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Old 07-25-2019, 07:40 AM   #41
prk7
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I have the Andersen ultimate with b&w turnover ball. Wanted more room to turn with my Monty 3791rd, so changed ball to the b&w that has 4"set back, which I can't feel any difference when pulling. Im wondering how much more weight would be transferred to the front axel of my truck, if I had a conventional 5th wheel hitch. With the base of Andersen hitch is 5 inch setback plus my 4 inch offset ball plus the 4 inch kingpin coupler minus the b&a hitch is mounted 4 inches in front of axel,30 inches from front of bed, 46 1/2 inches from tailgate. So im pulling 9 inches behind the axel.
 
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Old 07-25-2019, 07:59 AM   #42
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I've owned 2 Andersen hitches. I've pulled a 15K Montana with a '13 Ram short-bed. I've never once been sorry, and I'll never be anything but an advocate for Anderson hitches. Overthink and analyze the physics if you must, meanwhile I'm enjoying my 7th straight year with my incredibly lightweight and easy to remove hitch. The only naysayers to this hitch are those who have never used/owned one.
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Old 07-31-2019, 12:41 PM   #43
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I just started looking at this hitch. I have a Reese 16k slider on a Ram picture frame to use the puck system. My concern is the angle of my drive. I am amazed at all the hear-say on this topic. I called Montana personnel directly. Montana has approved of using the Andersen hitch and so has Lippert. However, Andersen has said 12% grade is the max for their hitch. I’m having the slope measured by a friend who estimates my drive at 8-10% grade. We live in the mountains and my truck serves as a trash hauler, tow vehicle, grocery carrier, and lumber truck in addition to hunting vehicle. 36 lbs would be nice for putting the hitch and taking it out. The current hitch is in its fourth truck hauling its third Montana.
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Old 07-31-2019, 05:10 PM   #44
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Final verdict - no Andersen hitch for us. Our driveway measured 22% grade, so it’s over the 12% max that Andersen quoted. Good luck to those looking at them. It will probably work for 95% of people, but not our mountain location.
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Old 07-31-2019, 05:26 PM   #45
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Where do all these arm-chair mechanical engineers come from? How have I ever survived 7 years with 2 different Andersen hitches pulling a 14-15K Montana with a 6.5' bed? My wife removed my hitch for me after my last pull. She worked at it for about 10 minutes. All by herself. It's sitting on the floor in my garage waiting for me to hang it on the wall in my garage. She did the hard part. She said the hardest part was loosening the top bolt with the 1/2" ratchet I gave her. It's torqued to 70 ft lbs. She only weighs 130. I'm still waiting to hear from an owner of one about all the faults like I read frequently from non-owners. Too funny.
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Old 07-31-2019, 05:31 PM   #46
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Not sure what's wrong with the regular old vanilla king-pin 5th wheel hitch. Seems to work well for over the road truckers.
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Old 07-31-2019, 06:46 PM   #47
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Originally Posted by StageCoachDriver View Post
Not sure what's wrong with the regular old vanilla king-pin 5th wheel hitch. Seems to work well for over the road truckers.
You mean besides the fact that it requires 2 men or a hoist to remove it, it leaves rails in your bed full time, they're noisy as heck and need greasing? Besides that? Nothing at all.
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Old 07-31-2019, 07:38 PM   #48
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Mark, that is exactly why I looked at it. But when the Andersen support people say 12% max, I don’t want to ignore the expertise they have on their product. If they said it would work on my drive I would have bought one.
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Old 07-31-2019, 08:48 PM   #49
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What's with the weight problem with the B&W hitch. When I want to remove the hitch from my f350 I simply loosen the bolt on the square tube and pull the release handle in the wheel well. Then walk back to the Level-up system and extend the front jacks until the hitch pulls out of the mount and then drive out from under the 5er. The hitch hangs there until the next time we are leaving home.
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Old 07-31-2019, 09:55 PM   #50
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Final verdict - no Andersen hitch for us. Our driveway measured 22% grade, so it’s over the 12% max that Andersen quoted. Good luck to those looking at them. It will probably work for 95% of people, but not our mountain location.
Can you clarify the 12% grade restriction? Are you saying that you can't go up a 12% grade, or that the transition from flat to an immediate 12% slope will cause binding? Thanks.
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Old 08-01-2019, 09:14 AM   #51
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OMG...then just don’t buy it!
My thought exactly!
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Old 08-01-2019, 09:16 AM   #52
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Originally Posted by Mark N. View Post
Where do all these arm-chair mechanical engineers come from? How have I ever survived 7 years with 2 different Andersen hitches pulling a 14-15K Montana with a 6.5' bed? My wife removed my hitch for me after my last pull. She worked at it for about 10 minutes. All by herself. It's sitting on the floor in my garage waiting for me to hang it on the wall in my garage. She did the hard part. She said the hardest part was loosening the top bolt with the 1/2" ratchet I gave her. It's torqued to 70 ft lbs. She only weighs 130. I'm still waiting to hear from an owner of one about all the faults like I read frequently from non-owners. Too funny.
I want an Anderson but I have a spanking new Monty and don't want any warranty trouble.
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Old 08-01-2019, 10:20 AM   #53
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I want an Anderson but I have a spanking new Monty and don't want any warranty trouble.
There is another “Anderson” thread that is new floating around the forum. There is a member that called and spoke with keystone, according to him the hitch and frame is fully covered using the Anderson hitch. I’ll try and find the topic and edit if I do.

