Trailersavor vs Anderson Ultimate

[ESDA]

Buyinh first 5th wheel. Weight is around 14,500 with a pin weight of 2,900. Trying to decide between the trailersavor and the Anderson Ultimate. I realize they are completely different style of hitches. I like the trailersavor with the airbags and how sturdy it is (plus I have the hensley arrow so I know the company. The Anderson looks appealing due to the ease of getting in and out, plus it seems to be easier to hook up. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

[ReneeG]

JIMNLIN wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
I'm neither for nor against the Anderson, but my curiosity was peeked with the many comments on it so I googled "Anderson hitch fifth wheel failures" - here is what came up:

Article on worst hitch

Anderson hitch failures

Anderson hitch problems

Anderson Hitch Failure

Hitch Review

Chevy forum on hitch failures

GrandRV Hitch Failure post

*Note - I have not read any of these. There very well may be positive comments embedded in the articles. Again, I'm not looking to bash any hitch, just was curious on what is reported out there.

Lets see now you posted 7-8 clickies about Andersen hitch failures and didn't read any of them to see if they were factual or just a opinion.....and your not Andersen bashing....:R

No. I'm not.

[MFL]

While cummins2014, and others on these forums, are happy with their Andersen hitch, they have the steel 4-point attaching Andersen.

I don't recall a failure picture of the 4-point att steel hitch?

I think the aluminum hitch would be a good option for many, if it fit the rail system, or best of all the pucks. The lateral forces that appeared to be the problem in the destroyed Ultimate hitch, likely would not have happened, if attached at 4 corner points. JMO

I will add, IMO, the puck attaching hitches are the future, best option. Anyone having the factory pucks should consider a hitch that fits them directly.

Jerry

[cummins2014]

ReneeG wrote:
I'm neither for nor against the Anderson, but my curiosity was peeked with the many comments on it so I googled "Anderson hitch fifth wheel failures" - here is what came up:

Article on worst hitch

Anderson hitch failures

Anderson hitch problems

Anderson Hitch Failure

Hitch Review

Chevy forum on hitch failures

GrandRV Hitch Failure post

*Note - I have not read any of these. There very well may be positive comments embedded in the articles. Again, I'm not looking to bash any hitch, just was curious on what is reported out there.

And the broken record continues ,yet no one adds that they redesigned that hitch , now go find find a failure on the redesign . If you do read what you posted here , it does show the redesigned hitch in one of those links .

[JIMNLIN]

ReneeG wrote:
I'm neither for nor against the Anderson, but my curiosity was peeked with the many comments on it so I googled "Anderson hitch fifth wheel failures" - here is what came up:

Article on worst hitch

Anderson hitch failures

Anderson hitch problems

Anderson Hitch Failure

Hitch Review

Chevy forum on hitch failures

GrandRV Hitch Failure post

*Note - I have not read any of these. There very well may be positive comments embedded in the articles. Again, I'm not looking to bash any hitch, just was curious on what is reported out there.

Lets see now you posted 7-8 clickies about Andersen hitch failures and didn't read any of them to see if they were factual or just a opinion.....and your not Andersen bashing....:R

[cummins2014]

MFL wrote:
Michelle.S said:

"I've said it numerous times: Why do people buy the biggest/heaviest Fifth Wheel they can, then look for the Lightest Weight Hitch they can find."

From your other thread.

Trailersavor

Jerry ,I didn't buy the biggest ,and the heaviest fifth wheel ,but probably around the average for most fifth wheels at 15,500 GVWR . But I did buy one of the heaviest manual sliding fifth wheel hitches . I soon found out from my travels things that I wanted to do required a change , a lighter hitch that I could take out comfortably ,so I went with the Andersen to enable me to remove it ,and transport my inflatable pontoon boat in the bed of the truck to the lakes to fish . Since then I found I wanted other changes that required not needing the Andersen . I got tired of disassembling my inflatable pontoon boat ,and assembling wherever I was . Plus the room it took up in the storage compartments . So I went to a small single axle trailer towed behind the fifth wheel to transport the pontoon boat . Works great its also nice to slide the boat ,on ,and off the trailer when using it .

