Cogitating on hitch types

[lhoffm4]

Amigos, while looking over posts and vids about off road trailer builds, I’m thinking about hitches and trying to decide if/why I may want to change mine from the 2 inch ball hitch to a pintle / Luette ring or some other type.

Things I’m weighing out:
1- I’ve owned the trailer over 10 yrs with a 2 inch ball receiver and it has served me well, but I have not really done a lot of off-roading with it, but plan to...

2-Seems like most of the mil-spec trailers use a pintle hitch and ring set up.
3- My rig consists of a diesel Silverado with extended cab and a 6ft bed, pulling a F250 long bed trailer. Needless to say, I’m not crawling or articulating anything severe. The truck is a daily driver, I just want to be out there enjoying some amazing places with good company.

My dilemma is that while I have not historically been too adventurous, I’d like to be a little bit more inclined to be.

Should I worry about it or focus on something else? Are the best out of the way spots in places that require the most rigorous equipment?

 

[smritte]

I personally don't like the noise of the Pintles. On my M-100 I built a multi axis hitch after running a pintle for years. That trailer was pulled down black diamond trails. Due to the noise, I would run a ball mount on the street then switch to the pintle at the trail head. When towing down something hard core, I found that shifting the weight in the trailer so the tongue had very little weight (once on trail not street) improved how it towed over obstacles. The pintle likes to have a bit of weight on it or it will bang around.

I now use a tear drop style trailer and have gone back to a ball mount. This trailer has been pulled down moderate trails and over rocks needing a 33" tire to clear without difficulty but its mostly just dirt roads. I did this due to simplicity. I can run the multi axis off the M-100 but wanted to see how it did with the ball mount. It worked out well so I'm leaving it with a ball mount.

More than anything, you want to have the trailer tongue able to adapt to anything. Mine are made from 2" hitch tube. I can swap out diffrent styles of hitch, add length if needed and remove the hitch for security. With this feature I was able to experiment with diffrent types of hitch over the years. I always try to find what works best for me.
You will get diffrent opinions from people and the bottom line is, what works for you.

Heres the two trailers to give you an idea on the size. The M-100 in the picture still had the pintle and the teardrop has the ball mount.

 

[lhoffm4]

I personally don't like the noise of the Pintles. On my M-100 I built a multi axis hitch after running a pintle for years. That trailer was pulled down black diamond trails. Due to the noise, I would run a ball mount on the street then switch to the pintle at the trail head. When towing down something hard core, I found that shifting the weight in the trailer so the tongue had very little weight (once on trail not street) improved how it towed over obstacles. The pintle likes to have a bit of weight on it or it will bang around.

I now use a tear drop style trailer and have gone back to a ball mount. This trailer has been pulled down moderate trails and over rocks needing a 33" tire to clear without difficulty but its mostly just dirt roads. I did this due to simplicity. I can run the multi axis off the M-100 but wanted to see how it did with the ball mount. It worked out well so I'm leaving it with a ball mount.

More than anything, you want to have the trailer tongue able to adapt anything. Mine are made from 2" hitch tube. I can swap out diffrent styles of hitch, add length if needed and remove the hitch for security. With this feature I was able to experiment with diffrent types of hitch over the years. I always try to find what works best for me.
You will get diffrent opinions from people and the bottom line is, what works for you.

Heres the two trailers to give you an idea on the size. The M-100 in the picture still had the pintle and the teardrop has the ball mount.


View attachment 207311

View attachment 207312

Thank you for the insight. I also like the idea of a removable tongue on the trailer, or interchangeable. I thought about welding up a tongue bracket that would accept a two inch stinger, but I’m not the best welder and that isn’t something I’d trust my skills to, even tho I have been known to play with a welder. I cannot seem to find a A-frame with a hitch receiver built in. Do they even make them? I may need to bite the bullet and have one welded up or just be satisfied with the ball mount I have now. I’m sure it will do what I ask of it. It has thus far. Thanks again for your thoughts. I had known the pintle was much noisier.

 

[eriefisher]

As mentioned, pintle hitches can be noisy and bang around unless loaded heavy. I forget the brand name but a U-joint style hitch is a direct connection with full articulation. Also serviceable and quiet.

 

[smritte]

I cannot seem to find a A-frame with a hitch receiver built in.

I haven't seen one built in other than custom.

 

[kwill]

Based on your description of how you'll use the rig I can't imagine that a standard ball hitch won't work. And, there are advantages in cost, ease of hookup, etc.

 

[dchurch]

I'm not saying a common ball hitch couldn't do the job but something like a Max couple can handle more extreme drops pitch and angles. I have an equipment trailer with a ball hitch but our off road teardrop has the Max coupler.

The Max performs great and gives us extra peace of mind. The trailer can actually roll over independently of the tow vehicle (hopefully not).

The Max is on a removable hitch.

 

[kwill]

The trailer can actually roll over independently....

That's my concern with these fully articulated hitches.

 

[dchurch]

A valid concern.

FYI, I helped at a fatality accident where a trailer flipped onto its side from cutting a corner. It rolled the attached truck. If the trailer could have just landed on its side independently the truck and driver may have been fine.