Anderson Hitch Questions

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

Just a comment. It appears that Andersen has taken their Ultimate 5th wheel hitch off the market (maybe temporarily). It looks like there may be issues with them. I was thinking about purchasing one, but not now.

So tell us where did you get this information. Was it with the current run of hitches or the thousands of the ones already sold? That made you not consider purchasing one. Go ahead validate your statement.

[dfb]

What I'm wondering is this.is the ram mega cab bed shorter the the regular short bed.

[Bad Moon]

Originally Posted by bshgto

So tell us where did you get this information. Was it with the current run of hitches or the thousands of the ones already sold? That made you not consider purchasing one. Go ahead validate your statement.

I searched them on Amazon, and it said "Not available at this time", I went to Anderson website, it said the same thing (since updated). I then Google searched for problems with Andersen Ultimate hitch and saw some issues. If that doesn't satisfy you, too bad.

[sourdough]

I'm thinking, sorry, that Andersen, Pull Rite, B&W, Curt etc. etc. is sort of like Chevy, Ford, Ram etc. Is there a winner there? But, if anyone has a knockout smoked pork butt recipe I'm all in.....

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

I searched them on Amazon, and it said "Not available at this time", I went to Anderson website, it said the same thing (since updated). I then Google searched for problems with Andersen Ultimate hitch and saw some issues. If that doesn't satisfy you, too bad.

Virus slow down in manufacturing. Basically the same thing if you go to Walmart and not much on the shelves.
Must be inferior products.

The new driving attitude: If your not speeding and tailgating in the left lane your not driving fast enough.

[Bad Moon]

OK, let me take another crack at this, because obviously my point was lost on some. Andersen, by some or most accounts makes a good product, but there are some valid criticisms out there if one cares to look. There are also other options out there for light weight hitches, some of which may actually be better. The purpose of these forums is to exchange ideas and thoughts and experiences to help folks make better informed decisions rather that running out and spending $1000 on the latest shinny gizmo. What I failed to recognize is hitch brands are a lot like truck brands and tire brands; everyone thinks their's is THE BEST, and they take personally, any criticism. Everyone needs to do their own research, and decide what is best for them. I have.

Best of luck!

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by dfb

What I'm wondering is this.is the ram mega cab bed shorter the the regular short bed.

As said on my post on this thread #29 . Yes they are the same length bed. My son has the four door crew cab short bed , I have the megacab ,both the SAME LENGTH bed .

[WeBeFulltime]

It's likely that I will take a beating for saying it BUT if a person does much over a 45 degree while backing in it puts WAY TOO MUCH STRESS on the trailers suspension. Many people do it and then will whine when they begin to have suspension problems. Just something I learned while trucking for 20 years and 3 million plus miles.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by WeBeFulltime

It's likely that I will take a beating for saying it BUT if a person does much over a 45 degree while backing in it puts WAY TOO MUCH STRESS on the trailers suspension. Many people do it and then will whine when they begin to have suspension problems. Just something I learned while trucking for 20 years and 3 million plus miles.

You won't get a beating from me, I get a kick out this 90 degree stuff, no I doubt I ever go beyond 45, if so not much. I have been towing a fifth wheel now for 14 years. Four different fifth wheels ,two different trucks, and three different hitches. Not once have I EVER pulled the slider back because I had to. I pull it back to back into my RV pad beside my house, seems like it responds a little better. With the Andersen of course there is no sliding it back, nor is it an issue with clearance with my Ram 3500 short bed .

I see the stress on pavement or cement on tires ,and suspension just going 45 degrees . I am with you there will be no 90 degrees .

[jsb5717]

I love the quote from the original Jurassic Park by Jeff Goldblum.

Dr. Ian Malcolm:
Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.

Can I turn 90 degrees?
Should I turn 90 degrees?

[dfb]

This is the damage
[ATTACH]
[/ATTACH]

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

You won't get a beating from me, I get a kick out this 90 degree stuff, no I doubt I ever go beyond 45, if so not much. I have been towing a fifth wheel now for 14 years. Four different fifth wheels ,two different trucks, and three different hitches. Not once have I EVER pulled the slider back because I had to. I pull it back to back into my RV pad beside my house, seems like it responds a little better. With the Andersen of course there is no sliding it back, nor is it an issue with clearance with my Ram 3500 short bed .

I see the stress on pavement or cement on tires ,and suspension just going 45 degrees . I am with you there will be no 90 degrees .

Some of us don't have a choice to go over 45.

