I have the same hitch and have had it forb6 years. I tow a 16k pound Toyhauler. The benefit for me was hiw light the hitch is. Plus I can hitch up at any angle/camber. It also allowed me to use my short bed. I also love the fact that when the hitch is removed it allows me to use my entire pickup bed with out the bumps if the rails. When we don't use our hitch we store it in the garage portion of our trailer. We have been on some really rough roads and free ways and the thing has never failed. The hitch for us has been amazing.
I’m a dealer and I have seen the first version of the aluminum Andersen fail. The long tubes would telescope into themselves on an extreme braking condition. Andersen started adding the flat aluminum plate from the outer square up to the truck bed goose neck ball draw down tube. I’ve only seen 2 and Andersen told me to give them a complete new hitch at no charge and get them back in the road. Great company to work with!
I have a GMC Duramax 2500HD and I have been using this hitch for the past seven months pulling our Solitude S - Class and absolutely love it. I also don't need to call anyone for help to lift it out of the bed of my truck. I am 66 now and the Anderson Ultimate will be the last hitch I ever use. I am not sure why anyone would want to lift their truck, but it has far more cons rather than pros especially when pulling a 5er. Kudos to Anderson for designing a top-notch hitch.
Yes it's a very good option, probably the best for a short bed hands down. We like it I was just taking about a few small issues. We lifted the truck long before we fulltimed. We do a LOT of offroading in our tow rig.....I know its crazy! Here is one of iur offroading videos. Thank you for the input! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SWZ5vmQdal4.html
Yes we have seen that, we actually do not need that because our gooseball has chain attachments to through the bed. They are directly connected to the frame. Thanks for watching.
As far as the chains go, you could always put another set of hooks on the other end, hook them to the truck first laying them in the bed towards the tailgate. Hook up the trailer then just lift the chains to the pin box.
We have the steel Andersen hitch meant to fit on hitch rails (we replaced a Husky) and I mainly wanted the much lower weight so I could install and remove the hitch myself without having two elephants and a small boy to help me. For that it is great. Towed with it for 3 years now and all has been great! Truly! It tows very smoothly and quietly, especially compared to our Husky. Very secure feeling. Yes, the landing legs get more exercise having to come up and off the ball of the Andersen and then to level but depending on the lay of the land it's usually not concerning really. I can't remember having to extend them to their limits ever. I love it!
My son bought an Andersen about 6 years ago. He pulled his Bighorn all over the south for his work. He bent one down tube when a car cut him off, the 5th wheel trailer bounced back and forth violently. That hitch did not have the second brace, only one brace. He continued to tow with this hitch until about a year and half ago. I bought a 5th wheel and purchased an Andersen Hitch. I have used it with my toyhauler with a Razor in the garage without any issues. My son now has another Andersen Hitch with two braces. Zero issues. Lightweight and easy to move by myself (63 yrs old). Having the second brace make this hitch much more stable. Pictured in this video is the two brace hitch.
Hey good to know Tim. It's been good for us as well, we just mentioned some of the smaller things we didn't like. Overall it's great, thanks for watching!
The story you are referencing is a woman who was towing a large fifth wheel when the safety brakeaway disconnected and the trailer brakes locked up during an uphill grade on a turn. She didn't realize what happened and continued to pull the fifth wheel with it's brakes locked up for a short while further. When she finally realized, she got out and saw that the hitch had deformed but was still connected to the fifth wheel. Not sure if it was a toy hauler or not. I don't think most traditional fifth wheel hitched would have deformed or been damaged under the same conditions, but can't be 100% sure.
Why did the safety breakaway disconnect? Doesn't make sense that the brakes being locked on the trailer would crumple the hitch (if it even locked up at all). something else must have happened. Do you have a link to the story?
I heard the same story that was mentioned in the video. The story you tell is almost an unbelievable one as how she didn't notice anything was up, towing uphill with the trailer brakes locked. I'd love to see that. But one thing it does say, too many stories floating around.
@@Regal2800 what can happen is if the safety brake cable is attached to tightly, during a turn or other situation (something falling on it), it could pull out of the trailer and set off the emergency brakes. the trailer thinks it got disconnected.
Not trying to be a jerk here, how to you continue towing up hill, with trailer brakes locked without noticing? What on earth was she using for a tow vehicle? This must have been a commercial tow vehicle with a huge Diesel engine. You would definitely feel the brakes lock up towing with a dump truck up hill. I can’t imagine.
