Andersen Aluminum Ultimate Hitch Redesigned

[jerem0621]

I follow Andersen hitches on Facebook and they have announced a redesign of their Aluminum Ultimate Fifth Wheel Hitch...here are some screen shots of the Facebook post.





Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Me_Again]

It has long been said that Andersen compression test had little to do with real world issues thst a hitch can be subjected to. Earlier in the thread I said the changes we most likely due to issues. Now we know I was correct. Chris

[rhagfo]

jerem0621 wrote:
Here is that post on the Cummins forum that details and and shows the damaged Andersen.

Link

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Here is the picture of the damage.



This is a quote from the text;
"We had a panic stop, going down a pretty steep hill. Brakes to the floor, anti-locks chattering, wife screaming, you get the picture. Pretty much the worst case scenario for putting lateral stress on a hitch, short of running into a wall, train, semi, etc. Based on a couple of previous weighings of our fifth wheel, I estimate we were towing between 15,000 and 15,500 pounds at the time."

So I would be concerned on two accounts;
#1. Trailer brakes should stop the trailer, so I would be checking them out if I was the OP on this posting!

#2. Seeing how there was no impact, the brakes on that Ram must be **** good!! That or the hitch isn't up to the job.

ON EDIT:I thought I would add the larger picture of the damaged hitch. Should ask the OP on the Cummins forum if his bed was also dented.



Not sure if the redesign, is perfect, they added two side support plates, and removed the front, think I would also left the front!!!

[fj12ryder]

That's kind of scary considering it was just a hard stop. I can see why they changed and strengthened the design some.

[Cummins12V98]

Think what it would look like with 20-24K attached! Real world damage just from hard braking, that's scary.

[jerem0621]

Here is that post on the Cummins forum that details and and shows the damaged Andersen.

Link

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[jerem0621]

e-light wrote:
Andersen is simply researching and improving a great product. Search the web for failures of their Ultimate 5er. There aren't any...

If installed properly and used within it's limits I'm sure it's just like anything else. There's no magic or snake oil with the design. It's rather simple...and it works.

5th wheel hitches are great too, obviously. For me I just find the Andersen so much easier and that's why I chose it. And I've driven the heck out of mine. One time I drove an entire first leg of the trip and forgot to lock the ball. I use chains and I use a checklist and somehow I missed it. Anyway I would have never noticed if I didn't check it every time I stop for fuel. I have heard others say the same thing. With 1800 lbs pushing down on the ball I guess it don't move a whole lot. I was mortified when I saw it, but it happened. I f'd up. Thank the Lord no one was hurt or worse. Now I have my wife go back and "peer review" my checklist when I'm finished.

At any rate, the new design looks cool. I see no reason to change as my current Andersen is well under it's rated limits. The new design looks like it could handle much more weight.

There is a report with pictures of an aluminum Andersen buckling under a panic stop on one of the cummins forums...the tube that holds the ball bent forwards and two of the supports buckled slightly...no breaks and the owner didn't find out about it until he was Un-hitching.

From what I understand Andersen sent him one of the redesigned hitches as a warranty replacement...


I'll try to link to it later unless someone else finds the post and links to it before I get home.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[e-light]

Andersen is simply researching and improving a great product. Search the web for failures of their Ultimate 5er. There aren't any...

If installed properly and used within it's limits I'm sure it's just like anything else. There's no magic or snake oil with the design. It's rather simple...and it works.

5th wheel hitches are great too, obviously. For me I just find the Andersen so much easier and that's why I chose it. And I've driven the heck out of mine. One time I drove an entire first leg of the trip and forgot to lock the ball. I use chains and I use a checklist and somehow I missed it. Anyway I would have never noticed if I didn't check it every time I stop for fuel. I have heard others say the same thing. With 1800 lbs pushing down on the ball I guess it don't move a whole lot. I was mortified when I saw it, but it happened. I f'd up. Thank the Lord no one was hurt or worse. Now I have my wife go back and "peer review" my checklist when I'm finished.

At any rate, the new design looks cool. I see no reason to change as my current Andersen is well under it's rated limits. The new design looks like it could handle much more weight.

[minnow]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

IdaD wrote:
A slider won't work with the kingpin on my trailer. Also I have the rail mount version so I won't get any bed deflection - the rails are mounted on brackets under the bed which are bolted directly to the frame. It's a very solid setup.

I wonder if they have any plans to make a hitch that mounts to the RAM factory pucks.

I would love that. Missing a good opportunity. Owners such as myself with the newer trucks with the puck system aren't interested in having to buy a $600 picture frame just to make an "old school" style hitch work. The appeal of the puck system is to have an easy to remove/clean bed hitch. Having a picture frame plus the hitch is not my idea of convience or cost effectiveness.

[Cummins12V98]

IdaD wrote:
A slider won't work with the kingpin on my trailer. Also I have the rail mount version so I won't get any bed deflection - the rails are mounted on brackets under the bed which are bolted directly to the frame. It's a very solid setup.

