Andersen Manufacturing, Inc. (dba Andersen Hitches) • 3125 N. Yellowstone, Idaho Falls, ID 83401 • 800-635-6106 • www.andersenhitches.com

August 12, 2011 Re: Ultimate in short-bed trucks DoestheAndersenUltimateConnectionworkinshortbedtrucks?SofarwehavenotcomeacrossanymakeormodelsofshortbedtrucksthattheUltimateConnectiondoesnotworkin,includingtheshorter5ft3inchbeds(seevideocliphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxi1rMc42sM).Therearetwothingstokeepinmindwhenusingourhitchinashortbedtruck(oranyotherbrandofhitchforthatmatter):1.Aswithallhitchesonthemarket,watchyourcabclearancethefirsttimeyouuseyourhitchsoyouareaware

ofthelimitationsofyourparticularcombinationoftrailer,towvehicle,andhitch.Keepinmindthatinsometrailer/truckcombinationsyouwillnotgetafull90degreeturn(moreaboutthatbelow).

2.Watchyourside-railclearancethefirsttimeyouuseyourhitchsoyouareawareofthelimitationsofyour

particularcombinationofpinbox,towvehicle,andhitch.Manyofthecurrenttrailersontheroaduseasuper-extendedpinboxthatmaynotclearyourside-railsfullyandcausedamage.TheUltimateConnectioncanhelpinthissituation(see"Side-RailClearance"below).

90-DegreeTurnsThequestionoftencomesup,"CanIturn90-degreeswiththeAndersenUltimateConnection?"Withoutadoubt,theUltimateConnectiongivesthemostclearanceavailablewithoutusingaslider–ouroffsethelpstremendouslywiththefront-to-backclearanceasitallowsaround8to9inchesofoffsetforyou–buttheanswertothatquestionistotallydependentontheshapeandwidthofyourtrailer'snoseanditspositionrelativetothekingpin.However,anotherpointshouldreallybemadehere–whileturningafull90degreesmayseemtobeanidealsituation,itdoesputtremendoustorqueonthewheelsandaxles,basicallyskiddingthetiresatthetoppointoftheturnasopposedtopullingyourtrailerforward.ManypeoplefindthattheyarebetteroffNOTturningassharplyasthatintheiruseofthetrailer,whichmaybewhyalotofpeopleendupNOTusingtheirsliderfully.Inourowntrailer-pullingwehavefoundthatafull90-degreeturnisalmostneverneeded.So–cantheAndersenUltimateConnectionallowa90-degreeturn?Yes,aslongasthewidthandpositionofthetrailernose(relativetothekingpin)allowsit.Itisthoseparticularvariablesthatdirectlycauseclearanceissues.Side-RailClearanceInmostset-upsthepinboxofyourtrailershouldbeabletoclearyourtruck'sside-rails,however,ifyourtrailerhappenstohavealongextendedpinbox,thenthere'sachancethepinboxmighthityourside-rails.Ifthatisthecasethecouplerblockcanberotated180degreestodecreasetheoffset.(Toseewhatrotatingthecouplerblockdoes,gotominute4ofthisvideoclip:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=78l-PadWAro.)Inmostsituationsthiswouldbesufficienttotakecareofanyclearanceissues,however,keepinmindthatbyrotatingthecouplerblock,youarenowmovingthenoseofthetrailerclosertothetruckcab,sowatchyourcabclearancethefirsttimeyouuseyourhitchsoyouareawareofanychangedclearancelimitationsyoumightnowbefacingwithyourparticularcombinationoftrailerandtowvehicle.Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestions,pleasefeelfreetocontactus.