Yes. The Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch is rated for trailers up to 14,000 lbs GTWR and 1,400 lbs tongue weight, which is based not he rating of the ball mount and includes the safety factors required by third-party testing agencies.

Some people believe the goal of a weight distribution hitch is to eliminate most or all of the tongue weight on the tow vehicle. However, removing too much tongue weight can reduce traction on the rear tires, especially on wet, slick, or gravel roads. The Andersen hitch is designed to leave a portion of the tongue weight on the rear axle to maintain traction and stability while towing.

With a 900 lb tongue weight system, you can expect roughly 30% of the weight to be transferred forward through the weight distribution system, while the remaining weight stays on the rear of the tow vehicle.

It's also important to make sure the tow vehicle itself is properly rated for the trailer and tongue weight. For example, a small crossover vehicle would likely be outside its towing limits, while a properly rated full-size truck or SUV would typically be a good match. When paired with a suitable tow vehicle, the Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch provides sway control, bounce control, and improved weight distribution for a more stable and comfortable towing experience.

 For removing the Spring Clip from the bottom of the ball, we recommend the Westward 4YP48 snap ring plier set. Make sure you are using the straight tips (there are two straight tip sets included – one set opens wider than the other, so use that set). Then watch this short video clip showing how to remove and replace the Spring Clip.

Our hitch controls sway by tongue weight and pressure on the chains so we will go through scenarios that may cause sway and see if remedies for any of these can help.

• Negative tongue weight: If a trailer is heavy in the rear or can become heavy in the rear while going over bumps in the highway (often toy hauler style trailers) the sway control may loosen up and can cause a situation where the sway becomes unmanageable by the hitch. Moving heavier objects forward on the trailer will allow for greater sway control.

• Nose High Trailer: When a trailer is nose high, it allows more air to rush under the trailer which can cause the air to create a minimal lifting of the rear of the trailer, but enough to cause the sway control to relax. Make sure your trailer is level before towing.

• Chain tension: When you first install the chains, we recommend hand-tightening the Tension Nuts with the 1-1/4” socket, then using a wrench to tighten the nuts another 3-4 threads. The red urethane springs should be compressed with a little bit of a bulge. To fine-tune the chain tension, you can tighten or loosen both Tension Nuts 1/2 turn at a time. If needed, you may consider adjusting the chain length (see above).

If you could send a picture or two of the setup that may help us find the solution for your setup to get your WD Hitch functioning the way it should.

Your Weight Distribution hitch should not be making any loud noises, especially loud squeaking.

A quick-fix scenario involves cleaning the cone and tapered section of the ball-housing. In the worst-case scenario, the anti-sway cone may need to be replaced.

Let's try the quick-fix first. You can either watch this video or follow these steps:

Remove the cone from the ball housing. Once the cone is out, use some rubbing alcohol to clean the inside and outside of the cone and then clean the inside area of the ball housing. If you see anything unusual regarding wear or foreign objects, contact us. If it looks good (and you're welcome to send pictures) then just cleaning it should do the trick.

If you are having any trouble, please reach out to our customer service team for additional assistance.

Short Answer:

Some of the best qualities of our hitch compared to the other brands are excellent ride control (sway and bounce), the quietest operation on the market (no popping or squeaking), a clean design that requires no grease, constructed from lightweight aluminum components, and an easy connection and disconnection process.

Long Answer:

You are looking at some of the best options that are out there in the industry. If you are new to towing, you will likely encounter many different opinions, and some people assume their way is the only correct way. The good news is that the options you are considering are all quality systems. Below are some of the advantages of the Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch.

Sway Control 

Sway can be caused by multiple of things while towing. Common causes include head-on traffic passing on two-lane highways, wind getting under the trailer when the nose of the trailer is higher than the rear, and crosswinds while towing. The Andersen hitch provides excellent sway control because the tongue weight of the trailer pushes the ball into the friction liner between the ball and ball housing, which helps lock the ball into position. This system uses the weight of the trailer itself to keep the trailer stable and tracking directly behind the tow vehicle.