I wonder if they have any plans to make a hitch that mounts to the RAM factory pucks.

[Dayle1]

IdaD wrote:

I like a gooseneck ball on rough terrain. Nice and flexible and no issues hitching or unhitching at an angle. :B

In reality, the sides of the truck bed are the limiting factor in how much flexibility is available between the truck and trailer. So, as long as a fifth wheel hitch has side tilt there is no difference in the setups ability to handle rough terrain. The only way to increase the flexibility with a ball setup is to use a flatbed truck.

[krusegroup]

The most productive and informational part of this post, is that I'll now be using the expression "where you can stand on a tuna can and see 20 miles"! Thanks RustyJC! 🙂

[Searching_Ut]

Me Again wrote:


Have you ever heard of a 5th wheel king pin crystallizing and failing?

Crystallized balls do happen!

However different strokes for different folks!

Chris

"crystallizing", haven't heard that term used in decades.

I know a lot of folks who tow, and have done it myself for approximately 40 years now and never heard of or saw a fatigue failure of a ball. I have a cousin to whom the weld on the tongue of a new boat trailer failed, the coupler and chains stayed attached to the truck. Boat manufacture paid for the damage from that one. I personally had the receiver crack bad enough I replaced it on the class IV hitch on my 2011 ram 2500. Could have resulted in failure if I didn't inspect it periodically. With not all balls being equal rating wise I could easily imagine someone using the wrong size, or weight rating. That said, the only news stories I remember seeing on the issue were failure to properly hitch or that they were looking into the wrong size ball.

As far as kingpin failure, I have personally seen/heard and gazed upon the results of at least a half dozen 5ers dropped onto the bed of the truck over the years, the latest being last year when I watched a newer fiver drop down on a newer truck 2 sites away as I sat there enjoying the morning sun and a cup of coffee. I didn't have the heart to join the crowd that rapidly gathered around.

Finally, I've had to assist with the investigation of a pintle hook hitch failure after a mechanic used the wrong grade bolts to install it to the tug used to tow well over 300k. You need to ensure you're using equipment rated for the job at hand, and inspect it regularly.

[IdaD]

A slider won't work with the kingpin on my trailer. Also I have the rail mount version so I won't get any bed deflection - the rails are mounted on brackets under the bed which are bolted directly to the frame. It's a very solid setup.

[Cummins12V98]

IdaD wrote:

RustyJC wrote:
Let me answer you this way....if ball hitches (including goosenecks) are superior, why aren't they used instead of 5th wheel (kingpin) hitches on Class 8 over-the-road tractor/trailers? Even those rigs towing double use pintle hitches to connect the dolly to the front trailer. As far as the implied integrity of the hitching arrangements, notice that safety chains are not required on kingpin-type hitches but are by some states on all ball hitches.

If you want to get into the design specifics, we can wade off into that discussion another time.

Rusty

Safety chains are required on ball setups because there are more opportunities for error, not because they're inherently weaker. Wrong size ball or failure to lock the hitch and you could have an issue, whereas a kingpin is a kingpin and it locks in automatically.

I like a gooseneck ball on rough terrain. Nice and flexible and no issues hitching or unhitching at an angle. Not an issue in Texas where you can stand on a tuna can and see 20 miles, but it can be important out west. :B

The flexibility can be a good thing or a bad thing! Most hitches have a certain degree they will tilt side to side that is to help prevent the RV from contacting the TV bed sides. With the Andersen type there is nothing to prevent contact. I guarantee I would have had bed contact when I was recently at Quartzite looking for a spot to Dry Camp if I had the Andersen. The road turned from nice smooth gravel to twisting wash with no way to turn around.

I have said this before, the Andersen is a quality built product that in MY OPINION should be used with RV's in the 12 maybe 14K and under applications. But it has no way of locking the RV to the hitch. Towing heavier with the Ultimate you will have bed deflection.

If people are happy with their Andersen that's great, newbies don't get sucked with the irrelevant crush test video.

There is a guy on another site that blew out his rear window after the installing Dealer told him with the Andersen he would not have any problem with cab contact. He returned it got a refund and installed a slider.

[Cummins12V98]

N-Trouble wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:
What does locking the RV to the hitch accomplish?

It will keep someone from pulling the handle and have the possibility of the RV disconnecting from the hitch. Yes it can and has happened.

Do you ever look in your rearview mirror while towing? Its right there... Might be a concern with a traditional 5er hitch that would just slide off, but its not like its going to jump off the ball without some serious effort.

On the other hand someone could just as easily pull the latch on my B&W Turnoverball so kind of defeats the purpose of having a lock on the Andersen anyways:P

The TurnoverBall latch will NOT pull with the Andersen torqued down same with the Companion. The fact is The roads in this Country are bad enough in places that the 5er could jump off the Andersen no problem. I do agree it won't happen as easily with the Andersen style hitch than a conventional hitch.