We have had the Anderson hitch for years. Towed 20,000 miles with no problems. I know a lot of people that have this hitch and no one has had any problems or issues with it. I’ve heard no issues with convention 5er hitches. Buy the ting that goes around the ball that attaches the safety chain to. The hitch weighs 35 pounds and takes two minutes to take out or put in. It takes three men and a boy for a normal hitch to remove and the Anderson hitch gives more room then a big conventional hitch. I have a Ram 3500 DRW and it sit high and I have no problems hitching it. We have a Bighorn that weighs in at 16,500 and a tongue weight of 3,500 pounds and we have had no issues with it. I have seen someone’s hitch turn slightly when he towed his rig from canal to Fort Wilderness in Disney World. He said he has had it for years and it always turns slightly after a long two. He had a painted bed, no bedliner or mat. I’ve have a sprayed in bedliner, put the weight of the trailer on the ball and tighten it to 70 foot pounds, it has never loosened. I check it at ever other fuel stop. I’ve had several different hitches and they all have worked good. The Demco auto slide was the fool proof hitch. But with everything in it weighs 400 pounds and it takes four men and a boy to get it in and out. All in all I like the Anderson hitch and see no issues with it, if it is used correctly.
Your first two dislikes are literally remedied by taking it out. It’s 40 pounds. Fifth wheel hitches flex left to right as well, If they didn’t, you’d tear up the frame. Take the lift out and or raise the goose ball. I know this is just opinion, but easy fixes to your issues, which aren’t Andersen issues.
Wow really reaching with the scratching the Aluminum might weaken. And having to use safety safety chains. I am 370 lbs and hooking up the safety chains is not really big deal. And finally you don’t hook your break away cable to the hitch, you hook it to the truck! The weak point is the hitch. How else is a trailer going break away, the hitch is the failure point. Really searching for content for your channel. Yes I have and use this hitch. And I have and use a B&W Companion in another truck and trailer. I prefer the ride of the Anderson over the B&W Companion any day. Just my opinion.
Hey thanks for the input! We just really wanted any prospective buyer to have all the details! We also did a video about why we love the hitch, you should check it out. Thanks for watching.👍
I have Anderson for the oast three years have no problems my truck is a long bed have a tool box and a auxiliary fuel tank. The only thing is yes you have to raise it up quite a bit. Other than that I like it
You do know that the chains are meant to hook directly to the u-Bolts right? If the lower ball part of your hitch breaks, the way you have it hooked up will not save you at all. You’re banking on only the top ball failing and the support bars are not meant to hold that kind of weight with how you hook them up. This sounds like a person whining about not much at all and not having much common sense.
Hey, thanks for the great comment. We mount the chains directly to the u-bolts. We were just letting people know in case they wanted to buy this. They would know all of the potential issues with this hitch.
Your problems have nothing to do with the ultimate. I have an ultimate. All of cons are easily solvable. Break away cable can go anywhere, Fix the chains in the bed of your truck, lower your adjustable ball on your Anderson hitch.
Ok, most of your problems are due to a lifted truck. NOT RECOMENDED. A stock height dually 4 door long bed with the correct size tires and air pressure would be the best for safety. Lifted truck's with taller or wider tires NOT RECOMEDED! This puts added stress on the brakes, engine, transmission, wheel bearings, steering etc. Slight changes to CORRECT ENGINERING can have a HUGE negative affect in handling and safety! Just because you can buy aftermarket parts and or modify a vehicle does not mean you should or that it is safe.
Been using thr AUH for many years and miles. Love the hitch. You are not the only comment I have heard regarding the scratches on the legs. I don't get it. I pile bikes and other camping items up against it all the time. How can a scratch hurt it. I don't think I could hurt it with a hammer. Thanks
This kinda funny, first of all once you drop onto the hitch, there is no climbing into the truck to latch it, just use the handle and cable to do that, for chains, yes you must do a little extra work, and I believe it B&W hitch, not BMW hitch
We actually turned the chains around and attach them in the truck bed when we install the hitch, then just reached in and hook them to the hitch pin. Works pretty good, better than trying to crawl underneath and trying to connect.
Yes that is a great idea, I think we need hooks on both sides. We like to take the truck offroad as well so chains banging around wouldn't be good. Thanks for the advice.
Can you cut holes in the bed and attach discrete hooks to hook to, closer to the tailgate? Granted, such a massive mod shouldn't be necessary, but it's an idea.
