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I thought I would post this for Barbie and anyone else that tows a trailer, thinking about towing a trailer, or thinking about getting rid of their trailer because the hitch is too heavy.

I used to have a traditional weight distribution hitch but the hitch head was just to heavy for me to lift anymore. So, I bought this 2 years ago: http://www.andersenhitches.com/catalog/andersen-nosway-weight-distribution-hitch.aspx

The entire unit, chains and brackets included, weighs about 65 lbs (and the only time you have to lift the entire unit together is when you buy it). The hitch is amazing. I have very little to no sway when towing. The only negative I've ever read about with this hitch is that if you have a large trailer with a very heavy hitch weight, it doesn't always move enough weight back to the front axle of the tow vehicle. I have a more than capable tow vehicle and a trailer with a fairly light hitch weight (under 800 lbs), so I don't have to worry about that.

Towing with this hitch is night and day compared to a traditional hitch. It is so easy to hook up and it has more opportunity for fine tuning the distribution than traditional hitches. The only thing I had to do was have the brackets welded to the A-frame of my trailer so they wouldn't slide. The best part of this hitch is there is NO GREASE! None. None on my hands. None on my clothes. None in the storage area. None! The link has 2 videos I think that explains how it works and how you connect it.

This hitch is not for every application, but it works very well with my trailer (under 7000 lbs) and my F150 truck. So, if someone had a smaller tow vehicle and a smaller trailer, it should work the same.

I have 2 years of experience using it and have not had a white knuckle towing experience yet. I barely feel cross winds now and I don't get whipped around by trucks. The sway has been almost completely eliminated in my set up.

Barbie, I know you've had issues with your shoulder so thought I would share this to give you an alternative to a traditional (heavy) weight distribution hitch that you might not be able to lift easily.

Laura

Thanks! I will ask today what is currently on the trailer I am looking at. This sounds really good tho!

when I sold my old truck they couldn't get the runners or what ever they are called out
they hold the 5th wheel hitch on the truck...with my new to me truck came a really good
goose neck in comparing the cost of put new runners in for my hitch or getting a
5th wheel hitch adapter and using that really good goose neck I ended up with the adapter it was cheaper
by the time one figured in cost to put those runners in..love it and why am I posting this here
just cause it is by Anderson as well...they have an aluminum adapter rated for 26000 pounds that weighs
such a small amount it was unreal I got the other one as it was cheaper but am so impressed with it..
sheila

So does this eliminate the need for sway bars?

BarbaraRose wrote:So does this eliminate the need for sway bars?

Yes, it does.

I hated helping Jean deal with her sway bars. I would definitely look at this if I got a trailer.

Will be interesting to see if it gains popularity. Some interesting comments on RV Net about it. Some thoughts are it's made more for Horse and hauling trailers than RV's. But I like the concept. Will keep an eye on it for awhile. Thanks for posting this.

Laura, where can I get this installed? Would Camping World do it or is it something anyone can install? I want to get this for my trailer. Should I also get it welded or is that not really necessary?

I just bought mine and installed it myself. Dealers are notorious for not installing them correctly.

I recommend that you have the brackets welded. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll take a picture of how the brackets are installed on my trailer. The rest of the hitch is installed only when I'm going to tow the trailer. Just like a traditional weight distribution hitch.

The assembly is not permanently installed on the trailer (unless you have the brackets welded) or your tow vehicle. It is totally separate and needs to be attached only when you are going to tow your trailer.

Just get on YouTube and start watching videos about how to install and adjust your weight distribution hitch. I also included videos in my original post here that shows how the Andersen works.

Understanding how a weight distribution hitch works is important. After that, everything else (installing and adjusting the WDH) will be easy. You could also ask at your local dealer and see if they will show you how to do it but there are so many videos out there, that would be my last resort.

Laura

Thanks Laura. I did watch the videos last night. I could probably do it myself but don't have the tools for it (or the strength to tighten it up all the way). I have a friend who can probably help me with that. I will have to wait until I get the trailer and the new tow vehicle before I can order the right size, according to the video.

BarbaraRose wrote: I could probably do it myself but don't have the tools for it (or the strength to tighten it up all the way). I have a friend who can probably help me with that.

You will need to get the tools for the hitch. Harbor Freight has good prices and the tools are okay. No need to spend a fortune on tools, but you have to carry them. If you don't have the strength to attach the hitch, then you'll need the tools for whoever helps you when you're camping. Most campers are very helpful so you shouldn't have an issue. That being said, you need to know how to do it in case there is no one around to help.

good point!