Andersen Hitch

Whiskey River wrote:
Be very careful Flashman. I got the Anderson hitch installed when I bought a new 5er last year. I have a regular cab Ram and a standard 8 foot bed. They installed the Anderson hitch wrong. It was installed on the pin with the red pick up facing to the front, that lets the 5er back and when I was backing in to a spot the 5th wheel pin box hit the side of the truck. They had to re do it and turn the red pick up 180 degrees around facing the back. This moves the 5er farther up in the bed of the truck. But when backing, I can now back it in a 90 degree turn and it misses the bed of the truck 3 or 4 inches. So get the instructions and read them and measure your bed. I had never heard of these Anderson hitches and the last thing I was thinking of is the pin box hitting the inside side of the bed of the truck. I have had a Reese hitch for years.
What I don' like is hooking up. Put the tail gate down and back under, then put the tail gate up before backing completely in as it is very close to hitting the 5er unless you are perfectly square with the front of the 5er. I should get the 5th wheel tail gate that you leave up while backing in....

I can go in at a bit of an angle when hooking up without worrying about the tailgate, but thats an issue with any hitch, although with a conventional hitch ,most likely you won't over shoot it unless you are way to high , and go right up over the kingpin. Granted with the Andersen you have to clear the ball to line up, and its very possible you can back your tailgate into the front of the fifth wheel.

I can see when backing in ,and I do take it in very careful with the tail gate down, I would have to over shoot the ball by aways. With the tailgate down, and hooked up ,I can squeeze between fifth wheel ,and tailgate.