Well I was forced into a 3foot ditch with my fifth wheel with the Anderson and held up perfectly. 13k worth of damage to my rv and still using it with no issues. The hitch is amazing. I’ve seen failures to the b&w they all have failures
First of all, Anderson did a crush test on these before selling them. It took 54,800 lbs pressure to bend it only slightly! Second no one in their right mind tows a fifth wheel with a lifted truck. Third, there is never any sway with a fifth wheel if it is set up correctly. Next the ball is adjustable for height to clear tour bed sides of the truck. Finally the leveling jacks wouldn't have to be overextended if you were not towing with a truck with a lift kit on it (a repeat)! Why do you keep it if it is so bad? Sell it!
Hey, William thanks for the great response. Our truck has a 1-inch lift in the rear so that is very minor, most likely with squat, it sits like a stock truck. The sway was more of a feeling so who really knows, the trailer felt slightly less stable. These factory trucks are just very tall as well, over we still think it's a good hitch, probably still the best on the market. We were being picky so anyone looking into the hitch would know exactly what they were getting into. Thanks for the valid points and watching.👍
It's not possible to over extend leveling jacks, they will dead end and stop themselves and even so they are still very strong at full extension. I would never worry about it since they are designed to use the full stroke of the cylinder.
My slider I used before my Anderson was way more foot print. I wouldn't worry about bending the tubes unless your dropping thousand pounds on it. Your hitting cause of the truck lift. Raise the ball or lower the pin box to get 6-8 inches between bed and bottom of camper. Again your lift is causing you to lift camper so high.
So...When are you buying your new Reese Goose Box Pin Box 20K (Reese Part #: 94720)? I have been actively researching the Anderson Ultimate, the Pullrite Super light, and the Reese Goose Box Pin. Your honest review has helped me make my decision to go with the Reese. Thanks for the video.
You are welcome! Thats what this video is for, this hitch is great but not perfect. I wish the goosebox works with a short bed, pretty sure it doesn't. Maybe the genY?
@@AdventureEndeavor um I will have to do more research then. I have the 6.5 ram so I need to make sure. I think the Reese is the only approved by lippert. Always good info here. Do any of your friends use the pullrite?
No they are worth it and yes you can use on short beds we have one on our short bed it works amazing. We love the goose neck. It not only gives u the truck space when we want to use our truck as a truck but it’s super easy to hook up.
I'd never use one of these nor ANY other rigid connection hitch. It beats the hell out of the pin chin area of the trailer. Drive your truck and trailer with an air hitch connection and you will never go back. The cushioning between the truck and rv provides a better ride and there is much less stress on the rv.
Wait! What? You put the 5th wheel on the hitch and than torque? I like the Andersen it's light 35lbs-no grease all over the bed-easy to take out. Does the job. Guy gets in an accident and blames the hitch?? I seen that video it's laughable. Good video but disagree on some things.
Yeah I've seen the video also. This is a good hitch. Yes you need the weight on the trailer to push the hitch all the way down or it will spin slowly over time.
I recently upgraded from a Demco Autoslide to the Andersen but the rail version. I feel the rail version safer as there are four connections to the bed as opposed to one. It is also metal and not aluminum. I posted questions on FB groups to see if anyone heard about failures on the rail version and got no response. Otherwise, I agree with you on the other comments, raising high the rv, hooking the chains and cab clearance are not the best. But I love how I can hookup from different angle and easily get an empty bed. I don’t think I will go back to my 350 lbs Demco. Great video!
With no disrespect you are knit picking everybody will find flaws with everything !!!! If you don't like it switch to something else already instead of bellyaching !!!! It has it's good and bad so now lets move on to the next one you can pick apart !!!! Like hooking up chains is a hard thing at your age comon !!!! Take care !!!
Yea you are right! The purpose of this video was mostly to discuss all the potential "flaws" and downsides people might find with the product, to help them make an informed decision. Like climbing in to hook up chains might be a bigger downside for an older person. 🤷🏽♂️ We have another video talking about everything we think is great about it too. It's a great hitch that solved many problems for us, we have had it for years! Would still recommend it despite the things we pointed out in this video. 🙂
Haha 👍 just letting people know what to expect if they purchase this hitch. It's nice to be well informed. Also we are so glad we got out of California!
Judging by some of the comments lol. There’s a lot of Anderson loyalists commenting. It’s like you are insulting their hitch🤣 TBH you had to reach a little bit for some of the things you didn’t like which means you really like that hitch.
I have never towed any trailer with a fifth wheel hitch, but I have towed probably 60 or so commercial trailers with a goose neck hitch, and I still can't wrap my brain around why RV's used the fifth wheel over the goose neck. The biggest complaint of a fifth wheel that I hear about is, how much of the bed is taken up and unusable while the hitch is in there. A goose neck hitch is the obvious solution to this. I have heard a lot of explanations as to, why RV's use a fifth wheel over a goose neck, but I never heard one that really convinced me it was a better choice. But again, I have never towed a trailer with a fifth wheel.
