B&W Companion vs Andersen Ultimate Showdown!

slapshot12 wrote:
Why does one hitch have to be better than the other? I have an Andersen and I'm very happy with it. I use a B&W turnover ball with the Andersen and I'm very happy with that too. The B&W Companion is a great hitch as well. If I were to use a traditional 5th wheel hitch, that would be the one I'd use. But, I can accept my choices don't fit everyone, and that's fine. That's why we have different styles and brands to choose from. We all have our favorite brand of truck, tires, oil, etc. Just run what you want.

Just use whichever hitch you want. Just because I use a different one doesn't make either one better than the other. Everyone has their preferences and reasons to choose one over the others. All hitches are man made, so they can fail. Having investigated traffic crashes for 17 years, I've seen every type of hitch fail, it happens. Just care care of your gear, drive carefully, and enjoy the road!

This is a comparison thread, so what is it about the Andersen that pushed you to buy it over the Companion? Price? Light weight? Us Made?

Why does one hitch have to be better than the other? I have an Andersen and I'm very happy with it. I use a B&W turnover ball with the Andersen and I'm very happy with that too. The B&W Companion is a great hitch as well. If I were to use a traditional 5th wheel hitch, that would be the one I'd use. But, I can accept my choices don't fit everyone, and that's fine. That's why we have different styles and brands to choose from. We all have our favorite brand of truck, tires, oil, etc. Just run what you want.

Just use whichever hitch you want. Just because I use a different one doesn't make either one better than the other. Everyone has their preferences and reasons to choose one over the others. All hitches are man made, so they can fail. Having investigated traffic crashes for 17 years, I've seen every type of hitch fail, it happens. Just care care of your gear, drive carefully, and enjoy the road!

wvcampers wrote:
Andersen has 2 different balls for their hitches. When they introduced the red piece to create the funnel to make hitching easier, they also came up with a ball that has a longer neck area. This ball may help, if you don't already have it.

Reason is if the ball is in the lowest position on the shorter neck, then the coupler makes contact with the funnel,and will damage it. The other two positions its not a problem.

Can't see where the length of the neck is going to help or hinder the ball releasing, which seems his issue.

goducks10 wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:

goducks10 wrote:

laknox wrote:
C'mon Cummins, tell the whole story. The =only= Companion rated at 25k is the RAM puck version. All other standard Companions, GN mount, Ford or GM pucks, are 20k. All has to do with the extra-wide fore/aft spread of the pucks on the RAM. I can only a$$-u-me that the rail versions are also 20k, because I didn't look them up. I've been around long enough that you know that I'm a B&W fanboy, but we've got to tell the whole story, too.

Lyle

My rail version is 16K. I see now that they're 18K. I tow 9,000 lbs. I can't say how 15,000 would react with either hitch. Just giving my personal review.
I'm also a B&W fan. If I had my choice it would be the B&W. Which it may be if I can't get the Andersen dialed in.

Whats to dial in on the Andersen. I measured the height of my old fifth hitch in the bed ,set my Andersen the same ,it has three height settings.

Not sure what else there is other then deciding which way you want the pin box adapter to mount , unless you have the rail mount hitch ,then it can go either way, not much to think about. Mine was setup how I thought it would work, and after first trip, there was nothing I needed to change.

Here's my scenario. I got the Andersen and used it for most of one season. Went to a local Paint shop to get a bid for painting my faded front cap. When leaving I had to go to the end of the lot and make a real tight turn. While looking in my side view mirror I noticed my pin box just grazing the bed rail. Never needed to make as tight of turn while out traveling that whole summer. Lucky I guess.
My bad for not double checking the measurements. My pin box (1716) is an extended one. With the Andersen coupler forward of the pin and the Andersen set with the ball in the normal position, which is maybe a hair forward of the axle the 1716 rubs the bed rails.
If I put the coupler behind the pin then that moves the pin forward about 4-5" IIRC. That puts the trucks bumper real close to the lower section of the 5th wheel when turning. I'm talking a couple inches. Not 100% could be less could be more. Never had the opportunity to turn real sharp while someone was watching.
Now if I reverse the Andersen putting the ball behind the axle and the coupler behind the pin then all seems to work OK.
New problem is with that setup when unhitching in my driveway, the trucks lower in the rear and the 5er's down in the front putting the ball and coupler in a bind to release. I litteraly had to release all four rail pins and lift the Andersen up a bit to unbind it. PITA.
I just started looking into this situation on the last trip of last year. This spring I'm going to get everything back out and see what can be made of all of it.
Right now my main issue is the 1716, but I'm not going to change that as it's a MORyde.
So that's the long of it for dialing in my conundrum.

If I am reading you right , the back of the pin box can be trimmed to prevent hitting the bed rails . This has been a common problem regardless of the hitch, many have had to trim the corners on the pin box.

Its confusing when you say moving it back prevents hitting the rails, not sure how that changes where the back of the pin box pivots in a turn, the pin box still has the same length radius turning toward the bed rails.

IMO , unless I'm not understanding what you are saying, trimming the pin is the solution.

