Andersen Trailer Hitch

lakeman48 wrote:
Thanks for all the input. I never thought to do a search. Will do now and decide. Thank you all again !!

Lakeman, it's entirely up to you to decide how much Front Axle Load Restoration (FALR) you want your new WDH to provide.
Some people follow the TV manufacturer's specification (100% for your TV), and others accept a lesser amount.

The following chart is a compilation of FALR values calculated from front-axle load or height measurements provided by actual Andersen users.
Based on the user-reported measurements, you might expect an Andersen WDH to provide an FALR of about 50% for your tongue weight.

Candid comments regarding the limited load transfer ability of the Andersen WDH can be found by searching Airforums.com for recent posts by users SteveH and dkottum.

Following the chart is a listing of user names and forum names if you want to search for the actual reports.

Front Axle Load Restoration (FALR) is chosen as the indicator of load transfer effectiveness.
For measured front-axle loads, FALR is defined as the amount of load added by application of WD
divided by the amount of load removed by tongue weight (with NO WD applied).
For measured front-axle heights, FALR is defined as the front-end lowering due to application of WD
divided by the front-end rise due to tongue weight (with NO WD applied) .
When the front end is observed to be returned to the unhitched height, the FALR is taken to be 100%.

The data indicate FALR=100% can easily be achieved for low tongue weights.
However, for tongue weights in excess of 1000#, it is not clear that FALR=100% can be achieved.

The curves labeled "FALR Theory" are calculated from: FALR = 100*CT*2*LA*(1+BOH/TTL)/TW/BOH
where
CT = chain tension in #/chain
LA = lever arm from ball center to chain in ft (assumed to be 6.5"/12 per Bruce H.)
BOH = ball overhang in ft (assumed to be 5')
TW = tongue weight in lbs
TTL = distance from ball to mid-point between axles (assumed to vary from 12' for TW=400# to 20' for TW=1200#)

Contributors of data can be identifed by their TW and achieved FALR in the following table:

TW - FALR - Load/Height - Contributor - DataSource

400---100%----hgt.----SteveH------Airforums.com
400----91%----load----Bruce H.-----Lanceowners.com, RV.net, Airforums.com
900----75%----hgt.----gallifrey------RV.net
800----57%----load----airheadsrus---Airforums.com (updated for 10 threads)
600----54%----load----hbillsmith-----RV.net
800----50%----load----airheadsrus---Airforums.com
800----36%----load----airheadsrus---Airforums.com (new data for 9 threads)
1250---45%----load----housedad-----RV.net
960----43%----load----renojack------RV.net
600----43%----hgt.----zues----------Airforums.com
670----40%----load----HowieE-------Airforums.com
560----63%----load----eartha--------RV.net
800----19%----load----CHD Dad 3/16"--RV.net
800----50%----load----CHD Dad 7/16"--RV.net
946----50%----load----babies_dadeo---RV.net
680----33%----load----idroba--------Airforums.com
680----50%----load----idroba--------Airforums.com
700----50%----hgt.----PHS79-----------RV.net
(chart updated 11/16/2013)

Ron