Yeah thats a big downside! They do make gooseneck adapters but apparently they void your warranty, I guess they stress the trailers frame. This is just what I have read online. The goosebox is a great option as well. Thanks for watching Dale!
@@AdventureEndeavor Yeah, I have heard that as well, and in my mind I always came back to build a better frame. But I know, the weight..... Like I said, I honestly do not know how a fifth wheel tows, I just really think that most of the things I have heard said are the advantages of the fifth wheel, they just don't really make sense in my head. And things like this always hang in the back of my head till I can figure it out, this one has been in my head for about 20 years now....
@@CookieMonster_1969 They tow extremely well. Very little sway even in 40mph winds ask me how I know (would never try that in a TT). Turning is also awesome. Great talking points👍
@@CookieMonster_1969 They tow extremely well. Very little sway even in 40mph winds ask me how I know (would never try that in a TT). Turning is also awesome. Great talking points👍
I agree with all the negatives presented here, but I still love my Andersen---especially compared to the alternative of a traditional 5th wheel hitch. I am not a full-timer, so I take the hitch out on a weekly basis to haul other goods. I LOVE that the Andersen is light weight (35#) compared to a 150# hitch. That one thing sold me on the Andersen. Ay 65 years old, the hitch weight is IMPORTANT.
Hey sorry you feel that way, many of other people loved this video. If you are a prospective buyer it's nice to have all the details that's what this video was all about.
You don't want to put your emergency brake cable anywhere on the hitch. If the hitch fails then you lose the trailer and the hitch and the brakes are never applied because it's connected still to the hitch. The breakaway cable needs connected to the truck.
The purpose of this video was to give prospective buyers all of the details. We love this hitch and have used it fulltime for 1.5 years. Thanks for watching we appreciate it.
Just wrap the rail arms with dollar general water floaties for 4 bucks and little black tape. It protects the arms from when throw stuff in there. Too easy its what did.
Stand on a empty sofa can, it’s fine until you tap it!!!! I just can’t trust a 35 pound piece of flimsy aluminum to keep my 20k pound trailer out of my back seat if I ever get in a wreck!!!!
The standards is called a fifth wheel hitch. I don't know why you keep forgetting or avoiding using that term. Gooseneck hitches like yours are not commonly used in fifth wheel setups for RVs. In fact some RV manufacturers void your warranty if they find out that you switch to a ball hitch like that. They claim that a gooseneck conversion causes more stress and damage to the trailer. At least that is what they said in the past.
When you bring up somebody else's hitch failing, you want very specific or detailed information. But when you describe your problem with the gooseneck vs. Other hitches you are very vague. When you say that your current hitch flexes more than other brands because it's a ball type hitch makes it sound like you're comparing it to a different type of hitch, not a different brand. There's a huge difference between gooseneck hitches that use a ball vs fifth wheel hitches I use a kingpin with flat plates. If you're talkin about other brands of gooseneck hitches, that's not made very clear. But if you're talkin about other types of hitches like fifth wheels then brands don't really apply here. You are literally comparing apples to oranges. And that trailer was not flexing. That would severely damage the trailer. The hitch was articulating. Meaning changing angles on a pivot. So please try to use more correct terminology especially since you indicate that's what you want to hear from others. Just like when there's a video of a loader but the person making the video calls it a dozer. And they end up with a lot of comments correcting them and thousands of people laughing at their ignorance behind their back. I don't think you want that to happen. I'm sorry if you think I'm being too picky but I'm being realistic. If somebody's video is too vague then other people don't learn anything from it. Viewers might even be more confused after watching a video like that. Please just try not to use words or terms there are too vague or meaningless. And try to avoid catchphrases. And please don't confuse brands with types of things. Just like not every motorhome is a Winnebago. And not every 4 wheel drive is a Jeep, etc. Using wrong terms makes a person look very ignorant. By the way gooseneck hitches are designed mainly for farm and construction use. They need that extra articulation in lots of different situations. But in those cases those trailers are designed so that the trailer never gets anywhere near the side rails of the truck. That's probably one of the reasons why RV manufacturers don't use goosenecks on their trailers. When you convert yours to a gooseneck type hitch, then you run the risk of the trailer hitting the bed. I have also seen gooseneck hitches added on to bumper pull trailers for better towing, more storage room, and more articulation. 😃 Here is a link to a gooseneck conversion for a bumper pull trailer. www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc&sxsrf=AB5stBia_sNc3mr-lS9iSeHlALKqx0o1Yw:1690816554290&q=travel+trailer+with+a+gooseneck+hitch&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjByeTAnrmAAxV1mmoFHWTNB5EQ0pQJegQICBAB&biw=320&bih=577&dpr=3.38#imgrc=uyDcodg_APi-RM Good luck and happy trailering.
