I got the Andersen Upgrade Kit!

[RogerR]

I had been debating spending the $100 for the upgrade kit for the Andersen WDH, but bought it. Came in 4 days. No shipping or tax added.

Included were a new pin I don't want as I have a better one from the farm store. see pictures. A new hitch ball assembly and a new triangle plate.

The triangle plate will NOT fit on the old hitch ball assembly as the bottom post is larger. You must have both parts to work.

In the past I have simply pulled the pin and dropped the triangle plate still attached to the chains. Getting the plate back on and off the hitch ball assembly was a challenge. This is way WAY! easier to get on and off.

No groaning when I go over big bumps/dips in the road, etc. Also, the friction cone is held in by screws and a collar so it can't slip out as some have had problems with it.

Some dealers may have them but I called the factory and got that great Andersen customer service.

[Midnightmoon]

Thanks for posting this. I will give them a call tomorrow and get mine on order.

[LuckyDuck]

Roger, when the new triangle plate is connected with the pin, can you move it from side to side? In other words, does the friction cone swivel in the housing? I have the newer triangle w/o the collar, but the ball stays firmly in place. Have to make sure I hitch up at the same angle as I unhitched. I don’t have the “cap” to hold the friction sleeve in but it has never slipped up. Not sure it’s worth $100 for me to upgrade. I love the Andersen.

[Midnightmoon]

Just ordered mine. $100 shipping and tax included. I swear, I wish other companies would copy the customer service that Andersen provides. You call and you talk to an actual person that can answer your questions and is knowledgeable about the product. I couldn't be more pleased.

[RogerR]

LuckyDuck - My triangle plate does not move sideways any more than the old one. The reason is that the friction cone is what stops the sway and if it could move there would be no anti-sway action by the Andersen Hitch. Which, of course, is the one of the three reasons it is the best one out there.

I use my jack to lift it up off the ball. As I lift it the chains go slack and that is when I detach the triangle plate. If you are at a bad angle just hook up the ball (no plate) pull forward until matched up and then hook up the triangle plate. You may have to loosen the chain or use you tongue jack to get enough slack.

For those that have not looked into the Andersen it is great because:
Lightweight about 50 pounds
No bars to wrangle on and off
Built in sway control via the friction cone built in, no extra attachments

On you note that you don't have the top hold down plate around the ball. My old one did not have it either. I have read that some people had the friction cone work up and out of the base. I never had that problem but mine came as pictured.

Ps. The new triangle plate is silver painted steel, not aluminum. The ball mount is all aluminum.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by RogerR

LuckyDuck - My triangle plate does not move sideways any more than the old one. The reason is that the friction cone is what stops the sway and if it could move there would be no anti-sway action by the Andersen Hitch. Which, of course, is the one of the three reasons it is the best one out there.

I use my jack to lift it up off the ball. As I lift it the chains go slack and that is when I detach the triangle plate. If you are at a bad angle just hook up the ball (no plate) pull forward until matched up and then hook up the triangle plate. You may have to loosen the chain or use you tongue jack to get enough slack.

For those that have not looked into the Andersen it is great because:
Lightweight about 50 pounds
No bars to wrangle on and off
Built in sway control via the friction cone built in, no extra attachments

On you note that you don't have the top hold down plate around the ball. My old one did not have it either. I have read that some people had the friction cone work up and out of the base. I never had that problem but mine came as pictured.

Ps. The new triangle plate is silver painted steel, not aluminum. The ball mount is all aluminum.

Interesting. One of the other posts here mentioned the “new” plate could be turned by hand. I emailed Andersen to confirm and they said “on the most updated ball housing with the silver triangle plate you are able to move it by hand.” That seemed strange because, as you say, that’s the point of anti-sway. I apparently have all the new stuff, except for the hold-down cap, but never have had the bushing slip up. I, too, just raise the jack (hand crank no less) to get slack and hitch up. I’ve found easy fixes for angled hitchups as well. It is the perfect hitch for a trailer our size.

