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Old 07-04-2013, 07:45 AM   #41
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I agree, the Hensley is heavy but you don't have to take anything off, every thing stays on the trailer. The draw bar is also heavy but can be left in your receiver. If you take it out it is quite heavy but my 120lb wife doesn't seem to have any trouble. When unhitching the only thing that has to be moved would be the draw bar, everyhting else stays on the trailer
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Old 07-04-2013, 09:55 AM   #42
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I can see the advancements in this hitch but it is still a friction based sway control...
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However, in my research I ran across potential issues with the constant pressure against the pawl/latch mechanism and I just wasn't comfrtable with the potential issues there.

In most WD hitches the torque to level the weight on the truck goes through separate bars through the hitch head into the receiver/truck. But with the Andersen system the WD torque is delivered through the main ball unit which means the forces are constantly going through the coupler's latch mechanism. I know these are designed to take forces of stopping and trailers bouncing, but those are dfferent from the large forces required to apply that WD torque to the truck's receiver.
After looking at Anderson's web site, I immediately thought these two things; it's a friction-based anti-sway system that can wear out, and that ALL of the tension forces needed to distribute the weight are transferred through the pawl of the hitch. (coupler?)
So ALL of the forces are applied to a piece of steel that is how big? 1/4" x 1/2"? I honestly don't know. I'm just doing legwork for our future trailer. I know that I wouldn't trust this system with the hitch on our current 2012 Coachmen...

I hope someone has experience with this. Someone mentioned one hitch(?) that doesn't work with this. Why?

The ProPride seems fantastic. MTB and MX motorcycle suspensions use this same principle of instantaneous center of rotation (virtual pivot point).
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Old 07-04-2013, 05:47 PM   #43
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I have pulled with both the Andersen and the ProPride and clearly the ProPride is the better hitch system, but not by as much as most would think. The Andersen pulled very well and I had no sway except in very strong cross winds, but the hitch would straighten the rig right out.

Yes the friction material will wear out at some point, but it is covered under the lifetime guarantee, but I would imagine it would take many years and many thousands of miles for this to happen.

There is a specific coupler that the Andersen is not compatible with because it places too much pressure on the coupler latch causing it to break over time. Once this was discovered Andersen changed their literature to indicate the incompatibility.

My wife refused to drive while towing if there was any movement of the rear of the trailer and I was desperate to find a way for her to drive since we are now doing much longer trips. That is why I went with the ProPride and it does live up to its reputation. In all honesty though I would have never changed if we were not doing 1200 mile tows like we are now. My wife did not drive on our last trip, but agreed to once we get out of the urban areas. That alone justified the cost of the ProPride.