A couple points in all this ,many do think they have to have the heaviest fifth wheel hitch they can get ,and bash anything other than that . My manual sliding heavy ,IMO dinosaur of a hitch sits in my garage on a rolling cart so I can move it around collecting dust . At first it was the Andersen when I needed it ,and the dinosaur when I didn't , I soon abandoned that . Now it's only the Andersen , the much better hitch all the way around IMO. I did put the dinosaur on a classified one time practically giving it away, and not one call .

My second point is I would recommend the Andersen to anyone that's thinking of buying one .

[TXiceman]

The Andersen will do well as long as you only subject it to vertical loads and light lateral loads. Any lateral load will reduce the load on 1, 2 or 3 of the legs and load the remaining legs in a high compressive load. A cylindrical column will do well as long as the load is on its centerline axis. With one end anchored and a load off the centerline, the column will be subject to bending or buckling. If the thickness cannot tolerate the off-center load, failure will occur.

Get the Trailer Saver air ride hitch and enjoy it.

Ken

[ReneeG]

I'm neither for nor against the Anderson, but my curiosity was peeked with the many comments on it so I googled "Anderson hitch fifth wheel failures" - here is what came up:

Article on worst hitch

Anderson hitch failures

Anderson hitch problems

Anderson Hitch Failure

Hitch Review

Chevy forum on hitch failures

GrandRV Hitch Failure post

*Note - I have not read any of these. There very well may be positive comments embedded in the articles. Again, I'm not looking to bash any hitch, just was curious on what is reported out there.

[fj12ryder]

Just do a search for "Andersen hitch failures", you'll find all the pictures you desire.

[cummins2014]

As said I have seen the same picture over ,and over ,and over on here by the same member for whatever reason . I have heard of two ,and that's been several years now with the Andersen . Since they have redesigned nothing that I have read or seen .

Like you thousands of miles without issue . One mentioned over shooting the ball ,and smashing a tailgate , we can bring up many scenarios where we can mess something up with any hitch .

[ssthrd]

I also have an Andersen. I have seen on these and other pages anecdotal accounts of issues with it, but have never seen a picture to show what exactly is going on. Except for one that I recall which is shown over and over again to illustrate the many problems with the Andersen.

If you or anyone else can post some shots, I would love to see them.

I have travelled thousands of miles pulling a 14,000 lb trailer over some pretty rough roads and have no issues at all.

Please post what you have.

Some say that because it is aluminum, it is not all that strong and must be dangerous. Seems like it can be used structurally in aircraft, and also as the outer skin which is only 2-3 mm thick. I imagine it would be scary for some people if they knew that 2mm of aluminum was the only thing between them and certain death while travelling over 500 mph and 30,000 feet in the air. And then slamming down onto a runway in a 300 ton aircraft at 180 mph.

Gives me the shivers.

No issues with the Andersen after those thousands of miles, and no issues with flying after those hundreds of thousands of miles.

Pictures please. ??

[sayoung]

Now that I have an Airsafe air ride hitch, I have no inclination to ever use any other style & the Trailer savers are excellent .
As for an Andersen, I am a former user. I've bent 2 and will not ride in a truck towing with one of the aluminum ones. The steel version which attaches to standard rails is maybe ok

[Lantley]

You said it from the start. They are to very different htches.
If your goal/priority is a lightweight easy to remove hitch Andersen wins.
However all other factors go to Hensley.
Durable,beefy,smooth ride,positive latching, substantial weight capacity all, superior reputation,all favor Hensley

[ReneeG]

We have the Hensley TrailerSaver BD3. We traded in our Hensley Arrow on it.

The BD3 and BD5 are both air ride hitches and come apart for easy removal. BD3 is rail or underbed mounted, and BD5 is underbed or puck system.

BD3 is an 18k gross trailer weight and 3500lb pin weight.
BD5 is a 28k gross trailer weight and a 5k pin weight.

[MFL]

Michelle.S said:

"I've said it numerous times: Why do people buy the biggest/heaviest Fifth Wheel they can, then look for the Lightest Weight Hitch they can find."

From your other thread.

Trailersavor

[JIMNLIN]

is that 14500 lb a dry weight or the trailers gvwr ??

you want to work from the trailers gvwr for hitch selections.

I pull GN and 5th wheel trailers and IMO a 5th wheel hitch is a bit easier to hook up although not a game changer for my use.

For a trailer that size and heavier I would choose a air ride hitch.