Andersen hitch question

[n7bsn]

I'm considering switching hitches to the Andersen.

I read in the docs that the hitch can jam if the truck/trailer are out of level, compared to each other.

So the question is, how sensitive is this hitch to "off-level" situations.

In the summer we spend a few weekend boon-docked on some fairly uneven ground, I usually don't need to disconnect for those weekends, but....

The current hitch weight is way more then I can remove, without using the king-pin on the trailer, when spending (sometimes) a lot of time getting things square so I can put it back in.

[sayoung]

whs9841 wrote:
I've had the Andersen Ultimate hitch for about a year. I love the hitch. The only issue I've had is when I take it in for service my service center doesn't have a good setup to move my trailer around in the service yard. Their forklifts have the typical kingpin receiver and the travel trailer 2" ball, but they don't have a larger ball that fits into the Andersen coupler.

The first time I took it in with the Andersen coupler, they tried to use the 2" ball to move it and it damaged the coupler enough where I couldn't slide the pin over when I picked it up. I was able to chip away some of the aluminum on the inside of the coupler, which allowed the pin to close correctly.

The next time I took it in I told them about it and they said they would be more careful. Well, the same thing happened. This time it was damaged worse and the service center agreed to replace the coupler. I picked it up a week later with a new coupler and everything was good.

The problem is this service center said they are going to have customers remove the Andersen coupler in the future because they don't have a good way to move the trailers around in their yard without damaging the couplers. I don't want to take the block off everytime I take it in for service. Has anyone else experienced this?

My dealer services a lot of 5er's with gooseneck adapters & has a setup for hooking up to them with thier front end loader

[rskeans]

I took my 5ver to Sunshine RV in Lake Havasu City, AZ for a minor job. I asked if they could handle the Andersen adapter. They said 'no problem' as they see the Andersen all of the time. Sure enough, on their fork lift they had a 2 5/16" ball and didn't blink an eye.

[NWKomfort350]

When I had a travel trailer my ball was 2 5/16"
I would of thought their forklift would have two different ball sizes on it.
I guess service centers might just use a 2" ball for all ball couplers...

[WTP-GC]

N-Trouble wrote:
I can't really see where using a 2" ball to move it around a service yard would cause damage to the coupler unless some young kid just didn't know what he was doing.

Its because they don't care. Drive the forklift up to it, slam it in place and snatch it around.

In reality, most TT's (if not all) are 2 5/16" ball hitch. They should be using that size anyway. No room or excuse for laziness in the customer service market.

[laknox]

N-Trouble wrote:
Makes sense. I agree, if they are selling the hitch and promoting it then they should update their forklift to be able to support. Have you called them out in regards to this? I sure would...

Telling owners to remove their coupler each time is NOT good customer service. Just tell them you'll go elsewhere and see what they say.

G*d forbid that the =dealer= takes care of a customer's rig and removes it =himself= to avoid the issue, until such time they get a ball to move it properly.

Lyle

[N-Trouble]

Makes sense. I agree, if they are selling the hitch and promoting it then they should update their forklift to be able to support. Have you called them out in regards to this? I sure would...

Telling owners to remove their coupler each time is NOT good customer service. Just tell them you'll go elsewhere and see what they say.

[whs9841]

The odd thing is the service center I go to actually sells the Andersen hitch. You would think they could put a larger ball on a long neck to move trailers around with the Andersen block on them.

It looked like the steel neck that the 2" ball was mounted on came in contact with the block, so the hitch was resting on the steel neck, not the 2" ball. This scratched up the bottom of the block and the inside of the block when the 2" ball freely moved around. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not.

[N-Trouble]

I can't really see where using a 2" ball to move it around a service yard would cause damage to the coupler unless some young kid just didn't know what he was doing.

[Me_Again]

whs9841 wrote:
I've had the Andersen Ultimate hitch for about a year. I love the hitch. The only issue I've had is when I take it in for service my service center doesn't have a good setup to move my trailer around in the service yard. Their forklifts have the typical kingpin receiver and the travel trailer 2" ball, but they don't have a larger ball that fits into the Andersen coupler.

