with the Reese DC ?

Thanks
Brigitte

[TURBS]

mine kept backing out or loosening . so I installed the nutserts and then applied red loctite to the threads of the bolt and installed them without anymore issues .
they would be just as strong as any not that you would put on the back side .
but since the channel is boxed in this is your only option .

[boubou]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

mine kept backing out or loosening . so I installed the nutserts and then applied red loctite to the threads of the bolt and installed them without anymore issues .
they would be just as strong as any not that you would put on the back side .
but since the channel is boxed in this is your only option .

Sounds like a great option
I've read about some guy who drilled through the back to access the nut and but a bolt in there. I don't want to drill the other side of the frame and weaken it so I like your idea.

I'll be calling the shop tomorrow and schedule an appointment
thanks again for your help

Brigitte

[TURBS]

no problem !
I would not drill all the way through as well . The problem with that is to get the bolts tight enough you may crush the boxed in frame and we all know they are not very heavy to begin with . Which is why you are having the problem you are having . There is not enough material to hold your bolts securely.
let us know how it goes !
Ron

[boubou]

Sure will!!!!

I appreciate all your help
Brigitte

[boubou]

So I was told using the words "failing Reese DC" might have been a bit strong.

Correction, Reese DC is not failing, but the screws on the frame plate are loose.
So another question before I run to the shop and make a foul out of myself....

should I expect these nuts to come loose once in a while and to re-tighten and re-torque? (80 I think)

if not, then I will go and get them changed to nutserts but if it's normal operation to re-tighten and re torque then I can do that.

[TURBS]

In my opinion they are coming loose for a reason.
the thickness of the box frame cannot support the stress applied. There is not enough material to hold the bolts tight.
I'm surprised no one else has chimed in with there opinions but they will.
mine came loose all the time after being fed I replaced as stated.

[Len & Cheri]

Originally Posted by boubou

So I was told using the words "failing Reese DC" might have been a bit strong.

Correction, Reese DC is not failing, but the screws on the frame plate are loose.
So another question before I run to the shop and make a foul out of myself....

should I expect these nuts to come loose once in a while and to re-tighten and re-torque? (80 I think)

if not, then I will go and get them changed to nutserts but if it's normal operation to re-tighten and re torque then I can do that.

This is the first I've heard of the bolts loosening. I did see a thread somewhere about the bolts shearing off. Turned out the wrong bolts were included in the kit. I would add some locktite and go from there.

I would have to agree that using "Failing Reese DC" would be a bit harsh. That would be like someone saying there axles are failing when their lugnuts are loose.

I just installed the DC, so let us know what you figure out. Thanks.

[Dodge Guy]

Mine have been in place since 06 and I hav not touched them since. the DC with screws were in my old 05 they are reused and have been tight ever since.

[boubou]

this is my set up, not showing loose screws, before picture, just wondering if these screws (see marking) are the ones that came with the kit or did the dealer just come up with his own :/

IMG_0591 by boubou1, on Flickr

[Len & Cheri]

Tough to tell. In the first pic the bolts are silver, but yours are gold. I think mine are silver, I just can't say 100% right now that they are. After looking at other member setups I don't think the color matters.

After looking at the first pic you posted I think the installer stripped the hole by over-torquing the bolt.

I'm wondering if the installer actually tightened the bolt on yours completely. Did you ever check the bolts for tightness before finding this one? Were all the bolts loose, or just the one? Is the hole stripped? When I was a Helicopter mechanic everything was safety wired or had self-locking nuts because the #1 reason a bolt will loosen is due to vibration and helos vibrate like crazy. I can't imagine the trailer tongue vibrating enough to break the torque on the bolts. Of course I've been wrong before

[fajitas21]

should I expect these nuts to come loose once in a while and to re-tighten and re-torque? (80 I think)

My manual said 50 ft lbs of torque on my self tappers.

Also mine are gold too.

I re-checked the torque after about 6 months and they were still right at 50 (maybe 48 ish, an 1/16 of a turn and the torque wrench clicked.)

I have a X-Lite frame, fully boxed at that part but with thinner sheet metal too, and it's doing ok for me.

Hope this helps.

[boubou]

Originally Posted by fajitas21

My manual said 50 ft lbs of torque on my self tappers.

Also mine are gold too.

I re-checked the torque after about 6 months and they were still right at 50 (maybe 48 ish, an 1/16 of a turn and the torque wrench clicked.)

I have a X-Lite frame, fully boxed at that part but with thinner sheet metal too, and it's doing ok for me.

Hope this helps.

I got a torque wrench and will check them. You could be right about the torque :/. If it's lower than what it should be, then I will tighten and torque the loose side. If not I'll still bring it to dealer to get it fixed right (hopefuly)

Brigitte

[Cinrock]

Someone said its happening for a reason. The reason typically is the spring bars are rubbing the cam arms. This happens when the Dual Cam is not adjusted properly. I had the same problem with a dealer installed setup. The problem went away when I spent some time with Resse's excellent directions and started from scratch.

[fajitas21]

I got mine in the mail and setup and installed myself, and one extra thing to check is to make sure your ball head isn't tilted down too much. There's a series of measurements you need to follow to find out what angle that things needs to be set as, and when I changed trucks I didn't re-adjust it.

What happened was because I didn't re-adjust, the new truck sat at a slightly different rake, causing my spring bars and subsequently, my cam arms to be too close to the ground.

I then made a slow right turn on a V shaped hill and basically dragged my spring bars on the ground a few inches (I didn't have enough clearance). Fortunately, the cam arms did not hit, and I was able to just sand and repaint the tips of my spring bars (But I didn't realize till later it was blue paint, so now I have a very unique half black / half blue spring bars ).

Anyways, just to be safe I adjusted ball head, re torqued all the bolts, re measured and retested. She's running great, but it was a bit of a pain.

Point is, if anything changes, I'd re check everything. Also, I do it just about every other outing too, just to be safe.