[RogerR]

Maybe they have bigger hands? LOL

or maybe mine needs a little breaking in on the road.

Only tried in the driveway, no road experience yet.

Hope it does work that way. Maybe the hold-down plate under the ball allows the friction material to be a little looser when there is no weight on it.

Time will tell!

[Midnightmoon]

For what it's worth, I could turn the triangle plate on my old style by hand without any tongue weight on it.

[LuckyDuck]

Ouch! I better up the workouts at the gym! Don’t think I can budge mine.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

Ouch! I better up the workouts at the gym! Don’t think I can budge mine.

Lol. Go find your local YMCA and start pumping that iron.

[Murff]

As one who had, and advocated, the Andersen Hitch, it is very easy to use and is great for TTs under 7500 GWWR.

However, as other forums have shown, the Andersen doesn't do a great job of transferring weight off the rear axle of the TV. When towing our 20MRB with our 2008 Exploder Sport Trac we went over a scale and did some figures.

The Andersen does a great job of leveling and of sway control but only moved 75 pounds off the rear axle. The round bar equalizing hitch we owned prior to the Andersen, moved 225 pounds off the rear axle. The rear axle was 200 lbs overweight loaded for a trip.

Your numbers may vary.

Murff

[01tundra]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

Interesting. One of the other posts here mentioned the “new” plate could be turned by hand. I emailed Andersen to confirm and they said “on the most updated ball housing with the silver triangle plate you are able to move it by hand.” That seemed strange because, as you say, that’s the point of anti-sway. I apparently have all the new stuff, except for the hold-down cap, but never have had the bushing slip up. I, too, just raise the jack (hand crank no less) to get slack and hitch up. I’ve found easy fixes for angled hitchups as well. It is the perfect hitch for a trailer our size.

I knew I wasn't losing my mind .

Move by hand while the chains are slack, the chain tension is what assists the anti-sway function of the friction cone.

If you hook up without the chains and use the hitch as a conventional style you have zero anti-sway even thought the ball is riding in the friction cone.....and yes, this info came directly from Andersen.

[Midnightmoon]

My upgrade kit showed up today. I really like this new design with the cap over the friction cone.

[TonyCO]

They do have good customer service. They just sent me the new cone. I’m one of the guys that had the cone work itself up and out. Hopefully this new cone will hold up.

[Bandit12]

I bought my Andersen last July, it came with the silver colored triangle plate but not the securing plate on top of the cone. I think I've pulled my trailer about 1000 miles with that hitch since then. Last trip out I noticed the top of the friction material seemed to be up, just a hair from what it was new. I'll have to keep an eye on it. I can not move the hitch by hand with no weight on the ball and the triangle plate installed.

I can normally get fairly close to proper alignment when I hook up, however, if It is off a bit, I have used the chains to jack it around a bit by tightening the one chain to move the plate into position. I know how many threads I need on each side and adjust the chains accordingly before I lower the weight on the ball. Can anyone tell me if this is an acceptable way to adjust the position or am I doing any damage to my hitch?

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Bandit12

I bought my Andersen last July, it came with the silver colored triangle plate but not the securing plate on top of the cone. I think I've pulled my trailer about 1000 miles with that hitch since then. Last trip out I noticed the top of the friction material seemed to be up, just a hair from what it was new. I'll have to keep an eye on it. I can not move the hitch by hand with no weight on the ball and the triangle plate installed.

I can normally get fairly close to proper alignment when I hook up, however, if It is off a bit, I have used the chains to jack it around a bit by tightening the one chain to move the plate into position. I know how many threads I need on each side and adjust the chains accordingly before I lower the weight on the ball. Can anyone tell me if this is an acceptable way to adjust the position or am I doing any damage to my hitch?

I, too, have generally been able to line up the truck with the plate and always try to make sure the two are lined up before unhitching. But when I’m off, I’ve loosened one chain as necessary, then pull out to straighten the plate and then retighten the chain to the right number of threads. Here is an Andersen video with a couple of ways to deal with a crooked plate too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HO_QTxnJVN8