Anderson

I own both an Andersen AUH and a B&W Companion.

I use the Andersen Hitch almost exclusively because it is so easy to take out of the truck bed by myself with just a 15/16" socket and torque wrench. It attaches to my removable gooseneck ball.

The B&W works very well also. But I cannot take it out of the truck bed by myself. It is very heavy. It connects very securely to my RAM puck system.

Ed

billy1davis wrote:
Yes I have lubricated the entire landing gear as I just replaced most of it.

Yes I use blocks for raising the 5vr on the front.

The motor is quite a bit larger than most wiper motors I have seen but still undersized.

It does take more than a few seconds to go the extra 4".

And yes it is for sure my belief that even the quality rv's like mind..AF.. use the cheapest materials and equipment especially when it will not be noticed at point of sale. I have had Lance, Artic Fox, Komfort, Serengeti and many others and they all wear out sooner than they should and mostly due to under sized and cheap parts. It is frustrating to say the least. So yes the motor is undersized and works too hard to do a simple job that would be made much easier if it was properly sized for the task.
but having just put in all new landing gear except the follower leg I am not about buying the better stuff now.
I think that answers most of the issues.
Would like more comments on the Anderson Hitch versus the normal kind.

When I was hauling RVs for a living I used the "normal" hitch, hated it!! Noisy, rattled, clanked and banged. A pain in the rear at times to release the jaws. Been using the Anderson for 5 years now, can hook up the 5'er at any angle, it's quiet stable and easy to use, remove and store (hangs on the wall in da garage like a painting of Mona Lisa). Still waiting for the day it bends/collapses and for it to cause "deflection" in the bed. I not use it for camping trips, but also use it as a mobile camp/office when in the field.

WTP-GC wrote:

billy1davis wrote:
I am looking for a comparison of good and bad including the affect on the landing gear between Anderson and the regular heavy kind.

I'll venture to say that there is not one single shred of information available that would suggest use of the Andersen UH has any effect on the longevity of your landing gear motor.

Many factors:
Some 5ers are shorter/taller than others.
Some trucks are shorter/taller than others.
Some campsites are more or less level than others.
Some 5ers are lighter/heavier than others.
And the list goes on and on.

In theory, if your truck was shorter than mine and your 5er was taller (further to ground) than mine, then my "traditional" B & W might actually require me to raise my landing gear more than you with your AUH. In this case...ALL THINGS ARE NOT EQUAL.

After all you said it doesn't really have a thing to do with him. He will ALWAYS with his truck, and fifth wheel HAVE to raise HIS fifth wheel higher using an Andersen hitch then using a conventional hitch, thats a fact, nothing changes that.

That list of yours can can go on forever,but unless he changes hitches he will always be using his landing gear more with the Andersen.

I have the Andersen hitch and I've had to replace the motor and gear box. The cause for replacement was over extending to raise the trailer and under extending to level sometimes.
I simply replaced it with the same motor and gearbox due to cost. I am very careful not to over or under extend.....but sometimes it's hard to get it right.
It's not the fault of the Andersen hitch.....it's the amount of travel you get with the Venture landing gear (about 19.5").
I have a new Dual Motor system in my dreams and will upgrade as soon as the pocket book will allow.
The best thing to do is to put the trailer on the truck, lower the landing gear as far as you can and measure from the top of the leg down 2 inches and draw a line with a marker Then measure up 2 inches from the bottom of the leg and draw a line with a marker. Stay within the lines and you shouldn't have a problem. The trick is trying to figure out each camping spot so you can get level once you're unhooked.
Again.......the dual system (though a little spendy) will solve the problem because it will give you much more travel distance on the legs (I think either 32 or 36")not to mention the power of dual motors.
Tony

Under apple to apple comparisons, yes the AU would require the landing gear motor to run more. Take the same camping spots and regardless of them being level or not or one truck higher or lower. If you use the AU and say a B&W regular type hitch then the AU will require more continued running of the landing gear motor.
Your conditions are the only ones that count.
FWIW I've been using my 5er for going on it's 6th season. Where I park when not using it I have to run the legs up pretty high to be level. Have not had one problem with it.

billy1davis wrote:
I am looking for a comparison of good and bad including the affect on the landing gear between Anderson and the regular heavy kind.

I'll venture to say that there is not one single shred of information available that would suggest use of the Andersen UH has any effect on the longevity of your landing gear motor.

Many factors:
Some 5ers are shorter/taller than others.
Some trucks are shorter/taller than others.
Some campsites are more or less level than others.
Some 5ers are lighter/heavier than others.
And the list goes on and on.

In theory, if your truck was shorter than mine and your 5er was taller (further to ground) than mine, then my "traditional" B & W might actually require me to raise my landing gear more than you with your AUH. In this case...ALL THINGS ARE NOT EQUAL.

billy1davis wrote:
I am looking for a comparison of good and bad including the affect on the landing gear between Anderson and the regular heavy kind.

What more can I say, there is no issue with MY landing gear ,and using the Andersen . No one else has reported any problems that I am aware of, as far as having to raise the fifth wheel higher.

Its pretty apparent you think the Andersen has something to do with ruining your landing gear motor. I don't think anymore reassuring that it probably didn't is going to help your thinking, its been asked ,and answered. Is raising, and lowering it four more inches going to wear it out faster, possibly . IMO that motor of yours was going to get bad sooner or later regardless of what hitch you had.

As far as alignment when hitching up, its the same process as far as side to side, and after a few times, I have been pretty close front to back, usually have to get back in the truck ,and adjust a few inches, sometimes I hit it right on. With the red cone , which I don't have, it would be a little easier for alignment.

If its an issue having to get out of the truck to check alignment front to back, well then you should probably stay away from the Andersen, it may require just a bit more effort to hitch up. Although for me I usually had to partially back in ,and get out to adjust the height of the fifth wheel before backing all the way with my old conventional heavy hitch, so for me the process is pretty much the same.

I am looking for a comparison of good and bad including the affect on the landing gear between Anderson and the regular heavy kind.

Wild Card wrote:

ralphnjoann wrote:

Wild Card wrote:

ralphnjoann wrote:
Do a search for "Andersen" on this forum, and you'll get plenty of information comparing Andersen to other hitches, particularly the B&W line.

Your kidding me right?

I wasn't kidding you or anyone else. My suggestion was in response to the OP's statement, "Would like more comments on the Anderson Hitch versus the normal kind." There's a wealth of easily accessible information on this forum in a number of threads and posts, much more than he's likely to find in a single thread.

Thats what I am saying. He never asked for comparison comments.

Yes he did! Last comment in his post at the top of this page - although the context may be different in this post.
Barney

ralphnjoann wrote:

Wild Card wrote:

ralphnjoann wrote:
Do a search for "Andersen" on this forum, and you'll get plenty of information comparing Andersen to other hitches, particularly the B&W line.

Your kidding me right?

I wasn't kidding you or anyone else. My suggestion was in response to the OP's statement, "Would like more comments on the Anderson Hitch versus the normal kind." There's a wealth of easily accessible information on this forum in a number of threads and posts, much more than he's likely to find in a single thread.

Thats what I am saying. He never asked for comparison comments.