The first time I took it in with the Andersen coupler, they tried to use the 2" ball to move it and it damaged the coupler enough where I couldn't slide the pin over when I picked it up. I was able to chip away some of the aluminum on the inside of the coupler, which allowed the pin to close correctly.

The next time I took it in I told them about it and they said they would be more careful. Well, the same thing happened. This time it was damaged worse and the service center agreed to replace the coupler. I picked it up a week later with a new coupler and everything was good.

The problem is this service center said they are going to have customers remove the Andersen coupler in the future because they don't have a good way to move the trailers around in their yard without damaging the couplers. I don't want to take the block off everytime I take it in for service. Has anyone else experienced this?

When you step outside the normal things like this happen. Dealers are not going to change how they do things for a small percentage of users. So take the adapter off for your own protection. Others have noted similar issues BTW. Chris

[whs9841]

I've had the Andersen Ultimate hitch for about a year. I love the hitch. The only issue I've had is when I take it in for service my service center doesn't have a good setup to move my trailer around in the service yard. Their forklifts have the typical kingpin receiver and the travel trailer 2" ball, but they don't have a larger ball that fits into the Andersen coupler.

The first time I took it in with the Andersen coupler, they tried to use the 2" ball to move it and it damaged the coupler enough where I couldn't slide the pin over when I picked it up. I was able to chip away some of the aluminum on the inside of the coupler, which allowed the pin to close correctly.

The next time I took it in I told them about it and they said they would be more careful. Well, the same thing happened. This time it was damaged worse and the service center agreed to replace the coupler. I picked it up a week later with a new coupler and everything was good.

The problem is this service center said they are going to have customers remove the Andersen coupler in the future because they don't have a good way to move the trailers around in their yard without damaging the couplers. I don't want to take the block off everytime I take it in for service. Has anyone else experienced this?

[ralphnjoann]

sayoung wrote:

ralphnjoann wrote:

hbillsmith wrote:
As I understand your concern its relative to being able to line up on uneven ground sufficient to get the kingpin adapter hole to drop onto the Andersen ball in the truck bed. Fear no more! Andersen now offers their patented funnel adapter for the Ultimate hitch (for new owners it's free and included, current owners can get the funnel adapter for cost $33). The funnel let's your alignment be off by as much as 3" and still have the king pin slide on.

According to the Amazon description of this adapter, you will also need a new ball if your hitch was made before March, 2016.

New ball only required if you set ball to lowest position in hitch. I have one of these cupps o n order and didnt need ball as I run at highest setting. Per Andersen,it lets you be off by as much as 3 inchs.

I really don't have any trouble hitching just wanted it.

Thanks for the clarification.

[sayoung]

ralphnjoann wrote:

hbillsmith wrote:
As I understand your concern its relative to being able to line up on uneven ground sufficient to get the kingpin adapter hole to drop onto the Andersen ball in the truck bed. Fear no more! Andersen now offers their patented funnel adapter for the Ultimate hitch (for new owners it's free and included, current owners can get the funnel adapter for cost $33). The funnel let's your alignment be off by as much as 3" and still have the king pin slide on.

According to the Amazon description of this adapter, you will also need a new ball if your hitch was made before March, 2016.

New ball only required if you set ball to lowest position in hitch. I have one of these cupps o n order and didnt need ball as I run at highest setting. Per Andersen,it lets you be off by as much as 3 inchs.

I really don't have any trouble hitching just wanted it.

[WTP-GC]

Having connected and disconnected from my Andersen Ultimate on many occasions, I'd have to say that the OP's concern may be misplaced. Its an extremely forgiving connection, probably more so that most traditional 5th wheel hitches. I've not once experienced any trouble when hitching and unhitching from the TV.

[IdaD]

I don't see any need for the funnel on the adapter - you can see the ball from the drivers seat so it's super easy to line it up correctly to hitch. A funnel setup like that might actually be useful on a standard gooseneck trailer with the ball down in the bed.