Community Forums

jklingel · 10-22-2021, 09:57 PM

Do any of you folks tow with a pintle hitch instead of a ball? Seems a less problematic method. Thanks. j

Isaac-1 · 10-22-2021, 10:55 PM

Pintle hitch towing tends to be much more jerky than ball hitch systems, and tends to only be used in heavy equipment towing (over 10,000 pounds)

Collyn · 10-23-2021, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

Pintle hitch towing tends to be much more jerky than ball hitch systems, and tends to only be used in heavy equipment towing (over 10,000 pounds)

It also presents major problems if used with over-run braking.
Collyn

Hpozzuoli · 10-23-2021, 05:22 AM

I have Pintle set ups on a couple of my work trailers. I tow those trailers with dump trucks. Most are somewhere around 10-15k fully loaded and move the dump trucks around a bit because the Pintle isn’t a tight connection like the ball. I couldn’t imagine using a pintle on anything other than an actual bus like a Prevost.

jklingel · 10-23-2021, 02:47 PM

Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering about pintles solving the "problem" of having to be careful that the tow bar on a ball system does not lever itself off the ball in some unusual situation. I tow a skid steer w/ my p/u and, other than the noticeable clunk now and then, I have not noticed any affect on the p/u. That said, I am not towing all day long, either. If we get a toad, I will try hauling a car on my loader trailer (pintle) on a short trip, just to see if the above mentioned items occur enough to warrant building a new trailer. Sigh. I thought I was done building trailers....

Isaac-1 · 10-23-2021, 03:10 PM

Most people in the US flat towing with a motorhome use a motorhome mounted tow bar so there is not ball hitch connector, the tow bar simply slides into the receiver tube, see this for an installation example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7tQiyEIB4

Collyn · 10-23-2021, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jklingel

Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering about pintles solving the "problem" of having to be careful that the tow bar on a ball system does not lever itself off the ball in some unusual situation. I tow a skid steer w/ my p/u and, other than the noticeable clunk now and then, I have not noticed any affect on the p/u. That said, I am not towing all day long, either. If we get a toad, I will try hauling a car on my loader trailer (pintle) on a short trip, just to see if the above mentioned items occur enough to warrant building a new trailer. Sigh. I thought I was done building trailers....

The major issue with a pintle hitch is that it is a 'loose' connection that results in ongoing rattling.

As an engineer and technical writer/publisher in this area for over 50 years, I am not aware of any to ball system where the tow ball coupling has been forced of the ball. There have, however, been cases where the tow ball securing nut has worked loose. This is best fixed by a Loctite compound (or better still by a second locking nut.

Collyn

jklingel · 10-23-2021, 11:19 PM

Two more excellent posts. I knew nothing about that "special" type tow bar; now I do. That system looks a whole lot better than what I imagined, that being a solid bar and a ball, like we used to use. I guess that system is toast now. I will have to decide if I am going to use my equipment trailer with a pintle hitch or flat tow with a new fangled tow bar. I am at least a year out on either. First I need a MH. BTW and FWIW, I always push hairpin clips on all the way, not to the first "notch" and try to get a pin long enough to accommodate two clips. Yes, a bit over the top, but it is sooooo easy to do. That, and a grade 8 bolt with two jams nuts on the receiver hitch.... and a hairpin clip....