Pintel hook?

dliston · Aug 17, 2004

I'm looking for a trailer. In today's paper there is a used 21' Tri axle equipment trailer rated @ 16,000# for $700. It has a pintel hook-up. Is a pintel hook something you can drive on the road with - I thought they we mostly used on farm trailers. In terms of hooking it up to my truck (Chevy 3500 dually) I can get a pintel for the receiver, but was unsure about the safety of it on the highway.

Thanks,

Soundguy · Aug 17, 2004

I havn't seen pintel hooks on small trailers.. but I have seen them on commercial stuff. For instance.. we have a dump truck with a pintel hitch.. it tows a tag trailer and rubber tire backhoe/loader with it to small jobs that need a load of dirt delivered and worked..

Soundguy

MicroPilot · Aug 17, 2004

I've seen pintel hook trailers being pulled on the road. I'd always thought that this type of hitch was for heavy loads, as it seems safer than a ball type hitch because the trailer "ring" is totally enclosed by the truck part of the hitch. Saw a pintel hitch trailer yesterday, similiar to what you described, hauling a mid size Case Bull dozer being pulled by a small 5 yard dump truck.

LarryRB · Aug 17, 2004

I run a pintle on my trailer, 18 fto, 12,000 Bri-Mar. Wouldn't want a ball hitch..

Tom_W · Aug 17, 2004

We have one on a "jet" trailer at work. It has a 500 gallon water tank on for the jet and a 3 cyl motor. for the pump. We pull it with a gmc 2500 hd all over town. Got to get used to the slop in it versus the ball hitch though.

virgil · Aug 17, 2004

I would prefer a pintel hitch over a ball. I believe that they are stronger, safer, and since the pintel hitch is not verry popular, it would be more difficult for a thief to hook up to the trailer.

755inNY · Aug 17, 2004

Doug,

They are perfectly safe on the highway. They are typically used for trailer weights that exceed what a ball mount can take. My neighbor has a trailer set up this way and tows it with an F350. I've also towed it several times with my (wife's) F250. I would not have any concern about it and would prefer it for a trailer that heavy.

Jeff

Bird · Aug 17, 2004

I've never owned a trailer with the pintle hitch, but from what I've seen and read, I agree that it would be a plus to me.

Joe1 · Aug 17, 2004

My main concern towing a trailer that heavy is that you had a trailer hitch assembly that could handle something that heavy. For good towing, you need at least 10% minimum (12% would be better) of the total trailer/load weight on the hitch, or (1,600 lbs minimum if carrying a full load). Many trailer hitch assemblies/receiver, etc have a 1,000 lb load limit.

Someone else can help here, but it's either a Class IV or Class V hitch on the truck to handle a tongue load over 1,000 lbs.

My second concern is that you not exceed the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR). Your 6,000 lb truck plus the 16,000 trailer load would require a GCVWR of 22,000 lbs, which I'm guessing your 3500 does not have.

Just some thoughts so we don't read about you later in the safety section of this forum.

Good Luck

Joe

RayH · Aug 17, 2004

A pintle is fine for highway use and is prefered for heavy loads. Ive got a pintle on my 9990lbs trailer that I pull with my F350. For me, the advantage I see in the pintle is that its easy as cake to hook up by my self. You dont have to be as accurate when backing up to it as you do a ball. The worse thing about it is the slop. You can feel it and hear it. I can mount either a lunette eye or a ball mount on my trailer, I choose the lunette and pintle.