Bounce Control

While towing, you will inevitably cross overpasses, railroad tracks, and intersections that can cause the tow vehicle and trailer to bounce. Traditional spring-bar weight distribution hitches use an upward lifting motion that can sometimes cause a porpoising effect, where on bounce leads to several smaller bounces afterward. Our hitch uses red urethane springs at the end of the chains to absorb that energy before it transfers to the tow vehicle. In most cases, once you pass over a bump with the Andersen hitch, you will not feel the repeated bouncing that can occur with other systems.

Weight Distribution 

One of the main reasons people consider a weight distribution hitch is to help manage higher tongue weights and improve steering, braking, and overall towing comfort. Traditional spring-bar systems generally excel at transferring a large amount of weight forward, and they can be the best option if someone wants to remove a significant amount of tongue weight from the rear axle.

The Andersen system works a little differently. Our setup leaves more tongue weight on the tow vehicle than some traditional systems. This additional weight can actually help improve sway and bounce control, since the truck's weight helps stabilize the trailer. Another advantage its hat the Andersen hitch can remain connected while backing up or when driving on wet, slick, or gravel roads, which is not always recommended with some spring-bar setups.

In some cases, if a vehicle already has a significant amount of tongue weight, our hitch may not remove quite as much as some traditional systems. In those situations, some customers may choose to add airbags or other suspension upgrades to further assist with leveling the tow vehicle.

This video clip will show how to replace the anti-sway cone or the tapered ball on your weight distribution hitch.

If you choose to keep using your current ball, we just need to have you send an email to us that says you are aware that using the ball in its lowest position with the ball-funnel can cause scraping and damage to the ball-funnel and hitch, and that you agree to waive damages from the ball being used in the lowest position. 

If you prefer to purchase the new ball (part #3201), it will be an additional $35 (shipping is included with the funnel). 

Tensile strength of chain is measured two different ways. Here's the official specs with both tensile numbers: 

•     3/8" zinc-plated chain
•     Grade 30 commercial
•     2650 lbs minimum working load (sometimes called tensile strength) –with 4x breaking strength
•     Minimum tensile of 55,000 p.s.i. 

There is nothing to be concerned about. During the first several hundred miles of use the anti-sway material in the housing will 'creep' up as the ball seats itself into place and the ball will sink down into the housing. The amount of 'creep' will depend on the weight of your trailer and the type of roads you drive on. This is both normal and intended – and does not affect the use of your WD Hitch.

• Make sure that you are starting out with your trailer level from front to back. We recommend no more than around an inch of difference.

• If you were not the person that installed the WD Hitch originally, go through each of the steps in the manual and make sure your set up matches the installation instructions.
Also, make sure that when you set the brackets up in Step 4 of the manual that the chains are pretty tight (hand tight) before setting the brackets in place (this is more to give a good reference point for troubleshooting). The main thing here is to make sure that the top of the brackets are pulled back tightly (by hand) once the chain tension is maxed out.

•Do not try to get the tow vehicle perfectly level, it is NOT necessary – just make sure that you are not too extreme in either direction (see pictures in the manual for reference). 

• Is the tire pressure of each tire on your trailer and tow vehicle up to par? (Believe it or not this is quite critical and has fixed dozens of customer problems).

• Check your load. Is there too much weight in the trailer or tow vehicle? If not, perhaps the load is too far to the front or back of the trailer or tow vehicle and needs to be distributed better. Remember… it’s better to keep the weight shifted towards the front of the trailer than the back. Approximately 60% in the front and 40% in the back.

• Ensure that the suspension of both the tow vehicle and trailer are in good working order, and adequate for your set up  Bad suspension can result in the Weight Distribution Hitch not being able to properly even your load and can cause unwanted bounce.

• Follow the installation steps, but this time try moving the Ball Housing up a notch (or two) in Step 2, and then try again.

NOTE: You should never have to 'mash' the red spring too far to get the unit to work properly.

Seeing a few red shavings is normal for initial wear and tear as the ball becomes seated into the liner. This is normal after the first few uses of your weight distribution hitch. If you are unsure of what a normal amount may look like, just contact us and send us a photo of what is happening. If it is more than usual, we will work with you in replacing the parts that need to be replaced.