which hitch type?

[bitternut]

I just got this military trailer with a pintle hitch on it. I plan on taking the top half off and reconstructing the sides with angle iron and heavy wire mesh. I am going to use the trailer to haul firewood out of my woods. The trailer will be used in hilly rough terrain and be pulled by JD tractor. My question is should I stick with the pintle hitch or should I use a ball hitch? Which type of hitch is the best for a heavy load and rough terrain? Any opinions or comments would be appreciated.

[cope]

I would stick with the pintle type. It works for the military and the utility companies over the road and off the road.

[bluesman2a]

FINALLY! A question I am qualified to ANSWER!!!

Stick with the pintle hitch, unless you're dealing with completely flat land. They are superior to the ball hitch in that they will handle extreme angles on a verticle axis better than a ball. Where a ball would let go or break a pintle will hang in there with no problems.

The only down side is they can be a little noisy if you don't load the trailer properly.

[Arbo]

Cool Trailer!!!!! That would make a really great project trailer. Just think of all the toys...tools that you could stow in there. Do both sides open up like that? I could just see it now painted black with big white letters down the side..."Arbo's Welding" YEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BITTERNUT..............STICK WITH THAT PINTLE CONNECTION, FOR ROUGH TERRAIN YOU CAN'T BEAT IT. WHEN I WAS AT THE SOUTH POLE THAT WAS THE ONLY THING WE USED TO DRAG EQUIPMENT ACROSS SNOW DRIFTS AND FROZEN ICE BEHIND THE NODWELLS...........THEY AIN'T STEARING YOU WRONG.........ROCK
SSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.COM

[d110pickup]

Bitternut,
That's the usage a pintle hook was designed for. You can't go wrong with it.
What's the load capacity on that trailer?
Do you know what it was used for?
Mike Pado

[rangerod]

bitternut

I work in a welding that repairs support equipment that uses nothing but pintle hooks. I have never seen a broken pintle hook the part taht always breaks is the tow bar arm.

[Will]

Rock,
You were at the South Pole! You must have some great stories to share....

[Al T.]

Rock,

Who did you pee off to get sent to the South Pole???

Don't mess with that guy anymore!!

[bitternut]

Thanks guys for all the comments and advice. You all confirmed my suspicion that a pintle was probably the best for off-road heavy hauling on uneven terrain.

I don't know for sure what this trailer was used for but it appears that electrical power tools and such were carried in it. Both sides open up and the back end opens up also. There is a bulkhead that goes partway from the front center to the middle of the trailer. This has racks and clamps for storing tools and a couple of drawers. It was built in the late 60's and is 4'x8'x42" with a capacity of 3000#.

I got it at a junkyard for scrap price so the price was definitely right. I hate to take the top off but it doesn't make a very good wood hauler with it on. With the altered trailer and the tractor bucket I can haul out about 3/4's of a full cord at one time.

On second thought maybe I should put a small stove in it and use it for a portable blind. Maybe with a stove in it Rock could use it on his next trip to the South Pole. He He

Anyways here is a picture with all the doors open.

[Roger]

Pintal Hooks are great. Towed boat with pickup on base with pintal hook and didn't seem noisy even when passenger in back. Just like ball hitches there are different size rings and hooks depending on weight rating. Both ring diameter and ring cross section changes with rating so both ring and hook need same rating. When sized right there is little slop in the ring hook connection. This also means under rated hook can't pull higher rated ring or large hook pull small ring.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BITTERNUT.........HAHAHA....IF THAT IS FROM THE 1960'S I DOUBT IT WOULD LAST LONG IN A MINUS 200 DEGREE ENVIRONMENT. YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT HOW FAST STRESS CRACKS SHOW UP IN THAT TYPE OF AN ENVIRONMENT.........EVER WONDER WHY THEY NEVER SHUT OFF MOTORIZED VEHICLES IN COLD CLIMATES.............................WAS ALSO IN NOAM ALASKA WITH THE C-130'S BEING SKI EQUIPPED FOR LANDING ON THE ICE....... THAT WAS 2 INSPECTIONS A DAY ON THE LANDING SKI'S...... OH WELL ANOTHER STORY FOR LATER..................... BE SAFE OUT THERE...............................ROCK
SSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.COM

[Roger]

I worked with 2 photographers that went on trip to south pole in tracked convoy. They had some photos of C130 trapped on ice when JTO mounting bolts broke on takeoff. It was more than 10 years before they got that C130 off the ice.

[bitternut]

Well I got the pintle hook made for the truck, weighs 38#. I thought maybe a combination one would be a good idea. Hope they work OK. Now I need to make one for the tractor. I plan on using just a plain hook for the tractor draw bar. I also have noticed they make some with springs. Would one with a spring be a good idea on a tractor? Anyone have any opinions or experience with spring loaded hooks?

Here is a picture of the hook.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

BITTERNUT..............LOOKS LIKE THE COMBINATION WILL WORK. THOSE MOUNTING BOLTS ARE AT LEAST GRADE 5 I HOPE........ROCKSSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.COM