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Old 11-01-2015, 12:29 PM   #11
inghamm
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Default Andersen WDH

I've been intrigued by the Andersen WDH, so I'll be watching for a report. My current WDH works but is so heavy. It adds almost 100 lbs to the equation.
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Old 11-01-2015, 02:28 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrucePerens View Post

<snipped>

Looking at the Andersen, I am having trouble believing that the pull of those chains on the few inches of leverage from the ball to where the chains attach will translate to sufficient torque. I can't believe that those chains are going to be under enough tension to do that. I'm not sure I'd want to get near them if they were.

<snipped>
I agree with you. I am not sure how this can work as a WDH (I have no opinion on its anti-sway function).

There is a video on their website that includes this sketch...it makes me even more dubious. As you say, without an enormous tension load on the chains....

My Reese is heavy, but durable and effective. It has no anti-sway capabilities, but I have not missed that - it is apparently unnecessary with our set-up.
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Old 11-02-2015, 07:39 PM   #13
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Got sniped on eBay... Had a bid of $299 with a max of $350, someone jumped me with 20 seconds left at $355.

I'm in no rush as the TM is all but put away for the season. Andersen offers (or at least they used to offer, awaiting confirmation) a 90 day money back satisfaction guarantee. So I may well weight until spring so I can verify its weight distributing capability on a CAT scale.
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Old 11-10-2015, 01:16 AM   #14
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I have the Andersen for use with my 3124, but to be honest it has not yet had a severe test in the two trips we have taken. No real serious crosswinds encountered yet, and as for the WD effectiveness, I have it hitched to a 3/4 ton truck with a camper package, so pretty serious rear spring rates preclude much sag.

I have not yet had occasion to get the thing on a scale - I am towing so far beneath my TV's capabilities that I was not concerned. When we go to a lighter duty tow vehicle, which we are contemplating, I do intend to get some numbers since margins will not be so generous...

I can verify that there is indeed some serious tension on those chains when set up per the Andersen instructions. You really DO need to get the brackets welded to the trailer frame rather than depend on the little friction lock screw. I find the thing fairly easy to hitch, harder to unhitch because of the dry ball. It will hang up if you have not removed the last bit of side-to-side or fore-aft load on the hitch. You can see the hitch on my rig in the pic of the trailer in front of my home in my album.

It is REALLY light, much appreciated after 20 years or so with a heavy Reese spring bar/chain WD setup on my previous rig. And the WD stuff is easy to remove! After unloading the chains with a 1/2" drive and the supplied deep socket, just pull a pin and drop the bottom plate along with the attached chains.
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Old 11-10-2015, 07:30 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane826 View Post
Got sniped on eBay... Had a bid of $299 with a max of $350, someone jumped me with 20 seconds left at $355.

