Why a pintle hitch?

[mojoinco]

Just a comment on the towing capacity of the ball hitch: most hitches have two ratings: with WD , and without it. And the without it on factory hitches seems to be 5000#.

I am looking into the much higher than 10,000 # ball hitches. You can find them rated to as high as 18,000#. But they all give you the run around in the fine print about being limited to what the manufacturer says is the load limit. And the manufacturers limit is mostly the same as the hitches they sell for bumper pulling. I think we have a large amount of room being made for the lawyers and the actual reliable amount of towing the modern 3/4~1 ton trucks are capable of.

Sorry for the temporary high thread jacking.

 

[FlaDon]

This is usually true but not always. The hitch on my F-350 is rated at 12K or 15K with WD. The one on my F-250 is 10K or 14K with WD. The one on my Titan is 7.5K or 10K WD but this truck is limited to 9.5K max tow rating which take over as the limit.

I am not the safety police but I will tell you from experience I broke a 10K rated hitch on a F-250 with a 14K load. My uncle also broke a ball mount with his F-350. I would get a heavier hitch, ball, and mount. Plain and simple. If it breaks and wrecks your stuff or kills someone your insurance is going to leave you out in the cold. It does not happen often but I see a broken hitch at least once a year in my marine business.

Chris

I think I found it laying in the road yesterday. Yellow painted Pintle on the bar that was broken at the pin hole.

 

[Stimw]

When you see semi's towing doubles and triples they are connected with pintle hook systems. The trailers have the hitch and they use converter dolly's to the rear trailer. The hitches they use have an air cylinder that extends a pin and snubs the slack. The air cylinder is activated when trailer brakes are released. There is no slack in this system.

 

[stevecobb76]

It is sorta loosey-goosey and always seems to grind around when cornering. I've never had one fail, but I would agree that they just don't seem as smooth as a ball hitch. Given my 'druthers, I like my GN trailer. But, that's just my personal preference and not based on any strength or flex factors.

I would gladly take the toughness and safety over smoothness of a hitch any day. And if you are worried about smoothness, then you are driving the wrong kind of vehicle to start with.
big and tough is not equal to smooth and comfort
you dont get smooth and comfort with a truck and trailer big enough to need that hitch

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have a combo pintal/2 5/16 ball hitch that bolts to a flat plate on the reciever with four bolts. That way, the ball/pintal height is somewhat adjustable. The four bolts worry me after an incident out on the interstate one day.

I was driving along the interstate after dropping off a load of pole barn material when I saw a breakdwown in the future. I soon recognized it as the company's post hole digger truck with a 14k BP trailer and skid loader. The four bolts holding the pintal had sheared. The breakaway chains kept the trailer from going anywhere. I carried air jacks on the truck so we got everything squared away.

Anyway, I had bought the combo hitch to bring an office trailer to my farm and only ever used that hitch the one time. After seeing those bolts break, I think if I used the hitch regularly I would be watching those bolts really close.

FWIW, I like pintals having pulled tag along equipment trailers way back with a dump truck plus a lot of doubles when I ran LTL.

 

[Bedlam]

I have a combo pintal/2 5/16 ball hitch that bolts to a flat plate on the reciever with four bolts. That way, the ball/pintal height is somewhat adjustable. The four bolts worry me after an incident out on the interstate one day.

I was driving along the interstate after dropping off a load of pole barn material when I saw a breakdwown in the future. I soon recognized it as the company's post hole digger truck with a 14k BP trailer and skid loader. The four bolts holding the pintal had sheared. The breakaway chains kept the trailer from going anywhere. I carried air jacks on the truck so we got everything squared away.

Anyway, I had bought the combo hitch to bring an office trailer to my farm and only ever used that hitch the one time. After seeing those bolts break, I think if I used the hitch regularly I would be watching those bolts really close.

FWIW, I like pintals having pulled tag along equipment trailers way back with a dump truck plus a lot of doubles when I ran LTL.

Do you know if they were Grade ''8'' bolts?

 

[JerryK]

A lot of your wood chippers use a pintle hitch. I put one on my Dodge Cummins, but never found a chipper that I could afford......

 

[QRTRHRS]

Do you know if they were Grade ''8'' bolts?

Been quite a few years but I would say probably. That company was pretty good about doing proper maintenance. The digger/driver always took his time. That particular interstate was likely the cause. It was pretty rough at that time.

 

[farm boy00]

I like my pintle hitch for mud bog. Can put a chain or tow strap on it and tow your truck out fast. Alot faster then trying to use a clevis.

Speaking of that. I need to through my pintle hitch in my truck for a mud bog tomorrow. Wish me luck