Pintle Hitch

[Rowski]

Trailer question

Can a weight distribution hitch kit be used with a pintle hitch setup? The weight distribution hitch kits I've seen are for ball type hityches.

Thanks.

Derek

 

[Bird]

Just offhand, Derek, I can't think of a good reason such couldn't be built, but I've never seen one if they exist.

Bird

 

[gordon]

I seen quite a few different styles of hitches, but never have seen a pintle with bars and like Bird already has stated not that there isn't one out there already.

Guess you could custom make a head that would accept the hook and bars on the same head.

Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've done it, but it wasn't easy. You haveto cut apart one of the forgings that they make for ball hitches, and weld it onto the hitch plate in a slightly different position than it will be for a ball cause you need an extra chain link or 2 to accomodate the chucking between the hook and the eye. This wouldn't be a problem if you padded the eye to eliminate the chucking.

 

[Rowski]

I was just wondering. The more I talk to people about pintle hitches say that for "small" trailers, 10k to 12k pound, the lossness is very noticable and can at times give quite a jolt. I don't need the distribution hitch on my chevy one ton dump truck, but the rating tag on the Chevy 2500HD says you need it for anything over 7.5K pounds. Will most likely go with the ball type setup.


Thanks-> Bird, Gordon, & Frank for the help.



Derek

 

[Bird]

Personally, I think that's a wise decision, Derek./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I don't like any looseness or jolts in a hitch. On my first trip to Alaska, pulling a 25' travel trailer, at one stop for gas way up in Canada, when I stopped, I told my wife, "Somethin' ain't right" because I felt a tiny jolt as I stopped. Sure enough the nut had backed off a bit on the ball. No damage or harm, but you can bet I've gotten them all good and tight ever since./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Derek, you looking for something like this?

Oops, almost forgot, check out..

http://www.ssbtractor.com/multi_hitch.html

Keep the greasy side down
Mike

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Mike_Dumond on 09/04/01 02:26 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[gordon]

Derek, here is a link to Reese. http://www.reeseprod.com/ In my opinion they are the top of the line hands down.

One thing to consider when going with a bar setup, or to keep in mind is tounge weight. This can change with the way the tractor and any other implements are loaded on the trailer. So at times you may have to pull more links than others. What that means is the amount of tension put on the bars by changing the chain length on the tounge of the trailer.

With a proper hitch hookup both the truck and the trailer are perfectly level. Sometimes this can be hard to master. Measure the trailer level and then you will have your ball height for the truck. Then once tractor is loaded just pull links until the trailer and the truck are perfectly level.

Any other questions just ask./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
good luck
Gordon

 

[Bird]

Gordon, I'd never looked at Reese's web site before; not bad. Although I've had some others that I was happy with, I was always kinda partial to Reese; not sure whether it was because they were better or just because that was the first brand I ever used in a load distributing hitch. I used to adjust the hitches by standing a yardstick at the front and rear bumpers of the tow car before hooking up, and then pull enough links to lower both front and rear bumpers an equal amount.

However, I do not like the Reese dual cam sway control; much prefer the adjustable friction sway control.

Bird

 

[HR_Mutt]

gordon
Just had your attachment photo in my hands yesterday at Quality Farm and Fleet/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.Didn't really need it(only cuz wifie was standing right there!)I wanted it, she would of bought it, did I mention not needing it? I agree, Reese makes some great stuff.
regards
Mutt

 

[gordon]

Bird I agree about the website, first time I was there was today but hay what better way to explain about Reese than to point them to their website.

I always hated setting up dual cams a royal pain to get them right and always had to pull the propane tank mount to mount the front of the cams. Also another thing people would do to keep the noise down was grease them. Well by greasing them they loose the anti-sway value. Friction on the cams is what kept the trailer from swaying. But your 110% correct about the adjustable friction sway being better, just remember to loosen it up before you back up./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The nice thing about Reese is everything is lifetime warranty. We replaced quite a few dual cams because they had worn out at no cost to the customer. Remember where I worked had a very large amount of Airstream customers that were snowbirds. Also trunions wore out replaced free of charge and a few balls as well. A company that stands behind it's product.

Also over the time that I worked there never saw a head fail or a bar fail. Saw quite a few cases of abuse but the stuff held up. Tough as nails. So that is why I prefer Reese over any other brand. Ya gets what ya pays for sometimes/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

At work we had a level pad of concrete where we would do the final setup of the truck/trailer. The pad was poured just for that reason. Everything level, everything is good. Not only the truck level the trailer should be to./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Gordon

 

[Bird]

Yeah, Gordon, 30 years ago we had friends who pulled a travel trailer behind a Mercury station wagon and had that dual cam sway control; sounds terrible when turning slowly, but at least he had sense enough to not grease it./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif As for the warranty, I never had anything break on my Reese, or EZ Lift either, so never found out about the warranty.

Bird

 

[Rowski]

Gordon

Thanks for the link. I install a 1 maybe 2 assemblies a year usually small stuff, cars, small and mid sized pickups. I'm not really to concerned with tongue weight (unless it makes the front end to light) on the old Chevy K35 dump truck. I've had 12k lbs of gravel /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif in her on a 30 mile trip, in hills. The hitch has just has a one inch plate with lots of gussets to the frame rails. The 2001 Chevy 2500HD is a pickup truck with just a receiver hitch type setup. That what needs the distribution setup. I was going to do as you mentioned by measuring the change in ball hieght, lower than normal unloaded position. Someone was telling me that he adjusted it to much and was spinning the rear tires going up paved wet hill. Can you adjusted them that much?

Which is better or do you like better, Heavy duty round bar, standard trunnion, or high performance trunion?

Thanks

Derek

 

[Rowski]

Mike

This is what we are talking about but with a pintle hitch.

Thanks for the help.

Derek

 

[bgott]

Here is something to think about with that pintle hitch. Chevy trucks and maybe others ( I'm four years out of date) have a knock sensor to ****** the timing to control detonation. A loose trailer hitch is famous for driveability complaints. Every time that hitch bangs the computer thinks the motor is knocking and retards the timing. This causes an annoying surge. They cut the sensitivity of the sensor circuit to alleviate this but it can still happen if someone torqued the sensor too tight or if you're really banging the hell out of the hitch. If the pintle hitch keeps your brother- in- law from borrowing the trailer, though, it might be worth it!

 

[Rowski]

Would not suprise me in the least. I've seem some weird stuff with knock sensors. Loose heat shields, loose belts, loud bass stereos, even noisy valve lifters or internal engine noise. Anything that will create a frequency that is in the knock sensors range could effect it. Seems to me the the newer ones mostly OBDII compliant cars are getting a bit less sensitive. I'm lucky, my brother in law is a great guy. Its the new freinds you make instantly, you know the ones like when you got your new tractor! Thanks.

Derek