The Andersen WD Hitch User Thread

[AWCHIEF]

I do need weight slips to tell what I already know. My Andersen is set up per the factory instructions. Front fender height is returned to unloaded measurement. That tells me that it is doing its job.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I do need weight slips to tell what I already know. My Andersen is set up per the factory instructions. Front fender height is returned to unloaded measurement. That tells me that it is doing its job.

Yes, and you have a 17 footer that probably weighs about what my 17' Casita weighs dry.

You know we are talking about the Andersen's capabilities with a heavy trailer.

[AWCHIEF]

You said that you wanted to see my weight slips. I don't have or need them.

[SteveH]

Now you are just being argumentative. I said, "So, now everyone towing a large trailer with the Andersen accepts that it won't distribute correctly, so no matter because it tows well."

Then you said,"Everyone? I think not. Now you are just being silly."

Then I said, "You think not? OK then, show us the weight slips."

The entire weight slip issue was based on my statement of, "now everyone towing a large trailer with the Andersen accepts that it won't distribute correctly."

There have been no weight slips posted on this forum from Andersen users with large trailers that show the front axle returned to it's original unhitched weight.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Now you are just being argumentative. I said, "So, now everyone towing a large trailer with the Andersen accepts that it won't distribute correctly, so no matter because it tows well."

Then you said,"Everyone? I think not. Now you are just being silly."

Then I said, "You think not? OK then, show us the weight slips."

The entire weight slip issue was based on my statement of, "now everyone towing a large trailer with the Andersen accepts that it won't distribute correctly."

There have been no weight slips posted on this forum from Andersen users with large trailers that show the front axle returned to it's original unhitched weight.

Of course i am "just being argumentative". You act like this is really important. Your turn.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Of course i am "just being argumentative". You act like this is really important. Your turn.

My turn has actually long ago passed when I made the decision to NOT BUY an Andersen hitch for my 31' Airstream because IT WON'T ADEQUATELY DISTRIBUTE THE TONGUE WEIGHT!

Now it's your turn, please prove that it will.

[AWCHIEF]

It is not my place to prove anything. You are the one making the statements that it does not work as advertised. Many with larger trailers have posted here that it does work. You choose to ignore those post.

[Ron Gratz]

Originally Posted by Craiglud

I really don't understand the argument of restoring all of the original weight back to the front axle and as some have stated their new user manuals require a return of only 50% of the change in ride height to the front axle. Which seems much more reasonable to me.

50% might seem more reasonable, but the fact remains that many TV manufacturers still specify 100% restoration. GM/Chevrolet have changed to 50% for trucks, but still specify 100% for their SUVs -- including the 3/4 ton models. Potential owners of the Anderson WDH should be aware of its weight distribution short comings.

---Arguing that you have to return that last 50 to 100 lbs to the front axle seems to be bordering on the absurd to me

It might seem absurd, but it has been ground into people's heads for many years.
For example, on this forum alone, it repeatedly has been stated that it is not enough to restore only 100% of the removed load. It repeatedly been stated that the WDH should be adjusted so that both the front and rear ends of a TV are dropped below their unhitched heights.

The following WDH adjustment recommendations and rationale are from one of those advisors.
The recurring theme is that the purpose of a WDH is to add enough load to the front axle to cause the front to drop below its unhitched height almost as much as the rear drops below its unhitched height.
And the stated reason for doing so is to maintain steering and braking control and to minimize potential for sway.

QUOTING EXCERPTS FROM THE POSTS:

12-09-2006, 02:04 PM

Not sure what you are towing with but in all cases you want about a 60/40 ratio between the increase weight on the rear axle and front axle of the tow vehicle.---

03-04-2007, 05:21 PM

---If the hitch is set up right the fenders should drop in height in about a 60/40 ratio. That is the total drop in the fenders should have the front fender dropping about 40% of the total drop and the rean dropping about 60%. If you are not dropping the front fender the equalizing bars either are not pulled up enough or are too light for the job.

Another way to look at this is if the rear fender dropps 1/2 in. the front should drop about 3/8in. These measurments will very somewhat depending on the truck springs but the important point is you want to see weight transfered to the front axle. If the front axle is coming up you will have sway because of the reduced road friction on the front axle.