@TF856 Andersen Ultimate hitch is not a Gooseneck conversion, it is a Fifth wheel hitch and is DOT rated as such. This confusion happens all too often since Andersen designed their Fifth wheel hitch to utilize the goose ball to secure the Fifth Wheel hitch to the truck. The pivot point of the trailer connecting to the truck is at the same position as any other Fifth wheel hitch. The problems that arise from Gooseneck adapters is that the pivot point being so low, at the truck bed gives extra leverage to any potential problems that may arise which can cause further damage to the sidewalls and frame of the RV. On that same note: @AdventureEndeavor DOT rated Fifth Wheel hitches do not require chains. Only Gooseneck adapters require chains. I've seen this misunderstanding running rampant and both the need for chains and fear of damage to the RV both being pushed by people that don't fully understand this hitch.
For the reasons you mentioned, mainly being constructed of aluminum, you really should put eye bolts in the bed to attach your chains. Triangled aluminum only retains its strength when the weight is applied as designed. In a breakaway situation those legs will fail and tearaway.
Yeah we have the chains from Anderson and they bolt to the B&W gooseneck under the bed attachment. Better to be safe than sorry , thanks for watching and the input!👍
Yeah its a good hitch overall, we were being a little detailed just so anyone looking to buy would have a lot of knowledge available to them. Thanks for watching Sherry!
1. It ain't the hitches fault if you do something stupid to destroy the hitch. Why isn't your toolbox steel? The chains are soooo difficult to hook up. Such a whiney goof.
Yeah that's what we thought when we first got it, we just haven't. We are full time and move every 10-14 days. I think a goosebox or Gen Y might be the way to go. Thanks for the input Roy!
Yes, Anderson has a rubber mat for $89.00. I went to Home Depot and got one for $20.30 tax and all. I had to cut my own hole in it for my B and W turnover ball. Lol
You should be camping in a pop up. I’ve had this hitch for 4 years, with absolutely NO PROBLEMS. You raised your truck, that’s the worse thing you can do when towing. Put your truck back to the stock height and you won’t have to bitch about anything. My wife & I went to Alaska (from Pennsylvania). No bitching, no chucking, no problems what so ever. We met a few other people that had this hitch and all were very happy. LOWER YOUR TRUCK
Hey thanks for the input Mike! The truck has multiple purposes, it's a good hitch overall, the minor issues we mentioned were so people know exactly what they are getting into. We plan on doing a video about why we love the hitch also. Thanks for watching.👍
Thank you for uploading that A friend of mine is thinking about buying one. My question for you is . If you’ve had it in your truck for eight months you never removed it why would you buy one of those unless you remove it all the time?
We needed the clearance because we have a 6'4 bed. This hitch pushes the hitching point back about 9 in to give you the proper clearance so you do not contact your cab with the trailer. Also it's extremely light to help with Payload, hopefully this answers your question.
As soon as I heard you were from California or live in California, I knew you were gonna complain about everything. Just sale the hitch and buy a heavy ass fifth wheel hitch and get a couple of your liberal friends to help lift it in and out. I can’t believe you even published this video! 🤷♂️
@@AdventureEndeavor still waiting for the punch line! I’m about 3/4 of the way in. I just bought the hitch and never towed with anything else, so I don’t know any different. I just can’t stand CA rules. If your trailer becomes detached, the last thing you want is it connected to your hitch with ⛓! I place my break away cable for the brakes right over the ball before I connect the trailer.
@@AdventureEndeavor Enjoy your new found freedom. I’m watching a couple of your other videos. It would be cool do travel the way you are. Enjoy your time on the road and be safe.
I had the B&W slider and the non-slider and I wanted to get another hitch because it was a little heavy, sure I had a cherry picker to get it out of the bed but I hated the hassle on getting it out of my shed and dragging it to the front and hooking it up. One time my wife and some of her ladies friend was coming home and the wife call me and told me that they are coming in and they had a lot of stuff that they had bought in Hawaii, so this was about 10:00 o'clock pm so I had to get it out by hand and my body did not like that. So I sold my B&W non-slider hitch before it was the slider hitch, I look at the AUH and I look at the Pullrite Superlite Single point so after all of my searching I bought the Pullrite Superlite and I am very please with it, I can get a turn radius of about 85% but I want do that and if I need to I will go out and come back at another angle.
