Anderson WDH and Prodigy 3 brake controller

Thanks for all the input.   I ordered the Andersen WDH from Hitchsource.com today.  This company was recommended by the Anderson Ca. rep.  There located in Hood River Or.  Since I have the Hood River edition I figured this must be the place (lol).  The hitch part no. is 3324.  It will fit the 177 4” inch frame. Price was $450.00 No shipping or tax.  

I also ordered a trans cooler, Prodigy 3 and the wiring kit for my 07 Toyota fj from Etrailer.com.   They have great customer service and also installation videos.

I still have at least 3 weeks till the trailer comes in.  I will let you know how it all works.  Thanks to you all again for your suggestions and experience, it was a big help.

Hi all, I always seem to come late to the "party", not enough computer "surf" time I suppose.

I have an Andersen WDH, for my 181G, it works great, looks high tech, easy to install, and it reduces the tongue weight by a significant amount. As an added bonus if you remove the entire hitch at a campground, it's small size and light weight makes it easier to store at the campsite as well. One note of caution, Andersen says you don't need to lubricate the ball, but it "squeaks" going over bumps if you don't.   

NOTE: you may have to relocate the break-away switch on the left frame rail about 4" to the rear, to make room to mount the frame clamp. Easy enough to do, but be forewarned. You may want to shorten the WDH chains too, so they don't drag, losing the extra weight won't hurt either.

I had a Prodigy 2, and it worked fine. When I bought my new TV, I didn't want to drill holes in it so I opted for a Prodigy RF, it works just as well, powered from a "power port", (cigarette lighter for us oldies) and can be stored in the console when not in use.

If you opt for the Prodigy RF, the box will mount just in front of the left side frame clamp and all the wires will reach their sockets easily. When you mount the receiver box, the frame rail is harder than the hex head screws they enclose, so the threads "roll" off. (at least mine was) I drilled and tapped the frame and mounted it with 3/4"-1/4" X 20 stainless allen head bolts. Just a little more security, allen and torx bolts still baffle the simpleton thieves in most areas.

All for your information.

Do you know what size the frame is on the pods?  The Andersen # 3324 Weight Distribution Hitch – 4" drop/rise, 2" ball, universal frame brackets fits the following size frames (3", 4", 5" & 6").

I have a 2010 FJ.  I'm not sure what you mean by a tow package.  Mine came with the wires run to the back for a 4-pin connector but I had to install the actual plug. 4-pin connectors don't have a brake pin, so yes, you will have to do some slightly fancy wiring to get a brake wire to the back and yes, pods do use a 7-pin Bargeman connector.

I have a 2010 176 Rpod and have put around 3000 miles on it with no weight distributing hitch and no hint of why I'd need one.  I do highly recommend hooking up the brakes though. I have a Tekonsha Primus IQ controller and am quite happy with it.  It's work flawlessly, but what I like most about it is it makes the trailer brakes work.  I've pulled a lot of trailers without brakes and was used to the stress and caution.  Trailer brakes really take a load of your mind.  I'm sure a WDH might do the same, but I just haven't seen it yet.

TT

When I first picked up my pod I used a 7 pin to 4 pin because that's what was on my old xterra. The new tacoma already had the 7 pin connector installed as part of the tow package. My old tacoma '09 had just the 4 pin connector and would have required the installation of the seven pin with all the associated extra wiring for the battery and brake controller. My toyota dealer would not do the installation.

You might look into the prodigy wireless brake controller. That, I think, would only require the 4 pin connector. However, with a 4 pin connector there would be no battery feed from your TV to the pod. Not a real problem in most cases. The pod battery should be able to run the fridge for a day.

The andersen hitch is rated for 14,000 pounds, so it is heavy duty.