Anderson Ultimate "Funnel"

[MrBill]

For those of you towing with the Anderson Ultimate Hitch with a full size truck. (In our case it will be a GMC Sierra) do you have the adaptor "Funnel" mounted ahead, or behind the King Pin? On paper it looks like installing it ahead of the king pin would work best but I'm concerned about the trailer pin box contacting the trucks bed rails when turning sharply. The trailer will be done in a few months and we are getting the truck set up to tow it. Any other words of advice concerning the mounting location and set up of the Anderson would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[splitting_lanes]

The funnel that the Andersen ball goes into is installed to the rear of the kingpin on our 5.0. That’s the ‘default’ location that ETI uses and Andersen suggests trying first. Our truck is close enough to the trailer that we can’t lower the tailgate when connected.

You can also alter the distance between the truck and trailer by rotating the ultimate base by 180 degrees. When my rails and hitch were installed the coupler ball was closer to the cab, ETI suggested reversing it, so I did for the first tow. After 300 miles I switched it back so that the truck and trailer were closest to each other and I prefer it that way. I’ve never been close to contact of the bed rails, tailgate, or cab.

I’m towing a 5.0 with a GMC Canyon crew cab long bed (6’2”).

[Centex]

I'm running an F150 with 6-1/2ft box and the Andersen Gooseneck on a turnoverball.

With that rig and the funnel behind the kingpin I have generous clearance all-around (can do 90* 'jackknife' without rail- or cab-conflict on level ground and every driveway (e.g. gas-station) entrance slope I've encountered so far). If the trailer and truck are on significantly different levels or significantly different cross-slopes (more than the typical driveway entrance turn situation) then I have to keep a closer eye on things.

In my case that does not allow comfortably dropping the tailgate while hitched (it might barely clear if the rig is perfectly straight and level); I'm willing to accept that compromise in return for generous clearances when towing / maneuvering.

But you don't mention your box-length (~5', ~6.5', ~8') and that can obviously have a big bearing on the cab clearance.

Most full-size boxes have very similar width and axle-to-tailgate dimensions, the difference is the axle-to-cab dimension for different box lengths. In my observation, most folks run the funnel behind the kingpin, that yields good clearance for 95+% of real-world situations even with a 'short' full-size box (it's really not common to need to jackknife the trailer a full 90* which is where cab-clearance might be an issue with a 'short' full-size box).

My suggestion would be that you install the coupler block in that configuration when you take delivery of the trailer, keep an eye on things of course as you are 'learning the rig', then, if you want to experiment with the funnel in front of the kingpin you can easily do that at your leisure in a relaxed non-travel setting at home.

Just for your consideration, congrats on your impending delivery, Have Fun!

PS / FYI - If running the Andersen Gooseneck base it's to always be oriented with the trailer-ball located behind the gooseneck ball; IF you use the rail-mount base it can be oriented either direction which gives you another few inches of 'adjustment' insofar and the location of the Andersen-ball relative to the cab / tailgate (the ball is not 'centered' fore-to-aft on the base). In my observation most folks with the rail-mount Andersen seem to run with the ball biased to the rear (and the funnel behind the kingpin).

[MrBill]

Originally Posted by MrBill

For those of you towing with the Anderson Ultimate Hitch with a full size truck. (In our case it will be a GMC Sierra) do you have the adaptor "Funnel" mounted ahead, or behind the King Pin? On paper it looks like installing it ahead of the king pin would work best but I'm concerned about the trailer pin box contacting the trucks bed rails when turning sharply. The trailer will be done in a few months and we are getting the truck set up to tow it. Any other words of advice concerning the mounting location and set up of the Anderson would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Thanks to those who gave me feedback. Note: The truck has a 5' 9" bed length. Assuming the funnel is behind the king pin as everyone has suggested what is the ideal distance from the tailgate to the Anderson ball and why is this a good distance. (Better ride?, more cab clearance? can open the tailgate with the trailer hitched up? Others?)

[Centex]

Originally Posted by MrBill

.... Assuming the funnel is behind the king pin as everyone has suggested what is the ideal distance from the tailgate to the Anderson ball and why is this a good distance. (Better ride?, more cab clearance? can open the tailgate with the trailer hitched up? Others?)

First, some IMO invaluable resources for dimensional data and your case-specific calculations:

• Escape 5.0 Towing Compatabiity Guidelines
• Andersen Dimensions – Kingpin Coupler Block & Ultimate Connection Bases
• Andersen Dimensions – Rail Mount Base

On the questions, I don't think there's much benefit in thinking in terms of an 'ideal' set of dimensions / clearances; IMO in practice it's more a matter of the dimensions /clearances you are able to realize with the components and adjustment ranges available to you in your specific case, and then deciding what combination of available adjustments gives you the most comfort. Ultimately it's a choice of compromise, you usually can't have 'everything' you might wish for.