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Old 08-01-2019, 10:29 AM   #54
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I would call Keystone and Lippert myself and ask them (each) to send me written approval of the Anderson hitch.

I am amazed at how many times I am told by clients that “I was sure I could do that I read it on the internet”.
That is of course after they got a letter from a taxing authority.

Just saying is all.
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Old 08-01-2019, 01:55 PM   #55
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Mark, that is exactly why I looked at it. But when the Andersen support people say 12% max, I don’t want to ignore the expertise they have on their product. If they said it would work on my drive I would have bought one.
No, that's a legitimate reason, for sure! It's all the bantering discussion of physics and mechanical engineering opinions that make me laugh.
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Old 08-01-2019, 02:02 PM   #56
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I too had "a spanking new Monty". (2013 3400RL) I pulled it home with the Andersen, and for 6 years after. Quit worrying, get the Andersen and thank yourself from the first time you mount it, pull with it and remove it. I've talked to more trailer dealerships about it than you can imagine. Never. One. Single. Problem. Reported by them.
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Old 08-01-2019, 02:05 PM   #57
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Originally Posted by GAinaMontana View Post
What's with the weight problem with the B&W hitch. When I want to remove the hitch from my f350 I simply loosen the bolt on the square tube and pull the release handle in the wheel well. Then walk back to the Level-up system and extend the front jacks until the hitch pulls out of the mount and then drive out from under the 5er. The hitch hangs there until the next time we are leaving home.
You leave that weight hanging off the king pin full time? Just the opposite load it's designed for? What's the weight of that? That might be your "weight problem" you just asked about. Hmmmm. What stays in your bed?
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Old 08-02-2019, 01:24 PM   #58
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I suspect the 12% restriction is transitioning through an 80 degree turn onto the 22% grade. I asked Pullrite the same question and they said it would not be a problem. I noticed a couple of comments such as “then don’t buy it”. The last 15 years have seen a lot of changes on this forum. It should be a place for sharing information and asking questions. I appreciated the technical aspects and was 24 hours away from being an Andersen owner. But everyone on this forum has different needs. Some will get their unit, pull it to a site and it will never move again. Some will never leave an interstate highway. Some will tow it over rutted roads and into high mountain locations. There isn’t a one size fits all. There is nothing wrong with a conventional hitch, short bed trucks or other types of hitches. If they will handle what is normal for you. The same truck that pulls my Montana also hauls our trash because we live in the mountains. For those of you with constructive comments, I for one enjoy reading them.
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