I installed my Andersen rail mount hitch and adapter this weekend. The adapter was not as easy for me as I was led to believe. First, the temps had dropped to the 20s at night and the adapter was in the bed of the truck. It was in the mid 30s when I started the install, but the adapter would not slide all the way onto the pin. It would jam 1/4" past the notch on the pin. After wrestling it for 20 minutes I thought about the cold contracting metal, so I placed it in front of a space heater in the garage for 30 minutes. Booya! It slipped right on. Then I couldn't find a 15/16" wrench, but finally located a socket still attached to my torque wrench. After putting the bolts in and tightening a little, I realized I had the safety chain kit in the garage. I removed the bolts and replaced with the chain loop bolts. Since I didn't have a 15/16" wrench, I used a hammer handle through the loop while partially tightening the bolts. I only had a hand held Allen wrench to do the set screws and snugged them up, but had to keep tightening them as they would get loose when I did the neighboring set screw. I also had one set screw with a slightly deformed Allen socket that gave me fits for a while until I tapped the wrench into it and reshaped to accept the wrench. Then I tightened down the bolts. Whew!
I now have Allen sockets on order from Amazon so I can torque to 40 ft/lbs, but sent Andersen a note asking if those are what they now recommend 50 lbs on. Since I have the ball receiver behind the hitch, I want to be sure the adapter doesn't flip around on me. I don't plan to tow for a month, but need to pull/push the fiver onto an Andersen Rapid Jack for under carriage work.
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2015 F350 XLT PSD CCSB SRW, Andersen Ultimate hitch
'12 Cougar High Country 299RKS, Mor/Ryde Pinbox
1/77 Armor Bn, 5th Mech, I Corps
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