Andersen hitch??

Searching_Ut wrote:
For those of you using the Andersen, how much distortion has it caused so far to the base of your pin box? I'm not talking surface marks on the plate, but bending and bowing, especially around the two set screws on the ball side of the adapter.

Nothing that I have noticed on mine. Post a pic...

I love my Andersen ultimate hitch. I pull a 42' Sandpiper 360PDEK. I put a dense rubber mat under mine. No bed damage and I have put some pretty heavy pressure on whole rig boondocking in hard to get to area. A regular hitch probably couldn't have handled the twisting and extreme range of motion.

For those of you using the Andersen, how much distortion has it caused so far to the base of your pin box? I'm not talking surface marks on the plate, but bending and bowing, especially around the two set screws on the ball side of the adapter.

Experience trumps opinions...

I'm looking at hitches also. I'm picking up a different truck tomorrow (2014 F250 diesel, 6 3/4 bed. And a new 2017 Keystone Sprinter 298FWRLS next Wednesday. GVWR - 12,270 on the trailer so I'm going with a 16K hitch.

The short list looks like this.

Anderson, Steel on rails.
PullRite SuperGlide 16K on rails.
B&W Patriot 16K on rails.

I don't think I'll have to have a slider with the new cutaway end caps...but will find out tomorrow when I get the truck and can measure.

I really like the Anderson design and weight. What size bed do those of you using it have? How far can you jackknife if you need to?

tunatundra wrote:
I will address your questions with my experience It seems every time the topic comes up someone replies to Andersen Hitches yet doesn't own one but is quick to throw in the same negative comments. Enough pretty please. We are here to help and most of us try to help.

I own an Andersen/B&W yet I am not pumping my ego with emotional garbage. The hitch works. I can remove it easily and carry it one hand to my garage. When unhitching or hitching my 5Ver, the TV does not have to be perfectly strait (vertical) to the trailer. In fact, I can be angled and I am still able to engage or disengages very smoothly. It works for me. However, you must consider the cost of buying two hitches (B&W and the Andersen). The ease of operations and handling was worth it for me. There is a lot of good hitches out there with pros/cons...

Well, usually just stating an opinion of why I don't own one.

#1. don't like the design, load has too much leverage on the attachment to the ball.

#2. I have never liked a hitch that isn't solidly attached to the frame. Yes the Andersen attaches to the turnover ball, but the load is carried on the bed of the TV, and only one point of attachment. This is also one of the reasons I don't care for the B&W Companion arrangement.

#3. I don't need a wrench to remove or install my hitch. Andersen you need a torque wrench to correctly install (B&W also).

#4. I live in Oregon, don't want to deal with safety chains.

I agree with Cummins12V98, quality product, just have a different opinion of what I want in a hitch.

I guess I took too much math, physics, and algebra in High school and Collage.

I will address your questions with my experience It seems every time the topic comes up someone replies to Andersen Hitches yet doesn't own one but is quick to throw in the same negative comments. Enough pretty please. We are here to help and most of us try to help.

I own an Andersen/B&W yet I am not pumping my ego with emotional garbage. The hitch works. I can remove it easily and carry it one hand to my garage. When unhitching or hitching my 5Ver, the TV does not have to be perfectly strait (vertical) to the trailer. In fact, I can be angled and I am still able to engage or disengages very smoothly. It works for me. However, you must consider the cost of buying two hitches (B&W and the Andersen). The ease of operations and handling was worth it for me. There is a lot of good hitches out there with pros/cons...

Cummins12V98 wrote:

06Fargo wrote:
Popcorn on...

I like the video where they squarsh a hitch frame in a press to measure it's capacity before deforming then use it to haul a Big Heavy toyhauler to the dunes.

Unfortunately that silly "Crush" test did not show how easily their hitch would deform just from hard braking!

Back to the drawing board and now they have a "revised" hitch.

NOT saying Andersen does not make a quality product, they do! I just would no way use one in the upper weights they claim. For one bed deflection with these newer thin beds is possible.

To put things in perspective only the early Aluminum versions had a couple of reports of this.

I've been extremely satisfied with my steel rail mount version also. Only weighs about 35 lbs and it works better than any fifth wheel hitch I've ever been around. Completely smooth and silent and it does very well on uneven terrain which is an important point to me given the remote areas we often camp. Drop it on the ball and twist the lock and there's never any question about whether you're hitched with no pull test needed.

As mentioned, about the only folks who ever chime in with negative comments about the hitch are the ones who've never used it.

We're a little over a year and 10,000 miles into full-timing with our steel, rail-mount Andersen (coupled with a Demco Glide Ride pinbox). Our trailer's GVWR is 13,990# and weighs in just a little over 13,000# as we are loaded - 3,000# of that on the pin. As long as the trailer brakes are working and adjusted properly, there should be no issues with undue stress on the hitch system with braking. We love our combo and have no plans to change anything in the near future.

Rob