Andersen Hitch and Atwood Coupler

[SteveH]

I own and use an Andersen weight distribution hitch, and it works very well, very well that is with my 17' Casita that has a 400lb tongue weight, and does not have an incompatable coupler.

I would not use it with an Airstream, but that is just my opinion.

[Siegmann]

Originally Posted by SafariBez

I have 2014 International 30. The coupler is not marked, so I asked the dealer to trace it by serial number and I was informed that I have the 88007. I also had a 2007 Safari with the same suspect coupler. I have used the Anderson hitch on both trailers now for 22,000 miles. I watch the coupler carefully, and there has never been a sign of stress or abnormal wear. I use a safety chain over the top. My opinion is Anderson is simply erring to the safe side, and being overly cautious because of complaints received. It is a great, low-cost, light-weight hitch.

SafariBez, could you post a picture of your "safety chain over the top"?

[TG Twinkie]

Here is a pic of the safety chain on my Andersen Hitch.
I do not have the Atwood Coupler on my coach.
It is a Marvel Coupler and does not have the infamous "shark fin"
I tow a 26' Argosy with the Andersen System. In close to 30K miles I have had no problems. The Argosy weighs 5,500# when ready for travel.
The safety chain has been installed for over 4 years. It's just belts and suspenders.
I do not see any signs of excessive wear on the ball or coupler. The urethane bushings are compressed to where there is 3" between the outside of the washer on each end.
Hope this helps.

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/...itch/photo.jpg

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by SteveH

I own and use an Andersen weight distribution hitch, and it works very well, very well that is with my 17' Casita that has a 400lb tongue weight, and does not have an incompatable coupler.

I would not use it with an Airstream, but that is just my opinion.

I agree it has enough weight distribution used with a lightweight trailer and distributing weight on a light, short wheelbase tow vehicle. There has been some success reported with some trailers using it on heavy duty, long wheelbase trucks who need the friction sway control but not the weight distribution function (noting that weight distribution can be very difficult with long wheelbase heavy duty trucks anyway).

That's not a recommendation to use it with an incompatible coupler however.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by tyggeln

I was looking ProPride to show up in your post...you didn't disappoint LOL.

Peace.

Ditto, some people never disappoint. I wonder what the going rate is these days for Internet advertising.

[Siegmann]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Here is a pic of the safety chain on my Andersen Hitch.
I do not have the Atwood Coupler on my coach.
It is a Marvel Coupler and does not have the infamous "shark fin"
I tow a 26' Argosy with the Andersen System. In close to 30K miles I have had no problems. The Argosy weighs 5,500# when ready for travel.
The safety chain has been installed for over 4 years. It's just belts and suspenders.
I do not see any signs of excessive wear on the ball or coupler. The urethane bushings are compressed to where there is 3" between the outside of the washer on each end.
Hope this helps.

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/...itch/photo.jpg

So it looks like you have bolted to the triangle plate with your chain, so the ball could still release from the coupler if it were to fail, but then be caught from falling to the ground by the triangle plate?

[SafariBez]

Thanks for the picture Twinkie. Mine chain is rigged the same. The purpose of the chain, should the coupler latch fail, is to prevent the coupler from ever rising high enough to clear the ball. In theory it will keep the coupler on the ball until the problem is discovered.

[TG Twinkie]

Seigmann See the above comment for an explanation.



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[Siegmann]

SafariBez/Twinkie, I may be missing something, but in the picture it does not appear the chain could prevent the coupler latch from rising.

[TG Twinkie]

The chain does not keep the coupler from coming unlatched it keeps the coupler from rising high enough off of the ball to become unhitched if the latch fails.
In order for the coupler to rise high enough to unhitch it has to rise over 3"s.. The chain will prevent the coupler from rising far enough to disengage the ball.


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[Siegmann]

Twinkie, maybe it's how the photo is being displayed on my screen, but the chain does not appear to be over the coupler, and would not prevent it from rising. What am I missing?

[TG Twinkie]

I don't know what you are looking at. The coupler is the part that connects to the ball when hitched. The picture I posted and that I see on my iPod clearly shows the chain leaving the eye bolt on the triangular plate going vertically thru a loop on the side of the tongue. Then over the top of the coupler to the other side.


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[Siegmann]

Originally Posted by Siegmann

So it looks like you have bolted to the triangle plate with your chain, so the ball could still release from the coupler if it were to fail, but then be caught from falling to the ground by the triangle plate?

Twinkie, OK, I think I originally described the same thing as you, but just in a different way. I was describing it in the manner that the original Atwood coupler/latch mechanism works. In that you are not stopping the latch from rising up and releasing the ball, you are just stopping the ball from falling far enough to come out of the coupler.

SafariBez, likewise I got confused by your phrase "prevent the coupler from rising", thinking that you meant "the coupler latch from rising". My bias was to be thinking of it as that if the coupler latch releases, then the "ball drops". I was not thinking of it as the "coupler rising". All this assumes that you drilled a hole in the triangle plate and installed an eye bolt, like Twinkie.

If what I've said is correct, then all is well.

Oh, one last question, are you both using the 8" drop/rise bracket?