With almost all rail or gooseneck bolt-in vehicle-specific installation kits the tailgate-to-ball dimensions is 'fixed' by that kit, it'll be very close to centered over the axle, and all are likely within a very few inches of the same and are proven suitable for the application. So you work from there.

IMO 'ride quality' isn't a factor within the limits of adjustability you'll have available - it's more a matter of choosing the clearance compromises that give you the most comfort.

Again / FWIW, in my observation most folks with a rig like you describe run with one of the several bolt-in vehicle-specific rail or gooseneck kits and the funnel behind the kingpin; that yields the 'compromises' that most folks settle upon as being most 'comfortable' for them and their rigs; they end-up experiencing countless miles of trouble-free enjoyment, and that's 'telling', IMO.

[TahoeJoe]

What kind of hitch/rails are you going to use? I used the B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck hitch, and with that I used their 4" Extender to get better clearance in my Silverado short bed:
https://www.bwtrailerhitches.com/pro...all-4-extender

[Grasshog]

Originally Posted by Centex

First, some IMO invaluable resources for dimensional data and your case-specific calculations:

• Escape 5.0 Towing Compatabiity Guidelines
• Andersen Dimensions – Kingpin Coupler Block & Ultimate Connection Bases
• Andersen Dimensions – Rail Mount Base

On the questions, I don't think there's much benefit in thinking in terms of an 'ideal' set of dimensions / clearances; IMO in practice it's more a matter of the dimensions /clearances you are able to realize with the components and adjustment ranges available to you in your specific case, and then deciding what combination of available adjustments gives you the most comfort. Ultimately it's a choice of compromise, you usually can't have 'everything' you might wish for.

With almost all rail or gooseneck bolt-in vehicle-specific installation kits the tailgate-to-ball dimensions is 'fixed' by that kit, it'll be very close to centered over the axle, and all are likely within a very few inches of the same and are proven suitable for the application. So you work from there.

IMO 'ride quality' isn't a factor within the limits of adjustability you'll have available - it's more a matter of choosing the clearance compromises that give you the most comfort.

Again / FWIW, in my observation most folks with a rig like you describe run with one of the several bolt-in vehicle-specific rail or gooseneck kits and the funnel behind the kingpin; that yields the 'compromises' that most folks settle upon as being most 'comfortable' for them and their rigs; they end-up experiencing countless miles of trouble-free enjoyment, and that's 'telling', IMO.

I've noticed a lot of people with the 5.0 use the Anderson Hitch Is there a reason besides personal preference Why a lot more people use the Anderson as opposed to a standard fifth wheel hitch Thanks in advance?

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Grasshog

I've noticed a lot of people with the 5.0 use the Anderson Hitch Is there a reason besides personal preference Why a lot more people use the Anderson as opposed to a standard fifth wheel hitch Thanks in advance?

It weighs less. A lot less. Around 100lbs less. When you’re converting a half ton or mid size truck into a tow truck for a fifth wheel, that hundred pounds makes a bigger difference than it does in a heavy duty truck.

[drjp]

Originally Posted by MrBill

For those of you towing with the Anderson Ultimate Hitch with a full size truck. (In our case it will be a GMC Sierra) do you have the adaptor "Funnel" mounted ahead, or behind the King Pin?
Thanks!

Short bed RAM 1500. Installed funnel ahead of King pin. I’ve got the hitch ball set at its highest position, and along with the “off road” suspension option on our 5.0, it tows quite and turns without bedside contact.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by drjp

along with the “off road” suspension option on our 5.0, it tows quite and turns without bedside contact.

What ‘ “off road” suspension option’ is there. They make a lift option that raises the camper from the axles 2 1/2”, but is there a new “off road” option?

Enjoy,

Perry

[drjp]

Sorry. Lifted suspension.

[richm]

Originally Posted by Grasshog

I've noticed a lot of people with the 5.0 use the Anderson Hitch Is there a reason besides personal preference Why a lot more people use the Anderson as opposed to a standard fifth wheel hitch Thanks in advance?

With the Anderson hitch, it's possible to hitch and unhitch with the truck at a 45° angle from the trailer. For me, this made it possible to park the trailer in spots where there was only about 30 ft of room to maneuver directly in front of the trailer hitch. So yeah, it's possible to drop the trailer in spots that wouldn't be possible with a standard fifth wheel hitch.

[drjp]

On some campsites the tug is somewhat tilted out of alignment with the trailer. Although I’ve never towed a trailer with the general fifth wheel hitch (only with Anderson), I’ve heard tell the Anderson better allows to hitch up with some “camber misalignment.”

When my hitch boss (wife) isn’t there to guide me, I like to use a magnetic pickup tool ($9 Amazon) attached to the bolt head in front of the hitch pin on the Anderson and extended high enough so I can see it out the back window when backing onto hitch. I’ve put a feeler made of bailing wire extending backwards from its handle. When it touches the funnel and the pickup tips, I’m positioned (usually) on both axes well enough to drop the funnel onto the hitch ball.