Andersen hitch for fifth wheel in a short bed truck

[GLOtto]

I like the idea of how the Andersen hitch can be taken out of the truck bed when not towing.
I have been told that with a short bed truck I really need a slider hitch to keep from damaging my truck.
How does this work with the Andersen system?  It doesn't slide but will it allow enough clearance in my short bed truck?

 

[Rene T]

I have a 6 1/2' bed and I have a traditional hitch (Reese Slider) and have never had to use it. Just the other day, I took it to a gravel parking lot and jackknifed my truck just to see if the trailer would hit the truck and it didn't. It cleared by about 1/4" but at least I know. When they installed the rails in the bed, they positioned them so that the kingpin would be directly over the rear axle. If they had positioned them forward by 1/2", the RV would have hit the cab.

I was looking at getting a Anderson but was very leery that it would work safely. The ball is offset from the frame of the hitch around 5". So that means, using my already installed rails, that either the ball would be forward of the rear axle 5" or behind it 5". If I mounted the hitch so the ball is forward and positioned the Anderson adapter so the socket is forward of the kingpin, the RV would surely hit the cab in a sharp turn. If I installed the hitch with the ball 5" behind the rear axle, I'm afraid that there would be too much weight behind the rear axle and would lift the front of the truck possibly affecting steering.

I brought up this subject a month ago and some here felt like the ball being located aft of the axle would not have a drastic effect on my steering. I'm still not convinced. See the link below.

Something else to think about, if the adapter is mounted so that the socket is forward of the kingpin, this will increase the chances of the pin box hitting the bed side rails on a sharp turn.

Now if they made a hitch with the ball centered in the frame, I'd be inclined to buy one. I'm still thinking a 5" offset I think is too much in my case.

If you would  like to talk to Andersen tech guys for more clarification you can reach them at 1.800.635.6106 and just ask for customer service, they can answer all tech questions with a bit more clarity than I can.

https://andersenhitches.com/uploads/Ultimate%20Rail%20dimensions%203200%20Aug%202015.pdf

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,116875.msg1058760.html#msg1058760

 

[irishtom29]

Andersen is a vandal and I wouldn?t buy anything from the guy. If I wanted that type of hitch I?d get the Pullrite.

 

[Rene T]

Andersen is a vandal and I wouldn?t buy anything from the guy. If I wanted that type of hitch I?d get the Pullrite.

Definition of a vandal:
a person who deliberately destroys or damages property belonging to others.

Do you really believe that and if you do, what proof do you have?  There are quite a few members with Andersen hitches and are really satisfied with them.  This hitch will not work for me but I want to thank you for steering me to the PullRite Superlite Series #2400 hitch. I'm going to take a closer look at it. 

http://pullrite.com/products/superlite-series/isr-series-superlite-four-point-4p-rail-mounted-fifth-wheel-hitch

 

[irishtom29]

Rene?Here you go. A search under Andersen vandalism will bring up more.


https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article208245619.html

 

[Rene T]

Rene?Here you go. A search under Andersen vandalism will bring up more.


https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article208245619.html

That's old news. Ya, the guy made a mistake and owned up to it and was deeply sorry. Do you have to hold this against him for the rest of his life?  It has nothing to do with the product he's selling.

 

[brclark82]

You can?t talk about Andersen without someone calling out his ?vandalism?.  With the way people are holding on to this you?d think he purposely burnt down an entire national park  :

He scratched a heart and some initials into a rock, it was stupid, move on.

 

[Rene T]

You can?t talk about Andersen without someone calling out his ?vandalism?.  With the way people are holding on to this you?d think he purposely burnt down an entire national park  :

He scratched a heart and some initials into a rock, it was stupid, move on.

)

 

[irishtom29]

That's old news. Ya, the guy made a mistake and owned up to it and was deeply sorry. Do you have to hold this against him for the rest of his life? 

I don?t have to but I will. I think he?s deeply sorry he was caught. I think that kind of jerkish behavior by an adult shows the true man.

 

[Jtoyo007]

I like the idea of how the Andersen hitch can be taken out of the truck bed when not towing.
I have been told that with a short bed truck I really need a slider hitch to keep from damaging my truck.
How does this work with the Andersen system?  It doesn't slide but will it allow enough clearance in my short bed truck?

I have the Andersen Ultimate hitch and always thought I got alot of sway from it from wind and uneven roads especially if the two things where together on a road. So I went out and bought the B&W companion hitch just to try it out. Well I will admit the B&W is heavy and brutal on your back but it feels so much more stable than the Andersen hitch once you hook it up to your fifth wheel. It doesn?t sway with the uneven terrain on the roads and the wind doesn?t affect it. I think it?s because the base of the B&W hitch is wider and holds the base of king pin  unlike the Andersen which is a ball and socket and has a small surface area for the trailer weight to sit on. So in my mind if your just the occasional rver and only plan to take the fifth wheel one or two times a year then the Andersen might work for you just keep in mind it?s more susceptible to road conditions and wind. How ever if you travel more frequently with your fifth wheel and go longer distances then I would recommend a more conventional fifth wheel hitch like a B&W companion or something similar. When I had the Andersen hitch I never had an issue of clearance between fifth wheel and cab of trailer while making sharp turns and I have a short bed truck. Oh and side note the B&W companion once you set it up for a short bed your able to make almost 90 degree turns without hitting the cab of the truck.

 

[ip076]

I?ve traveled continuously living full time for the last 18 months, probably towed about 15,000 miles. I have the Andersen hitch in a short box Chevy and haven?t had any real issues. If off camber and in atoght turn, watch for your pin box as it may contact a bed rail depending on ball height. I can do nearly 90? of turn without contacting the cab of the truck, and have never needed to go that far. I like the ride and have never experienced any significant sway issues.

Disclaimer:  It?s my first 5er and I?ve never used a traditional hitch.

 

[1carguy]

I've got the Andersen hitch and pull with a short bed GMC. I reversed the pin box adapter which moved the 5th wheel rearward several inches which increased the cab clearance. In tight backing situations I keep a close eye on the trailer angle so it doesn't kiss the cab of the truck on tight backing turns.
I don't think I have any swaying problems but I've never had a regular hitch to compare with. I do, however have a pretty bad "chucking" condition but improved it a lot by installing a MORryde pin box. I've removed the hitch a couple of times and it's easy. My 12 year old grandson does it in less than 5 minutes and can easily lift it in and out.