To pintle or not to pintle?

[rnArmy]

I still do not understand the need for a rotating hitch for a trailer that weighs about 1/5 of the tow vehicle, maybe for heavier trailers or lighter vehicles to keep the vehicle from rolling, but not for my 1300lbs trailer getting pulled by a 5000lbs vehicle off road at low speeds, I don’t see why it would be needed.
Like rnArmy said

1. Because I can. It makes a pintle even better. When I first became aware of them (rotating NATO hitches), I knew I wanted one.

2. If my trailer were to go on its side without being able to fully rotate, something is going to get twisted and possibly get damaged on the trailer. Hopefully it won't take the Jeep with it. Think of the tongue itself.

3. Pintle hitches are cool. They exude rugged manliness. Things British are cool (think early Land Rovers in Africa). Combine the two, and women will swoon when I drive by. Grown men will step aside when they see me coming and say "You da Man".

 

[NMBruce]

1. Because I can. It makes a pintle even better. When I first became aware of them, I knew I wanted one.

2. If my trailer were to go on its side without being able to fully rotate, something is going to get twisted and possibly get damaged on the trailer. Hopefully it won't take the Jeep with it. Think of the tongue itself.

3. Pintle hitches are cool. They exude rugged manliness. Things British are cool (Think early Land Rovers in Africa). Combine the two, and women will swoon when I drive by. Grown men will step aside when they see me coming and say "You da Man".

#3 could get me in more trouble than the trailer rolling over LOL

 

[rnArmy]

I realized I never posted a picture of the two pintle hitches side-by-side for comparison's sake. So here you go:



Before I took the picture, I pulled the pin (and cotter pin) that fixes the fork in the up or down position for the next picture. When I put it back, I put it in the wrong hole. I should have put it in the upper hole. Has since been corrected, but something to be aware of in the future, as it is too easy to do wrong.

Here's a picture of a pin that would work for the pin mentioned above that doesn't use a cotter pin. This is actually the pin that I use in my military pintle hitch to keep the jaw secured in the closed position. One option anyways....

 

[rnArmy]

So I went to the hardware store today. Found a 3" long pin 5/16" diameter with a hole at the end with a cotter pin. Sold. About $2.50 total. I couldn't find a pin with the little detent balls at the end (something else for me to be on the lookout for).

On this Dixon Bate hitch, it comes with one pin with a really HD head on it (I guess so you can grab it with gloves on). Its kinda too nice to lose. My new one... not so much.

But you can also have both pins in the hitch at the same time. One's just sitting there, the other one is actually doing the work of securing the fork in whatever position you want it in (up or down). So I can keep one in the glovebox as a spare.

 

[tx-jeremy]

Finally hooked up my trailer to the Jeep for the first time.

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[rnArmy]

Finally hooked up my trailer to the Jeep for the first time.

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So have you since done any serious towing with it? If so, what do you think about the pintle hitch? Any noticeable noise or issues?

 

[tx-jeremy]

So have you since done any serious towing with it? If so, what do you think about the pintle hitch? Any noticeable noise or issues?

Oh sorry! I failed to report back. Thanks for asking.

In mid March I towed it to Big Bend and back, about 500 miles one way from Austin.

We were also about 25 miles off pavement camping on private land that needed 4wd to get to.

The trailer (and pintle in particular) performed amazingly well.

I had no issues on highway and off-road that thing articulated like a dream.

10/10 would recommend the pintle setup for anyone towing a trailer over rough terrain especially.


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[rnArmy]

Yeah; sounds like the Army got it right back in the 40's with the pintle hitch/lunette ring set-up. And here we are 80 years later and folks are trying to reinvent the wheel.

I'm glad it worked out well for you.