Andersen ultimare 5th wheel hitch and Ford SD

[whitescrew77]

Does anyone use an Andersen ultimate hitch on a short bed Ford super duty, 6.5' long? Specifically towing a Cougar 326 srx? I have the factory puck system and goose ball and like the andersen for the light weight. Just wandering if i should go standard 5th wheel instead with a sidewinder. Much more money though.

[Desert185]

Andersen says you can reverse the hitch in a short bed to displace the ball further aft. A friend is stopping by today for a rib feed and a shoot. We're going to install my hitch in his Ford F350 short bed and measure. I'll let you know what I find.

[cmsmith22]

We have a sidewinder on our cougar and we love it. DH was just saying this morning how glad he was we spent the money and had the sidewinder. No worries pulling and had some pretty sharp turns this weekend at the campground


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[whitescrew77]

Ok thanks for your replies. I am curious how far back that reverse mounting gets it back from the cab.

[Lic0rice]

Originally Posted by whitescrew77

Ok thanks for your replies. I am curious how far back that reverse mounting gets it back from the cab.

Memory isn't as good as it used to be but I think I read the ball is offset 4" from the receiver so reversing the hitch gives you another 8". Keep in mind that if you reverse the hitch, it can cause your truck to "squat" by moving the load aft 8" from having it turned in the other direction.

[Desert185]

8" might result in a minimal weight shift. Every hitch configuration has it's compromises and advantages. The lesser weight of the Andersen compared to the leviathan conventional hitches might actually result in less net squat and result in all the advantages that the Andersen offers.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by whitescrew77

Ok thanks for your replies. I am curious how far back that reverse mounting gets it back from the cab.

I'll measure and post esta noche or mañana.

[NotyetMHCowner]

We have a 2006 Ford F350 short bed with the Andersen and a Montana High Country. I love it. The Ford bed is actually 6'9" which I believe is the longest short bed of the truck manufacturers. We weighed 2 weeks ago on the way to the beach and was 20 pounds lighter on the front axle with the camper connected. There is absolutely no chucking or movement with the Andersen. I cant imagine having anything else.

[Canonman]

Bought the Anderson with our new Cougar. Dodge S/B instead of Ford but absolutely NO problems! I've had our outfit 90% more than once and no issues at all. Plus Anderson is a real stand-up company. Be sure you get the "Funnel" option (see Anderson's web site for the info) on the pin box piece. Ours didn't get installed with the hitch. CW said they didn't know anything about it. Contacted Anderson and they said some inventory may still be out there without the funnel. They sent the whole assembly no charge. Even paid the shipping. We've been super happy with our Anderson

[gkainz]

There are 2 different configurations to move your hitch point fore and aft with the Andersen. Reversing the base (altho someone pointed out here recently that Andersen doesn't recommend that any more?) and/or reversing the king pin coupler.

So, the options are
1. base forward, coupler forward
2. base forward coupler rearward
3. base reversed, coupler forward
4. base reversed, coupler rearward

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by Desert185

I'll measure and post esta noche or mañana.

Update: I'm moving his trailer for him today. I'll do the measure after the move to his home.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by Desert185

Update: I'm moving his trailer for him today. I'll do the measure after the move to his home.

38" from the center of the Andersen ball to the cab and 35.5" to the bed. We spoke with Andersen and they may come up with a better solution for shortbeds.

[jsmith948]

Not intended to detract from anyone's love of the Anderson hitch - but - I need some clarification. I have read some posts in which the claim was made that, with the Anderson, it is possible to turn 90*??
In this thread, the distance from the ball to the cab is listed as something like 38".
Since most fifth wheel trailers are 96" wide, the distance from the center of the kingpin to the edge of the trailer's side will be 48".
Seems to me that is about 10" too little to achieve a full, 90* turn.
Since "two objects of mass can not occupy the same space at the same time"(high school physics) I would have to conclude that it is not possible to turn 90* with this hitch.
FWIW, I'm not commenting on the hitch. I just wouldn't want someone to purchase one of these hitches and learn the truth the hard way. Just sayin'

[JRTJH]

jsmith948,

It does seem like 38" won't work the same as 48", but when you extend the pin box forward on the trailer and round the corners of the front cap, it does provide the necessary clearance. There are some cab configurations and some trailer designs that won't clear to 90 degrees, but many come "close enough" to that "magical mark". Even with a long bed pickup, many of the "wide body" trailers won't clear to a "perfect 90 degree angle". Sprinter "Wide Body" trailers are 100" wide and some of the competition advertises their products at the maximum of 102" wide. Depending on the pinbox location and the trailer front cap configuration, some of them won't clear even with an 8' truck bed.

In the "old days" when the pinbox was located under the bedroom, everyone had issues with the possibility to "kiss" the truck cab. The "first solution" (for short bed trucks) was sliding hitches, but with the extension of the pinbox and curving the front cap corners, there's less potential to damage a short bed truck or trailer with today's configurations than there was with a long bed truck and a "center mount pinbox". Add in a sliding hitch and the clearance is even greater than it was "back then".....

[Desert185]

Jsmith948,

You are all correct. Those measurements were in a 2002 Ford F350 with a pop-up ball. That's the issue with the short bed. In my long bed, I can do 90 degrees.

Jason @ Andersen is trying to come up with a solution for short bed folks. The Reese Goosebox won't work either, and my buddy doesn't want the 212# weight of the B&W Companion Slider or typical rails in the bed.

