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06-30-2015, 04:59 PM
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#21
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Beaumont, Alberta
Trailer: 2015 - 21'
Posts: 24
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WD Hitch Support
We had the same problem with the noise. After talking with Andersen they sent the above noted link, which describes how to take the the anti-sway cone apart. Followed the instructions, cleaned it all out, and put it back together. It took about 20 minutes. As well, Andersen is sending us a new cone right away, in case the noise comes back. Their customer service is excellent.
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06-30-2015, 05:04 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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I've not had to do any maintenance to my Pro Series WDH purchased from ETI with trailer seven years ago ( for at least a hundred dollars less than Andersen costs ).
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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06-30-2015, 05:52 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,636
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
I've not had to do any maintenance to my Pro Series WDH purchased from ETI with trailer seven years ago ( for at least a hundred dollars less than Andersen costs ).
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Just due to their much simpler design and manner in which loads are transferred within the hitch, a conventional WDH with torsion bars will have significantly less wear and maintenance than the Anderson hitch.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad
"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
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06-30-2015, 06:25 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,559
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ice-breaker
Just due to their much simpler design and manner in which loads are transferred within the hitch, a conventional WDH with torsion bars will have significantly less wear and maintenance than the Anderson hitch.
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Plus, it is a new design and they need to work some kinks out no doubt. All I know, is that it works great. I do think my sleeve is wearing, and will need replacing soon too.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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06-30-2015, 09:39 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ice-breaker
Just due to their much simpler design and manner in which loads are transferred within the hitch, a conventional WDH with torsion bars will have significantly less wear and maintenance than the Anderson hitch.
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Counting parts, I don't see a typical conventional WDH as any less complex than an Andersen No-Sway... and if you add anti-sway friction devices, they're even worse.
The Andersen design does have one significant wear problem - rubbing on the back of the ball with huge force.
Ideally, neither needs any maintenance. In practice, both typically need some lubrication.
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08-18-2015, 12:39 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2024 Bigfoot 21RB
Posts: 255
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I was hoping to receive the same level of service from Anderson hitch that others have reported on this forum. I contacted Anderson hitch on July 24th asking for a new cone and still have not received it. I have phoned and texted them, including sending photos, repeatedly. The communication has been poor and the service to date non-existent. I am told there is no local Anderson hitch dealer to service it so I have to do it myself, which I am sure I could - when I get the part.
I wonder why does the customer have to do the "warranty" work when the cone was defective. Why can't any rv dealer do the warranty work and invoice them? It appears to me that there are other parts that may need replacement. The chains seem to wear where they exit the square housing near the elastomer.
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08-18-2015, 12:51 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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When I was working on my build sheet this week, ETI informed me that they possibly are going to not offer the Anderson hitch soon due to the amount of issues recently. They pretty much recommended that I switch to the other hitch offered which they've had no problems with which I did. They don't list the other hitch brand on the sheet, but apparently it's been very solid over the years.
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08-18-2015, 01:00 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Option list call it Equalizer hitch, but like the word Kleenex, it's being used generically.
It is Pro Series weight distribution hitch. Had mine 7 years with no issues other than it is heavy.
It's $350 compared to Andersen at $625, according to option list for 17.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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08-18-2015, 01:23 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 854
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I know most folks love the Anderson. I think the concept is great but many of the things I read on the different forums made me nervous. It uses the coupler on the trailer in a different way. When I bought a new hitch for my Casita I went with the "hunk of iron" Reese SC and have no regrets. Tried and true similar to the Dual Cam I used in 1988 with my HiLo. Works great on my 21'.
__________________
Carl,
"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
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08-18-2015, 01:27 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
Option list call it Equalizer hitch, but like the word Kleenex, it's being used generically.
It is Pro Series weight distribution hitch. Had mine 7 years with no issues other than it is heavy.
It's $350 compared to Andersen at $625, according to option list for 17.
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It's like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps going and going. I clean and lube mine once in a while but it works so well I can't see how the Anderson could make me any more satisfied.
Ron
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08-18-2015, 04:33 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 -- The Skylark. Towed by a 2014 Highlander
Posts: 1,159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gharper
I was hoping to receive the same level of service from Anderson hitch that others have reported on this forum. I contacted Anderson hitch on July 24th asking for a new cone and still have not received it. I have phoned and texted them, including sending photos, repeatedly. The communication has been poor and the service to date non-existent. I am told there is no local Anderson hitch dealer to service it so I have to do it myself, which I am sure I could - when I get the part.
I wonder why does the customer have to do the "warranty" work when the cone was defective. Why can't any rv dealer do the warranty work and invoice them? It appears to me that there are other parts that may need replacement. The chains seem to wear where they exit the square housing near the elastomer.
