Andersen Ultimate Issues

06Fargo wrote:
Looks like the material around the king pin is so light it depends on a conventional 5th wheel hitch plate to prevent the failure and deflection of the pin we see in the picture. An upper plate with more thickness will withstand the more concentrated force of the Anderson adapter.

exactly correct. The pin box would probably work at the rated 18k, 4.2k pin weight on a regular hitch. Andersen should have thought the design of the adapter through a little better. I really like the concept, and hope they are able to work the bugs out. Things I think need improving: Utilize the under bed pucks the new trucks have available. Design the adapter for better weight distribution, make a better system for the safety chains, I don't think the ones they have available would actually hold.

I did weigh my rig last year when I first got it, came in a little over 14k ready for camping, full fresh tank, 3rd+ on gray tanks and the black. Pin was a little under 3.2k, and I did the weighing coming back from a site with water available, but no dump site. Once I get the new pin box installed I'll load it up and weight again. I'm probably getting pretty tight on the limits of my SRW truck. Might result in my having to slim down the tools. I can't use the box I was using anyway as it doesn't fit with the B&W puck mount hitch.

Finally, for those asking about the popping, I was able to duplicate that while watching, and it was definitely caused by the hitch base slipping slightly on the floor of the truck. The hitch leaves a part of the spray in bed liner flattened and smooth. When it pops, you can see the base slip a very small distance, less than a quarter inch. Quite loud when it did it though. I must admit, initially I was looking in the wrong area as I suspected the hitch adapter as being the problem due to my having been a concern of mine for awhile now.