Meanwhile, my friend bought a nice 2006 Thor Jazz 5er bunkhouse model with 16" tires (new Hartland's). I brought it home for him. The rest of the hitch issue is TBD.

Standby...

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by jsmith948

Not intended to detract from anyone's love of the Anderson hitch - but - I need some clarification. I have read some posts in which the claim was made that, with the Anderson, it is possible to turn 90*??
In this thread, the distance from the ball to the cab is listed as something like 38".
Since most fifth wheel trailers are 96" wide, the distance from the center of the kingpin to the edge of the trailer's side will be 48".
Seems to me that is about 10" too little to achieve a full, 90* turn.
Since "two objects of mass can not occupy the same space at the same time"(high school physics) I would have to conclude that it is not possible to turn 90* with this hitch.
FWIW, I'm not commenting on the hitch. I just wouldn't want someone to purchase one of these hitches and learn the truth the hard way. Just sayin'

Well yes they can it is called bent cab broken window!!!

Originally Posted by JRTJH

jsmith948,

It does seem like 38" won't work the same as 48", but when you extend the pin box forward on the trailer and round the corners of the front cap, it does provide the necessary clearance. There are some cab configurations and some trailer designs that won't clear to 90 degrees, but many come "close enough" to that "magical mark". Even with a long bed pickup, many of the "wide body" trailers won't clear to a "perfect 90 degree angle". Sprinter "Wide Body" trailers are 100" wide and some of the competition advertises their products at the maximum of 102" wide. Depending on the pinbox location and the trailer front cap configuration, some of them won't clear even with an 8' truck bed.

In the "old days" when the pinbox was located under the bedroom, everyone had issues with the possibility to "kiss" the truck cab. The "first solution" (for short bed trucks) was sliding hitches, but with the extension of the pinbox and curving the front cap corners, there's less potential to damage a short bed truck or trailer with today's configurations than there was with a long bed truck and a "center mount pinbox". Add in a sliding hitch and the clearance is even greater than it was "back then".....

Yes, the smoke and mirrors of "Yes you can turn to 89 degrees, or 90 degrees, without a slider in a SB truck NOT!!!

Stop and really think about it.
#1. An extended pin doesn't change the 38" distance from the pin location when you turn. It DOES set the front of the 5er closer to the side of the truck bed. My cab is 6' wide so at a point 3' back from pin that 5er could not be any wider than 38".

#2. Next issue, if you extend the pin box too far, then you start having issues with the back of the pin-box hitting the side of the bed.

In my case I have 32" from center of pin to the edge of the bed rail.

#3. So now you have a 5er with the tight turn front cap, and what do you loose, a bunch storage space in the front, we see more and more 5ers with slide out closets and fore /aft beds.

This is why really enjoy towing with my long bed, 52" pin to cab, 5er is 98" wide. While the nose on my 5er is aerodynamic, the front is straight. What do I gain, a full width flat floored closet!

[xcntrk]

Definitely do your measurements! Make sure you are measuring the corner of the front cap at the proper height of your cab from the ground. Most caps protrude outward beyond a tucked lower corner. Use a plumb bob to measure from the furthest point protruding outward.

I was going to buy an Anderson too and after measuring the numbers just weren't adding up. Every measurement was telling me I needed a slider. Good thing I went that route with a Pullrite Superglide. Here it is fully extended at 14" slide:

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by xcntrk

Definitely do your measurements! Make sure you are measuring the corner of the front cap at the proper height of your cab from the ground. Most caps protrude outward beyond a tucked lower corner. Use a plumb bob to measure from the furthest point protruding outward.

I was going to buy an Anderson too and after measuring the numbers just weren't adding up. Every measurement was telling me I needed a slider. Good thing I went that route with a Pullrite Superglide. Here it is fully extended at 14" slide:

Yep! the only two solutions are a Pullrite or Reese Revolution, manual sliders as a close second, but the 1st time you find yourself in a tight parking lot, and forget to move it.

[xcntrk]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Yep! the only two solutions are a Pullrite or Reese Revolution, manual sliders as a close second, but the 1st time you find yourself in a tight parking lot, and forget to move it.

Don't forget the Demco Autoslide. Demco and Pullrite are the 2 leaders in auto-sliders..

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by Desert185

Jsmith948,

You are all correct. Those measurements were in a 2002 Ford F350 with a pop-up ball. That's the issue with the short bed. In my long bed, I can do 90 degrees.

Jason @ Andersen is trying to come up with a solution for short bed folks. The Reese Goosebox won't work either, and my buddy doesn't want the 212# weight of the B&W Companion Slider or typical rails in the bed.

Meanwhile, my friend bought a nice 2006 Thor Jazz 5er bunkhouse model with 16" tires (new Hartland's). I brought it home for him. The rest of the hitch issue is TBD.

Standby...

Update...

After many phone calls and research via various companies, my buddy who really wants the Andersen hitch has, with Andersen's blessing, decided to do the following.

Remove Popup ball hitch.
Install B&W turnover ball, which moves the ball in the bed aft four inches.
Install B&W offset ball, moving the ball ~4" further aft.
Install Andersen king pin adapter, but rotate 180 degrees to place the socket aft instead of on the forward side of the kingpin.

All this with Andersen's understanding and blessings to essentially move the trailer 10" further aft of the cab and allow a 90 degree angle...hopefully, as he figures 10" would do the trick.