Trailersavor vs Anderson Ultimate

[ESDA]

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?

[TXiceman]

nick11 wrote:
No doubt the BD3 is an awesome hitch and has some articulation. The drawbacks are that it weighs 160 lbs, is over $2k and you need to be pretty level and straight with the trailer to hook-unhook. With the Anderson you can be un level and at 90 deg to your trailer and still hook - unhook with ease. It also rides great going down the road with no airbags to deal with. Extremely simple, easy to use and easy to remove.

Sounds like salesman chatter. I have been using the TS3 for 8 years and it does a great job. It uses the same Holland-Binkley hitch head as the BD5. It is not hard to hitch, and you do not have to be straight or on level ground as you falsely believe. I have hitched and unhitched at nearly 90 degrees to the trailer.

I have had to help several people get their trailer unhitched when the ball is jammed in the receiver. You wind up putting blocks under the front jacks so that you can lift the ball and pin clear of the hitch and then beating the ball and pin until it releases.

As for the weight and price, you get what you pay for. No way would I consider pulling my trailer with the Anderson hitch.

Ken

[nick11]

No I am just an fellow RV owner like the rest on here. The OP asked a question comparing these hitches so I am giving my opinion and helping people that do not know there are other options out there besides the standard heavy expensive fifth wheel hitches.
I know you don't have to be perfectly level or perfectly straight but there are significant limitations compared to a cup and ball. I can be way off in both directions and it still just comes on and off the ball with ease because I don't have to drive into or out of the hitch. Some of the places we go this becomes a problem for my friends. This is the real world of off road camping - not paved resorts. It's funny though, anytime I tell people positive feedback about this hitch it causes an argument.
Enjoy folks just my 2 cents and experience with this hitch.

[Cptnvideo]

You don't have to be level or straight to hook up to the Hensley hitches.
Are you a salesman for Anderson? You sound like one.

[nick11]

No doubt the BD3 is an awesome hitch and has some articulation. The drawbacks are that it weighs 160 lbs, is over $2k and you need to be pretty level and straight with the trailer to hook-unhook. With the Anderson you can be un level and at 90 deg to your trailer and still hook - unhook with ease. It also rides great going down the road with no airbags to deal with. Extremely simple, easy to use and easy to remove.

[ReneeG]

Our Hensley TrailerSaver BD3 has two airbags and two shocks and articulates as well.

[Cptnvideo]

My Hensley BD5 articulates in all directions. But it won't let the trailer articulate enough to contact the bed rails. And it has 3 air bags and 4 shocks for a very smooth ride.

[nick11]

I have the Anderson steel version. I have had it on two different 5ver toy haulers with no issues. 16400 GVWR and 18000 on my current trailer. This hitch works incredibly well. I ditched my 150lb+ slider hitch and will never go back. I can hookup and unhitch at any angle making it very nice when unhooking during camping. So easy to hitch up knowing the ball is inside the receiver and no issue of wondering if your lock bar captured the king pin or not. It also rides better going down the road than any of my friends even with their air boxes. Since the trailer articulates on a ball there is freedom in all directions.

Some people are just afraid of change. Anderson designed this and stands behind the product with a 20k rating. Far superior in every aspect IMO.

[TravelinDog]

sayoung wrote:

ssthrd wrote:
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. ??

Do a search as I've posted my pics a couple times. I don't have my computer set up now as we are living in our 5er while building a new house.
As to aircraft structure , the skin, spars , bulkheads do wear . I've spent a lot of $ keeping planes flying so have some experience as well as Andersen time. The original AUH used lighter tubeing than later versions along with adding some reinforcement .
I am and will continue to be very unhappy with that hitch. Friends don't let friends use an AUH, imho.

Sour grapes. If there was really an issue with Anderson hitches they would not be in business.
There are thousands upon thousands of those hitches out on the road with zero broblems.
You simply don't like them for whatever reason.

[brianpearce]

Have you considered a Reese Goosebox to replace your pinbox, then simply hitch onto the ball in your bed? I am currently happy with my Andersen, but the Goosebox eliminates the frame footprint in the truck bed.

[sayoung]

ssthrd wrote:
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. ??

Do a search as I've posted my pics a couple times. I don't have my computer set up now as we are living in our 5er while building a new house.
As to aircraft structure , the skin, spars , bulkheads do wear . I've spent a lot of $ keeping planes flying so have some experience as well as Andersen time. The original AUH used lighter tubeing than later versions along with adding some reinforcement .
I am and will continue to be very unhappy with that hitch. Friends don't let friends use an AUH, imho.

[ReneeG]

We've never had any other FW hitch but the TrailerSaver BD3. We went from a travel trailer using the Hensley Arrow to the FW using the Hensley TrailerSaver.

[Cptnvideo]

Totally agree, AustinJenna.

[austinjenna]

I had a Reese solid hitch for years and had no issues with it. I then bought a Trailersaver air ride hitch because my truck already rides like an old stagecoach going down a gravel road. This really improved the ride. I can look in my rear-view mirror and see the hitch doing it thing by absorbing the bounce of the trailer and not transferring it to the truck.

To me its not a question of Anderson or Trailersaver but rather any solid mounted hitch compared to any air ride hitch. They are pricier but it is a one and done thing.

I am happy with my purchase and if I ever needed to get a new hitch it would be an air ride hitch

[Durb]

In my opinion, both the AUH and a Trailer Saver hitch are quality products and will get your trailer to your destination. They each have their upsides and downsides such as cost, weight, installation, hook-up methods and so forth which the OP will have to judge the importance of on his own.

One thing that is evident is the Andersen hitch is a solid hook up between the trailer's pin box and the truck's frame; no give. The Trailer Saver incorporates a soft joint. In terms of towing comfort and gear protection, Trailer Saver wins hands down.

[ReneeG]

cummins2014 wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
I'm neither for nor against the Anderson, but my curiosity was peeked with the many comments on it so I googled "Anderson hitch fifth wheel failures" - here is what came up:

Article on worst hitch

Anderson hitch failures

Anderson hitch problems

Anderson Hitch Failure

Hitch Review

Chevy forum on hitch failures

GrandRV Hitch Failure post

*Note - I have not read any of these. There very well may be positive comments embedded in the articles. Again, I'm not looking to bash any hitch, just was curious on what is reported out there.

And the broken record continues ,yet no one adds that they redesigned that hitch , now go find find a failure on the redesign . If you do read what you posted here , it does show the redesigned hitch in one of those links .

Thanks for reading.