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Using factory receiver with a weight distribution hitch

Discussion in 'Towing' started by Storis, Jul 8, 2014.

  1. Jul 8, 2014 at 11:41 AM
    #1
    Storis

    Storis [OP] Member

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    My daughter has a 2006 Tacoma V-6, SR5, TRD with off road package, and trailer towing package. I would assume that the receiver that comes on the truck with the trailer towing package would be fine to use with a weight distribution hitch, but I just wanted to check with people who are actually towing with one.

    I would also like to know if anyone on here has towed with an Andersen no-sway hitch, specifically in slippery conditions such as rain on oily phoenix freeways, and icy, snowy northern roads. This doesn't have to be with just a Tacoma, I am trying to find out how the Andersen hitch acts in general when towing in slippery conditions, before she buys one for her trailer. I have a concern with this because the Andersen hitch uses a friction anti-sway that cannot be disconnected, and from everything I've read you must disable friction anti-sway devices in slippery towing conditions.
     
  2. Jul 8, 2014 at 1:51 PM
    #2
    Jefes Taco

    Jefes Taco Well-Known Member

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    Should be no issues w/ the factory hitch.

    Not sure about the Andersen. I used a Equalizer brand and while the anti-sway can be disconnected, it's a friction type, you'd also lose the weight distribution as well. It'd be just a really expensive ball hitch. Also, I've never heard that about friction anti-sway hitches.
     
  3. Jul 9, 2014 at 5:24 AM
    #3
    Spindifferent

    Spindifferent Well-Known Member

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  4. Jul 10, 2014 at 3:22 AM
    #4
    bigmooze

    bigmooze Well-Known Member

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    Belle River, ON
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    Bilstein 5100's all round (0" up front with stock springs), 265/75/16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs, K&N 63 Series Aircharger Kit, Flowmaster Super 44 Muffler, Delta Champion Toolbox, fog lights, back-up lights, Sirius satellite radio with PA15-TOY, Midland 1001z CB radio with 2' Firestik II antenna, Weathertech floor mats, AVS sill protectors, Marathon SuperHides Seatcovers (Universal Digital Camo), trimmed front mud flaps, Viair 20005 OBA, Warn W650D driving lights and W650F fog lights on N-Fab light bar, Hi-Lift X-treme jack with off road accessories, TracRac "TracONE" system
    I'm using the Equal-I-Zer WD hitch with the factory receiver. No issues here.

    I did find that I needed a longer shank for the hitch head to allow better levelling of the trailer, because the original shank didn't give me enough holes to move the hitch head down far enough (my camper's trailer coupler is relatively low to the ground).
     
  5. Jul 10, 2014 at 7:03 PM
    #5
    campthewestcoast

    campthewestcoast Oceanfisherman

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    Stay away from the anderson hitch, very poor design but they a good marketing team to hide the flaws in the system. They use a chain and rubber bushings for the tension side of the WDH which means when you use the hitch to relieve the tounge wieght of the trailer onto the front axle as a proper WDH hitch does, you smash the rubber bushings at the end of the chain which causes a weak point of the system (have to replace the rubber bushings often) Plus you can never get enough tension to level out the Tow Vech. and the travel trailer if you have high tounge wieght from a travel trailer (this system may work on a livestock trailer) The add I saw was them using a horse trailer. The ball that rotates on a tapering sleeve with some kind of braking material to prevent sway would wear out have to be replaced. How much maintance do you want with a hitch that doesn't work. The last thing to look at is the lightwieght mounting points that it uses from the truck reciever to tension points of the chain, 1/4" steel plate welded in a poor design could fail. All you have to do is compair it to a standard WDH with spring bars. I use a WDH with spring bars with no sway control but I tow a low profile travel trailer. The equailizer brand WDH with 4 way sway control is the best if towing a standard travel trailer.
     
