2021 Andersen Hitch Warranty....I think we're OK - Montana Owners Club

432bartman · 03-23-2021, 09:45 AM

Just got off the phone with a California sales rep who is a family member of the Andersen owners. I explained the recent denial letter from Keystone. I was told if Keystone/Lippert will not warranty their frame when using an Andersen hitch product that Andersen will fully warranty the repair. The rep then directed me to their warranty statement, which he asked that I put it out on this forum to put people's mind at ease. The rep also advised that in no way does their product put any added stress on an RV frame or sidewall, and this is why they have put out their warranty, because they feel so strongly about how well their product is. I've included their warranty statement.

432bartman · 03-23-2021, 09:54 AM

The rep just called me back, and they are also updating the warranty to include the proper steps for their customers to take for the warranty claim. He will forward this ASAP.

jsb5717 · 03-23-2021, 11:19 AM

The problem, as I see it, is that any warranty work will be contigent on investigating the cause of frame damage. Lippert will say that it's the AUH and Andersen will say it's not. Both will deny the claim and the owner is stuck. JMHO

Montana Man · 03-23-2021, 11:22 AM

The kicker here is that it has to be proven that the hitch caused the damage. That would be a situation I wouldn't want to be in. I would like to know how many claims they have paid out on this scenario.

432bartman · 03-23-2021, 11:40 AM

I think now, following the 03/15/2021 statement from Keystone, it will be a whole new ballgame. If Lippert won't stand behind it, and if Andersen doesn't, then I see Andersen seeing a huge loss of business.......and this could occur after the first claim is denied with Andersen, or if Andersen has a lengthy drawn out postponement in paying for repairs.

hemiallen · 03-23-2021, 12:25 PM

Has anyone had ANY frame damage?

I don't see, from searches on the net, any abundance of hits on Montana frame damage.

I would like to know of any frame damage issues.

Thanks

Allen

rames14 · 03-23-2021, 04:10 PM

Two things. First, frame flex. I’m waiting to see if we indeed had frame flex on our 2015 3160RL. If I did, I will let everyone know. 2nd, I just went through a much less expensive version of this. I had a new Hobie Kayak that I bought locally. I also bought a BooneDox Landing gear system. It mounted to the kayak. It cracked at the mounting point. Hobie said that they state right in their warranty they are not responsible for damage caused by third party accessories. BooneDox said they are not responsible for damage to kayaks. My dealer ate the $2000 cost of a new hull. I doubt my dealer would eat the cost if it became a fight between Lippert and Pullrite (in my case). Waiting on an answer.

PNW Fireguy · 03-27-2021, 07:09 PM

I too contacted Anderson MFG after reading the posted Keyston document. I was provided the same Anderson warranty information. There are a couple of significant issues that I won't do into detail regarding but the short version is that:
1. The new Keystone directive is not retroactive. in addition the attorney group that I hired prior to purchasing the AUH said that attempting to make the change retroactive would not be legally enforcable.
2. LCI/Keystone still has to prove that any damage was a result of the hitch. While it may be no issue to get a repair shop to speculate providing proof is another issue entirely.

At the end of the day it looks as though an owner in need of warranty solutions will have to jump through an additional hoop. I still think it's a great product and if I had a rig within it's range I would still use it.

mlh · 03-28-2021, 07:35 AM

2. LCI/Keystone still has to prove that any damage was a result of the hitch. While it may be no issue to get a repair shop to speculate providing proof is another issue entirely

Keystone doesn’t haft to prove anything. All they haft to say is warranty denied. Then what are you going to do jump up and down scream and kick, hire a lawyer. Hire a lawyer and spend ten years in court and spend more than the camper is worth. Truth is there isn’t much you can do. Keystone isn’t fighting one claim. They are fighting all claims that come after yours. They will spend whatever it takes and take as many years as needed.
Lynwood

dfb · 03-29-2021, 08:59 AM

Seems to me the proof would be all those who had FRAME FLEX issues using other non Anderson hitches..This is a manufacturer defect..

hemiallen · 03-29-2021, 12:49 PM

I fail to see many instances recorded of this "frame flex" and damaged Montana trailers listed here looking via search, or searching the web.

Is this an instance of half a dozen warranty claims, or is it more widespread and I just stink at searching for damaged Montana's?

