Hitching aid for the Andersen Ultimate Gooseneck

[arniesea]

Hitching aid for the Andersen Ultimate Gooseneck hitch on a 5.0

I'm a guest on "Adventures in NoMadness" showing an easy way to hook up a 5.0 if you have the Andersen Ultimate Hitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SM0vge7rqE&t=45s

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Hitching aid for the Andersen Ultimate Gooseneck hitch on a 5.0

Thumbs up Arnie Great tip and great video.

I have the rail mount and a system, but your system gave me a couple good ideas, especially your pickup magnet vs the balls that telescope. Thanks

[kavm]

Great stuff, Arnie! Will be in touch soon.

In the meantime - one question - You mentioned that this does not work with the rail version of Andersen Ultimate. Is it still a good starting point? Or, do you have any advice / adjustments for the rail version?

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by kavm

Great stuff, Arnie! Will be in touch soon.

In the meantime - one question - You mentioned that this does not work with the rail version of Andersen Ultimate. Is it still a good starting point? Or, do you have any advice / adjustments for the rail version?

I don’t have personal experience with the rail version. If one found a way to use the magnetic wand in the correct position on the rails, I’m sure it would work.

[CoolCampingKid]

Awesome, simple solution. Thank you

[HarleyD]

Originally Posted by arniesea

I don’t have personal experience with the rail version. If one found a way to use the magnetic wand in the correct position on the rails, I’m sure it would work.

The goose neck attachment has a magnetic bolt holding the Andersen Hitch to the goose neck ball, That is where he places the magnetic wand. The Ultimate rail system does not have this bolt. The Andersen ball is aluminum so the magnetic wand will not sit on the ball. The area surrounding the hole the ball stem goes into is metal so the wand can be place in front of or behind the ball with a similar effect. Works well.

[UncleTim]

Arnie, you mentioned this to me last year and I use it faithfully. I even have the magnetic telescope.

It works every time just fine!

Thanks again.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by arniesea

I don’t have personal experience with the rail version. If one found a way to use the magnetic wand in the correct position on the rails, I’m sure it would work.

Thanks, Arnie! That makes sense.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by HarleyD

The goose neck attachment has a magnetic bolt holding the Andersen Hitch to the goose neck ball, That is where he places the magnetic wand. The Ultimate rail system does not have this bolt. The Andersen ball is aluminum so the magnetic wand will not sit on the ball. The area surrounding the hole the ball stem goes into is metal so the wand can be place in front of or behind the ball with a similar effect. Works well.

To confirm I understood it - one magnetic wand is placed (I assume upside down) in the hole in the coupler to achieve a similar result?

[Centex]

Gotta love KISS solutions, thanks, Arnie

[HarleyD]

Originally Posted by kavm

To confirm I understood it - one magnetic wand is placed (I assume upside down) in the hole in the coupler to achieve a similar result?

The Andersen ball and hitch tubing are all aluminum. The ball stem receptor is steel. The magnetic end of the wand can easily sit on the ridge of the hole, not in the hole. The ridge is 3/8" to 1/2" wide and the magnetic wand attaches to that ridge.

[kavm]

Thanks a lot, HarleyD!

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by kavm

Great stuff, Arnie! Will be in touch soon.

In the meantime - one question - You mentioned that this does not work with the rail version of Andersen Ultimate. Is it still a good starting point? Or, do you have any advice / adjustments for the rail version?

You do not need to use anything a magnetic pick-up tool. There are commercially made aids for connecting a trailer. For example (Amazon, @ $30 for set of 2) Hitching Rods. They are about 36” long, light weight, yellow, with a magnetic base. A piece of 1/2” steel 4” x 4” (any metal shop can cut) laid on the bed of the truck at the proper distance in front of the hitch would stabilize the hitching rod at the speed you will be backing up. It doesn’t need to be knocked over, you just watch to see when it is contacted by the front of the pin box. And being on the truck rather than in or behind the coupler it would allow the use of tape on the pin box to allow “aiming” the truck. I have been using a similar method to Arnie’s to hook up my 5th wheel for years, and sometimes use a piece of PVC pipe laid on the ground visible in the back-up camera. I personally do not use tape; I use rectangular orange reflectors available at any auto parts store. I also use a length of plastic yellow chain (cut to the proper length the first time I had the trailer hooked up) attached to a magnet that I stick to the underside of the pin box when I raise the trailer to the proper height for hitching. When the chain just barely touches the ground, it is at the proper height. This avoids having to go back and forth from the controls to the king pin using a body part (in Arnie’s case a shoulder) to verify proper height. Once at the proper height, the plastic chain comes off and I proceed with backing the tow vehicle into place. For those with a hitching “partner,” they can raise or lower the tailgate as necessary. As I watched Arnie’s video, he was performing a “solo” hook up.

Nice video, Arnie!

