Andersen Ultimate Hitch - my observations

Walaby wrote:
Round trip from mid-Georgia to Greenville SC for a nice long weekend.

About a month ago, I decided to switch from my Superglide auto slider to the Andersen Ultimate hitch. Not that I didn't like the superglide, I do, but I wanted the lighter hitch so it would be easier to remove from the bed between trips. Im not getting any younger, and I am using my truck a lot more as a truck, now that I have 7 acres of land to tend to.

So, install was a snap. Nothing really to adjust. I bought the gooseneck version, with the Andersen shaft, no slip pad and chains. Installed, torqued everything down, and all good.

Driving experience was not so great. Rough roads were REALLY rough with the hitch. I had recently driven over the same roads with my Superglide and it was not anywhere near as rough. Concrete interstate with any sort of roughness was really bad. Like a bucking bronco a couple of times.

I don't think there's anything "adjustment" wise, because it's all install and torque down.. no adjustments to be made. I have a RVing friend who has the same setup. We were camping together this weekend. He has a dually, I have a SRW. He says he does not get the bucking and rough riding I experienced.

On way back, overall not as bad, and the road close to home on southbound side is not as bad as the northbound side was heading out.

Unless there's some way to smooth this thing out, I suspect I will go back to the Superglide. Seems like the extra 200lbs the Superglide weighs really made the ride much smoother.

Wondering if others notice the same thing? Anything I can do maybe to the truck, or the pinbox to smooth things out? I like the hitch overall, like the weight savings, and like the ease of removal.I don't have air-ride on the truck, and have what I consider a standard pin box. Nothing fancy, not a Trail Air or nothing like that.

I won't buy a dually just to get a smoother ride.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Lets just try to NOT make this an AUH bash session.

Mike

Don't really have any solution or help for you .Although my experience switching to the Andersen is totally different. But I have the rail mount steel Andersen . I went from a Resse 18K manual slider to the Andersen , I tow with both, just depending on the trip. Lately its just been with the Andersen. Both hitches are very smooth ,no chucking or rough ride at all. I can't tell the difference .

The two hitches have been used with two different fifth wheels , one with the MoRyde pin box ,and the. present one without . Here again no change in towing with either hitch. I was skeptical with the new fifth wheel without the MorRyde ,had towed nearly 12 years with the previous fifth wheel with the MorRyde , but this one is just as smooth .

I can't imagine what would cause a change in the ride, as with all Andersen hitches they can be run in 4 different positions . Two different positions with the adapter ,and two with the hitch . I have run mine with the adapter ,and the hitch putting the fifth wheel further from the cab. My truck is a short bed . That puts the weight slightly rear of axle center, as said no change in the towing. After a couple trips ,I realized watching the distance between cab ,and fifth wheel I could be a bit closer to the cab, so I turned the adapter around putting the truck ,and fifth wheel closer together ,no change in towing, and no clearance problems with the cab of the truck. With this configuration I am actually sitting on the axle in the same place as I was with the Reese manual slider in the tow position.

I think its been mentioned you may try adapter or hitch position change. Of course it all depends on cab clearance ,with my new fifth wheel the front cap corners are a lot more rounded then the previous fifth wheel letting me be a bit closer to the cab ,but as said mine tows very well regardless of what position the hitch is in .