03-06-2007, 08:47 AM

Take the trailer to as level a parking spot as you can find. Unhitch and measure the trucks fender heights. Hitch up and remeasure. Using the original heigh measurements as your referance make changes to the hitch head heigh and tilt until while hitched the truck fenders are lowered in about a 60/40 ratio. Once you have reached a good setting go back to the scale with the trailer and weigh the front axle. I add about 175 lbs. to the front axle when finished. This weight will vary with different truck and trailer conbinations but the important thing is you want additional weight on that front axle.

This seams like a lot of work but I do it ever spring to correct for wear and carry a pair of 1/2 in thick plates to put under the chain hangers, to increase bar tension, mid season if I notice sway coming from wear during the towing season.

03-27-2007, 06:48 PM

Before hooking up measure the trucks fender heights and mark them down. Hook up and remeasure the truck fender heights. The front fender should come down in about a 40/60 ratio to the rear fender. If the rear drops 1/2 in the front should come down about 3/8 in. If this is not the case readjust the hitch head back or forward to achieve this. Tilting the head back will cause more weight to be placed on the front axle of the truck and forward less weight on the front axle. Do not expect to hit it on the first shot. It can take several hours to get it. What you do not want is the front axle to come up when you are finished. This will result in problems of sway control.

Once you are done the trailer should ride level and your truck should see minimum sway .

04-19-2007, 10:23 AM

While on level ground with the trailer positioned over the ball just before hitching up measure the height of the front and rear fenders of your truck. Now hitch up with out moving the truck and again measure the fenders. If the hitch is set up right the fenders should drop in height in about a 60/40 ratio. That is the total drop in the fenders should have the front fender dropping about 40% of the total drop and the rean dropping about 60%. If you are not dropping the front fender the equalizing bars either are not pulled up enough or are too light for the job.

Another way to look at this is if the rear fender dropps 1/2 in. the front should drop about 3/8in. These measurments will very somewhat depending on the truck springs but the important point is you want to see weight transfered to the front axle. If the front axle is coming up you will have sway because of the reduced road friction on the front axle.

11-10-2008, 11:13 AM

---Measure the height of the front and rear fender of the truck on a line down through he center of the wheel. Now hitch up and apply the bars. Remeasure the fender heights. While you will not see a big drop, because the trailer in empty, you want to see the front fender drop in a 4060 ratio to the rear fender. As long as you have some weight on the front wheels of the truck the WD hitch will do it's job.


03-30-2009, 03:17 PM
---Mark and record a measurement on the fender. Now hitch up with the WD bars and remeasure the fenders. Both fenders should come down. Say if you had marked 39 ins. on each fender you should now see something like 38 1/2 on the front fender and 38 1/4 on the rear. These are measurement just to illustrate my point that you want to see a both fender come down. Generally I like about a 4060 ration front to rear drop.

08-19-2009, 03:39 PM

The purpose of the WD Hitch is to move weight to the trailer axles and the front axle of the truck.---

Hitch up and measure the fender heights again. Both measurements should drop. Generally I look for a 6040 ratio with the rear fender dropping more than the front fender. This will depend on spring ratios of the truck put the important consideration is you want to see a drop in the front fender height.

02-25-2010, 12:23 PM

There is no single standard for how much drop you will see when hitched. It depends on the spring set on the TV, there are several sets for a given year and model of each maker. The important thing is you want the trailer to ride parallel to the ground when done and the TV to have some drop on the front axle. Again there is no standard here for the stated reason. I generally shoot for a 60/40 ratio

The purpose of the WD Hitch is to move weight to the trailer axles and the front axle of the truck.

03-28-2010, 10:29 AM

If it is a weight distributing hitch, and just for the trip home, check the following. Before hitching up to the trail, preferably on level ground, measure the height of the front fender well on the tow vehicle. After hitching up remeasure that height. Ideally it should drop, say 1/4 in or so. If it rises you need to adjust the hitch to put more load on the front axle. Failure to drop the front axle will reduce the steering control of the TV and will add to sway.

---Measure the height of front and rear fenders and mark a line on marking the tape, say 39in. front and 38 in rear. Hook up the trailer and again measure the fenders. They should both come DOWN. Depending on the springs stiffness of the TV I look for about a 60/40 ration of the rear drop to the front drop on my Excursion. Heavier sprung truck will be more like a 70/30 ration.

05-30-2012, 09:55 PM

When setting up a WD hitch the object is not to just shift a given amount of weight from the trailer to the TV. It is rather to transfer some weight that would normally be carried by the rear axle to the front axle.---

What you are attempting to accomplish is to at least return the weight to the front axle that the trailer reduced by the cantilevering effect of have applied the trailer weight behind the rear axle. This insures the steering system is in a normal configuration and improve sway control that would be reduced by the reduced weight on the front axle.

