Andersen w/d hitch

[Mike Magee]

New shocks won't solve the problem, although they might help somewhat. The last time DW came with me while towing, it was when the HL was practically new (thus so were the shocks). It was painful for her (she has kidney stones in the kidney that don't come out).

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

New shocks won't solve the problem, although they might help somewhat. The last time DW came with me while towing, it was when the HL was practically new (thus so were the shocks). It was painful for her (she has kidney stones in the kidney that don't come out).

How new is the axle in the trailer ? Is it possible the suspension is sacked out there ?

[gmw photos]

Mike,
Also, what weight dist hitch are you using ? I have towed my camper behind the Frontier with and without WD hitch, and the ride is far superior with the WD hitch.
Also, you state the shocks on your tow vehicle are "good". They may be in fact still what we call good, but changing to a different brand with different valving may in fact change the dynamics of the ride.
Right now, I am using Monroe sensa trac shocks on the Frontier, and they are a big improvement over the OE shocks that came on the truck.

That's just a few more thoughts to chew on.....don't know if any apply to your situation, but for sure, if it's an uncomfortable ride for your wife, I feel for her. Makes for a long drive.

[Mike Magee]

Axle (and trailer) are 2 years old. No WD in use at this time. A half-dozen years ago I was towing a 23' Rockwood with a Merc Mountaineer (like Explorer) and using a Equal-i-zer hitch; I know it helped moderate the porpoising or jiggling, but the expansion joints still pounded and jarred the vehicle like the Equal-i-zer was pushing the Merc into the bumps (well, it was, sort of!). So I'm looking for something that will work better. The HL's ride is already a huge improvement over the Mountaineer, and if I can find something that will keep the trailer from affecting the ride so much I think she'll allow the trailer.

Not sure if they make much in the way of aftermarket shocks for the '08 HL, but I'll look. I have thought a bit about air bags, not sure how much they would solve my problem though.

[Mike Magee]

Looks like I have struts all around.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Looks like I have struts all around.

Does anybody make an airbag that goes into the spring/strut ? I'll admit that I am just taking wild stabs in the dark here ! I'm just kind of thinking that about anything you do is going to change the dynamics of the situation.....either better or worse ! But a change nonetheless.

To Jim's point that "some roads are just like that"..... I echo that with the following example. Local state highway here close to me.....the Frontier with the camper is smooth as can be on this road. Yet the same road at the same speed ( 55mph ) in the F350 with the 33' gooseneck horse trailer does the hobby horse dance. Apparently it's just the combination of the wheelbase of the Ford coupled with the distance to the trailer axles ( way, way back there ) coupled with the weight on the pin and the suspension of the truck......it's just what it is.

Dare I say it, perhap a different camper in your future ? Maybe one with tandem axles ? It might make the difference.

[Darrell in Al]

I tow with a 05 Wrangler LWB and when towing with the Anderson I have less issues than with out as far as expansion joints when driving. the expansion joints with out trailer will bounce me and Jeep around nore so than with the trailer attached.. It seems that the designer of the roads made the joints just to drive us owners of Jeep crazy on the spacing of them.

[Mike Magee]

Darrell, the Jeep is worse alone than when towing, that's a hoot! I appreciate knowing that, especially since I've been looking at Wranglers as they pass by and thinking how great the red ones with black fenders look. I think that now I will stop being tempted!

[Brian B-P]

Anyone who thinks the long wheelbase "Unlimited" Wrangler is bad for this pitching problem should try the regular/short wheelbase two-door model. I test drove one a few blocks once, and I don't think you could give me one free to drive! Not for me.

To be fair to the Wrangler, lots of vehicles have this problem on some roads, and it is very specific to the road. Our old Chev pickup was a standard cab shortbox, and much worse for this than anything else we have owned.

[Darrell in Al]

Well I've got 4 Jeeps corp"rats" killed of the XJ cherokees and Comanches. So I my new one was a Unlimited Wrangler(TJ).. But for what its worth my Wrangler rode better than the Crossfire when new. I'll stick with Jeeps w solid axles no IF for me.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

I've read of some very isolated situations where a couple of folks with Andersens and heavier trailers (who must cinch up those chains quite a bit) had a problem with their coupler. IIRC the pawl that keeps the socket on the ball got damaged, and the socket was riding up partway off the ball...

the heavier the tongue, the more one must tighten the Andersen's chains to distribute the weight. The chains draw the back of the socket tight against the back of the ball. The people who had problems (I only read of two, I think) had tongue weights much higher than ours. I kind of doubt that we would have such troubles with our lighter tongue weights, but I mention it in case you want to look at it from time to time.

