Trailering Question: Using A “pintle Hitch”

[Drifthopper]

What's the deal with using a Pintle Hitch?

 

I have read in a few trailer topics that some guys using pintle hitches for towing their regular trailers: boat trailers, Atv trailers, utility trailers…..etc…with the regular ball coupler.

 

From what I’ve read, some are using the pintle with the regular ball on the bottom.

 

What’s the advantage??

 

Is it the added security so the coupler gets clamped from the top on to the ball so it can’t pop off???

 

I’m interested as I have been looking at getting a pintle for this coming summer.

 

""For heavy-duty towing applications, a pintle hitch is the tool for the job. These trailer hitches are only for serious towing jobs of 10,000 pounds or more. Reese, Hidden Hitch, Draw-Tite, Colibert, and Curt are a few of the dependable manufacturers of pintle hitches. Before beginning any towing job, make sure to review the vehicle and trailer owner's manuals.

More About Pintle Hitches

A pintle hitch looks like the letter "C" from the side or like a giant padlock. They are generally used in construction and agricultural applications. They're designed for hauling weights of 10,000 pounds or more. The way a pintle hitch works is that the item being towed rests on the lower half of the "C" and the top half of the "C" raises to allow access and lowers to lock the item inside the "C" which then looks more like an "O." Pintle hitches are constructed of durable materials including stainless steel and chrome. ""

 

 

[cerbomark]

I ve only used them on construction vehicles. Our Dump which pulls way over 10,000 lbs uses this type of system. I can t see the need for it on a 1500 pickup.

[Crazy Canuck]

The pintle hitches (receivers) with the ball on the bottom are for double duty. You can tow a trailer with the loop designed for a pintle hitch or tow a trailer with a regular ball coupler. I do not believe that there is the clearance to engage the top portion of the pintle hitch with a ball coupler on the ball so there would be no added security to prevent that type of trailer popping off.

 

Crazy

[cvandegna]

You won't use the pintle latch for regular towing. I use mine mostly when I am going to pull somebody out whose stuck - it's great for an attachment point for a strap or chain - won't pop off if you gotta hammer on it a bit.

 

As an example - me with my old '99 1500 pulling a jacknifed semi out of median and up incline, on ice no less.

[VR021302]

LMFAO

[Drifthopper]

I copied this from a different forum....Any one have an answer?

 

 

"""I always wondered about using a pintal style hitch to elimanate the need of different couplers. I havent down it largly because I was worried about noise and jerking motion from the play and also because the rest of my family has the ball style hitches and hence I would not be able to easily borrow their stuff. Can someone explain how if its one size fits all that there isnt any play? Obviously one size fits all is somewhat subjective and Im sure there are different size pintal hitches out there but even within a given size range there must be some difference and therefor some play? Or am I wrong?

BIGUMs """