Andersen Hitches

TylerG

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Anyone using Andersen Hitches for their travel trailers or other trailers? Been doing some looking and watching and reading today but can't seem to find any real life reviews.
 

C of Red

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I have one and it works great. However its big, bulky and expensive. If you want/need adjustable don't hesitate. I also bought the locking pins for mine so there was no thievery. Don't leave it on your truck when not used. One of my buds also has the hitch and he left his on and locking pins are now seized. If I was buying again not sure if would. I might just buy multiple cheap steel ones.

Should add, I have Rock Tammers and IMO the Aluminum hitch doesn't work to well with those. The aluminum is to soft for the bolts that screw against the hitch to keep the Tammers from rocking side to side.
 
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TylerG

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Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified I was looking at their weight distribution antisway anti-bounce system
 

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Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified I was looking at their weight distribution antisway anti-bounce system

It's a fantastic system! However.......I will add the caveat that it works best for tongue weights 900lbs and under. They say up to 1400Lbs tongue weight, and that has worked for a few with the right rigs, but I can tell you first hand that is not the norm for many users. Under 900lbs tongue weight and the system rocks!

It's light, quick to setup and take off, you can back up without any disconnection. really manages sway and bounce. It is sensitive to changes in tongue weight. I would have to make minor adjustments based on trailer load for a particular trip, but I liked that part as it is easy to do and I knew it was then working at it's best.

Andersens support is fantastic and they were always good at sending out any updated parts as they improved the system.
 
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TylerG

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It's a fantastic system! However.......I will add the caveat that it works best for tongue weights 900lbs and under. They say up to 1400Lbs tongue weight, and that has worked for a few with the right rigs, but I can tell you first hand that is not the norm for many users. Under 900lbs tongue weight and the system rocks!

It's light, quick to setup and take off, you can back up without any disconnection. really manages sway and bounce. It is sensitive to changes in tongue weight. I would have to make minor adjustments based on trailer load for a particular trip, but I liked that part as it is easy to do and I knew it was then working at it's best.

Andersens support is fantastic and they were always good at sending out any updated parts as they improved the system.

I think the tongue weight on the unit we are looking at is only 650lbs
 

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I ran one for two years and as commented best for lighter loads I used on a flat deck with half ton and found over about 7000 lbs total trailer and cargo weight it didn't level very well. They are quiet compared to bars and compact for storage with the chains. For a 650lb tongue weight I suspect you'd be good.
 

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I remember reading on an airstream trailer forum a while ago that the Anderson hitches on bumper pull trailers were causing abnormal wear on the hitch.
Apparently the way the chains are tensioned it pulls the trailer forward and causes the movable jaw of the hitch to bear a load that normally gets placed on the top and front surface of the ball and hitch socket. This load on the movable jaw causes it to wear abnormally and potentially fail.
Im no expert on these hitches, just relating what I read. You might want to explore it further.
 
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TylerG

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I remember reading on an airstream trailer forum a while ago that the Anderson hitches on bumper pull trailers were causing abnormal wear on the hitch.
Apparently the way the chains are tensioned it pulls the trailer forward and causes the movable jaw of the hitch to bear a load that normally gets placed on the top and front surface of the ball and hitch socket. This load on the movable jaw causes it to wear abnormally and potentially fail.
Im no expert on these hitches, just relating what I read. You might want to explore it further.
This is good information. Thank you. Looking at the videos and such I can see how this could potentially occur
 
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TylerG

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going to go over to "hitch house" today at lunch and look at my options, I want something with a long "shank" on it so that the trailer is further back from the truck, and I want a true class 5 hitch, no more size down adapters.......

2017 Heartland Mallard M29 Trailer  Reviews, Prices and Specs  RV Guide - Mozilla Firefox.jpg
 

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I had the Hensley arrow for my travel trailer and loved that thing. You could drive with one finger in 80 km cross winds on my 29 foot north trail. I sold it when I sold the trailer and got a fifth wheel, and a year later got another TT. Kicking myself for selling it because they are very expensive new.
 

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I had the Hensley arrow for my travel trailer and loved that thing. You could drive with one finger in 80 km cross winds on my 29 foot north trail. I sold it when I sold the trailer and got a fifth wheel, and a year later got another TT. Kicking myself for selling it because they are very expensive new.

the Andersen does not come in a 2.5" shank, so that made the decision pretty easy..... I'm tired of the stupid step down adapter.
 

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2.5 adapter easy peasy compared to the 3 inch on my F350, now that's a pain in the ass to get 2 spacers lined up for a 2 inch receiver. If your trailer is 6900 gvw, unless your pulling it with half sized truck or SUV you aren't going have much issue gettting any weight distribution hitch set up for it.
 

ZRrrr

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I remember reading on an airstream trailer forum a while ago that the Anderson hitches on bumper pull trailers were causing abnormal wear on the hitch.
Apparently the way the chains are tensioned it pulls the trailer forward and causes the movable jaw of the hitch to bear a load that normally gets placed on the top and front surface of the ball and hitch socket. This load on the movable jaw causes it to wear abnormally and potentially fail.
Im no expert on these hitches, just relating what I read. You might want to explore it further.

That was specific to the type of ball coupler that certain Airstreams were running at the time.
 

Mike270412

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Not sure what you're worried about Teeg. With your big truck and little trailer you shouldn't need a fancy hitch.
 

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I've got one for sale that I don't need anymore. Sold my RV trailer and no need for it anymore. Comes with two different drops and everything else needed. 2 3/8 ball.
 
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