Andersen Hitch for Lightweights

ChrisGNV wrote:
Does hookup require a torque wrench, or any wrench? Or do you just lift the hitch to take enough tension off the chains to allow connecting the bottom plate, then drop it down?

I read a comment elsewhere that the Andersen can't transfer sufficient weight forward for larger loads. The figure I saw printed was not more than 50%, but I don't know the validity of the statement. If there is a limitation, at what point does it become a factor.

I'll be towing a 4,500# trailer with a Durango Hemi (2005, truck frame) and putting about 500# on the hitch. I'd like to move as much of that to the front as was shifted back by connecting the trailer. If it won't do that sufficiently, I'll have to consider a more traditional rig.

I do like the idea of it being clean and seemingly simple.

Thanks

Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

The Andersen hitch comes with a 1/2 inch drive socket. You need to provide a ratchet handle or breaker bar. Torque wrench is not required. For me, a long handled ratchet works best.

Lifting the hitch by itself, does not take off enough tension to drop the lower part of the hitch, you still need to loosen the compression nuts.

I think the Andersen would work fine with 500 lbs tongue weight. It works for me, and I have over 900 lbs on the tongue.

Chris,
I don't have an Andersen hitch but from everything I have read about it, and that is quite a bit, the hitch should work fine with the weights you are considering. See my post earlier in this thread and check out some of the links provided.

As far as I know, you do need a socket wrench or something to turn the nut on the end of chain assembly for adjustment. A torque wrench is not needed because you just count the number of threads showing.

Some folks have hooked up and un-hooked by lifting the truck/trailer combo with the tongue jack and removing the chain plate from the bottom but I am not sure that is safe as the whole ball/coupler many come out and let the truck drop down suddenly. Andersen may have fixed that issue however - I don't know.
Barney

Does hookup require a torque wrench, or any wrench? Or do you just lift the hitch to take enough tension off the chains to allow connecting the bottom plate, then drop it down?

I read a comment elsewhere that the Andersen can't transfer sufficient weight forward for larger loads. The figure I saw printed was not more than 50%, but I don't know the validity of the statement. If there is a limitation, at what point does it become a factor.

I'll be towing a 4,500# trailer with a Durango Hemi (2005, truck frame) and putting about 500# on the hitch. I'd like to move as much of that to the front as was shifted back by connecting the trailer. If it won't do that sufficiently, I'll have to consider a more traditional rig.

I do like the idea of it being clean and seemingly simple.

Thanks

Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

Great information.

Thank you all very much,

Mike & Kathy

I bought mine last spring and towed with it from OK to MI and back, then to Yosemite and back. It worked fine. Setup wasn't hard, but I cut off 2 links on each side to miss a LP bracket. Also drilled indents (not all the way through) for the set screws so the brackets could not slip forward. Those brackets do not end up staying completely vertical; once it's tightened the bottoms draw forward as far as possble... so just position them slanted when you are figuring where to bolt them and how long your chains will be.

Don't own an Anderson but have read some good stuff about them. They seem ideally suited for the lighter trailers. Only negative I've read is with heavy rigs with tongue weight over 1,000 and not being able to transfer enough weight to the front axle. If I had a smaller trailer, I'd seriously consider the Anderson.

Route66Cruisers wrote:
I would appreciate feedback from members who have experience using the Andersen hitch for towing a lightweight travel trailer with a tongue weight in the 400 to 600 pound range. I am interested in the anti sway feature, its lightweight and easy installation.

Thank you,
Mike

I'm towing with about 950 lbs tongue weight.

Anti sway feature is some type of brake material, inside the ball mount.

Prior to purchasing and Andersen hitch, one of my first questions to them was, how often should I need to replace that brake material. Their response was, never.

The entire hitch, ball, and trailer brackets, come in a box that weighs 60 lbs. Install is pretty simple, as long as you have no obstructions on the trailer tongue, and level ground to do the install.

It should work very well with 4 - 600 lbs tongue weight.

There has been a lot of discussion about this hitch. Click here for search results over the past year. Hope some of it helps you out.
Barney