I'm in no rush as the TM is all but put away for the season. Andersen offers (or at least they used to offer, awaiting confirmation) a 90 day money back satisfaction guarantee. So I may well weight until spring so I can verify its weight distributing capability on a CAT scale.
Regardless of which WDH you select, you may wish to check out etrailer.com (tutorials-videos, product support, Q/A & in depth reviews-free shipping. Pro Series RB3 @ 213 shipped seemed like a bargain).
(IMO) I've been out bid on items many times and waiting to the last 4 secs to bid is just experienced e-bayin' and bidding earlier serves to elevate the experience for the seller...
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Old 12-27-2015, 07:35 PM   #16
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I can add something to the Anderson hitch information. I recently reluctantly traded in our Trailmanor on another brand trailer. Here are some interesting coincidences. The dry weight of the new trailer is a few hundred pounds more than the dry weight of the Trailmanor due to its all aluminum construction including the floor and frame. The length is the same in both trailers. I drove a total of 900 miles to get one of the last available 2015 models through a terrible rain and wind storm and turned around the same day in the same storm and started driving home. The Trailmanor had an old Reese hitch with the 1000 pound bars. There was no sway control. Hurrying to the dealership to meet time deadlines, I was doing 70 with no sway. In fact with that old hitch I have never experienced sway from the Trailmanor with trips to Alaska to Key West to San Diego to Maine, but I was concerned with the new trailer's conventional frontal and side area that I would probably experience sway. I had the dealership install the Anderson hitch. I left the dealership and immediately had a lot of sway. There was so much sway that a top speed of 55 felt horribly dangerous. In 2 hours of white knuckle driving. I passed no one on the interstate and cringed when a truck passed me. I have a lot to say positive about Trailmanor, but the Anderson hitch has so far failed to even come close to the highly favorable ratings I have also read. I know that this is an apple and orange comparison, but I still think it is an interesting bit of information. I miss the Trailmanor but time and bad knees have caught up with us.
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Old 12-30-2015, 11:25 AM   #17
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I have both the Blue Ox and the Anderson. I like the Anderson best. No mess, no hassle, no selection of spring bars, - just hook it up and go. If I over tighten mine, it will keep the back of the truck high and ride terrible. With proper adjustment, my rig is level and almost never bounces.
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Old 12-30-2015, 12:36 PM   #18
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Bill,
I have the Andersen No Sway hitch on my Lance travel trailer. Like you, I had it on my Trailmanor before. I wonder if yours is adjusted/installed properly. Although, you do feel a little more sideways movement ( more like a rocking side to side) when meeting big rigs in windy conditions, it otherwise works as well as the one on my Trailmanor. I feel much safer with the Andersen than without.
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Old 12-31-2015, 09:24 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCBillandJane View Post
I can add something to the Anderson hitch information. I recently reluctantly traded in our Trailmanor on another brand trailer. Here are some interesting coincidences. The dry weight of the new trailer is a few hundred pounds more than the dry weight of the Trailmanor due to its all aluminum construction including the floor and frame. The length is the same in both trailers. I drove a total of 900 miles to get one of the last available 2015 models through a terrible rain and wind storm and turned around the same day in the same storm and started driving home. The Trailmanor had an old Reese hitch with the 1000 pound bars. There was no sway control. Hurrying to the dealership to meet time deadlines, I was doing 70 with no sway. In fact with that old hitch I have never experienced sway from the Trailmanor with trips to Alaska to Key West to San Diego to Maine, but I was concerned with the new trailer's conventional frontal and side area that I would probably experience sway. I had the dealership install the Anderson hitch. I left the dealership and immediately had a lot of sway. There was so much sway that a top speed of 55 felt horribly dangerous. In 2 hours of white knuckle driving. I passed no one on the interstate and cringed when a truck passed me. I have a lot to say positive about Trailmanor, but the Anderson hitch has so far failed to even come close to the highly favorable ratings I have also read. I know that this is an apple and orange comparison, but I still think it is an interesting bit of information. I miss the Trailmanor but time and bad knees have caught up with us.
I can't comment about the Andersen, because I use a Reese WDH. I CAN comment about switching from a TM to a "full-up" travel trailer. Towing one will NEVER be the same as towing a TM! That's the primary reason we have been TM owners for nearly 20 years. We never needed sway control with either our 3326 or 3124, but you simply can't tow without it when towing a "regular" TT. As Bill has often pointed out, unless a WDH system clearly states that it incorporates sway control, then it does not. I'm a firm believer that what's more important than the brand of WDH & sway control is that it is properly set up for your specific TV and trailer, each loaded as you would normally have them. The hours you spend (on a level surface) at home making those adjustments will pay big dividends on the next road trip. Because our "new to us" 2014 Lance 2285 did not have the sway control ball mounted on the frame, we had to drive it 124 miles home from the dealer without sway control. Never again.
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Old 01-01-2016, 08:45 AM   #20
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My guess on the sway problem that Bill experienced is that the hitch was adjust way, way too tight. If the hitch is too tight, it reduces the weight on the ball. With an Anderson hitch, no weight on the ball equals NO sway control. I would experiment with different settings until its dialed in properly. My hitch is only tightened 2.5 turns from "snug" to "adjusted properly" and with the bikes mounted on the draw bar, I have 650 pounds of draw weight.
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