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Old 07-04-2013, 07:20 PM   #44
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My wife has shared the driving since we started hauling a travel trailer in 1998. Our trip to Newfoundland the summer of 99 was with a regular Reese hitch with a friction sway bar, no matter how tight I adjusted the sway bar with the cross wind and transport traffic it was like driving a snake. We were all over our lane, we got to know to steer into the transport until past the front wheel then steer to the ditch and then the back end of the transport and finally towards the ditch. Being commited to the trip we stuck it out but I knew there was a better way. fellow campers said sell it and get a 5wheel. I happened to buy a camping magazine and noticed the add for the hensely, when we got home I called to get their video and after seeing the video we ordered and as quick as we could we installed it ourselves and went for a drive, it was amazing the difference, no more sway at all, sure we still feel the transports but they are pushing our whole rig as a unit not 2 joined by a snake. Sofar 1 hitch 2 trailers and 2 tow vehicles no more white knuckles
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Old 07-04-2013, 08:23 PM   #45
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I realize the Hensley and Pro pride are great hitches although I have never used them. However, I have used the Eaz Lift with two sway bars and an Equalizer and the Andersen is much better than both. For myself I have the Andersen set up to where it doesn't sway even when trucks pass me at normal speeds. Now if I'm in 40 mph cross winds or a truck passes me doing 80 and I'm running 65 then there is sway but the rig moves as one unit. This is OK for me because no matter what system you use, you can get sway at some point even in a 5th wheel if the winds are strong enough or a truck passes fast enough. BTW, I'm in Williamsburg, VA camping this week and have passed the 3000 mile mark this year with this hitch and the coupler pawl looks great.
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Old 08-22-2013, 05:55 PM   #46
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A couple of weeks ago I loaned my Andersen to a friend to use on a trip to try it out. Then last weekend we took an unplanned trip so I had to use my old Eaz Lift with two sway bars. We were about 10 miles into the trip when my wife asked what was wrong with our setup. After I told her what I did, she told my to weld the Andersen on when we got back so I wouldn't do that again. Also, I have found out after about 400 miles with it, you need to remove the hitch anti sway sleeve and clean out the wear shavings that an build up and reduce its effectiveness. I mentioned this to Andersen and they said that is a part of routine maintenance. It works great again after the clean out. Also, Andersen sent me a new sleeve when the old one wears out. Funny thing is, the old one still looks great and is working great.
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Old 08-23-2013, 08:15 AM   #47
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I realize the Hensley and Pro pride are great hitches although I have never used them. However, I have used the Eaz Lift with two sway bars and an Equalizer and the Andersen is much better than both. For myself I have the Andersen set up to where it doesn't sway even when trucks pass me at normal speeds. Now if I'm in 40 mph cross winds or a truck passes me doing 80 and I'm running 65 then there is sway but the rig moves as one unit. This is OK for me because no matter what system you use, you can get sway at some point even in a 5th wheel if the winds are strong enough or a truck passes fast enough. BTW, I'm in Williamsburg, VA camping this week and have passed the 3000 mile mark this year with this hitch and the coupler pawl looks great.
If the rig is moving "as one unit", then there is no sway. Sway has traditionally implied that the trailer is oscillating back and forth, relative to the tow vehicle, usually requiring a change in speed, steering correction, or even manual trailer brake apply to straighten out.
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Old 09-26-2013, 05:17 PM   #48
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This is my last post on the Andersen No-Sway Hitch. As I stated before I loaned it to a friend and had to use my old Eaz Lift 1000lb hitch. I decided to have the unit weighed before I switched back to the Andersen, then weigh with the Andersen. With the truck dead level with both hitches according to my truck manual, it was almost dead even within 100 pounds for both hitches with more weight on the front axle using the Andersen with 3/8 inch compression. I think I'm the only person online that has actually weighed both setups. Both setups were setups only had between 3650lbs and 3700lbs on the rear axle (4000lb rating). The tongue weight is 800lbs. Since the Andersen tows a lot better than the Eaz Lift with two sway bars. I'm sticking with it and welding the brackets to the frame and ending my presence on the forums discussing the Andersen. I'm sure the "arm chair engineers" will grab their calculators, slide rulers, and blood pressure medications and continue the debate. But I'm more convinced than ever the Andersen is the best hitch for me. Peace, out!!!!!!!
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Old 09-26-2013, 10:03 PM   #49
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I looked at the Andersen Hitch before buying the Hensley. The Andersen being so light was my main concern. The hitch only weighs 40 or 50 pounds holding a 5000 pound Jeep and a 3000 pound trailer. My trailer is light !! I have been a machinist for 20 years. I like to see steal and weight .
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Old 09-28-2013, 10:25 PM   #50
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How much do the Hensley Arrow and Pro Pride hitches weigh? Not only does my 120 lb wife share in the driving, she can also hitch up our rig because the Andersen is so lite. She never did either when we had our old EZ system with two sway bars.
This was a huge selling point for me going to the Andersen. he weight and it proved to be worth the convenience the last trip we had. I was running late at a function with my wife back at the campground. She was able to hitch our trailer up on her own no issues at all by herself, check out of the campground and drive off to meet me elsewhere. I don't think she would have been able to do that with any other traditional WD system.
Aside from that I don't have a big rig my max trailer weight is around the 5500 pound mark with all our normal gear and full water. It pulls very well, reversing equally as well. The system is quiet and sway is non-existent.
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Old 04-16-2014, 07:16 PM   #51
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We used our Andersen to pull our camper across the Mackinac Bridge last summer. It did really well, no issues whatsoever. I remember feeling the sway a lot more back in the day when my dad was pulling with a traditional hitch.
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Old 04-27-2014, 06:56 PM   #52
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When we bought our last TT, we were total noobs, and I let the service manager talk me into the Anderson. I've been turning wrenches for 40 years, and I usually do not take most people's advice about mechanical stuff. Anyway in the interest in being safe, and as I mentioned before a total noob Rv'er I drank the Koolaide he was serving.

The total weight of the TT loaded was at a best guess around the 6500 lb mark. Never been to a scale, and wouldn't even know what to do once I got there. Anyway we have travelled 7,000 miles of total bliss. I live in the very mountainous area of N. Calif, so anywhere I go it's steep, hot, or very cold, and then once on I-5 it can be very windy. We have been in every kind of weather , road conditions (usually very bumpy), and once in at least a 45 mph side wind for over 40 miles. That was intense.