I finally watched the videos on Andersen's web site, and in one the Andersen guy mentioned that with the spring blocks compressed 1/4" (probably quite a bit more than Jim needs for his Escape) each chain is under 2000 pounds of tension, so the coupler is pushed against the ball with 4000 pounds of force. A very thorough Andersen No-Sway user ("Bruce H.") posting in a topic in another forum measured between 500 and 600 pounds per chain in a setup sized in our range, transferring less than 100 pounds onto the tug's front axle. This is as expected from the geometry of the design and torque which must be applied to transfer load between axles. Consider that a Class 3 coupler (5000 lb trailer weight capacity) is only required to withstand 7500 pounds in that direction before breaking... this is a significant concern to me, and one of several reasons to adjust appropriately, and not overdo it.

A conventional spring bar WD also pushes hard on the ball, but downward and with a fraction of the force (for the same WD effect).

[MC1]

Like many prescription drugs on the market the Andrsn comes with many possible side effects.

[Jim Bennett]

I thought I would add my thoughts from the first use of my Andersen WDH to this post, rather than start my own. I finally got around to installing it, and gave it a good workout to Osoyoos and back.

Having towed lots since being a kid, trailers of all shapes and sizes, from semi-truck/trailer units, to farm equipment, to a few different travel trailers, to a measly air compressor. In that time I have never once used a WDH.

I also need to add that I never really felt the need with the 19 behind my Pilot. Adding bikes to the back last fall was the first time I ever felt a need to control sway. I do really need to double check my hight weight with that rear load, as it was likely a bit low.

I have done pretty much ALL of our towing of travel trailers, and would definitely want to get Lisa towing more. I wanted to make certain all the little nuances I feel but am not bothered by myself were minimized for her confidence. This is the main reason for the purchase.

My way of summing up the use of the Andersen WDH is that it does make the tow-trailer combo seem a bit more like one unit, as many of the little trailer idiosyncrasies, like a bit of sway, or a bit of bounce on big bumps, was minimized greatly.

I measured the wheelwell height on the Pilot before and after hooking up. The front came up 1/4", and the rear dropped 3/8". Of course, I could adjust this further, but was happy enough with the results. The ball didn't seem to drop at all, though likely did about 1/2". I did measure the hitch before, just not when hooked up yet.

It was pretty straightforward to set up, and took me about an hour to set the hitch up in the first place, then an additional 2 minutes every subsequent time was added to the hook-up routine.

BTW, Lisa drove quite a bit and did not have a single issue with towing. Not bad considering it was her first go at it. Heck, I had to get her to slow down a couple times, as she was pushing over 120 kph. I had even considered trying to get her to try backing in to a site, but thought that might be pushing our relationship a bit too much.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

..........I measured the wheelwell height on the Pilot before and after hooking up. The front came up 1/4", and the rear dropped 3/8". .........

I'm surprised that the front didn't go down and the rear come up.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I'm surprised that the front didn't go down and the rear come up.

From everything I have read and been told, this is very acceptable. What I should do is to measure the differences with the hitch loaded, but no WDH to compare the differences. The front would definitely be higher than what it is with the WDH hitch.

[Mike Magee]

Coincidentally, I started hooking mine up today. It got too hot and I decided to go back to it tomorrow morning. Torqueing those two 3/4" bolts to 150 ft-lbs kind of tired me out, guess I'm not feeing so young any more.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I'm surprised that the front didn't go down and the rear come up.

If the front were to "go down lower than it's unloaded height" that would indicate a bad setup. If the rear were to "come up higher than it's unloaded height" that would indicate a very bad setup.

From the sounds of of, what they have ( the rear dropping a little, and the front rising a little ) they are likely somewhere around pretty close to, or exactly right. A trip to the scale would tell the real story and help fine tune it, if they really want to get it exact.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by gmw photos

If the front were to "go down lower than it's unloaded height" that would indicate a bad setup. If the rear were to "come up higher than it's unloaded height" that would indicate a very bad setup.

From the sounds of of, what they have ( the rear dropping a little, and the front rising a little ) they are likely somewhere around pretty close to, or exactly right. A trip to the scale would tell the real story and help fine tune it, if they really want to get it exact.

I thought that he was comparing with and without the WDH tensioned, but with the trailer attached. I agree with the above.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I thought that he was comparing with and without the WDH tensioned, but with the trailer attached. I agree with the above.

I will do that next time I connect on level ground for comparison sake.

[Mike Magee]

The Andersen is helping with the ride. I would say it's stopping 3/4 of the trailer-induced motions. Amazing difference going over speed bumps, instead of the HL's back end getting pushed down hard, it sort of floats over the bump.