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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    Andersen Levelers Boo Boo

    Had a bit of a harrowing experience at the RV park today. Had to relocate my trailer to a new spot and was curious if I would need to use my new Andersen Levelers. After backing in, I checked for level and indeed had to bring one side up a bit. I placed the levelers at the front of the two tires and up she went. Figured all was good, except… I forgot to chock behind the tires. I’m sure you can guess what comes next…

    As I’m raising the jack to unhitch the trailer, everything is looking fine. I use one of those little camco cones, rather than just the foot that comes with the jack. I have a Husky Centerline hitch which requires you to raise the trailer high enough to release the sway bars. One side comes off without an issue, but I had to wrestle with the other side a bit as my truck was not quite straight to the trailer (I know this is a mistake). Once unhooked, I continue to lift the trailer off the ball when, all of a sudden, my trailer lurches backwards, the cone kicks out, and my trailer slams straight down onto the pavement, stopping on the partially extended jack shaft. (Ironically, I think having the cone prevented the jack from dragging, which probably would have bent the shaft)

    In hindsight, the trailer simply rolled back off the levelers after being unhitched. After about a ten minute panic, I collected my thoughts and rehitched the trailer, starting the process over, making sure to chock both sides of my trailer before releasing the hitch off my truck.

    If this happened at a campsite with soft earth, I would have been dead meat. That shaft surely would have dug down deep enough to make recovery difficult or impossible.

    Related or not, I think I’ve seen enough with this Husky hitch. It’s a pain in the butt to handle and I’m just not comfortable with it. Operator error was clearly the issue here, but lack of confidence with my equipment contributed some. Curious if all the hitches out there are as cumbersome to use.

    Probably will never chock my tires enough to feel 100% confident, but I will chock, chock, chock, from now on.

    Jim
    Jim
    Henderson, NV
    2018 Imagine 2970RL
    2021 Ram 2500 6.7L Diesel

  2. #2
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Lessons learned.....we've all had them. Just be thankful no real damage done. Can you imagine being park on a sloped site and the trailer starts rolling backwards towards an immovable object like a tree....or maybe into a creek behind your camping spot.......or even another truck or trailer. It certainly could have been a lot worse!
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  3. #3
    Site Team Ynot4me2's Avatar
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    Glad things turned out for the best. Mishaps happens to many of us. Your exact same situation almost happen to me just this past summer. Quick last minutes weekend get away after a rough 2 weeks at work. Wife got a nice spot at a cg with a pond right behind our lot. Wasn't even pull in and our neighbor was out wanting to help but was mostly just looking for new friends to share his family history, medical situation, career path..... you know the type. As I got the trailer to where I wanted he was quick to point out the obvious that our site stopped towards the pond and then continued yapping. As I was unhitching and trying my very best to ignore him and concentrate on what I was doing, removed both bars of our Center Line, lowered, unclipped the hitch and the realized that I wasn't choked. Came real close. I then promised myself never to get distracted ever again. Scared the bejesus out of me.

    I don't like our Husky Centerline as I find to noisy. It works as advertised for distribution and sway but it's just noisy. We turn heads when pulling in and out of places. But with most if not all wdh you'll have to raise and lower to remove either bars or chains.

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  4. #4
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Ever since our first trailer (Aliner pop up) started to roll on us once the chocks are the first thing that happens after we park before we unhitch. Even if we are on level ground. IF we ever upgrade to auto level it still will be the first thing on the set up list.

    Marcy & Gary
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  5. #5
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhittleBurner View Post
    Ever since our first trailer (Aliner pop up) started to roll on us once the chocks are the first thing that happens after we park before we unhitch. Even if we are on level ground. IF we ever upgrade to auto level it still will be the first thing on the set up list.

