Pintle hitch

[coolbrze]

Who makes a good strong bolt-on 16K pintle hitch w/ 3 ball combo? I'll need the 2" & 2 5/16" balls for the trailers & the pintle for the chipper. I'm guessing I'll actually need 2 diff. hitches...

 

[groundsmgr]

Should be any grade 8 bolt.

 

[dingeryote]

http://www.curtmfg.com/index.cfm?event=prodetail&id=52&categoryid=31

You'll have to lug around a dedicated 2" ball hitch though.

I am unaware of any multi-ball/pintle combo out there.

It might be easier to just covert all the trailers to a lunette, and quit fussing with the silly ball latches and such.
I am to the point I hate Ball hitches myself. LOL!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[coolbrze]

So they don't make one w/ interchangeable balls (1 7/8", 2", & 2 5/16") w/ the same diameter shank so you could swap any of the three in/out?

 

[Rookie1]

At work we have a pintle with bolt in ball and you could get any of the three but its not really easy or quick to swap them out.Id see about switching one of the ball hitches then youd just hae the pintle and leave one sixe ball on it.

 

[redprospector]

If I didn't have my chipper sold, I would change it to a ball hitch.
I hate a pintle hitch with a passion. They have way too much slop for my liking, and beat the crap out of everything (or at least it feels like it).

Andy

 

[Torquin]

Gee, when I went to look up "lunette", as I had never heard that term before, look what I found: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-P~PH4.htm
Seems like it fits the bill of what you are looking for, coolbrze.

Chris

 

[Brimmstone]

Gee, when I went to look up "lunette", as I had never heard that term before, look what I found: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-P~PH4.htm
Seems like it fits the bill of what you are looking for, coolbrze.

Chris

DO NOT USE THAT STYLE!!!!!!!!! I had one and the pin that held the ball on came out and ripped the front of my trailer apart. Cost me a day of my time and 120 in parts to put a new hitch on the trailer.

 

[Torquin]

DO NOT USE THAT STYLE!!!!!!!!! I had one and the pin that held the ball on came out and ripped the front of my trailer apart. Cost me a day of my time and 120 in parts to put a new hitch on the trailer.

How did the pin that holds the ball on cause all that damage? You are talking about the little pin that goes though the ball, right? Please explain more so we understand what I suppose is the weak point of this design.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Brimmstone]

It vibrated out slightly when it was turned and when I pulled straight it ripped the hitch apart

 

[dingeryote]

If I didn't have my chipper sold, I would change it to a ball hitch.
I hate a pintle hitch with a passion. They have way too much slop for my liking, and beat the crap out of everything (or at least it feels like it).

Andy

LOL!!!

It's something ya get used to. Sort of.

Try 6-8 tons of tippy lugs of fruit on top of a 3 ton trailer in rut filled sand and mud.
Ya feel every thump and bump all the way to the wallet.

Ball hitches fail more often and are not up to the task of rough terrain use with heavy loads IMO.

But they are nice for the comfy ride, and keeping the dishes in the RV cabinet.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Torquin]

It vibrated out slightly when it was turned and when I pulled straight it ripped the hitch apart

OK, I'm trying to picture this. You're saying that you were using a ball hitch and when you turned the truck, turning a corner, etc., the trailer got at enough of an angle that the keeper pin, holding the ball on the large vertical pin, was able to work it's way out between the locking mechanism and the ball cavity on the hitch, then when you straightened up the truck and trailer the pin tore up the ball cavity of the hitch?
Not trying to be dense or mess with you, I'm just trying to figure what happened so I remember why *I* am not going to buy one myself.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Torquin]

LOL!!!

It's something ya get used to. Sort of.

Try 6-8 tons of tippy lugs of fruit on top of a 3 ton trailer in rut filled sand and mud.
Ya feel every thump and bump all the way to the wallet.

Ball hitches fail more often and are not up to the task of rough terrain use with heavy loads IMO.

But they are nice for the comfy ride, and keeping the dishes in the RV cabinet.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

I thought pintles were mainly for when the load exceeded the ratings of 2 5/16 balls, which are up to 15 or 16K. I converted my chipper to use a ball for the same reason as redprospector stated, I hate the slop, and since my chipper only weighs about 6K, I don't figure I'll have a problem with it.
Is my thinking wrong?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Brimmstone]

OK, I'm trying to picture this. You're saying that you were using a ball hitch and when you turned the truck, turning a corner, etc., the trailer got at enough of an angle that the keeper pin, holding the ball on the large vertical pin, was able to work it's way out between the locking mechanism and the ball cavity on the hitch, then when you straightened up the truck and trailer the pin tore up the ball cavity of the hitch?
Not trying to be dense or mess with you, I'm just trying to figure what happened so I remember why *I* am not going to buy one myself.

