Anderson Ultimate Fifth Wheel Hitch

[Rollin_Free]

It comes in aluminum so it weighs very little. The down side is that you can not see it to connect and you have to climb into the bed to attach the chains.

When I first started using my Anderson I held my smart phone up by my rear view mirror with the camera reversed so I could see the hitch. It had issues but it did work for me.

 

[Aandaar]

You can also get it from amazon. I ordered mine about two weeks ago and with Prime it showed up in two days. Took a little longer for my ball and chains kit about a week.


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Chuck, Victoria, and Miss Callie

 

[Doublegranch]

It is part of the kit. If you google Anderson Ultimate 5th Wheel Hitch you'll see what's included. However you must already have the B&W hidden hitch with the turnover ball installed in your truck.

[Actually you don't have to have the B & W turn over ball....any bed ball hitch will work...My new Ram was ordered with the fifth wheel package and that ball will work fine..just like the B&W according to the Anderson Rep.]

 

[JWalker]

First let me express my interest in this thread.....I am taking delivery of a 2017 Sundance next month and with my ranch I do not want a 5th wheel hitch.
Nor do I want the heavy weight of it to move in and out of the truck. I was going with a Reese goosebox as that was the only approved hitch...but now
considering the Anderson hitch....as it will give me more vertical adjustment for the 2016 Ram with it's high bed rails.

So....I just got off the phone with Anderson District Mgr and then he sent me over to Archie at the factory...wow, what a super individual..
So here is the story from the "Cats mouth".....Lippert does not own Reese but has an agreement for Reese to use proprietary parts from Lippert.
So the inside parts of the goosebox and air bags are all from Lippert. Lippert made the same offer to Anderson however Anderson is a family owned
business for over 61 years and did not want to give up part of their business so declined the offer. Hence, Reese is the only approved "goose neck version"
hitch.
Archie said they have a 5 million dollar insurance policy on each hitch sold. They will completely fix any damage that lippert suggests was caused by the
Anderson hitch. Even up to buying you a brand new RV. He explained that the parts in the goosebox will over time wear out which is the same as any 5th wheel moving parts will
wear out. With the Anderson hitch, there are no moving parts. The ball in your bed rides on a Anderson ball adaptor with a pressed in silicon disc in which no metal
on metal is made...the disc is polishing the ball with any movement. The ball has 3 vertical adjustments. Archie is towing a 3 axle toy hauler on a Ram mega cab and puts over
10,000 miles a year on his RV. In 10 years he has never had an issue.

Hope this will be of assistance to anyone interested in this thread. I will be going with the Anderson hitch. Current price for the Anderson Ultimate aluminum frame greaseless hitch
is $729...Currently on a 3 day back order.

Thank you. Very helpful information.

Do you already have your 2016 RAM already? Does it have the factory fifth wheel prep package? I believe it has a gooseneck adapter in that package. Does it come with a gooseneck ball included or do you have to purchase that separate? I'm curious because I'm ordering a 2016 RAM also.

Thanks again.

 

[Bohemian]

Thank you. Very helpful information.

Do you already have your 2016 RAM already? Does it have the factory fifth wheel prep package? I believe it has a gooseneck adapter in that package. Does it come with a gooseneck ball included or do you have to purchase that separate? I'm curious because I'm ordering a 2016 RAM also.

Thanks again.

No ball included with my 2105 Ram with 5th wheel mount option.

 

[Doublegranch]

Thank you. Very helpful information.

Do you already have your 2016 RAM already? Does it have the factory fifth wheel prep package? I believe it has a gooseneck adapter in that package. Does it come with a gooseneck ball included or do you have to purchase that separate? I'm curious because I'm ordering a 2016 RAM also.

Thanks again.

[Yes I have the new 2016 Ram....the ball was an extra charge from the dealer. It came in a nice carry bag with the 4 pucks "tie downs" as well. I have a bed cover so just leave the ball in all the time. Simple to remove and easier that my old ram with the B&W...no pulling a rod under the bed to unhook the ball...a simple button to push and the ball comes right out. Worth every penny.]

 

[Rollin_Free]

It is part of the kit. If you google Anderson Ultimate 5th Wheel Hitch you'll see what's included. However you must already have the B&W hidden hitch with the turnover ball installed in your truck.

[Actually you don't have to have the B & W turn over ball....any bed ball hitch will work...My new Ram was ordered with the fifth wheel package and that ball will work fine..just like the B&W according to the Anderson Rep.]

Agreed however the hitch subframe and the ball must be the same manufacture. I.e. Don't use a bulldog ball with a B&W hitch subframe. Matched manufacturer mating components are critical.

