So light a child can remove it from the truck

ranchertx wrote:
I was skeptical about the Steel version myself until I bought one about 22 months ago. I use it to pull a 43' Mobile Suite and I quickly lost any doubt I had in the unit.

I pull a lot of Gooseneck trailers so hooking up is nit the hard for us, just have to get it close to being centered before you lower the rig. Once it is set on the ball, even if you forget to close the lock, there is little chance of the rig coming loose. You can install the ball receiver so it sets in front of the pin or behind it, which give you more clearance for short bed trucks or trucks with toolboxes.

Unhooking is much easier, with no binding like you can have with a fifth wheel hitch on uneven ground.

I take the hitch out as soon as I unhook the trailer, it takes 5 minutes. I can take the receiver off the pin box in another five if I need to.

If I bought again I may go aluminum, but, after heaving that heavy fifth wheel hitch in and out the 60 lb Anderson hitch is a snap.

I don't know anyone that has actually tried one that does not like it. There are no incidents of a unit failing, so, with it more user friendly, cheaper, and just as safe, I honestly cannot see a single downside.

Jim, good to see you over here buddy:).....I was telling everyone how long ago the Andersen had been around, told them about a guy (you), on cummins forum that was towing a quite heavy 5er with it....Haven't heard any bad reviews of it.

I now own a B&W RVK3600 and haven't said one bad word about the Andersen, but I think you know that I came VERY CLOSE to buying an Andersen back in May-June of 13'...

Anyway, glad to see you in here, you have a lot to offer on this site:)

Safety chains and raising the trailer much higher to hitch or unhitch?

I was skeptical about the Steel version myself until I bought one about 22 months ago. I use it to pull a 43' Mobile Suite and I quickly lost any doubt I had in the unit.

I pull a lot of Gooseneck trailers so hooking up is nit the hard for us, just have to get it close to being centered before you lower the rig. Once it is set on the ball, even if you forget to close the lock, there is little chance of the rig coming loose. You can install the ball receiver so it sets in front of the pin or behind it, which give you more clearance for short bed trucks or trucks with toolboxes.

Unhooking is much easier, with no binding like you can have with a fifth wheel hitch on uneven ground.

I take the hitch out as soon as I unhook the trailer, it takes 5 minutes. I can take the receiver off the pin box in another five if I need to.

If I bought again I may go aluminum, but, after heaving that heavy fifth wheel hitch in and out the 60 lb Anderson hitch is a snap.

I don't know anyone that has actually tried one that does not like it. There are no incidents of a unit failing, so, with it more user friendly, cheaper, and just as safe, I honestly cannot see a single downside.

I think the original post was about how light weight the Anderson was so in response to that....

I lift my hitch out of the truck using the 5er and store it hanging on the pin. I do not see weight as a advantage or disadvantage in a hitch. The landing gear does all the lifting and lowering.

"Fanboys" - whatever weight:

Unfortunately first hand experience can be expensive!
Do you switch to a different brand 'cause it's (supposedly) better?
If what you have works for well for YOU....no reason not to indicate why.

To be a fan or not to be a fan (of anything) - that is the question.

Is the grass really greener on the "other side"?

Fortunately, it's easier to separate brand loyalty from the good-bad-ugly when it comes to *really* big ticket items like TVs:
Go to the forums for (ex) *each* brand of diesel pickups - see what
problems users are having, how many, how often, how "fixed", etc.
No cross-pollination.....it is what it is.

For items like hitches -as opposed to vehicles- hard to find users who have had *several* brands....or even more than *one* brand, unless they made a really bad "first decision".

Bottom line - if you are a first-time buyer.....research is really important.
Make your own decision and become a "fan".
(Assuming you're happy with that decision).

If you already have a hitch that does what it's supposed to do (even if it is/was your "one and only") - why not be a "fan"?

Spend your bucks on something other than a "hitch whim" based on an Internet forum!..;)

Of course - if the "stuff" hits the fan.............:@



.

I guess I'm a "MiddleWeight" as I think they're both nice hitches. I think the Anderson is a great alternative. But as a B&W owner I don't know that I would sell mine to get an Andersen. I'm not sure the "lightweight" feature is enough to offset the easier hookup of the B&W. For me anyway I like the fact that I can back into the B&W, be off just a little and still hookup. With the Andersen you have to be dead on. Looks like the side to side hookup is close, but when backing into the B&W it's a slam dunk. With the Andersen you would need a stop point. However if I were in the market for a hitch and never owned a B&W I would buy the Andersen and figure out how to make a stop point gage.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Ok the B&W crowd is from now on called the "HeavyWeight FanBoys" and the Andersen will be known as the "LightWeight FanBoys" ;)

Good thinking. I'm definitely a Heavyweight. :)

Me Again wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:

RustyJC wrote:
And they call us B&W Companion users fanboys.....

Rusty

Nothing wrong with being a fanboy. But I don't consider those that talk down of products their unfamiliar with fanboys, rather just trolls...

Leave the opinions to those with first hand experience and we'll all be better off for it.

You missed my whole point. I see just as much, if not more, cheerleading for the Andersen hitch on this thread as I've ever seen for a B&W Companion hitch. If us B&W owners are considered fanboys, what does that make the Andersen hitch owners on this thread if not the same thing?

Rusty

Light weights?

Ok the B&W crowd is from now on called the "HeavyWeight FanBoys" and the Andersen will be known as the "LightWeight FanBoys" ;)

N-Trouble wrote:

Blackcell wrote:
First impressions are interesting design but don't care much for ball hitches. I like the convenience of install/remove and light weight but skeptical on durability. Looks can be deceiving but I'm not a metallurgist. I'm not against it but the hook-up and load balance on bed is what turned me off.
My hitch articulates for turns and high speed bends. For hook-up I only need to eyeball it when backing into to hitch up. With Andersen you have to hit it dead center every time. Thanks for sharing the videos but No thanks I prefer with what I have now...Iron Mountain Husky!

First actually use one, THEN come back with your complaints. Your like everyone else who knocks this hitch without ANY first hand experience actually using it.

You definitely need to improve your reading comprehension skills. No where in my post was I complaining. I simply gave my personal opinion based on first impression. I have enough experience with fiver hitches to know what will meet and not meet my requirements, preferences and satisfaction. My intuition for personal preference & requirements is rarely wrong. You need to spend more time campin and less time in the forums.

RustyJC wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:

RustyJC wrote:
And they call us B&W Companion users fanboys.....

Rusty

Nothing wrong with being a fanboy. But I don't consider those that talk down of products their unfamiliar with fanboys, rather just trolls...

Leave the opinions to those with first hand experience and we'll all be better off for it.

You missed my whole point. I see just as much, if not more, cheerleading for the Andersen hitch on this thread as I've ever seen for a B&W Companion hitch. If us B&W owners are considered fanboys, what does that make the Andersen hitch owners on this thread if not the same thing?

Rusty

Light weights?