I am ordering a Curt A20 head, I already have the legs for the Ram puck system I bought a few years ago at a blowout price ( for a rainy day, lol) so all I need is a $500 head. There is even a warning about the rotaflex rubber coming out of shape, especially with good articulating heads like the A series. It seems every option has its detractors.

I am reverting to pinbox as all my family use them, and my trailer is the oddball, so if, god forbid, I ever have a truck breakdown I have options to get the trailer home vs paying a service with a gooseneck ball rig.

Allen

mlh · 03-29-2021, 05:09 PM

Is this an instance of half a dozen warranty claims, or is it more widespread and I just stink at searching for damaged Montana's?

There were several front frame failures a few years ago. I think but don’t know for sure most were due to improper welding. By several I don’t mean hundreds, maybe a dozen or so. Enough to be concerned about if you owned a camper.
Lynwood

hemiallen · 03-29-2021, 05:22 PM

Thanks Lynwood

Allen

mlh · 03-30-2021, 06:14 AM

Allen
Really nice hearing from you. It’s like finding a lost friend.
Lynwood

Dave W · 03-30-2021, 06:25 AM

Lack of on line instances of frame failure descriptions may be minimal when you consider that while here are now several million RVs being used but possibly only a small percentage of those owners are on any RV forum. Lippert and various RV manufacturers have those numbers and they don't publish that kind of information. A small number of frame/body problems that they attribute to these AUH hitches in the grand scheme of RV ownership can be very expensive to a supplier and LCI/Keystone/Forest Rivet, et al have determined that Andersen hitches aren't a plus to their bottom line.

Good luck if you have an AUH, a frame problem and expect easy warranty help. It wont happen overnight. If ever!

Jritz · 03-31-2021, 02:43 PM

I’m glad I have a B&W companion 5th wheel hitch and love it!
Although I have a slider and I don’t need it. I would like to sale it and just get the regular one. I have an 8’ bed and bought this hitch when I had a short bed.
Oh well! Hope you all have happy trails!!

VagabondLove · 04-01-2021, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemiallen

I fail to see many instances recorded of this "frame flex" and damaged Montana trailers listed here looking via search, or searching the web.

Allen

We had a frame flex issue 2 years ago while using a gooseneck hitch adapter (I also tow horse trailers...which are gooseneck). With a 2013 3625RE, the warranty is long gone. But, climbing up Mama Gertie's campground through all of those twists and turns put a huge amount of pressure on the frame, and we ended up with a split near the front bedroom slide. The cheap welds were no match for the twists and turns.

Working with the Camping World near Asheville, we decided to put an exterior diamond plate panel on the rig, to tie together all of the frame components and solidify the structure in lieu of ripping everything apart and grabbing the welding torch. 2 trips around the country later, everything is still holding together nicely.

We did get rid of the gooseneck adapter and reinstalled the MorRyde

But, yes, there are lots of problems with frame flex and poor welds. If I remember correctly (I may be wrong), units produced a few months before my 2013 were recalled for that. Either way, it is a known problem

hemiallen · 04-01-2021, 09:03 AM

Thank you for the reply and images.

It looks like the plate has a lot of screws tied into the steel beam, and there are only 2 aluminum studs it ties to. The factory wall studs seem minimal in that, what looks to be, a critical area for flex.

What is attached to your pinbox, a bike rack frame?

Allen

jetskier · 04-01-2021, 03:23 PM

There's a 6in deep aluminum member running horizontal at the bottom of the wall. The wall studs are welded at the factory to it. As a free gift, they let loose after it's in your driveway. The steel tube is on the inside face of the wall.

VagabondLove · 04-02-2021, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemiallen

What is attached to your pinbox, a bike rack frame?

Allen

Yes, that is a bike rack. The frame is not exposed at the back of the unit, and the factory smartly decided that a rear hitch receiver was not necessary because RVers never take bicycles with them. So, we went with a front-mounted option. Yes, that could have contributed to the twist, but we had over 15K 'round the USA' miles on it before the frame flex. If you saw the roads climbing up the hills in Mama Gertie's campground, you would see the unusual flexing/articulating that the truck and RV went through together. It exposed the weak link of the puzzle.

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