 

[JWalker]

No ball included with my 2105 Ram with 5th wheel mount option.

But it has the gooseneck built into the bed and frame? All I would need to do is buy the ball. When I ordered the package all I was looking at was the puck system I never bothered looking further into the gooseneck part of it.

 

[JohnD]

No ball included with my 2105 Ram with 5th wheel mount option.

That is because in the year 2105 we no longer drive vehicles with wheels . . . or pull 5'vers, for that matter!

I know . . . all of the comedians out of work and look who we got stuck with . . . right? :angel:

 

[Doublegranch]

Jamie:

Just go to your Ram dealer and you can purchase the ball....comes in two sizes....the larger is 3"...not sure who uses the 3 inch ball...

EDIT:
Jamie...just noticed your truck is on order, so have the dealer put the ball in at cost! That is the price I paid my dealer for it....plus all future
Ram parts I need to purchase are at his cost as well. Just an idea...

 

[JWalker]

Jamie: Just go to your Ram dealer and you can purchase the ball....comes in two sizes....the larger is 3"...not sure who uses the 3 inch ball... EDIT: Jamie...just noticed your truck is on order, so have the dealer put the ball in at cost! That is the price I paid my dealer for it....plus all future Ram parts I need to purchase are at his cost as well. Just an idea...

Great idea. Only 7 weeks 4 days and 1hr to wait............I'm already driving the wife crazy.

Is there any other benifits with the aluminum version over the steel. Weight- even the steel is 2x lighter than the hitch I have now. The steel might also show rust.

 

[Doublegranch]

Jamie:

Archie says that way to go is with the new Aluminium frame....has a higher crush weight vs the steel, around 64,000 lbs of vertical crush....that is about 5 fifth wheel RV's on top of each other..Can't imagine you need anything more!!!!!!! Also the Aluminum frame is a little lighter and yes will not rust...I will go with the Aluminium frame but have a couple more questions when I call them back...
Want to make sure with my Mega Cag short bed and fuel tank I am okay...also is there any difference in stress on the pin box if you move the pin box adapter to the front vs back of the pin....this will give me another 5 1/2 inches for clearance front to back. They suggest doing this, but need to make sure the stress factors are the same.
After I get the answers, I will order it and give you a PM...

 

[JWalker]

...also is there any difference in stress on the pin box if you move the pin box adapter to the front vs back of the pin....this will give me another 5 1/2 inches for clearance front to back. They suggest doing this, but need to make sure the stress factors are the same.
After I get the answers, I will order it and give you a PM...

Please let me know what they say about switching it to the back of the pin. I want to do the same. When I added the FlexAir pin box it extended out about 6 inches further than the factory pin box. Now when I swing wide the back of the pin box gets real close to the side of the bed rails. The 5 1/2 inches would definitely give me more clearance. This has definitely peaked my interest.

 

[Bohemian]

https://www.etrailer.com/Gooseneck/Reese/RP30140.html


This will work with your Ram with fwctory pucks. I have read that the Curt chain mounts hit the Anderson and do not mount.

I believe Ram sells the Reese kit with Ram logo and a whopping big price.

 

[Doublegranch]

Jamie:

Just spoke to Archie....moving the pin box adapter either way does not increase the stress or torque on the pin box or frame.
Moving the adaptor so the goose ball socket is in front of the pin box will give you 11" clearance, moving it behind the pin will give you 7 1/2"
The vertical adjustment on the frame "ball" is from 15" on the lowest setting to 17.5" on the highest setting.
The $729 price he gave me will include shipping.
I am heading out to the barn and do some measuring on the Ram Bed rails etc and then make up my mind.

As a side note: The Reese goosebox air ride system is known to deflate from time to time, making it very close to the truck rail system.
Reese says the vent valve was requested by Lippert and they never had them on until the agreement with Lippert. They say you can remove
the air release valve and plug it up and you will not have the loss of air problem.

 

[Rollin_Free]

Jamie:

Archie says that way to go is with the new Aluminium frame....has a higher crush weight vs the steel, around 64,000 lbs of vertical crush....that is about 5 fifth wheel RV's on top of each other..Can't imagine you need anything more!!!!!!! Also the Aluminum frame is a little lighter and yes will not rust...I will go with the Aluminium frame but have a couple more questions when I call them back...
Want to make sure with my Mega Cag short bed and fuel tank I am okay...also is there any difference in stress on the pin box if you move the pin box adapter to the front vs back of the pin....this will give me another 5 1/2 inches for clearance front to back. They suggest doing this, but need to make sure the stress factors are the same.
After I get the answers, I will order it and give you a PM...

