UPDATE - Andersen Ultimate Redesign

WTP-GC wrote:
I suppose that your mileage may vary, ie your definition of "failure" might differ from the next guy's definition. There's been many a fortune made by attorney's debating that very topic.

Andersen was not specific in the number of customers that experienced this issue. I re-read the email and note that they said "a few" incidents. Is that 2 or 200? I would tend to err on the side of a lower number, due to all we know about them and their customer service (and confirmed reports).

So to back up to the original point: More than 18,000 sold and there are only a few issues. Say what you want about what defines failure, but those are superior results.

I read an online post a while back about a B & W Companion that came loose due to a broken bolt. I guess we'll chock that up as a failure too ;)

Being a B&W hitch fanboy, I did some checking about this broken bolt you're referring to. The only thing I could find was the broken bolt for the small shock absorber that helps cushion the side-to-side tilt. I am going to operate under the assumption that is the one you're talking about. If I'm incorrect please post a link to the actual bolt failure. I like to think I'm up on the B&W hitch but it's possible this is something I'm totally unaware of.

This is not a "mission critical" bolt. In fact according to the person who had the bolt break, B&W said it was a not a problem and to remove the small shock absorber and use the hitch. They would send a replacement. This is a pretty far cry from Anderson's replacement of the entire hitch after the issue they had. I have had the bolt also break, and it has nothing to do with the safe operation of the hitch. Since the hitch can tilt from side to side I think this shock absorber is there to stop it from rocking around when the hitch isn't being used. It doesn't take too much effort to tilt the hitch against the force of the shock absorber, so it can't be doing much when the hitch is in use.

I have read that Anderson is replacing the early design of their aluminum hitch if you request a replacement. Even if yours isn't damaged. This sounds very like Harley-Davidson some years ago when they had issues with their "Twin Cam" engines. They would do the necessary repairs, but you had to either have damage, or know about it and ask for the preventive repair. They wouldn't notify you that there was a potential problem. Kind of an iffy way of treating a problem, IMO anyway.