Thanks,
Chris

That is almost exactly how it happened except I was coming up out of a steep driveway when it happened. I used the torches I had on the truck and cut a hole in the top of the hitch and dropped what was left onto the pin itself. I called a friend to drive my jeep back to the garage while I slowly limped the trailer back to the shop. After that little incident I will not use a ball with a pin going through it or anything less than a bulldog hitch.

 

[redprospector]

LOL!!!

It's something ya get used to. Sort of.

Try 6-8 tons of tippy lugs of fruit on top of a 3 ton trailer in rut filled sand and mud.
Ya feel every thump and bump all the way to the wallet.

Ball hitches fail more often and are not up to the task of rough terrain use with heavy loads IMO.

But they are nice for the comfy ride, and keeping the dishes in the RV cabinet.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Hahaha. They always told me I'd get used to it, but I never did. I've pulled a lot of different things with a pintle hitch, I even pulled doubles otr for a little while, and hated every minute of it.
I even had a fleeting thought of putting a gooseneck on my chipper, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work with a dump.

Andy

 

[redprospector]

I thought pintles were mainly for when the load exceeded the ratings of 2 5/16 balls, which are up to 15 or 16K. I converted my chipper to use a ball for the same reason as redprospector stated, I hate the slop, and since my chipper only weighs about 6K, I don't figure I'll have a problem with it.
Is my thinking wrong?

Thanks,
Chris

I don't know if your thinking is wrong or not, but it's the same as mine so it sounds good to me.

Andy

 

[dingeryote]

I thought pintles were mainly for when the load exceeded the ratings of 2 5/16 balls, which are up to 15 or 16K. I converted my chipper to use a ball for the same reason as redprospector stated, I hate the slop, and since my chipper only weighs about 6K, I don't figure I'll have a problem with it.
Is my thinking wrong?

Thanks,
Chris

Nah!!!!

The Ball Hitches just cant take the pounding of HEAVY loads and articulation at the same time. They are fine for normal stuff though IMO.

Pintles are MUCH easier to line up to and get on and off in a hurry, and are more forgiving in the rough though.

6k ain't nothing. I have seen Hickabilly Blueberry Ranchers pull ball hitch trailers with enough tongue weight to bottom out 1 Tons and 20K or so.

Ya see all sorts stuff come in at recieving stations that would give any DOT guy a coronary.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Torquin]

That is almost exactly how it happened except I was coming up out of a steep driveway when it happened. I used the torches I had on the truck and cut a hole in the top of the hitch and dropped what was left onto the pin itself. I called a friend to drive my jeep back to the garage while I slowly limped the trailer back to the shop. After that little incident I will not use a ball with a pin going through it or anything less than a bulldog hitch.

OK, thanks for the clarification.
Did you go back to the manufacturer or where you bought it for restitution? If so, what did they say?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

http://www.curtmfg.com/index.cfm?event=prodetail&id=52&categoryid=31

You'll have to lug around a dedicated 2" ball hitch though.

I am unaware of any multi-ball/pintle combo out there.

It might be easier to just covert all the trailers to a lunette, and quit fussing with the silly ball latches and such.
I am to the point I hate Ball hitches myself. LOL!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

This type of lunette? ROFLOL

Lunette; home
http://www.lunettecup.co.uk/index.php?id=67
:hmm3grin2orange:

Receiver hitches are kind of a pain for turning, backing, hitching and unhitching. For example: Is the trailer coupler really seated and secured on the ball?; Are parts like the ball coming unbolted? Receiver hitches often require equalizer springs and anti-sway bars. I prefer Fifth wheel or Gooseneck because they center the load and turning point at the rear axle, not at the rear bumper.

 

[Brimmstone]

OK, thanks for the clarification.
Did you go back to the manufacturer or where you bought it for restitution? If so, what did they say?

Thanks,
Chris

I was told that there was no possible way for that to happen and because I cut the hitch up to get it home before I could take pics I was told I must have done the damage myself. The fact you could see a large tear in the hitch about 3/4 of an inch below where I cut the hole in the top. I still have the piece of crap sitting in my bedbox for use with tow straps and as an emergency pintle hitch. I personally prefer the one I was using in Ohio before someone decided they needed it more than I did and cut the lock of my hitch pin and stole it. I had one of those red multi ball units with a pintle hitch that was height adjustable also. When I get my income tax next year I'll get another one but for now I'll play musical hitches for towing stuff.