Coupler Hitch?

[Multidookey]

Hey guys I'm building a trailer to take on some road trips this next year. I want a 3 axis hitch. While researching I found this picture.
I'm wondering if a yoke or cvd from a driveshaft would be enough to town an offroad trailer? Would I be strong enough? Or what size of one would I need for it to be sufficient?

 

[Martyn]

Don't know the manufacturer, most probably a home made coupler by the looks of things. If the coupler is not SAE J684 certified it can't legally be used on the road in the USA or Canada. Using it on road would leave all the liability with you.

Also looks like the coupler has a single safety chain instead of two chains.

 

[twblanset]

I thought of this a few years ago and haven't had the time to try it. I can't think of a reason it wouldn't work.

 

[hoser]

That particular coupler is for a motorcycle trailer. (Uni-glo)

There are some Australian companies that do use u-joint/yoke style coupler...

 

[eggman918]

This was my solution to that idea,but it is a lot stouter that a U joint would be.

It uses Timien tapered roller bearings for the roll axis and a roller bearing and needle roller bearings with a shaft made from a 8,000lb 2 5/16 ball for the yaw and a polypropylene bushing with a grade 8 5/8" bolt for the pitch.Had a buddy of mine that is a structural engineer run the numbers for strength and it is in excess oh the 1" shank 2" ball it replaced.
Heres a link to the build pics of the hitch http://s1042.photobucket.com/user/eggman918/library/cowboy condo?sort=3&page=1

 

[Oldmonkeybut]

I went down the Ujoint/Yoke route for an Offroad Hitch. After a bunch of playing around I eventually gave up on the idea. Strength is not an issue as the forces they encounter in driveline service far exceed anything you could duplicate as a Hitch. The major issue is getting enough articulation without binding. Automotive or Heavy Truck yokes are not deep enough to allow sufficient movement. The closest I could find to something feasible were Agricultural Yokes for Farm implements. They are considerably Longer/Deeper. Even with the Ag parts you still end up marginally better than a Ball and Coupler. I ended up going with a variation of the Max Coupler.

 

[stomperxj]

You won't get enough range of motion with a yoke like that. It will bind well before 90* in any direction. You can see in that picture its hitting already.

 

[Robert Bills]

. . . . If the coupler is not SAE J684 certified it can't legally be used on the road in the USA or Canada. . . .

This blanket statement is inaccurate.

In most states the SAE J684 certification requirement applies only to commercial manufacturers and other entities in the stream of commerce, not to the use of home built couplers by a private party. Thus, Adventure Trailers, Kilby (Max Coupler), and Lock N Roll would need certification of the couplers they market, but someone building a coupler for their own trailer and their own use would not. In the event of an accident involving such a home built coupler without certification, that fact alone would not warrant a citation and a plaintiff's lawyer would have to prove with expert testimony not only that the hitch design and construction was dangerous and/or defective, but also that the defective/dangerous hitch design/construction contributed to the damages alleged. It would not be enough just to argue the lack of SAE J684 certification.

That being said, it is tough to argue with the wisdom of always using a product that has passed industry certification requirements if for no other reason than peace of mind.