First, Thanks for sharing your journey! Back when I had a 5th wheel, it was a basic Reese hitch with the universal rails in the bed. When I wanted the hitch out, I just left it connected the the kingpin on the trailer, pulled the pins from the rails, and jacked up the camper, and left the hitch hanging from it. I'd imagine with big sliders this isn't practical, but it worked well for me. One of our favorite spots was on a good tubing river and we wanted to be able to fill the bed with tubes and people. That being said, to me the hitch should be almost indestructible. One shouldn't have to worry about whether the structural supports got out-of-round from normal use of the truck. And I agree that it is very much a concern when using aluminum. There are certain places I don't want to be too lightweight. My fifth wheel hitch was one of them.
Welcome thanks for watching! Great point on removing your hitch, that worked pretty well? Would you say easy? Yeah yhe aluminum is a catch 2, we love it and hate it. Overall its a good hitch though. Thanks for joining the conversation. 👍
It did work well for me. I didn't always use this method, as I would prefer to not have the hitch hanging out if people were walking around close by when we were group camping. So if we were settled in for a week somewhere, I'd unhook normally and lift the hitch out manually, and set it under the camper between the landing gear. Obviously if you're on unlevel ground it can take a little effort to get it hooked back up this way. But I totally get that some users aren't physically able to lift a hitch out of the truck, and this at least makes that possible. And if at home you can just get a sturdy cart of some sort and lower the hitch onto it, then disconnect and roll the cart out to "unhitch". This makes garage or shed storage easy for those who cannot lift it.
I bought the pullrite 2600 today, I don’t trust the Andersen🤷🏽♂️, I’ve been towing with for a year now, just got back from so cal and it rotated about a 1 1/2”. It did not make me feel good. I’m a freak about torquing it too and I’m always looking at it when I get fuel.
So we have considered that, I'm sure that we will get the cab clearance we need for our shortbed pickup truck. Thanks for the advice ill be doing research!
The Goosebox Gen2 is phenomenal on the road and to hitch and unhitch. However, it may not have clearance on the short bed. I too am registered in a State requiring safety chains towing goose. You do realize you can have the chains grab the trailer instead of having the chains grab the truck, right? That way you're not crawling into the bed. Also, best practice is to not attach the breakaway lanyard to any piece that could breakaway, and the hitch frame could. Connecting with the safety chains is also bad form, and definitely the most commonly done. Problem is, no one is thinking through the situation. If you are ever in that situation where your trailer is on the chains, whether tag along or 5th wheel/goose, you don't not want the trailer brakes locking! Breakaway is just that - full brakes when the entire trailer leaves the tow vehicle to bring it to rest fast with as little harm as possible. Guess how many lanyards I've seen that would be pulled before chains are pulled taunt? A separate point of attachment is best. For instance, my RAM has cargo tiedowns in the bed corners perfect for clipping the breakaway lanyard to. Great video, and I think plenty of people will benefit from real use experiences! Every setup has compromises, and it's give and take.
Thanks for the info and glad you enjoyed the video. I'll definitely be looking into the suggestions. I think the goosebox will be ok with a 4inch offset ball but I'm still not 100% sure. The andersen is fine it's just nice having the best option and making life simple.👍
@@AdventureEndeavor check with your trailer manufacturer before going to a gooseneck hitch it changes all the stress points and will likely void your warranty.
Oftentimes the negative comments are actually more important than the positive comments! Thank you for this thought provoking video! Vernon Christopher
I have a Anderson Hitch. I’m having trouble getting trailer off the ball. It won’t release off the hitch. When I raise my jacks , they are stressing and overriding and not going high enough to release. Any suggestions?
It’s not like it’s made out of tin foil. Aluminum tends to be pretty forgiving when it comes to scratches and dents. I work in the aerospace industry you would be amazed at how much abuse it will take . Also Anderson makes a safety chain plate that goes under the goose neck ball with chain holes very very easy to use. Don’t tow a 5th wheel with a lifted truck. The ball height is adjustable. I tow a Very large KZ 5th wheel and tow it everywhere the trailer tends to roll when going over uneven ground but that makes for smoother towing
Yeah I agree about the aluminum it's strong! There's good geometry as well. We struggle with the chains because we don't want to leave them in the bed of the truck, since we often offroad near boondocking spots. As far as a lift goes, it's just up one inch in the rear. To each their own. Thanks for the input, we appreciate it.👍
Breakaway cables should be attached to the truck anyway; not the hitch. I don't know why people keep attaching them to the hitch. Let's say your trailer detaches BECAUSE something caused the hitch itself to come loose. No chance of the trailer brakes being applied if the cables are attached to the hitch, which is STILL attached to the trailer (but not the truck).
