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Open Roads Forum > Fifth-Wheels

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ESDA

Michigan

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Posted: 08/29/22 11:17am

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Buyinh first 5th wheel. Weight is around 14,500 with a pin weight of 2,900. Trying to decide between the trailersavor and the Anderson Ultimate. I realize they are completely different style of hitches. I like the trailersavor with the airbags and how sturdy it is (plus I have the hensley arrow so I know the company. The Anderson looks appealing due to the ease of getting in and out, plus it seems to be easier to hook up. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

ford truck guy

Pennsylvania

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Posted: 08/29/22 11:26am

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ESDA wrote:

Lots of conversation on this site about this exact question...

You will now get possibly 100 different reasons why you should like 1 over the other..

Do yourself a favor and look under the search tab for hitches and read away..
Looking at the 2, with a DRY weight of 14,000, I would NOT chose an Anderson.. From MY understanding, they are great hitches, but better for lighter fifth wheels.. But then again, that is only MY assessment after reading all ( most ) of the posts....

I have NOT had either so I am of no help... BUT , ask me about my B&W Companion ! [emoticon]

Me-Her-the kids
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corvettekent

Marysville, WA

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Posted: 08/29/22 11:53am

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You may think that the Anderson is easy to hook up but wait until you back up too far and push your tailgate into your trailer.

2022 Silverado 3500 High Country CC/LB, SRW, L5P. B&W Companion Hitch with pucks. Hadley air horns.

2004 32' Carriage 5th wheel. 860 watts of solar MPPT, two SOK 206 ah LiFePO4 batteries. Samlex 2,000 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter.

JIMNLIN

Oklahoma

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Posted: 08/29/22 11:56am

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is that 14500 lb a dry weight or the trailers gvwr ??

you want to work from the trailers gvwr for hitch selections.

I pull GN and 5th wheel trailers and IMO a 5th wheel hitch is a bit easier to hook up although not a game changer for my use.

For a trailer that size and heavier I would choose a air ride hitch.

"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

MFL

Midwest

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Posted: 08/29/22 02:02pm

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Michelle.S said:

"I've said it numerous times: Why do people buy the biggest/heaviest Fifth Wheel they can, then look for the Lightest Weight Hitch they can find."

From your other thread.

Trailersavor

ReneeG

Meridian, Idaho

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Posted: 08/29/22 02:09pm

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We have the Hensley TrailerSaver BD3. We traded in our Hensley Arrow on it.

The BD3 and BD5 are both air ride hitches and come apart for easy removal. BD3 is rail or underbed mounted, and BD5 is underbed or puck system.

BD3 is an 18k gross trailer weight and 3500lb pin weight.
BD5 is a 28k gross trailer weight and a 5k pin weight.

2011 Bighorn 3055RL
2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3
1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica and Mabel, both Rat Terriers!

Lantley

Ellicott City, Maryland

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Posted: 08/29/22 03:38pm

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You said it from the start. They are to very different htches.
If your goal/priority is a lightweight easy to remove hitch Andersen wins.
However all other factors go to Hensley.
Durable,beefy,smooth ride,positive latching, substantial weight capacity all, superior reputation,all favor Hensley

19'Duramax w/hips,12'Open Range,Titan Disc Brake
BD3,RV safepower,22" Blackstone
Ox Bedsaver,RV760 w/BC20,Glow Steps, Enduraplas25,Pedego
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Correct Trax,Splendide

sayoung

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Posted: 08/29/22 08:00pm

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Now that I have an Airsafe air ride hitch, I have no inclination to ever use any other style & the Trailer savers are excellent .
As for an Andersen, I am a former user. I've bent 2 and will not ride in a truck towing with one of the aluminum ones. The steel version which attaches to standard rails is maybe ok

ssthrd

Vancouver Island

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Posted: 08/29/22 09:15pm

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I also have an Andersen. I have seen on these and other pages anecdotal accounts of issues with it, but have never seen a picture to show what exactly is going on. Except for one that I recall which is shown over and over again to illustrate the many problems with the Andersen.

If you or anyone else can post some shots, I would love to see them.

I have travelled thousands of miles pulling a 14,000 lb trailer over some pretty rough roads and have no issues at all.

Please post what you have.

Some say that because it is aluminum, it is not all that strong and must be dangerous. Seems like it can be used structurally in aircraft, and also as the outer skin which is only 2-3 mm thick. I imagine it would be scary for some people if they knew that 2mm of aluminum was the only thing between them and certain death while travelling over 500 mph and 30,000 feet in the air. And then slamming down onto a runway in a 300 ton aircraft at 180 mph.

Gives me the shivers.

No issues with the Andersen after those thousands of miles, and no issues with flying after those hundreds of thousands of miles.

Pictures please. ??

2014 Keystone Laredo 292RL
2013 Palomino Maverick 2902
2018 GMC 3500HD, 4x4, 6.5' box, SRW, Denali, Duramax, Andersen
DeeBee, JayBee, and Jed the Black Lab

The hurrier I go the behinder I get. (Lewis Carroll)

cummins2014

Utah

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Posted: 08/30/22 07:17am

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As said I have seen the same picture over ,and over ,and over on here by the same member for whatever reason . I have heard of two ,and that's been several years now with the Andersen . Since they have redesigned nothing that I have read or seen .

Like you thousands of miles without issue . One mentioned over shooting the ball ,and smashing a tailgate , we can bring up many scenarios where we can mess something up with any hitch .

* This post was edited 08/30/22 09:40am by an administrator/moderator *