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Old 07-14-2021, 03:36 PM   #1
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Anderson No sway wd hitch rocks!

We've had this third generation wd hitch for several years now but have never really tested how it performs in a panic stop until we traveled north from NJ, to NH accompanied by Tropical Storm Elsa with its 8" of rain and 50 mph winds causing pooling on the highway. We also were accompanied by all the Semis in America. Somewhere in NY the truck ahead of us jammed on his brakes to avoid a small lake in the highway and we had to brake so hard that the abs system in our Colorado engaged. The trailer stayed right behind us and behaved perfectly. Perfection trailer brake was set at 4.5. Not sure Anderson is even an option for Escape any more.
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Old 07-14-2021, 03:41 PM   #2
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That's what a weight distribution hitch does.
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Old 07-14-2021, 05:04 PM   #3
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Hitch Performance

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Originally Posted by yardsale View Post
We've had this third generation wd hitch for several years now but have never really tested how it performs in a panic stop until we traveled north from NJ, to NH accompanied by Tropical Storm Elsa with its 8" of rain and 50 mph winds causing pooling on the highway. We also were accompanied by all the Semis in America. Somewhere in NY the truck ahead of us jammed on his brakes to avoid a small lake in the highway and we had to brake so hard that the abs system in our Colorado engaged. The trailer stayed right behind us and behaved perfectly. Perfection trailer brake was set at 4.5. Not sure Anderson is even an option for Escape any more.
Fortunately you had it all hooked up right and your setting was adequate. And Fortunately it’s a small club of folks who have experienced the panic performance like some of us have. Although some question the value of the WDH, I believe you should hook it up all the way, all the time when you’re on a public street or highway. It saved us once and that’s enough to make a believer out of me. Glad to hear you’re ok.
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Old 07-14-2021, 05:25 PM   #4
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Well, before that experience, all I knew was that was what it was SUPPOSED to do GB.
Thanks ID.
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Old 07-14-2021, 05:29 PM   #5
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Well, before that experience, all I knew was that was what it was SUPPOSED to do GB.
Thanks ID.
Just didn't want anyone to think they had to buy an Andersen WDH.
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Old 07-14-2021, 09:45 PM   #6
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That's what a weight distribution hitch does.
Not really - a weight-distributing hitch system shifts load from the tug's rear axle to the tug's front axle and the trailer's axle(s), and that may reduce or increase sway. Most also add friction (intentionally or not) to the coupling which reduces sway.

The Andersen No-Sway WD (as the name suggests) is intended to effectively reduce sway, and deliberately adds a huge amount of friction, proportional to the tongue weight.
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Old 07-14-2021, 09:47 PM   #7
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Fortunately you had it all hooked up right and your setting was adequate.
An interesting feature of the Andersen design is that the amount of sway-damping friction depends on the tongue weight, not the WD adjustment, as long as there is enough chain tension to keep either chain from going slack in turns.
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Old 07-14-2021, 10:12 PM   #8
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Well, my Pro Series, without sway control has done a fine job in a couple emergencies.
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Old 07-14-2021, 11:39 PM   #9
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Well, my Pro Series, without sway control has done a fine job in a couple emergencies.
I'm sure it has. It also has substantial friction in the bar sockets (whether that was the design intention or not), and a strong spring return-to-centre action (because it is a two-bars-and-chains type of WD).

We also have no idea how the rig would have behaved in the same situation without WD. It's really hard to get good comparative data for this sort of thing (as opposed to normal driving conditions) from actual use (assuming one doesn't routinely get into emergency situations while alternating between using WD and not, or using different WDH's ).
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Old 07-16-2021, 11:58 AM   #10
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I'm sure it has. It also has substantial friction in the bar sockets (whether that was the design intention or not), and a strong spring return-to-centre action (because it is a two-bars-and-chains type of WD).

We also have no idea how the rig would have behaved in the same situation without WD. It's really hard to get good comparative data for this sort of thing (as opposed to normal driving conditions) from actual use (assuming one doesn't routinely get into emergency situations while alternating between using WD and not, or using different WDH's ).
True, it's observation not science. And I ain't doing it with MY trailer.
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