Hey Michael, idk if it was hard to tell or not but our chains ARE attached to the truck. Not the hitch. The chains are definitely important for safety, thanks for the input.
@@AdventureEndeavor - I'm talking about the little cable that triggers the brakes on your trailer if it comes loose from the truck, not the safety chains. Good video. Based on your review I doubt I'd ever be interested in that style of hitch. But that's just me...
Oh yeah thats probably a good idea, maybe ill put the trailer brake disconnect where I mount the chains. The hitch Is good, we were being very nitpicky. We still like it.
Im looking at this hitch because of its specs 4500 down weight (hitch weight), and 24K. Have my eye set on the GD 399TH. Anyone have issues with chucking?
We get very little chucking I think our air bags help with that also. Overall, it's a great hitch, this video was to give you ALL of the details. Hopefully it was helpful.
I use the Andersen piece that’s made for the chains, leave the chains connected to it and not the trailer. Much easier to connect without climbing in the bed. And nah, there’s no sway caused by the hitch.
You should watch their videos of testing the hitch and it’s capacity. They even show the capacity of the hitch after it failed the pressure test and bent at about 50-60k lbs I believe.
I’ve been using this hitch for two years with no issues. We are not full timers but try to get out every month. I chose it because I already had the B&W Turnover ball system in my truck and didn’t have to modify my GMC2500HD truck. I’m 62 with a bad back and I don’t really have a problem crawling in and out of the truck bed. I already had a full bed rubber mat. I do wish they had a dedicated spot to hook the breakaway break cord. I hook mine to the chain plate accessory that goes over the truck ball under the Anderson hitch. I don’t have any sway and very little chucking which is usually only after hitting bad spots in roads.
Yeah it really is a great hitch, we made the video so people can know EXACTLY what they are getting into. It definitely solved our short bed clearance issues. Overall we like it, thanks for the great comment and input, also thank you for watching!👍
Living in Komifornia is the biggest issue and not just with the chains (most states do not require chains on a 5th wheel) we clip our break away to the tie down spot by the tail gate (easily reachable without climbing on tire or into bed) On our 5th gen Ram it's right beside our 7 pin connector making it super convenient. Your biggest con about the jacks being extended has more to do with your lifted truck than the Anderson. Lifts and larger tires neuter the trucks ability for towing. That pin is adjustable (probably adding to the height required to hook up)
I had this hitch years ago. I used it with two different fifth wheels. I had a travel trailer and a toyhauler. I did not have the money for brand new units with hydraulic legs. My trailers were not the priciest. It was not too fun aligning the ball to the adapter when I was alone. My biggest complaint was having to lift the front legs really high in order to hook up. The leg motors would struggle sometimes and I felt like I was on borrowed time with them. Sometimes I worried about what I would do if the landing legs motor completely broke or if the legs bent. I looked into maybe adding a second motor to the landing legs and letting them work individually but I still hated how high you had to lift the front of the fifth wheels. My friends bought newer fifth wheels with hydraulic leveling and it was still weird to me. The legs extended so much that i think they will have problems with seals one day. That might be pricey but I dont really know. Well, I ended up buying a Curt Q24 and life got better. I was able to barely have to lift the fifth wheel legs, hook up quickly , and get out of there. Connecting and disconnecting was much faster and we felt safer. The Curt was extremely quiet and had dual locking jaws. I would never buy the Andersen again.
Following Lippert's mfg recommendations not switching from the king oin sys. So we stayed with B&W Companion. Been 9 yrs running on this truck issue free.
We went with the Andersen for the clearance issues with our short bed. It's been decent but has flaws just like any other set up. Had a companion before it was good. Thanks for watching Tom.,👍
Ok, RU-vidr's!!!!!!!! I called the Anderson FACTORY and talked to one of the owner's about any past failures. 7 years ago they had a few aluminum ones fail. They redesigned it with tubing TWO times thicker than the original. Owner said no more failures since.
I have an Andersen. I just got a 5th wheel on July 3rd. I have only pulled it a few times and cannot compare to a traditional 5th wheel hitch. I got the safety chains just for peace of mind. My truck is a long bed dually and I have noticed when hooking up that I have to get it close, then put the tailgate up before I can actually set it down on the ball. I then have to step over the side of the bed to hook up my safety chains and the break away cable. That would be my only complaint. I noticed that right after I bought my 5th wheel that GenY has come out with a gooseneck hitch with the torsion on it similar to the goosebox. I think the GenY can be used with short bed trucks. I plan to eventually upgrade to that so I won't have to worry about having a hitch in the bed of my truck. I actually watched your install video so I would know how to install my hitch before I purchased it.
