What one of these is the newer version? Both were ordered using the same part number, one from Amazon, the other from the RV dealer.

 

In my opinion, and based on what I have worked with, the black arm and silver cam is the latest version. If you look closely, there is more offset to the arm where it bolts on toward the inside of the frame, and the arm (which is also thinner) "should" have much less chance of contacting a bar. The silver cam also has more offset to the outside helping further.

As I mentioned before, measure the width of the cam surface where the bar rides. The silver should be slightly wider, letting the bar slide with less binding.

I believe that there was a middle version which was also gold, but the cam surface was wider. Yours looks like my older, original set, which are going on 10 yrs old. As I mentioned, the 1200# round bars wouldn't slide without major binding. Now using the black later style with no problems.

Reese (Cequent) has made many changes to the DC, probably due to the interference issues that many have had. They are also now made in China (OMG!), but I haven't seen any major quality differences in the 2 styles. Again, with a top mounted coupler and trunnion bars, you have to make every effort to prevent bar to arm interference. Head angle, lifted ball if necc, more links hanging the bars.

Don't know if you visit rvnet or not, but in the towing section there is a lot of info on install and past posts on this very occurrence. Hope you get it worked out, the DC is a very capable sway control hitch, but is very fussy in set-up, as you are finding.

Gerry

 

I'm convinced I'll figure it out with everyones help on here. I don't give up easy, I had to find a HPOP leak on my 6.0 a month after buying it and I had never worked on a diesel before. It may take me a while, but I'll get it. The latest set of cams to go on is the silver set on the left in the picture, apparently my order from Amazon was a old set. I will tilt the head down another notch and get 6 links instead of 5 for this weekend. The new riser ball comes early next week and I'll get that on, after that I'm sure everything will have to be readjusted to compensate. Again thank you to everyone on here.

Is there a point when I'm too tight on the trunnion bars? I'm assuming if I can pull it up with one hand on the breaker bar it's not too tight?

 

I don't have the Reese, so maybe it doesn't apply. I drop the hitch onto the ball, slide the coupler lock and then go back up with the electric tongue jack raising the truck and trailer before setting my bars. No prying of bars, no chance of whacking knuckles etc.

 

I posted a link to the thread that is the authority on the DC setup over at RV.net in my posts above, #1088 and a Word doc attachment in post #1087 that has the same info as the link, but copied to a Word doc.

Check out the link I posted above. I followed the info in that thread when I installed my DC last year and I haven't had a problem.

Stewart

 

Steve, you'll need to go through the measurements again, even weights again to finalize the chain/bar angles. 1" riser ball, tip the head down as necc, and the newer arms should give you the clearances necc. Then find the proper # of links for weight transfer to the tow vehicle or wheel wheel heights. Hooking up is much easier if you use the jack to lift both units up til it is reasonably easy to swing up the chain hangers (as just mentioned). You'll most likely need to do this. I could use the bar to swing my 1000# set-up most of the time, now with the 1200# system, I have to use the jack most of the time!!

Another opinion, sometimes switching the arm brackets side to side (so the pivot bolt is to the front) will angle the arms and cams down more and give a bit more clearance. But I'm betting the offset differences between the two versions will give you the necc clearance to keep this from happening agin'

Gerry

 

Just wanted to let everyone know that I ordered my new hitch ball from Mad Dog Ramps, 3rd party on Amazon, on Monday night around 10 PM. I tried to cancel it Tuesday morning to do some more research, they told me it had already shipped and if it didn't work to contact them and they would pay for return shipping. I got home from work today and it was sitting on my counter. Now that is customer service. I contacted Reese about a part and they told me the end of July at the earliest, I asked Camping World about a part and they said it was two weeks out, needed to be ordered, and they were going to charge me 150% of what online was, I enjoy brick and mortars, but crappy service and enormous wait times are going to put them all out of business.

 

Glad you are making progress, try a smaller hitch shop rather than CW. We tend to use stocking distributors rather than than CW being direct. That price is rarely going to be comparible to online but hopefully you'll get waaaay better service and quicker delivery time on that part.

Are you in Seattle? If so try Six Robblees.

(Note, I don't do online sales or ship products out.)

 

I would 2nd Six Robblees, they carry the Drawtite/Cequent products, but not sure aboot separate pieces.

But, I am confused!! What part are you going after!! Did you have trouble with the later black/silver set?? If so, I never saw any pics of anything but the gold stuff. Did you bend a silver arm also?? If so, that's a first in my book, and obviously you had really bad interference.

If all you need is a gold cam, I have another used pair of them laying around. They are the early ones, so you would need to measure the width of the cam to see if they are the same.

 

Originally, 7 months ago, the trailer was purchased and the dealer installed the silver colored units. It was set up incorrectly from the start and I did not know better. The system only had 3 links and wreaked havoc on the cams, popped the self taps, and knocked the emergency brake off the bottom if the frame. I ordered replacements off Amazon and ended up with the gold colored units, apparently the older style. I installed them with rivet nuts and ended up bending one when it bound up, from what I believe was a loose river nut. I torqued it to proper specs, but I don't think it had crushed down all the way. The dealer has now admitted it was set up incorrectly and sent me a new set of cans that I am installing with a new higher ball.

 

Gotcha, makes sense to me now!! I never saw the first comments till I just searched. I think with the new stuff again you'll be ok. Too bad you had to go through the "school of hard knocks" to get here!!

Keep you chin and attitude up, you'll get it worked out. Any big questions, ask, or pm me.


Gerry

 

Well here is the TT and EX. Maiden voyage after all the work I did on the truck. 2 new injectors, ATS springs all the way around, rear bags/sway bar.

70 MPH and almost no sway. I do believe I need to lower the ball another notch. The trailer appears to be riding a bit high.

I will measure the tongue height before we leave for home on Sunday.

BTW has anyone seen this before?

http://hildstrom.com/projects/tonguescale/index.html

 

My grandfather had something similar that he used to balance up his flatbed before he towed.... I seem to remember something about he didn't like how the truck felt if it wasn't loaded right.

 

I use my Airbags to get the ride hite set

 

I put 60 lbs in the bags this time. I normally put 45 in them.

I installed the hitch 1 higher on the adjustment, because 1 lower would be 1 1/2" lower then what the tongue is. I didn't want to be to low.