Choosing Weight distributing hitch

[DonBr]

One of mine crept a little, so I did the hole drilling thing. Not difficult, and does the job. One other thing: the "creep" was against the solar plug. There just wasn't enough chain to get it really clear further back. I picked up a couple of heavy stainless quick links and installed one on each side. That is also an Andersen recommended procedure - they sell links, and say the chain can be shortened by two links or lengthened by any number.

[DonBr]

Also, if you drill, clean out the threads really well!

[madmaxmutt]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

Question for all you Anderson WD hitch owners.
We are receiving our ‘22 Jayco Micro 199 mbs tomorrow. Dealer is assisting me( with hour labor thrown in) installing the Andersen hitch before the demo. I have a feeling that they have not done this hitch before and I might know more than them ( lots of you tube time waiting for delivery).
My question for you Andersen owners is the step where you install the set screw in the brackets on the frame.( one on each frame). The Andersen directions mention an option of drilling a pilot hole before inserting the set screw. Seems like a logical idea but in dozens of YouTube’s I never saw that come up including when Andersen owner Ryan Andersen did an install video. He just used a socket wrench and did two full revolutions. So did anyone see that in the instructions and do that pilot hole first, or did you ignore it, and you’ ve never had an issue with the brackets creeping forward? Thanks, Larry

btw install time is 9am Wednesday so any advice overnight is greatly appreciated.

The hole is optional, as are the welds. You don't have to do either. They can be done later, if you experience the upright brackets 'walking' towards the trailer. I eventually did the two inch welds on both trailers, because my trailers kept growing. With your size trailer, I doubt you will experience anything requiring the welds. Drill the holes, if you choose to.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

Question for all you Anderson WD hitch owners.
We are receiving our ‘22 Jayco Micro 199 mbs tomorrow. Dealer is assisting me( with hour labor thrown in) installing the Andersen hitch before the demo. I have a feeling that they have not done this hitch before and I might know more than them ( lots of you tube time waiting for delivery).
My question for you Andersen owners is the step where you install the set screw in the brackets on the frame.( one on each frame). The Andersen directions mention an option of drilling a pilot hole before inserting the set screw. Seems like a logical idea but in dozens of YouTube’s I never saw that come up including when Andersen owner Ryan Andersen did an install video. He just used a socket wrench and did two full revolutions. So did anyone see that in the instructions and do that pilot hole first, or did you ignore it, and you’ ve never had an issue with the brackets creeping forward? Thanks, Larry

btw install time is 9am Wednesday so any advice overnight is greatly appreciated.

My dealer installed mine originally, but I don’t believe they drilled holes for the set screws. I routinely make sure the bracket bolts are tightly torqued as well as the set screws. The brackets mount at a slight angle on the frame, which helps keep them from slipping forward as well. Mine have not slipped in over 14,000 miles of using the Andersen.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

Question for all you Anderson WD hitch owners.
We are receiving our ‘22 Jayco Micro 199 mbs tomorrow. Dealer is assisting me( with hour labor thrown in) installing the Andersen hitch before the demo. I have a feeling that they have not done this hitch before and I might know more than them ( lots of you tube time waiting for delivery).
My question for you Andersen owners is the step where you install the set screw in the brackets on the frame.( one on each frame). The Andersen directions mention an option of drilling a pilot hole before inserting the set screw. Seems like a logical idea but in dozens of YouTube’s I never saw that come up including when Andersen owner Ryan Andersen did an install video. He just used a socket wrench and did two full revolutions. So did anyone see that in the instructions and do that pilot hole first, or did you ignore it, and you’ ve never had an issue with the brackets creeping forward? Thanks, Larry

btw install time is 9am Wednesday so any advice overnight is greatly appreciated.

I did not drill a pilot hole in mine and it hasn't moved in now 6 camping seasons and tens of thousands of miles.

[Larry Mac]

Thanks for all your experiences with your Andersen WD hitch, guys.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

Thanks for all your experiences with your Andersen WD hitch, guys.

Hope your install goes/went well. I think you’ll really like the Andersen.

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

Hope your install goes/went well. I think you’ll really like the Andersen.

Unfortunately all did not go well. There was a solar port in the way on the frame. The hitch installer took some time to try to relocate that but I feel that resulted in the brackets being set different than all installs I’ve seen on you tube. Anyways end result was the sway control triangle plate was somewhat off kilter when I left the dealer. The hitch man said it would straighten out. It had been a long day so I left. I did a few mods on the trailer the next day and later drove to a nearby mall that had a very big overflow lot I used that I practiced setting the gain on the brake controller as well as backing up.I have a Ford F150 hybrid and it seemed compatible with the trailer. Backing up with a single axle trailer was challenging. Anyways after a couple hours there I noticed the triangle plate was even more as my wife would say caddywampus. I tried you tube and found several videos offering advice but none worked. I also had extreme trouble with the coupler not wanting to let go. I tried several ways and finally got disengaged. I tried to start over with the chains. I tried the different you tube videos on trying to get the sway control triangle plate parallel. The sway control plate actually got worse to the point I just had to remove the chains to get home. I had been on that parking lot for 4.5 hours (truck said 107 degrees). I was just glad to get home. Going back to the dealer this morning. I have no idea how they can fix that ball assembly so the sway control triangle plate can start in the parallel position.
I trust the when right this will be the perfect WD hitch for this TT and truck, but right now it’s a mess. Anyone have a clue what to do?
By another ball assembly and start over? ($250 btw)

[DonBr]

If the plate became less straight then one or both of the arms did "creep." Did the holes get drilled? I mentioned above that on mine the solar plug was a problem as well; I fixed it by adding a quick link on the end of each chain to be able to move the brackets farther back. It appears unlikely the dealer will have a clue. You can get quick links from Andersen, but I bought on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073FLR7DM

[DonBr]

The ball assembly wouldn't have anything to do with it. The angle of the plate is all about where the two brackets are placed. Measure back from ball to where they are and they should be very close to the same distance. As far as removing the coupler, it is very hard to do when it is under tension from the Andersen, you either have to unscrew the tension nuts, or most of us jack it up until the chains are slack and remove the plate. I found the coupler Jayco uses to be a bit odd, so make sure the dealer shows you how to pull it up and back until it is fully retracted.