    Autolevel would have no bearing on needing to chock the wheels or not. You have to disconnect from the truck before you engage autolevel, so if it's going to roll, it will.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
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  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ynot4me2 View Post
    I don't like our Husky Centerline as I find to noisy. It works as advertised for distribution and sway but it's just noisy. We turn heads when pulling in and out of places. But with most if not all wdh you'll have to raise and lower to remove either bars or chains.

    Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk
    A light coat of vaseline on the bottom and sides of the bars and on the flat of the frame brackets will reduce wear and eliminate most of the noise. My hitch dealer (not the GD dealer) recommended the use of vaseline when I bought the hitch.

  7. #7
    Fireside Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by tfgd21bhe View Post
    A light coat of vaseline on the bottom and sides of the bars and on the flat of the frame brackets will reduce wear and eliminate most of the noise. My hitch dealer (not the GD dealer) recommended the use of vaseline when I bought the hitch.
    True, but the same friction that causes the noise and wear is also what inhibits sway. Noisy bars go hand in hand with anti-sway.
    Dave and Cathy
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  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by dkayak View Post
    True, but the same friction that causes the noise and wear is also what inhibits sway. Noisy bars go hand in hand with anti-sway.
    I haven't experienced any sway with my 21bhe towed with my Chevy Colorado even though I've been using vaseline on the bars.

    Husky manual states not to lubricate top and bottom plates and trunnions as they are responsible for anti sway feature.

    The manual also states:

    Keep lift brackets clean, and using a light lubrication on the lift bracket support surfaces to keep rust to a minimum is acceptable.

  9. #9
    Seasoned Camper
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    I'm puzzled.

    The Andersen levelers come with a little wedge that is supposed to secure the long, curved part.

    Is it these you forgot to install or the regular chocks on the other side of the trailer?
    2023 Reflection 315RLTS
    2017 Ford F-350 Crew Cab Short Bed SRW, 6.7L Diesel
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by NewGuy View Post
    Had a bit of a harrowing experience at the RV park today. Had to relocate my trailer to a new spot and was curious if I would need to use my new Andersen Levelers. After backing in, I checked for level and indeed had to bring one side up a bit. I placed the levelers at the front of the two tires and up she went. Figured all was good, except… I forgot to chock behind the tires. I’m sure you can guess what comes next…

    As I’m raising the jack to unhitch the trailer, everything is looking fine. I use one of those little camco cones, rather than just the foot that comes with the jack. I have a Husky Centerline hitch which requires you to raise the trailer high enough to release the sway bars. One side comes off without an issue, but I had to wrestle with the other side a bit as my truck was not quite straight to the trailer (I know this is a mistake). Once unhooked, I continue to lift the trailer off the ball when, all of a sudden, my trailer lurches backwards, the cone kicks out, and my trailer slams straight down onto the pavement, stopping on the partially extended jack shaft. (Ironically, I think having the cone prevented the jack from dragging, which probably would have bent the shaft)

    In hindsight, the trailer simply rolled back off the levelers after being unhitched. After about a ten minute panic, I collected my thoughts and rehitched the trailer, starting the process over, making sure to chock both sides of my trailer before releasing the hitch off my truck.

    If this happened at a campsite with soft earth, I would have been dead meat. That shaft surely would have dug down deep enough to make recovery difficult or impossible.

    Related or not, I think I’ve seen enough with this Husky hitch. It’s a pain in the butt to handle and I’m just not comfortable with it. Operator error was clearly the issue here, but lack of confidence with my equipment contributed some. Curious if all the hitches out there are as cumbersome to use.

    Probably will never chock my tires enough to feel 100% confident, but I will chock, chock, chock, from now on.

    Jim
    You have to remember to use the small wedges that came with the Andersons as a chock on the Anderson’s to keep the trailer from rolling off the Anderson’s when you unhitch. Same for Beech Lane. And yes Chock the tires too. I always use a scissor chock between my tires before I unhitch, at least on one side.
    Last edited by BigSam; 11-06-2021 at 08:23 PM.

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