[HarleyD]

Originally Posted by kavm

Thanks a lot, HarleyD!

Most welcome.
Best of luck, the 5.0 is an amazing trailer.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

You do not need to use anything a magnetic pick-up tool. There are commercially made aids for connecting a trailer. For example (Amazon, @ $30 for set of 2) Hitching Rods. They are about 36” long, light weight, yellow, with a magnetic base. A piece of 1/2” steel 4” x 4” (any metal shop can cut) laid on the bed of the truck at the proper distance in front of the hitch would stabilize the hitching rod at the speed you will be backing up. It doesn’t need to be knocked over, you just watch to see when it is contacted by the front of the pin box. And being on the truck rather than in or behind the coupler it would allow the use of tape on the pin box to allow “aiming” the truck. I have been using a similar method to Arnie’s to hook up my 5th wheel for years, and sometimes use a piece of PVC pipe laid on the ground visible in the back-up camera. I personally do not use tape; I use rectangular orange reflectors available at any auto parts store. I also use a length of plastic yellow chain (cut to the proper length the first time I had the trailer hooked up) attached to a magnet that I stick to the underside of the pin box when I raise the trailer to the proper height for hitching. When the chain just barely touches the ground, it is at the proper height. This avoids having to go back and forth from the controls to the king pin using a body part (in Arnie’s case a shoulder) to verify proper height. Once at the proper height, the plastic chain comes off and I proceed with backing the tow vehicle into place. For those with a hitching “partner,” they can raise or lower the tailgate as necessary. As I watched Arnie’s video, he was performing a “solo” hook up.

Nice video, Arnie!

Thank you very much! I found the item you are referring to on Amazon!

One thing I am undecided about is the following: My F150 came with a very nice set of cameras. There is also zone lighting to light up the bed or other areas in the dark. The reverse camera shows a clear trajectory of where the truck will be going and there is a bed camera giving a very good view of the box. So, I am trying to decide if the aids discussed here are still needed with a very good bed camera or not.

So, my first inclination is to start without. In the Sumas, WA parking lot - I am hoping that the Escape person will help us hitch up and we will get a sense of how complicated it is. And, if it looks bad - we can go to the usual Wal-Mart/Lowe’s/HF/Camping World to pick up something if there is any concern. Our first site is a pull through and we are staying 2 nights to make head or tails out of it

[Perry Butler]

I posted 5.0TA Ball Cozy to Help Backup to the Andersen Ball a year ago. We have the rail version Andersen and it works perfect for us.

Enjoy,

Perry

[kavm]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

I posted 5.0TA Ball Cozy to Help Backup to the Andersen Ball a year ago. We have the rail version Andersen and it works perfect for us.

Enjoy,

Perry

Perry, that's really interesting... I am, however, certain that knitting that is outside our capabilities!

I also appreciated the view you have from the driver's window that you posted in the original thread. With our bed camera - we have a really clear view of the bed. The Andersen hitch is not installed yet - but I am sure we will see the ball at the top of the hitch pyramid very clearly when backing up. So - I am wondering if we will need any aid or not.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by kavm

Perry, that's really interesting... I am, however, certain that knitting that is outside our capabilities!

I also appreciated the view you have from the driver's window that you posted in the original thread. With our bed camera - we have a really clear view of the bed. The Andersen hitch is not installed yet - but I am sure we will see the ball at the top of the hitch pyramid very clearly when backing up. So - I am wondering if we will need any aid or not.

With a bed camera you might not need any aid.

At my height of 5' 9" I could stand on my tippy-toes and see the top of the ball in our 2015 extended cab F150. When we purchased our quad cab F150 I could no longer see the top of the ball. However, either way I could not gauge how far to back up. With the Terry's condom installed I hit it perfectly 9 out of 10 times the first time and have yet to get out three times.

I'm trying to talk Terry into crocheting these for sale, but so far no luck.

Enjoy,

Perry

[kavm]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

With a bed camera you might not need any aid.

At my height of 5' 9" I could stand on my tippy-toes and see the top of the ball in our 2015 extended cab F150. When we purchased our quad cab F150 I could no longer see the top of the ball. However, either way I could not gauge how far to back up. With the Terry's condom installed I hit it perfectly 9 out of 10 times the first time and have yet to get out three times.

I'm trying to talk Terry into crocheting these for sale, but so far no luck.

Enjoy,

Perry

Thank you for that. I am going to wait till we get the camper and try to hook up. I am hoping with our bed camera - it should be quite a bit easier. If I find I need an aid - I will go to a hardware store to find something like the items mentioned to help.

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Hitching aid for the Andersen Ultimate Gooseneck hitch on a 5.0

I'm a guest on "Adventures in NoMadness" showing an easy way to hook up a 5.0 if you have the Andersen Ultimate Hitch.

👍👍 clever.....