[DonBr]

Googling, I found that a number of posts in this forum talk about the latch on the Jayco coupler being different than any other they've owned. That is what I found - like many people I didn't have the dealer show me (assuming they knew how) because I've unhitched many times with different trailers. etrailer has a couple of videos showing the type of latch used here, and I've noted that in each of them the guy doing the latch has a bit of trouble getting it right. See https://www.etrailer.com/tv-Demo-etr...CTA-400PL.aspx for example.

[Larry Mac]

Don:

I just had that feeling. I don’t have a flat spot at home big enough for the length of truck and trailer. If so, I would have done it with my son.
I measured. The frame bracket on the drivers side was 2.5-3” longer to the ball housing compared to the passenger side. Yet the WD chain nuts on both sides had the same number of threads. Which means that one side had more weight correction— simple physics. That probably had something to do as the triangle plate continued to gravitate in that direction.

I have some of those links and maybe they come into play today.

These bracket matching are correctibles—solar port does make it more complicated.

I have no idea how that ball housing can be fixed to put it back to the starting position.
They specifically say not to use a hammer.

[Midnightmoon]

Easy way to straighten out the ball housing is to disconnect the short side chain (side that the triangle point is closest to the trailer) and pull forward. The plate will self align to the center position.

[DonBr]

If the angle of the plate changed, the side that was closer to the ball "walked" towards the ball. Starting with them where they are now it wouldn't have changed.


When mine "crept" up into the solar bracket it got a bit off straight, although not as much as yours. I was aware of the method Midnightmoon suggested, but I chose to just use the tension nuts to do the job. With one side disconnected I tightened the other side until it pulled it straight. With as far as yours is off it might take moving the bracket back once or twice (and you are going to have to move it back anyway). No need to torque it down until in final position - just a bit tight will be enough to move the plate.

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Easy way to straighten out the ball housing is to disconnect the short side chain (side that the triangle point is closest to the trailer) and pull forward. The plate will self align to the center position.

That does not work if you had my issue.

[Larry Mac]

I think the dealer knew they had created the problem because there was a 3” difference in the length to the brackets meaning one side was pulling harder than the other. Probably good I had not gone over 40 at that point. Anyways they made it right by relocating both brackets so they were the same distance and even better took a brand new ball ball housing unit out of another box and replaced it with the afflicted one on my truck. Right now everything is what it should have been when I left Wednesday. But they at least fixed their mistake with a smile and a better effort

[LuckyDuck]

Gosh, sorry to hear about all the troubles. It sounds like your dealer is not versed in the Andersen. If the chains are the same length (they should be) the A-frame brackets should be the same distance from the triangle plate corners. I also have a solar plug but as you can see, and my brackets mount well behind it and haven’t crept forward. Don’s suggestion of an extra link may get you there, although I ended up cutting off 1 or 2 links because I had too much when tightened.

Once hooked up right, the biggest annoyance I’ve had with the hitch is remembering to keep the truck and trailer lined up straight when unhitching. That makes it easy reattach the triangle plate when you leave. Just raise the tongue jack enough to slacken the chains and the plate/pin will slid right in. If you unhitch at an angle, you’ll have to rehitch at that same angle to connect the plate — not easy. Moon’s technique for straightening the plate is what I use. It is hard to turn that ball — that is what makes the anti-sway properties. Definitely don’t hammer it.

If you’re having trouble getting the tongue off the ball, you may have to edge your truck slightly forward, or back, (like 1/4”) to release the pressure. Same when getting the tongue latch to snap in. It’s a tight fit.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

That does not work if you had my issue.

Maybe I don't understand what you are trying to describe. You are talking about your triangle plate not being centered correct?

I know that you had issues with your install because of the solar plug location in addition, but I thought you were asking how to recenter the ball/triangle plate to start over.

[DonBr]

Two different things; I'll get to LuckyDuck's in the next post. Larry Mac, I think you would find that the distance between the brackets and the plate were the same, and both sides were pulling equally. That's why it pulled it off center. Physics-wise, there is minimal difference in both WDH and sway control. The latter is from the friction of ball shaft when the plate doesn't move, and the former is a combined total of both pulls. That's why Andersen says, and I'm quoting the manual, "The plate does NOT need to be perfectlyperpendicular, a little off of perpendicular is fine."


The problem would be if the bracket was walking, pulling the plate farther off the perpendicular.'

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Maybe I don't understand what you are trying to describe. You are talking about your triangle plate not being centered correct?

I know that you had issues with your install because of the solar plug location in addition, but I thought you were asking how to recenter the ball/triangle plate to start over.

And I’m not really certain what time frame
You are referring to. When I came back today the triangle had rotated 90 degrees because they had the brackets set at unequal lengths.
No place to really even put one chain