To start off I have read through some of the old Anderson hitch posts which are a couple years old and discussing the new hitch in general.What I am wanting is feed back from guys that have ran the hitches for a couple years. I have about 2500 miles on my Anderson hitch and I am seeing a lot of ball wear as well as some of the red liner in the hitch head is squeezing out. For a hitch that is supposed to be greaseless and there isn't supposed to be a whole lot of movement between the top of the ball and hitch due to the ball turning as the truck turns I sure am seeing signs that the trailer moves around on the ball like one would with a conventional hitch. Some of my concern is maybe something isn't set up right, the dealer did forget to put the washers between the adjustment nut and red rubber things when I first picked it up. I figured something was amiss when the nut started to suck into the rubber bushing and took it back in.So what are you guys with the Anderson no sway hitch seeing?

The bushing is made to wear it sounds like you need a new bushing from not being set up right.there are YouTube videos on this.

I sprayed/coated my ball with "SLIP" a highly recommended dry lubricant and it worked well for the couple of years I used it. Only downside is its a black coating and not as pretty as a plain shiny aluminum ball. The antisway function provided by the chains was not impacted. SLIP is available in a spray can on Amazon.

hbillsmith wrote:I sprayed/coated my ball with "SLIP" a highly recommended dry lubricant and it worked well for the couple of years I used it. Only downside is its a black coating and not as pretty as a plain shiny aluminum ball. The antisway function provided by the chains was not impacted. SLIP is available in a spray can on Amazon.Never tried SLIP but it's the new thing with firearms. Read were it smooths up the slides in pistols and works well on semiauto bolts. Might give it a try as I don't care about the shiny ball, mine isn't shiny anymore anyways.Called Anderson today, they want to see pics so they can tell me if its normal or not so I will see what they say.

@hbillsmith The graphite in Slip is what gives you a dark coating. If you want an alternative dry lube then try Liquid Wrench Dry. It works just as well, but dries smooth and clear. It's not oily either. I use it on all kinds of stuff.

If you folks wish a dry lube, then any of the dry, powdered graphite/molybdenum/etclubes will work I like moly and don't mind grease filled with the stuff.This is from a guy who can't wear white because it gets dirty no matter how careful...even khakis is tough to keep unmarked...

Anderson No Sway chain WD hitch? Pics added. | Good Sam Community

FleaM35A2
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
The Anderson matches side to side movement... granted. But what about up/down movement? It seems to me that the normal up and down movement (bumps, entrance/exit to gas stations, roads, etc.) would still rely on movement between the ball and coupler.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2015
That is exactly the west pattern I was expecting to see. The wear is at the back of the coupler with the andersen as opposed to the front of the coupler socket with a standard wd hitch and draw bar.

I disagree with Andersens assertion that the ball and coupler need no grease. This is evidenced by your wear. I would absolutly grease the ball.

JMHO. Thanks!

Jeremiah
Muddydogs
Explorer
Jun 19, 2015
The hitch, couldn't find a name that I could read as the paint covered up most of the Writing.

Ball catch looks to be about as heavy duty as they come.

Sure see the wear pattern in the top of the socket.
BenK
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
Just remembered that the OP said the lower latch assembly...which has a two
piece pawl...then really want to know if the pawl was split to ride on the
sides of the ball !!!

then what condition is that latch assembly in...with the pawl split/spread
apart...that is all that is keeping the ball in the coupler when using
an Anderson...the front of the coupler dome is NOT touching the ball...
BenK
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
anderson andersonhitch andersonball

Noticed that this wear mark not straight across the ball

Meaning that it shows the coupler latch moving *UP* on the ball
and the only way for that to happen are either the latch is moving
up...or the ball is dropping down...out of the coupler when the
trailer is to one side (is the other side of the ball showing the
same wear pattern?)

Since most couplers has a solid dome top...the latch can NOT move up
and make this mark

The ball MUST be DROPPING down and out of the coupler dome

Why is the ball dropping out of the coupler during side to side
moves of the trailer?

The ball/shank vs friction material (think friction bar) is
supposed to resist any side to side sway and the bottom
plate/chain & plastic spring slugs are to both WD and pull the
plate in line with the trailer

There has to be some compliance/movement...plastic spring slugs,
but this is a lot of side to side movement.

From the looks of the wear pattern...guessing about 160* of side
to side swinging...that is very surprising, as the Andersen
is not supposed to have that much

I'll guess that the friction material is holding the ball/shank
with almost no side to side rotation...and...the trailer is swinging
side to side

How else????....unless the pawl is of two piece and it has spread
to saddle the ball between the two pawls. That would explain the
upward wear pattern on the side of the ball...if the pawl has
an upward bend in it...

Curious what the OP finds when he checks the coupler/latch

Please post back and am hoping for pictures !!!

PS...OP...please do NOT toss the parts...it would make for some
great forensics study...along with detailed pictures

PPS...scary...if what I see and my guess...that the wear pattern
is above or at the equator...the largest dia of the ball and is
what the complimentary dome in the coupler uses to keep the ball
in the dome...an interference fit between the dome and ball...
Muddydogs
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
Well I received a bushing from Anderson and nothing else, no phone call or letter nothing. After reading most of the long post that was linked above http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25717515/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1 my concern over the force being applied to the ball catch grew. The flat spot on my ball is were the ball catch rests so in 2500 miles my ball catch has worn a flat spot, wonder what the ball catch looks like? I called Anderson and got the standard its normal wear. Tomorrow I will be checking out the inside of the hitch and seeing what I can see. At this point I might just go back to the old tried and true WD hitch.
tbred
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2015
Fwiw, we have towed our 8500lb. tt approx. 8000 miles with our Andersen. Just went out and looked at the ball, some wear (more like scuffing) on the top front edge where yours shows, no flat spots anywhere. If I run my hand over it,everything feels uniform. We have a lever lock coupler assembly.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2015
Those are some telling pictures BenK...

I was the PERFECT candidate for an Andersen WD hitch with my PUP and Minivan. But I ultimatly decided on a standard WD hitch for my rig because I really dislike the amount of pressure that the Andersen puts on the pawl inside the coupler.

There were other reasons and they are illustrated in past threads.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
BenK
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
Curious and went back to the original thread here on this portal...

Here is John's image of his ball in front of his coupler

Notice where the flat spot of the ball and where it would touch the back side
of his coupler...if he had an Anderson WD Hitch system

Andersonballcoupler

For reference...here is the first thread on the Anderson I've come across
here on this portal

New Andersen WD hitch pg1 01.13.2012By John Barca
Muddydogs
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
My coupler is like the bottom pic.