Andersen has 2 different balls for their hitches. When they introduced the red piece to create the funnel to make hitching easier, they also came up with a ball that has a longer neck area. This ball may help, if you don't already have it.

cummins2014 wrote:

goducks10 wrote:

laknox wrote:
C'mon Cummins, tell the whole story. The =only= Companion rated at 25k is the RAM puck version. All other standard Companions, GN mount, Ford or GM pucks, are 20k. All has to do with the extra-wide fore/aft spread of the pucks on the RAM. I can only a$$-u-me that the rail versions are also 20k, because I didn't look them up. I've been around long enough that you know that I'm a B&W fanboy, but we've got to tell the whole story, too.

Lyle

My rail version is 16K. I see now that they're 18K. I tow 9,000 lbs. I can't say how 15,000 would react with either hitch. Just giving my personal review.
I'm also a B&W fan. If I had my choice it would be the B&W. Which it may be if I can't get the Andersen dialed in.

Whats to dial in on the Andersen. I measured the height of my old fifth hitch in the bed ,set my Andersen the same ,it has three height settings.

Not sure what else there is other then deciding which way you want the pin box adapter to mount , unless you have the rail mount hitch ,then it can go either way, not much to think about. Mine was setup how I thought it would work, and after first trip, there was nothing I needed to change.

Here's my scenario. I got the Andersen and used it for most of one season. Went to a local Paint shop to get a bid for painting my faded front cap. When leaving I had to go to the end of the lot and make a real tight turn. While looking in my side view mirror I noticed my pin box just grazing the bed rail. Never needed to make as tight of turn while out traveling that whole summer. Lucky I guess.
My bad for not double checking the measurements. My pin box (1716) is an extended one. With the Andersen coupler forward of the pin and the Andersen set with the ball in the normal position, which is maybe a hair forward of the axle the 1716 rubs the bed rails.
If I put the coupler behind the pin then that moves the pin forward about 4-5" IIRC. That puts the trucks bumper real close to the lower section of the 5th wheel when turning. I'm talking a couple inches. Not 100% could be less could be more. Never had the opportunity to turn real sharp while someone was watching.
Now if I reverse the Andersen putting the ball behind the axle and the coupler behind the pin then all seems to work OK.
New problem is with that setup when unhitching in my driveway, the trucks lower in the rear and the 5er's down in the front putting the ball and coupler in a bind to release. I litteraly had to release all four rail pins and lift the Andersen up a bit to unbind it. PITA.
I just started looking into this situation on the last trip of last year. This spring I'm going to get everything back out and see what can be made of all of it.
Right now my main issue is the 1716, but I'm not going to change that as it's a MORyde.
So that's the long of it for dialing in my conundrum.

4x4ord wrote:

laknox wrote:
C'mon Cummins, tell the whole story. The =only= Companion rated at 25k is the RAM puck version. All other standard Companions, GN mount, Ford or GM pucks, are 20k. All has to do with the extra-wide fore/aft spread of the pucks on the RAM. I can only a$$-u-me that the rail versions are also 20k, because I didn't look them up. I've been around long enough that you know that I'm a B&W fanboy, but we've got to tell the whole story, too.

Lyle

Although I think your explanation is logical: that B&W rates their Ram hitch 5k higher than the Ford or GM on account of the wide spread of the Ram pucks.... I find it interesting that Reese manufactures a hitch for the Ford Puck system that they rate for 26500 lbs.... Curt's hitch for the Ford Puck system is rated for 24000 lbs.

Read my last reply to you.

4x4ord wrote:
The B&W for the Ford puck system must be smaller and lighter than the one for the Ram. It can be installed and removed in two pieces and is very easy for one person to handle. I can't imagine anything being much simpler.

Head weight is EXACTLY the same. Base has a larger footprint with the RAM. I asked B&W about the base being the reason for the 25 vs 20K rating, they said they rate to the weakest link, NOT the size of the base. Still I would have no issues towing a 24K 5er with a 350 Ford or 3500 GM with their puck system B&W's vs the Ultimate that is "rated" to 24K.

A simple visual would confirm what I say, anyone can rate anything they want to what they want. B&W is VERY conservative with their ratings, their safety factor is very large.

laknox wrote:
C'mon Cummins, tell the whole story. The =only= Companion rated at 25k is the RAM puck version. All other standard Companions, GN mount, Ford or GM pucks, are 20k. All has to do with the extra-wide fore/aft spread of the pucks on the RAM. I can only a$$-u-me that the rail versions are also 20k, because I didn't look them up. I've been around long enough that you know that I'm a B&W fanboy, but we've got to tell the whole story, too.

Lyle

Although I think your explanation is logical: that B&W rates their Ram hitch 5k higher than the Ford or GM on account of the wide spread of the Ram pucks.... I find it interesting that Reese manufactures a hitch for the Ford Puck system that they rate for 26500 lbs.... Curt's hitch for the Ford Puck system is rated for 24000 lbs.

The B&W for the Ford puck system must be smaller and lighter than the one for the Ram. It can be installed and removed in two pieces and is very easy for one person to handle. I can't imagine anything being much simpler.