Andersen Aluminum Ultimate Hitch Redesigned

jerem0621 wrote:
Here is that post on the Cummins forum that details and and shows the damaged Andersen.

Link

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Here is the picture of the damage.



This is a quote from the text;
"We had a panic stop, going down a pretty steep hill. Brakes to the floor, anti-locks chattering, wife screaming, you get the picture. Pretty much the worst case scenario for putting lateral stress on a hitch, short of running into a wall, train, semi, etc. Based on a couple of previous weighings of our fifth wheel, I estimate we were towing between 15,000 and 15,500 pounds at the time."

So I would be concerned on two accounts;
#1. Trailer brakes should stop the trailer, so I would be checking them out if I was the OP on this posting!

#2. Seeing how there was no impact, the brakes on that Ram must be **** good!! That or the hitch isn't up to the job.

ON EDIT:I thought I would add the larger picture of the damaged hitch. Should ask the OP on the Cummins forum if his bed was also dented.



Not sure if the redesign, is perfect, they added two side support plates, and removed the front, think I would also left the front!!!

That's kind of scary considering it was just a hard stop. I can see why they changed and strengthened the design some.

Think what it would look like with 20-24K attached! Real world damage just from hard braking, that's scary.

Here is that post on the Cummins forum that details and and shows the damaged Andersen.

Link

Thanks!

Jeremiah

e-light wrote:
Andersen is simply researching and improving a great product. Search the web for failures of their Ultimate 5er. There aren't any...

If installed properly and used within it's limits I'm sure it's just like anything else. There's no magic or snake oil with the design. It's rather simple...and it works.

5th wheel hitches are great too, obviously. For me I just find the Andersen so much easier and that's why I chose it. And I've driven the heck out of mine. One time I drove an entire first leg of the trip and forgot to lock the ball. I use chains and I use a checklist and somehow I missed it. Anyway I would have never noticed if I didn't check it every time I stop for fuel. I have heard others say the same thing. With 1800 lbs pushing down on the ball I guess it don't move a whole lot. I was mortified when I saw it, but it happened. I f'd up. Thank the Lord no one was hurt or worse. Now I have my wife go back and "peer review" my checklist when I'm finished.

At any rate, the new design looks cool. I see no reason to change as my current Andersen is well under it's rated limits. The new design looks like it could handle much more weight.

There is a report with pictures of an aluminum Andersen buckling under a panic stop on one of the cummins forums...the tube that holds the ball bent forwards and two of the supports buckled slightly...no breaks and the owner didn't find out about it until he was Un-hitching.

From what I understand Andersen sent him one of the redesigned hitches as a warranty replacement...


I'll try to link to it later unless someone else finds the post and links to it before I get home.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Andersen is simply researching and improving a great product. Search the web for failures of their Ultimate 5er. There aren't any...

If installed properly and used within it's limits I'm sure it's just like anything else. There's no magic or snake oil with the design. It's rather simple...and it works.

5th wheel hitches are great too, obviously. For me I just find the Andersen so much easier and that's why I chose it. And I've driven the heck out of mine. One time I drove an entire first leg of the trip and forgot to lock the ball. I use chains and I use a checklist and somehow I missed it. Anyway I would have never noticed if I didn't check it every time I stop for fuel. I have heard others say the same thing. With 1800 lbs pushing down on the ball I guess it don't move a whole lot. I was mortified when I saw it, but it happened. I f'd up. Thank the Lord no one was hurt or worse. Now I have my wife go back and "peer review" my checklist when I'm finished.

At any rate, the new design looks cool. I see no reason to change as my current Andersen is well under it's rated limits. The new design looks like it could handle much more weight.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

IdaD wrote:
A slider won't work with the kingpin on my trailer. Also I have the rail mount version so I won't get any bed deflection - the rails are mounted on brackets under the bed which are bolted directly to the frame. It's a very solid setup.

I wonder if they have any plans to make a hitch that mounts to the RAM factory pucks.

I would love that. Missing a good opportunity. Owners such as myself with the newer trucks with the puck system aren't interested in having to buy a $600 picture frame just to make an "old school" style hitch work. The appeal of the puck system is to have an easy to remove/clean bed hitch. Having a picture frame plus the hitch is not my idea of convience or cost effectiveness.

IdaD wrote:
A slider won't work with the kingpin on my trailer. Also I have the rail mount version so I won't get any bed deflection - the rails are mounted on brackets under the bed which are bolted directly to the frame. It's a very solid setup.

I wonder if they have any plans to make a hitch that mounts to the RAM factory pucks.

IdaD wrote:

I like a gooseneck ball on rough terrain. Nice and flexible and no issues hitching or unhitching at an angle. :B

In reality, the sides of the truck bed are the limiting factor in how much flexibility is available between the truck and trailer. So, as long as a fifth wheel hitch has side tilt there is no difference in the setups ability to handle rough terrain. The only way to increase the flexibility with a ball setup is to use a flatbed truck.

The most productive and informational part of this post, is that I'll now be using the expression "where you can stand on a tuna can and see 20 miles"! Thanks RustyJC! :)