Most of the time I forget the TT is even back there. I'm dead serious. It works great for us.

Now however I'm stepping up to a much larger rig, with a tongue weight of 971 lbs or so. Anderson says this thing will work with a tongue weight of 1,400 lbs. I guess I'm going to find out on the 6th of May. Got my fingers crossed.
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Old 04-27-2014, 07:22 PM   #53
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Jammer- I don't know the size of your next toy but mine is a 28' running about 7500 lbs with about 960 tongue. After a few months of playing around with tighten this and try that I feel that I have mine dialed in. My turning point was getting the air pressures right on my TV. Now we have about a month off from camping buliding up to a week in the sequioas- being my longest tow yet.
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Old 04-27-2014, 10:14 PM   #54
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Jammer- I don't know the size of your next toy but mine is a 28' running about 7500 lbs with about 960 tongue. After a few months of playing around with tighten this and try that I feel that I have mine dialed in. My turning point was getting the air pressures right on my TV. Now we have about a month off from camping buliding up to a week in the sequioas- being my longest tow yet.

Good info. Yeah its a Rockwood Windjammer 3025w around 7550 lbs. What size wheels are you running on the Tundra, and what psi worked for you?
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Old 04-28-2014, 12:40 AM   #55
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Jammer I also just bought the Andersen wdh. I haven't used it yet, but we are taking it on its maiden voyage of about 50 miles this coming weekend.

One question, do you tighten each side turn for turn or crank one down and then the next? After the install I hooked it up and unhooked it a few times and noticed that when I tightened one side then the other that my triangle plate was turning off center. I am still wondering if I did something wrong.

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Old 04-28-2014, 08:53 AM   #56
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Jammer- out Tundra has the rock crawler package so it has 17" wheels with tall tires. I run 65 in the rear and about 53 in the front. Now, I can't get the vehicle perfectly level and we are thinking of getting airbags in the future but it's as close as we can get.

4934- I usually crank two threads at a time then change sides. Same with removing.
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Old 04-28-2014, 10:16 AM   #57
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Jammer I also just bought the Andersen wdh. I haven't used it yet, but we are taking it on its maiden voyage of about 50 miles this coming weekend.

One question, do you tighten each side turn for turn or crank one down and then the next? After the install I hooked it up and unhooked it a few times and noticed that when I tightened one side then the other that my triangle plate was turning off center. I am still wondering if I did something wrong.

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49 34, your ok. That triangle plate will not budge at all by hand. Don't use a hammer either. What I do is tighten one side down about 3 threads and then hand the wrench to the DW and let her do 3 , until we get to 6 for our application. I have turned it all the way on one side then to the other side. You can do that if the TV is straight inline with the TT. If not the plate will be at an angle and you have to get creative sometimes. I find a little at a time works best.
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Old 04-28-2014, 10:24 AM   #58
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Jammer- out Tundra has the rock crawler package so it has 17" wheels with tall tires. I run 65 in the rear and about 53 in the front. Now, I can't get the vehicle perfectly level and we are thinking of getting airbags in the future but it's as close as we can get.

4934- I usually crank two threads at a time then change sides. Same with removing.

HONDAMAN174, Thanks for getting back to me. I was wondering because my Titan has the stock 18'' wheels with Toyo Open country A/T's 275r/18'' LT tires, and I normally run 40 psi unless I'm towing. Now with this larger TT I'm thinking running 65 rear, and 55 up front. I tried this last trip, but my TPMS indicator was staying on. I think it might have had something to do with moisture instead of air psi. I was seeing if my little on-board air compressor would fill my tires, and it got warm and I'm sure moisture got in there.

Once I aired down to 50 psi the indicator went out. So this time I'm going to use my real air comp and try it again. I think with the added weight of this new TT I will need the extra psi.
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Old 04-28-2014, 10:38 AM   #59
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Jammer- I just check with a friend at Nissan. Your TPMS light is on because of the high pressure. Nothing to be concerned about- just make sure you are within the limits stated on the side of the tire.

Yes I had a lot of sway until I realized that I hadn't aired up the rear's. Next trip out had some crosswinds but didn't make me nervous because it seemed pretty well planted.
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Old 04-28-2014, 10:46 AM   #60
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Good info. Yeah its a Rockwood Windjammer 3025w around 7550 lbs.

It's a good looking unit but I am a little concerned of the 970 tongue weight. By the time you put on batteries, propane and load up, you may be closer to 1200.
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