I generally look for a 60/40 ratio of compression on the rear and front axle as measured to the fender wells of each axle.---

06-02-2012, 09:36 AM
There is no single answer as to how to adjust a WD hitch. It is a function of the spring rate of the TV. The important consideration is to maintain the steering geometry of the front axle. Too little or too much transferred to the front axle will cause problems. Too little equals a lose of steering control. Too much will cause tire problems.

I generally try for a 60/40 ratio in depression of the fender heights. This will change depending on the springs of the TV.

09-09-2012, 05:50 PM

Looks like none are right. You want the front axle to come down some.

Depending on the TV springs set I generally look for a 60/40 ration for the rear axle drop to the front axle drop.

[AWCHIEF]

Jeez, I thought I had too much time on my hands.

[Rendrag]

"...snip....GM/Chevrolet have changed to 50% for trucks, but still specify 100% for their SUVs ......."

Actually, they have reduced their percentage to 0% for their 1500's up to 7,000 pound trailers and 0% for their 2500/3500 models. Quite a large number of vehicles. Ford apparently is at the 50% you are quoting.

Makes sense that they would have different requirements for SUV's as they do not have nearly the front axle weight bias as the pickups.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

It is not my place to prove anything. You are the one making the statements that it does not work as advertised. Many with larger trailers have posted here that it does work. You choose to ignore those post.

About a year and a half ago out of necessity I towed a friends 2011 31' Classic for him for about 200 miles on just a ball, and like you say, "it worked".

We got the trailer home, and fortunately there was no damage done or injuries. I didn't want to do it at the time, there were several white knuckle moments, and if there were any practical alternative, I would not do it again. Just because "it worked", certainly does not make it the right thing to do.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by SteveH

About a year and a half ago out of necessity I towed a friends 2011 31' Classic for him for about 200 miles on just a ball, and like you say, "it worked".

We got the trailer home, and fortunately there was no damage done or injuries. I didn't want to do it at the time, there were several white knuckle moments, and if there were any practical alternative, I would not do it again. Just because "it worked", certainly does not make it the right thing to do.

Nice story. Got anymore? I like mysteries and science fiction.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Nice story. Got anymore? I like mysteries and science fiction.

I sure do, and this is directly from the Andersen Hitch web page: "10,000 lbs GTWR • 1,400 lbs tongue weight"

Now that's some science fiction right there.

[AWCHIEF]

I can see that you might see it that way. I call it creative advertising.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I can see that you might see it that way. I call it creative advertising.

It's not "creative advertising", it's a bald faced lie.

[AWCHIEF]

That might be one definition of creative advertising . Advertising companies/manufacturers have been doing that from time immortal.

[TG Twinkie]

Why don't you 2 get a room?
Where are the moderators when you really need them?

[Ron Gratz]

Originally Posted by Rendrag

"...snip....GM/Chevrolet have changed to 50% for trucks, but still specify 100% for their SUVs ......."

Makes sense that they would have different requirements for SUV's as they do not have nearly the front axle weight bias as the pickups.

How do you define "front axle weight bias"?

You can get a 2013 Suburban (SUV) with Curb Weight=6413, Payload=2187, FGAWR=4180, RGAWR=5500. It requires 100% restoration for TW>600#.

You can get a 2013 1500 (pickup) with Curb Weight = 4460, Payload = 1940, FGAWR = 3200, and RGAWR = 3750. It needs only 50% restoration for TW<1485#.
How does that make sense based on "weight bias"?

Whether it does or does not make sense, the fact remains that Chevrolet specifies 100% for the Suburban.
Anyone who wants to use the full towing capabilities of the Suburban needs to take a close look at the WD capabilities of the Andersen WDH.

Ron

[Rendrag]

You do not understand that an unloaded pickup has a higher percentage of weight on its front axle than an unloaded SUV?

I will make it simple. If the pickup has 60-40 weight bias toward the front axle and the SUV is 50=50, which is more likely to come into balance by adding weight to the rear axle?

[Rendrag]

"Whether it does or does not make sense, the fact remains that Chevrolet specifies 100% for the Suburban."

Actually, GM "specifies" that up to 600 pounds of trailer weight is okay for the Suburban without WD hitch at all which covers a lot of trailers. Some might think 100% of Suburbans need 100% restoration 100% of the time from your statement. I am sure you did not mean it that way.