Anderson Hitch - unhitching

[Jhurk]

Hi guys. I have a Anderson Ultimate Aluminum hitch ball in box mount and very happy with it! Only minor issue is when I am unhitching the ball gets hung up on the adapter till it finally releases after lifting truck up small amount. I've backed up truck, pulled forward and put in neutral to take pressure off ball but can't seem to get the sweet spot for releasing. One would think that when raising 5er it would pull back on the hitch so backing up slightly would do the trick but not so. Anybody else notice this issue. I'll give Anderson a call for solution.

[hbillsmith]

I have airbags on my truck that I run at 40 to 50 psi while towing (@ 10psi otherwise). I find if I'm at an off angle I can just drop the airbags psi.

[jbeliera]

The Anderson hitch has the same issues as any other ball hitch when unhooking. If there is pressure on the ball it has a hard time lifting up much like a pull trailer does when there is pressure against the wall of the tongue as in a pull trailer. It has been my experience you just have to be patient and maybe move the truck either back or forward a smidgent to get it to relieve the pressure

[cummins2014]

Jhurk wrote:
I unhitched again and did,same thing got slightly hung up. I kept raising the landing gear and it released. I guess overall it's not a big deal. I changed my landing gear to the bulldog dual motor system and it lifts with no problem so lifting the truck the truck somewhat is no issue. The old one motor system it strained so hard it would hardly work. I'm good to,go. Thanks

I can't imagine that ball coming out clean, it would have to be pretty lined up to do that, any pressure in any direction going to cause it to hang just a bit, can't be a concern, unless like your old weak landing gear motor.

Enjoy that Andersen, I sure do. Wish now I would have got it long ago.

[Jhurk]

I unhitched again and did,same thing got slightly hung up. I kept raising the landing gear and it released. I guess overall it's not a big deal. I changed my landing gear to the bulldog dual motor system and it lifts with no problem so lifting the truck the truck somewhat is no issue. The old one motor system it strained so hard it would hardly work. I'm good to,go. Thanks

[jkwilson]

I mostly see the hang just like you do with a gooseneck or any ball hitch when the trailer or truck isn't chocked tightly. One vehicle puts pressure on the ball and it tends to hang coming out.

[gkainz]

Mine will drag a little if I'm bound up or off-camber but the jacks will lift mine off the ball easily. I do notice a little lift or drag at times. Not enough to worry about, though.

[cummins2014]

Me Again wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:


"Oh no, now you are really out! 😉 😉 ;)"


I don't think he's too worried, he will probably just join the Andersen Fan Club 🙂

No that is the FAN club he is in trouble with! Re-read his post. Chris

Got ya !!. We will just have to wait ,and see if we should now consider him for the Andersen Fan Club , it seems we might have a fence sitter here :B

[Me_Again]

cummins2014 wrote:


"Oh no, now you are really out! 😉 😉 ;)"


I don't think he's too worried, he will probably just join the Andersen Fan Club 🙂

No that is the FAN club he is in trouble with! Re-read his post. Chris

[skidooman93]

Mine always releases smoothly, I even park my 5th wheel on a fairly good incline when at home. It unhitches so much easier than my old bumper pull did, I always had a difficult time unloading that so I could unlock the ball coupler on the trailer. With the anderson I just pull the handle on the cable and the trailer lifts right off, some times it catches just slightly but very little. Much easier than I was told a typical 5th wheel hitch would have been at the angle I'm parking the trailer.

[IBcarguy]

I use an Anderson Ultimate and have no such problems. It was stuck once when I backed into an uphill spot but once chocked up, I just moved the truck a little and it came free easily. Andersen does not recommend using any lubricant at all. Not sure why.

[hbillsmith]

Jhurk wrote:
Yes my release cable is all the way out. It is always easy to pull the cable. I'll try spraying the ball with silicone to see if that works? Maybe a spray of silicone to the release cable from inside the adapter may work to. I'll give Anderson a call next week.

I wouldn't use silicone. For trailer parts I always use Dry Lube (like the stuff they sell as Slide Out Dry Lube). But I wouldn't even do that until after you talk to Andersen. If you look inside the pin adapter you can see that Andersen has a permanent lube coating already there. As to lubing the sliding in/out pin that is controlled by the cable, if that free easily, putting silicone on it could cause it to collect dirt. Talk to Jason.

[Jhurk]

Yes my release cable is all the way out. It is always easy to pull the cable. I'll try spraying the ball with silicone to see if that works? Maybe a spray of silicone to the release cable from inside the adapter may work to. I'll give Anderson a call next week.

[goducks10]

FWIW my release cable pulls all the way out easily. I just figured it was an inherent part of the process.
I'll plug another nice feature, for me at least. We have two kayaks that we carry on top of the truck. I load them from the bed up onto the racks. With the B&W I always needed to move the hitch head because my feet were always tripping on it. The Andersen being like a pyramid gives more walking room when loading the kayaks.

[cummins2014]

Me Again wrote:

goducks10 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
I make sure I have chocks on the rear trailer axles. Other than that I may or may not reverse the truck to relieve pressure. It's definitely not as easy hitching or unhitching than the B&W Patriot I used prior.

Interesting statement! They may revoke your membership in the club! Chris

LOL, yeah and it tows exactly the same. Go figure.

Oh no, now you are really out! 😉 😉 😉

I don't think he's too worried, he will probably just join the Andersen Fan Club 🙂