X2 - Many UTube videos are available on this hitch. The one below shows crush testing as a place for you to start researching.

BTW I have used the king pin block reversed to give more bed rail clearance to the sides. Not sure of the stress differences but the installation manual and the video below say it can go either way.


http://www.andersenhitches.com/catalog/ultimate-5th-wheel-connection.aspx

 

[Rollin_Free]

So I think we got to the bottom of why Lippert doesn't recommend the Anderson Ultimate 5th wheel hitch but we haven't found out why it's an issue for Heartland.

Doublegranch, do you have any connections with Heartland that you could check with to find out if they truly have an issue or if is it just a rumor?

 

[Doublegranch]

Jamie:

Okay...had a little senior moment..so had to make a few phone calls...this will be my first fifth wheel so I am really nervous...TT have been my past.
The 2016 Ram bed rails are 20 1/2 inches from the bed floor. The anderson will vertically adjust from a low of 16 3/4 " to a high of 19 1/8"...this put me in shock
until I remembered the pin box will hang down 6 - 8 inches and the anderson collar is another two inches....so I am thinking I will have the required 6-9 " clearance for
the bedrails. Now next....The Ram puck system... the anderson frame is 14 3/4" from the center of the ball to the edge of the frame...this places the rear frame directly
in the middle of the rear pucks. No way to use a safety chain on the rear pucks with the Anderson. SO Archie said there were two fixes....The Ram adjacent each side of the ball
places an eye hole but the dealers don't use them. You can insert and eye system on each side of the Ram ball without an issue and it is part of the under frame base plate for the fifth
wheel set up. The second suggestion is the rear legs of the Anderson frame will allow for eye hooks to be clipped around each leg. The legs are supported for this use as well. I
would think you could wrap the chain around the leg and make the hook connection on the chain as well. Place a plastic tube around the chain in that area to keep from rubbing the
frame leg...just my idea. Archie said the dealers don't order the chain system as it is a $70 option...not all states require chains, but he did state that only fifth wheel connections are
exempt from safety chains....example in TX it is a $500 fine and no warnings are issued....In addition the trooper can make you park your RV until safety chains are installed.

Side note on the Reese Goosebox...Tech support sent me drawings....from the top hole in the goosebox that attaches to the king pin area to the bottom of the ball socket is 22.2" There
is no vertical adjustment on the goosebox...they suggest mounting the goosebox one hole down from where the original king pin box was installed....not sure but sounds like a couple of
inches at most....With 20 1/2 high bedrails....I will not have the 6-9" of bedrail clearance on the Ram....hence the Anderson again sounds like a better fit for the Ram....unless I am missing
something.....Your thoughts??????

- - - Updated - - -

So I think we got to the bottom of why Lippert doesn't recommend the Anderson Ultimate 5th wheel hitch but we haven't found out why it's an issue for Heartland.

Doublegranch, do you have any connections with Heartland that you could check with to find out if they truly have an issue or is it just a rumor?

[I didn't get the feeling that Heartland had a problem but wanted you to know that Lippert would void the warranty with a hitch that wasn't approved by Lippert...Lippert handles the frame
warranty not Heartland. ]

 

[Rollin_Free]

I went out and measured my Duramax to the top of the tripod ball where I have it set which is 16 1/4" and the bed to the top of the roll up cover rails is 22". The tripod is sitting top of the bed rids and that is where all measurements were taken. This gives me 6" clearance from the 5th overhang to the rollup cover rail.

When I hook up the 5th wheel hitch, for convienence I set a 2x8x5' on each side of the tripod for two reasons. I have to take them anyway for leveling the trailer and it helps center the hitch perfectly in the bed of the truck. This is not a requirement at all however I like knowing that the hitch is square to the bed without looking. It may only be an 1/8 to 3/8 difference between the sides and it is insigficant but to me it matters. Probably the OCD in me but do what works for piece of mind for you.

The other thing I did was purchase a dedicated 1/2" torque wrench to tighten the hitch bolts. I make sure to torque all three bolts to 40' lbs starting with the top one.

I'm not sure you can attach the chains to any part of the hitch and meet the legal requirements. Worth checking into.

 

[Doublegranch]

Good point with the torque wrench...I do carry one in my truck...I noticed on the Anderson video, the guy was using just a socket wrench and the final twist was not with a torque wrench.
Do the 2 x 8 fit firm between the side of the inside truck bed and the Anderson frame?