michellep
california
New Member
Joined: 02/12/2006
View Profile
 Offline
|
I have a Reese Straight Line, Dual Cam HP WD hitch. The little lip inside the upper trunnion hole sheared off releasing the sway bar. My trailer is parked 150 miles from home. I called Reese, they sent me part 58025 (a replacement trunnion latch pin) with no instructions. It's an "L" shape. How praytell does this piece help me??? Anyone with this problem. It's the old head design.
|
crankshop1000
se michigan
New Member
Joined: 06/10/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
The L shaped latch pin is what holds the sway bar end in the hitch head while you cinch up the chain.The sway bar is held against the hitch head by load tension after setup and while pulling (The top of the sway bar on the tow veh end pushes against the hitch, and the bottom pulls away from the hitch).The L latch is held in the hitch head with a driven pin.As long as you have the sway bar/spring held in place while setting the tension,the sway bar can't fall out or move.Assuming you mount the sway bar with the tongue lifted way up and then cinch up the chain (that is the right way). I have seen some try to run the equalizer springs really light on the preload, if you do that, the sway bars could fall out if not for the L latch.
|
michellep
california
New Member
Joined: 02/12/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
A: "The L shaped latch pin is what holds the sway bar end in the hitch head while you cinch up the chain." R: I'm trying to see it but I dont. I have tried to insert the latch into the notch but the bar doesn't stay in. The lip was parallel to the groove in the top of the bar. This latch can not be parrellel and the bar can not ride on it like the lip.
|
Peg Leg
Anderson, IN
Senior Member
Joined: 06/20/2004
View Profile
|
Sounds like your L latch was missing and the bar took out the lip without the latch to keep it in place.
My L latch is held in place with a pin that is welded to the head. The pin goes thru an elongated hole it the long leg of the L. I had to weld mine back on once. The lip could be built back up with weld.
KA9ATV
K2500 7.4 3.73
Michelin 245/70R19.5 XDS2 on Vision Type 81's
31' Dutchmen
Yamaha EF3000iSE
retired gadgetman
|
michellep
california
New Member
Joined: 02/12/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
My hitch never came with any latch or pin. Only the head and the die cast lip that the bar rides on as it swivels with motion, which holds it in place. Did the hitch shop forget to install these pieces? I have never seen the pieces that Reese sent me before.
|
|
|
Peg Leg
Anderson, IN
Senior Member
Joined: 06/20/2004
View Profile
|
Sounds like we may be comparing apples to oranges. You said it was the old head design. The one I was referring to, you point the bars out at a 90 degree angle to the alignment of the TV and TT, and then insert the bottom of the bar and rotate the top of the bar forward. This lets the top of the bar flip the L latch up and then it drops behind the bar locking it in place.
I don't think this is the arrangement your referring to. I tried to find a pic of the old style and couldn't.
|
michellep
california
New Member
Joined: 02/12/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Here is the link for a pic of the head. http://www.etrailer.com/pc-WDSP~58112.htm
Edited to make the link clickable - Mel
* This post was
edited 07/08/08 07:18pm by an administrator/moderator *
|
Peg Leg
Anderson, IN
Senior Member
Joined: 06/20/2004
View Profile
|
Yep, apples and oranges. It's nothing like mine. You say a lip inside the upper hole. I'm thinking two different size holes drilled concentrically. It's already broke, you can't hurt it, I'd weld it up and use a counter bore to redrill it. With a counter bore drill you'd have a pilot to keep the holes in alignment. For most people it would mean a trip to a machine shop and probably be cost prohibitive.
You'll just have to replace it. Not likely to find a used head alone.
|
krabid
Northeastern NY
New Member
Joined: 03/30/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
The head in the pic is for the round bar style not the trunnion style. If in fact yours is the trunnion style and broke the top lip in the area where the top trunnion pin on the bar fits into the head I suspect you might have broken it when backing up and turned too sharp. The arm came in contact with the end of the trailer frame and popped the lip off. Look closely for contact marks on the bar and trailer frame end under the coupler. Been there done that.
|
crankshop1000
se michigan
New Member
Joined: 06/10/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
The L latch style is much older than yours.Nevermind... Chuck.
|
|
|
