Anderson Hitch Voids Warranty?

[wayne30152]

I too live in Power Springs Ga. I have the Anderson Hitch and I absolutely love it. I liked it so much that I convinced both my brother and brother-in-law to buy it as well. I have been using it for 5 yrs with no problem. I use my truck all the time so I need my bed free. Plus at 63 it makes life a lot easier when letting my wife take it out.

[chunker]

DISCLAIMER I don't have a goose anything, I use the B&W Companion with puck mounts. That said the issue primarily is with a goose NECK hitch. Think stock trailer with massive neck and support. Attaching a goose neck to replace the king pin of a traditional 5th wheel hitch can put undue stress on the trailer framing in the area where the king pin/goose neck is. Especially on large heavy 5th wheels and especially if operated in unimproved areas and especially backing with spare angles in those areas. Consider that the hitch to truck attaching point is low in the truck bed, not elevated up like a traditional hitch and you can see that it's plausible that heavy stress can be placed on the trailer framing when engaging in maneuvers as described above.

My opinion based on a certain amount of fact, but with no real world experience with goose "what-evers".

[sourdough]

You are right; the issue is with the long neck going into the bed that then can put various stresses on the framing of the front of a 5th wheel. The Pullrite and Andersen eliminate that BUT they do not use a conventional 5th wheel hitch latching mechanism even if they still attach at the same height and same locations in the truck and on the trailer.

IMO the use of the ball is no different than the latch on the 5th wheel. Apparently that causes confusion for Lippert OR, as I suspect, the relationship with Reese is what prevents them from approving the in bed hitches that use a ball. After looking over the Reese Goose Box (the only alternative Lippert allows) I would far prefer the Andersen or PullRite. Mine has the vertical seam cut in the sidewall by the bedroom slide so figure I'm just sticking with the Andersen - it has too many benefits to ignore.

[rhaney]

Originally Posted by Dege

My dealer says Keystone sent out a memo stating something to the effect that using the Anderson Hitch voids the warranty. Has anyone else heard this?

Both my son-in-law and I have found that the Keystone warranty isn't worth the paper it is written on. I pull with a Andersen or Reesebox. Love both of them.

[Dallasrules]

I've never had a trailer new enough to have a warranty, so I never had to worry about that. I have towed 7 different 5th wheels from a 28' to a 37' with 15k gvwr. problem. 5 tears I have never had a single probem.

[gordo]

Originally Posted by Dege

I have the factory puck system so unless I went with some sort of rail system, I'm stuck with the ball at that spot.

I have the Anderson, love it.

It is a simple fix really. Look up offset gooseneck hitch ball. They have them for OEM set up and aftermarket.

[Preyou]

I have a f250 short bed with a B & W puck style hitch. I also use my truck on a regular basis. I put an eye overhead in my garage and hang a chain fall from HF and remove the hitch. B & W has a bracket that fits in the jaws that makes it real easy. I lower the hitch to a cart I built for that purpose. I am 72 and it is easy to do.

[Dege]

I've no doubt there are plenty of Anderson hitches out there. I count them as I drive down the rows of fifth wheels parked in same RV Storage Park my TT (Soon to be FW Woot!) is kept. I am saying it was just a week ago that my dealer read to me from a Memo Keystone sent it's dealers. Keystone apparently says that the use of the Anderson hitch could void their warranty. Is the Anderson in wide use and do they have strong support from it's users? Yes of course, and I had every intention of getting one myself until the dealer shared that with me. I came to this forum to see if anyone else had run into the same issue. It is the latest wrinkle in the on going saga that I don't want to be in the middle of. I just want a hitch I can handle in my stage of life without being in a real life drama between manufacturers.

[sourdough]

Looks like you have a Reese Goose Box which is accepted by Lippert for their frame warranty so you shouldn't have any worry.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by pdaniel

Interesting about Andersen hitches and warranties. When I bought my current 5th wheel an Andersen was recommended. Stand next to us was a sales rep for the rig manufacturer. He said there were no warranty issues from using an Andersen.
I’m going into year three and have had no issues and I know a few that have been using an Andersen for sometime.

I believe your "current fifth wheel" is a Grand Design brand, not a Keystone brand ??? If so, you might be interested in reading the GD Frame warranty: https://www.granddesignrv.com/sites/...20Warranty.pdf Whoever told you that there are no issues with using an Andersen hitch AND filing a warranty with LCI was apparently not familiar with the document at that link.

Here's a direct copy/paste from the document:
"This warranty does not cover any Product which is found to have been modified or altered in any way, including, but not limited to, installation of any and all aftermarket hauling attachments such as gooseneck adapters, pinbox extensions, tow hitches, load bearing devices, or other attachments to the Product."

I'd suppose, like every other product, as long as you don't have problems, the warranty is "excellent". Then again, this forum is "literally filled" with unhappy customers who found out "after they had problems" that their problems were only just beginning"... For many (maybe most) after they were told no, is the first time they actually read the warranty and when they find their problems "specifically excluded by the document" they blame "that bad old company who wrote that tricky wording"....

[Dege]

I've been trying to find an offset gooseneck hitch ball all afternoon for the 2021 Sierra 2500 with OEM puck system per the suggestion from Gordo. I haven't found one. Maybe I'm just bad at this but I keep coming up empty handed.

[tbirdkeys]

I’ve been using an Andersen for two years and have towed over a thousand miles with 40+ foot 5th wheels and haven't had a single problem. Love it

[Nitehawk]

call keystone.....

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Nitehawk

call keystone.....

And ask them what?

[Nitehawk]

Well if there is doubt that the use of a certain product would void a warranty. Hitch or other product. Why not just call the manufacture to validate

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Nitehawk

Well if there is doubt that the use of a certain product would void a warranty. Hitch or other product. Why not just call the manufacture to validate

That makes sense. But Keystone doesn’t make the frame. A call to the company that does (Lippert) would be better.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Nitehawk

Well if there is doubt that the use of a certain product would void a warranty. Hitch or other product. Why not just call the manufacture to validate

I did not talk to Lippert but I did talk to the product manager for the Keystone Montana line and he told me Lippert would not warrant their frames with the use of the Andersen hitch in the event of a failure. He advised the only acceptable aftermarket hitch product was the Reese Goose Box. I believe that has been stated in writing to Keystone as well. I would also say that Andersen will not return phone calls or email inquiries about that situation OR their supposed warranty.

[Nitehawk]

So I guess it is settled.. no warranty if they find out . And most probably they will if they investigate. Was any explanation given ?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Nitehawk

So I guess it is settled.. no warranty if they find out . And most probably they will if they investigate. Was any explanation given ?

I was told (by Keystone) that Andersen would not provide a hitch for their "testing". Considering the relationship that Lippert has with Reese I find that suspect but can't prove it. On the other hand, if Andersen absolutely refuses to address it when asked....???

[wiredgeorge]

Take a look at the Andersen Ultimate $5M warranty:

https://help.andersenhitches.com/ult...ction-warranty

Not sure what the Reese-Hitches / Lippert connection might be that someone mentioned but Curt is owned by Lippert. Curt makes a variety of fifth wheel hitches.