Thanks for the insights! Glad our first video helped you out! We definitely have our eye on the genY or goosebox, definitely need more research though seeing as though we have a short bed.
Nearly nothing mentioned here is due to the hitch itself but due to the tow rig lol. The Andersen hitches are fantastic products if you value being able to use your truck bed.
I have the steel Anderson hitch that mounts to rails in the bed. By far it’s the best hitch I’ve ever owned. What I like most is that it’s easy to hook up and I don’t need a crane to get it out of my bed.
Possibly its still a great hitch. We made this video so potential buyers could have knowledge about all of the inconveniences. Thanks for watching, we appreciate the input. 👍🏻
@@AdventureEndeavor Actually, I am your target market. I am in the market for a new hitch (and truck). My dad used to say buy the tool that fits the job you need to do. I just sold my Sport Chassis and it had a McCall hitch on it. Because the hitch had air bag suspension, it was normal for me to lift the 5th more than 4 inches higher to connect. Zero issues with the front legs on my 5th and it turned 10 this year. The hitch also had a very movable head on it so the trailer could follow its own path and not put pressure on the hitch/truck however, I had lower sides on my box so I could stuff the trailer into just about anywhere. My 5th never pushed the truck around, even in very strong wind. And it shouldn't. I would relocate the chain tie downs and a tie a loose zip tie around the lower support of the hitch.. that would be a easy fix for your brake cable. As for worrying about hurting the hitch when you carry stuff, why leave it in your truck 35 pounds ? It sounds like you would be better off with a TT so the box would be free, and an appropriately sized truck/hitch.. that would solve all your issues.. For us in the future, a state park will probably the roughest we will go...If this is the worst, than the hitch sounds perfect. Thanks.
We are actually looking for a smaller rig. We boondock a lot and move every week. Its tough to pull the hitch when we font have space to store it. All pros and cons....
So it's too low because you hit the bedsides but it's too high because you have to lift trailer to dangerous levels? You know that ball has a few adjustment holes for the pin? Probably 2 or 3 inches worth of elevation change is possible. I mounted my lock lefer facing rearward so it's easily locked/unlocked from behind the tailgate.
Yes, we had tried a few different setups. Eventually we had to balance it our because the back of the trailer was really low as well. thanks for watching.
The reason why i ask is cause of this video,but he might be talking about something else. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tAT2iOYoGWk.html Just doing my research on this hitch. thank you.
The biggest con to me with that hitch is the amount of space it takes up in the bed. Every bit of bed space is very important to us for cargo while towing. On my 2021 Chevy 3500HD with the factory puck system (we have a BW non slider in it) which has a very small footprint. It also comes out in two pieces so weight when removing and installing is not so much of an issue.
For our application yes, it's light, less chucking and solved our shortbed problem. You should look at a Reese goosebox with an offset ball if you have a short bed as well.
Yeah it's kind of a gooseneck hybrid, we use to have a traditional 5th wheel hitch. We stayed to this because it gave us some extra clearance with our short bed pick up. Thank for watching.
I hate the Anderson I can't wait to get rid of it it came with the trailer.... worst 5th wheel towing experience I've ever had.. I've owned 6 5th wheels
“Aircraft grade”. That’s a sales buzz word. You need to understand the alloy mixture and the temper to really understand the Characteristics of aluminum. On aircraft there is soft aluminum and there is hard aluminum and there is everything in the middle
Seriously guy your over compensating for something with you lifted truck, nothing wrong with the hitch but sorry you are having very minor inconveniences.
Haha nope we lifted the truck because take it offroading all of the time. All of these minor issues are good to know if you are perspective buyer. Thanks for watching and the input!
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-APj4UQJ9mmc.html This video shows a little more. You will have to have a gooseneck ball installed, which is a whole plate system that goes in between your friend rails.
Any full time rver knows, you store your hitch connected to the trailer and you install a lock so it can't get stolen. And you NEVER connect your break away to the hitch! What happens if the hitch cones off? Ask any DOT and the will tell you. I replaced one if my toolbox bolts with an bolt under the bed rail for my break away. Even my tag trailers have an eyebolt in place if a license plate screw for the break away
I've heard of this, idk if I would say every full-time knows. It's a good idea in theory, moving every week makes it tough to remove and install any hitch. Thanks for watching.