While I've never measured it, I'm probably in the 75 degree range to get our 5er parked in our shed. It's because I don't have the room to turn around in our driveway. Fortunately, we have a rock driveway, so there is more slippage there than on a paved driveway, which helps.

Every time that I do this, the nose if the 5er is past the cab of my truck, and if I didn't have clearance, I would hit.

One reason to have the 48"+ clearance, however, is that I NEVER have to worry about hitting whenever I turn, forward or backward, panicked or calm situation, doesn't matter. For us, it's all about insurance...

[CADman_KS]

[QUOTE=PSFORD99;1196190]Thats interesting math, I understand what you are saying. Half the width makes sense, but I am not sure how that can be realistic, especially a short bed , and especially a Ram owner having the shortest of the short beds. Although we are talking about the Ford which is the longest of the short beds .

.../QUOTE]

But, the length of the bed has nothing to do with can to 5er clearance. That is solely dictated by the distance from the pivot to the cab, and half the width of the 5er.

The 2020 GM beds are 6'9" which is the same length as the Fords now...

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by dfb

This is the damage
...

Is this your truck, or someone else's???

[dfb]

Originally Posted by CADman_KS

Is this your truck, or someone else's???

This was my 17 Ram 3500 srw mega cab.. truck had 2000 miles.. i paid for this out of pocket. Found a longhorn long bed dually and traded this in.. it was almost an even trade. We were over the rear axle weight by a few hundred pounds.. top is the mega, bottom is the truck we have now,..

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by dfb

This was my 17 Ram 3500 srw mega cab.. truck had 2000 miles.. i paid for this out of pocket. Found a longhorn long bed dually and traded this in.. it was almost an even trade. We were over the rear axle weight by a few hundred pounds..

Man, that sucks. Again, that is the reason that I ALWAYS want to have clearance at ANY angle between the cab and the nose. I just want to go, and not have to worry all the time about whether I'm going to hit or not.

Our garage isn't big enough to keep a dually in, so we ended up with a 3500 SRW, and we are able to stay inside all the weights. We have a hitch setup that gets us the clearance that we need...

[dfb]

Originally Posted by CADman_KS

Man, that sucks. Again, that is the reason that I ALWAYS want to have clearance at ANY angle between the cab and the nose. I just want to go, and not have to worry all the time about whether I'm going to hit or not.

Our garage isn't big enough to keep a dually in, so we ended up with a 3500 SRW, and we are able to stay inside all the weights. We have a hitch setup that gets us the clearance that we need...

Im lucky with a 26 foot depth garage..

[PSFORD99]

[QUOTE=CADman_KS;1197008]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

Thats interesting math, I understand what you are saying. Half the width makes sense, but I am not sure how that can be realistic, especially a short bed , and especially a Ram owner having the shortest of the short beds. Although we are talking about the Ford which is the longest of the short beds .

.../QUOTE]

But, the length of the bed has nothing to do with can to 5er clearance. That is solely dictated by the distance from the pivot to the cab, and half the width of the 5er.

The 2020 GM beds are 6'9" which is the same length as the Fords now...

Length of the bed has nothing to do with cab clearance I would sure like to know what does then. Its simple here , you can mount a hitch anywhere you want on a short bed, long bed whatever. The accepted method is either over the axle or just in front of the axle. Most will say 2" in front. Neither is going to give me your 48", half of most fifth wheels on the truck I own ,nor any short bed Ram .

In order to get 48" its simple that fifth wheel of mine is going to have to be rear of the axle, only way I know is to have a slider slid back, or a hitch mounted too far back for towing. Normal towing 48" is not going to happen is all I am trying to say .

Lets put it this way, I have no idea what you are talking about . I have towed with two different short bed trucks ,one the longest of the short beds ,and one the shortest . Three different hitches ,and four different fifth wheels. I got a bit of experience .

[dfb]

[QUOTE=CADman_KS;1197008]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

Thats interesting math, I understand what you are saying. Half the width makes sense, but I am not sure how that can be realistic, especially a short bed , and especially a Ram owner having the shortest of the short beds. Although we are talking about the Ford which is the longest of the short beds .

.../QUOTE]

But, the length of the bed has nothing to do with can to 5er clearance. That is solely dictated by the distance from the pivot to the cab, and half the width of the 5er.

The 2020 GM beds are 6'9" which is the same length as the Fords now...

What? Lol...

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by dfb

Im lucky with a 26 foot depth garage..

I am a bit luckier, my third car side is 51 feet