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I am surprised by the poor service you are receiving. When we drove to the rally we goofed and put the washer behind the elastomer. Drove 1700 miles to the rally which resulted in the nut being embedded half way into the elastomer. I went to the Andersen website. It said they are not able to ship to Canada, but I left them a message asking about cost and shipping to Oroville. I also called ETI and they were able to bring a replacement to the rally ($60.00 Cn). When I got back to my email a couple days later I found a message from Andersen asking for an address. By then we were on the move again, but Andersen shipped out a replacement at no charge because of the life time guarantee. I considered it user error, but they assured me the guarantee still covered it. Many thanks to Bill (of Bill and Earline) who demonstrated the power of the lever and the inclined plane to remove the nut from the elastomer.
I wonder if the poor service could be related to your Canadian address? Not that that is any excuse.
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08-18-2015, 05:39 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2024 Bigfoot 21RB
Posts: 255
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I thought perhaps it was held up at customs but when I checked today it just got shipped. I think the order to ship the part got lost. I was traveling at the time with the trailer and was reassured we would be fine in it's current state and would have the part in the mail when we got home. Here's the photo of the cone raised over 1/2 inch.
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08-18-2015, 06:00 PM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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I agree with gbaglo re: the Pro Series WDH.
5 years of use and never a problem...and...at almost half the price.
I'll bet that sometimes, the engineers that try inventing a better mouse trap end up using the one on the shelf.
No offence to the engineers on this or any other forum.
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08-18-2015, 06:15 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
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I don't have an Andersen hitch but I sure like the description/concept of it.
it seems to be lighter and no big pieces to fall on your foot.
And if it is quieter when turning, that is a plus.
And the cone shape brake may stop side to side motion.
And no black residue to get all over your hands and clothes, are you kidding, that sounds great.
I'd like to try one.
On the video they put out, they claim that the problem is not RVers, because RVers understand and take the time to connect and set up the hitch. They say the product is to target farmers and ranchers with horse and stock trailers that see all of the connecting and setting up to be a hindrance when they just have to get to the next farm.
But what do I know. I haven't tried one...
__________________
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John
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08-18-2015, 06:35 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21
Posts: 699
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Having owned both a Reese WDH and an Andersen WDH hitch, I think the extra $300 is worth it. I could have kept the old hitch, but I elected to sell it and get the Andersen. I don't regret this. The Reese clanged, banged, and groaned, plus it transferred these vibrations through the whole truck's frame to amplify them. The Andersen is dead quiet, lighter, easier to take off and put on and not as messy.
With my old Nash trailer, before I got 10 ply (equivalent) truck tires for my 2005 Tundra I had to use an antisway bar attachment to my Reese hitch to prevent sway. The downside of this was that it wasn't to be used in the rain (ha! and here we are in the PNW!) for safety reasons plus when it got wet it squawked something fierce. If I had used an Andersen hitch the rain wouldn't have been an issue. When I got the better tires the stiffer side walls took care of the sway and I quit using the Reese anti-sway attachment.
I noticed a slight bit of wear on the back of the ball and started using lubricant on it. I expect that one day it will wear out and I will need to get a new ball/cone from Andersen (under warranty), but I don't think it is wearing near as much as the ball on my old style hitch, especially now that I started lubricating it. It makes sense because there really isn't much movement on it.
Bob K
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08-18-2015, 07:01 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobbito
Having owned both a Reese WDH and an Andersen WDH hitch, I think the extra $300 is worth it.
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Like the old saying, 'Ask the man who owns one'.
( was that a razor commercial? )
__________________
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John
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08-18-2015, 07:14 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobbito
The Reese clanged, banged, and groaned, plus it transferred these vibrations through the whole truck's frame to amplify them.
Bob K
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Well I guess there's variables in situations and tow vehicles etc. but I can't say that I've ever heard my Reese clang, bang or groan and it's definitely never transferred vibrations through the whole truck frame. Quite the opposite, I've always thought that it had a dampening effect.
Ron
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08-18-2015, 07:20 PM
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#38
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Really like the Andersen. Easy hookup and unhook. Its automatic for me now to crank it up high, slip on the plate and lower it. Haven't had to mess with the thread count on the chains since day one - they stay where they're set. A really solid "one piece" feel when towing, and I havent heard much noise. Overall, worth the money for us.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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08-18-2015, 07:36 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Marana, Arizona
Trailer: 2018 Airstream Flying Cloud (Escape 19 & 5.0 previously)
Posts: 1,078
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
Really like the Andersen. Easy hookup and unhook. Its automatic for me now to crank it up high, slip on the plate and lower it. Haven't had to mess with the thread count on the chains since day one - they stay where they're set. A really solid "one piece" feel when towing, and I havent heard much noise. Overall, worth the money for us.
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Hey Robert,
Are you saying that you can drop the triangular plate without loosening the chains? I too leave the chains, rubber bushings, washers, and nut on when I drop the plate but I have to release the forward tension or that ring would never drop (let alone go back on). What's your trick?
__________________
Rich & Mary
"Everything in moderation, including moderation."
- Oscar Wilde
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08-18-2015, 08:34 PM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,271
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My dad used to quote the "ask the
Man who owns one"'whenever I asked him if a particular product was superior to another. He told me it was originally a Packard automobile slogan. With the power of the internet I checked on that tonight and darned if he wasn't right again. The older I get the smarter my dad was. Hmmm
Anybody else notice that?
Dave
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