  6. Jul 10, 2014 at 7:25 PM
    #6
    Storis

    Storis [OP] Member

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    I will definitely get the Andersen and try it. It's easy to install I can do it myself in about an hour, most of the people who actually towed with it have only good things to say about it, and if I don't like it there is a 90 day money back guarantee and they cover they shipping to return it. There is very little maintenance from what i have read The bushings are not rubber they are urethane you only compress them slightly not smash them, urethane bushings are used in a lot of high performance car suspensions, and also in industry and military in a wide variety of shock absorbing applications. In the research I have done nobody has mentioned having to replace them at all. The friction material is guaranteed for life and there are people people with 10,000 and more miles of towing on these hitches with no sign of wear on the friction material or bushings. Most people who have actually used the hitch have no complaints getting the truck level if it is set up correctly. I hate to do this especially since I am new on here but people who have never tried something shouldn't knock it, especially when they obviously have done no research on it.. I suggest reading the 170 some page thread on airforums the airstream trailer forum. There is another large thread on, I believe it is called Woodhalls forum also, I haven't had a chance to read it yet but intend to.
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2014
  7. Jul 11, 2014 at 12:33 PM
    #7
    Storis

    Storis [OP] Member

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    I must apologize, after doing some more reading I did find one posting of friction material failure with a picture of it. I also found a posting stating that it looks as though Andersen has changed friction material since this has happened with a picture. The hitch is new, it's different, but that doesn't make it a piece of junk, The company on several occasions has made changes to correct problems users have told them about, they also seem to be continually trying to improve on the hitches safety and performance, being open to customer problems and trying to improve their product in my opinion is all you can ask of a company. There are no perfect hitches, they all have problems. But I am going to try this hitch myself before I slam it, if I don't like it I will sell it or return it and try something else.
     
  8. Apr 26, 2015 at 9:46 PM
    #8
    Storis

    Storis [OP] Member

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    It's been quite awhile since I was on here but I wanted to update everyone; my daughter got the Anderson No-Sway and after a few teething problems (nothing that was the hitches fault it was the two morons setting it up) the hitch is great. She's towing a 21' Look enclosed car hauler and there is no bouncing and banging like there used to be. Trailer behaves really well in the wind, it will sway just a little when a really hard gust hits it, but tractor trailers on the freeway don't phase it at all. Haven't been on the scales and don't intend to, the trailer sits level the truck is 1/2" lower in back and 1/2" higher in front than when it is unhitched. It may not be perfect but its within acceptable limits and Its a whole lot better than it was without the hitch. No handling problems, easy hookup, she loves the fact that theres no grease and heavy bars to mess with. She drags this thing all over the Phoenix area some days she's in Buckeye with it in the morning and Queen creek in the afternoon does all her own hooking and unhooking. All in all its a really nice setup, so all I can say to the naysayers is you can get behind a mule and keep plowing that field the same old way or you can try that new fangled tractor and find you may actually like it.
     
  9. Apr 27, 2015 at 6:26 AM
    #9
    scottfarm

    scottfarm Well-Known Member

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    The fact that your front is higher when hooked up shows it is not set up right or the hitch is not doing its job.
     
  10. Apr 27, 2015 at 6:31 AM
    #10
    KMitch

    KMitch Well-Known Member

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    1/2" is perfectly acceptable...it is set up just fine.
     
  11. Apr 27, 2015 at 12:09 PM
    #11
    Storis

    Storis [OP] Member

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    Thanks for backing me up Kmitch, I spoke with both the trailer distributor, and Toyota District Service rep and they assured me that 1/2" on each end is perfectly fine they said even an much as an inch on each end isn't a concern. The Anderson owners manual states that the primary concern is getting the trailer level when the hitch is adjusted, the tow vehicle doesn't have to be level as long as it is within manufacturer spec for how far from level is allowable. Toyota also verified this.
     
  12. Apr 27, 2015 at 12:21 PM
    #12
    KMitch

    KMitch Well-Known Member

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