Is anyone running an Anderson weight distribution hitch? Likes/ dislikes. I was thinking about getting one for my travel trailer. Just looking for some real world feedback. Thank you.

 

I guess I'm confused. I am not familiar with it, but did watch the video and review the components. I understand how it works as a sway control, but how does it level the truck? You set it say 2" higher and attach the trailer and the truck rear end drops, How does it distribute weight back onto the front wheels?

Steve

 

they say distributes the weight through the chains. as you tighten the bolt it pulls weight back through the plate at the bottom of the ball. This is why I am asking for real world data I currently run a eaz lift spring bar style hitch. The anderson would be nice because it is smaller and lighter with built in sway control. Just not sure if it works as good as they say.

 

Perhaps, but I would like to experience it in action. Although they describe it as weight distributing, I did not find a specific statement noting that in the many statements they make in their video and the majority of their statements could be used to describe almost every system out there.

It seems to me you would have to have so much spring tension it would produce the same force as the typical spring bar. That seems pretty intense, although I am willing to be proven wrong. It looks to me like you have to level and then have enough spring tension to hold everything in line. Seems like a huge amount of leverage that spring has to deal with.

The RV industry is so full of gimmicks and half truths, I tend to view everything new with a heavy dose of caution. If they offer a 30 money-back no questions asked refund clause, I would consider it, but otherwise not until it has a much broader user base.

Just me,

Steve

 

it will distribute weight to the front axle.

by pulling on the bottom of the ball with the chains, it will cause the trailer to push foward on the ball, thus creating a rotational force at the hitch. This is the same rotational foce that pulling up on the WD bars of a standard WD hitch creates.

the tighter the chains, the more weight will be transferred to the front axle.

I would imagine that the chains get very tight, but they are obviously using a high grade of chain. Surprising is how close the chains hook to the bottom of the ball. If they increased the distance from the ball to the chains, the chains wouldn't need to be as tight, but as it appears, it is not a problem.

Not sure how I feel about the friction material in the ball mount wearing out over time, reducing the effective sway control.

 

I understand the principle, but still need to see it in action. There is a lot here that depends on leverage and pivot points. So far I can't find any major distributors who are handling it, which may be something or, then again, nothing at all.

Another thing that is a curiosity is the statement in their advertising that says it eliminates the bounce common to spring bars, but if it simply replaces the spring tension of the bar with the tension of the spring, what's the difference?

Steve

 

I watched a vid on Youtube on how this hitch works, and I don't like it.


On a traditional spring bar setup, there is no additional lateral forces applied to the hitch ball. The only extra force the ball sees is the downward force needed to compensate for the bar tension.

On this Anderson setup, all the additional force on the ball is lateral. Considering the shape of the ball and shank, I would think that all that side load would lead to immature and possibly catastrophic failure. Not to mention reducing the effectiveness of what the ball hitch is supposed to do, which is to pivot. I would think it would also tear up the hitch on the trailer.

 

I don't find that my "traditional" WD hitch causes additonal bounce. I think this is a solution in search of a problem.

 

a conventional setup imparts an additional force on the ball as well. (I would say axial, but if you are looking at it from the top referencing the axis on which the ball rotates, then laterial is correct, i suppose)

you can not impart a rotational force about the hitch without the trailer pushing on the ball. it's the whole equal and opposite thing.

 

On a traditional spring bar setup, the additional force exerted on the ball from the tension on the bars is down, not forward. Simulate loading the bars without the trailer on the ball. Which way does the tow vehicle move? Up. Simulate tightening the chains on the Anderson setup without the trailer on the ball. Which way does the tow vehicle move? Backward.

 

I think that is so commonplace in the RV industry it astounds me. I continually read about fixes for things that never cause problems and at times I have talked with manufacturers about things they were introducing they never expected would catch on, but advertising, being what it is seems to always find a way!

Steve

 

when you pull up on the bars, the hitch tries to rotate toward the front of the truck, thus making the trailer pull back on the ball. (0:23 in the video above)

same thing when you pull on the chains on the anderson. the hitch tries to rotate toward the front of the vehicle forcing the trailer to pull back on the ball. (1:08 in the video above)

your logic only holds if you assume that the vehicle is free to move independantly of the trailer, which it is not. whether bars or chains, you are forcing the vehicle to rotate about the hitch ball, and the two are restrained from independant movement.

you simply can NOT impart a rotational force about the ball without loading it along the same axis as the trailer tongue. it is a static of equations thing, no way around it. So long as the ball is designed for the loads it will be seeing, it is a moot point anyway.

 

I am not so sure I would like that setup. I think those chains would not last long. I also think that too sharp of a turn and you will have problems.

 

Seems like Anderson has some unique engineers .... This is causing concern as the Anderson 5th Wheel hitch did..... by the way, mine arrived yesterday but it's too dang cold to go out and investigate it......

 

Look forward to your review of it and how it holds up.