Pintle vs Lock&Roll vs Max Coupler

[luk4mud]

I have a M416 trailer with a pintle system. I have been reasonably happy with the pintle. I don't take my trailer on really extreme stuff, but it has been in many tight places, off camber trails, and over its share of large rocks. Overall, it performs really well. I love the security of the pintle knowing that it won't pop off like a ball system will sometimes.

Only issue is backing up. It is possible to back up, albeit slowly, and not at extreme angles. But it certainly does not behave like a ball system when backing up, and will jacknife very easily. Getting it up my driveway in reverse usually takes a few attempts to get it to track/ turn correctly. I think the trailer's PO pinched it bad on at least one occasion b/c the trailer has a slight bow in it if you look carefully at the area above and to the right of the hitch.

How is the pintle compared to other these other systems? Is there a better option for me?

Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

[cnynrat]

How is the noise with the pintle? I've always heard they can be pretty loud, but I've never towed with one.

I've used both the Lock-n-Roll and the Max Coupler. Both drive well backing up - much like an ordinary ball hitch. We have a long driveway that runs in an S-curve steeply uphill, and I back the trailer up the driveway. Both hitches have worked well on that challenge. It's also been very good for my backing skills .

As discussed elsewhere, the Lock-n-Roll has a fairly well known weakness in that it is prone to bending when backing up with the trailer at an acute angle to the tow vehicle. Pretty much disqualifies it for off road use IMO.

 

[Pikeman]

the Lock-n-roll and Max coupler will be much tighter/ predictable than the pintle system. After doing a little research I will probably be going with the Max coupler on my trailer. The Lock-N-Roll works great in 99% of the situations but there have been a few that can/will cause the joint to bind. These situations is why AT went away from using the LNR and went to the Max coupler. To me if you are going to go away from the Pintle/Lunette design then the max is probably the way to go.

Reason is there is no slack in either system. The lunette is able to move around in the pintle and not maintain the same center( pullng stays center front of ring, pushing the ring can shift to the side and change angle you are pushing from). Backing a short trailer takes lots of practice and skill. They react quicker to input and can get away from you faster than a longer trailer can.

 

[XJINTX]

Pintle was very noisey off-road not bad just plain towing. I ave never missed the setup since uprading for all reasons mentioned.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Pintle was very noisey off-road not bad just plain towing. I ave never missed the setup since uprading for all reasons mentioned.

What did you upgrade to?

 

[DividingCreek]

pintle isn't what makes your trailer hard to back up-its the short tongue that makes it hard to back.

 

[luk4mud]

Good info, thanks guys. I don't find the pintle to be all that noisy, at least when loaded. It doesn't sound like for my uses that the maxcoupler would be that big of an improvement. I guess I'll have to just practice backing up more.

 

[Hilldweller]

If I'm camping close to home, I use the lunette & pintle; it's just easier to hook/unhook fast. For a longer trip, I like the Maxx; it transmits much less nonsense through the truck's frame, is quiet, and feels more secure at speed.
I used the Maxx exclusively with my 2-door JK. The pintle arrangement was just too harsh for the little Jeep to deal with and the trailer felt like it had a mind of its own. The Maxx tows like velvet.

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

I have the pintle and it tows great, no noise no issues, ( I do not even feel the trailer behind my vehicle ) but since I do not have anything else to compare I guess it works great for my needs.

Backing up is true you need to be skilled, but maybe extending the tongue will help!

 

[XJINTX]

I switched to the Lock-N-Roll... having been in the USMC for 20 yrs I was "used" to pintle hitched trailers.

However, when I took my offroad trailer REALLY off road the noise was very annoying at every obstacle and the banging was worring my wife as she always thought something was wrong.

I won't go back and would like to even switch my kayak trailer to the lock n roll. It just has a ball hitch and sometimes I get into situations I am uncomfortable with like crossing ditches and such.

 

[jeeepguy]

Pintle hands down... and yes, it takes practice to get good at backing up.

 

[gonejeeping15]

We use pintle hitches. To quiet them down we weld beads of metal along hitch where it fits into the receiver, then file them down for a nice snug fit. We then cut a peice of 2" radiator hose to fit between the pintle and lunette. It seems to take most of the noise away.

I also think there is a relationship with the noise a pintle system makes and the tongue weight your trailer has.

 

[Chief_919]

pintle isn't what makes your trailer hard to back up-its the short tongue that makes it hard to back.

I agree. I have owned a few dozen 416's, with balls and lunettes. They back the same, it is just the short tongue. It isn't bad on a short wheelbase jeep, but on anything bigger you really gotta be very precise.

I had one where the previous owner had made a 3foot extension and then had a lunette, that was a breeze to back up.

 

[TacoDell]

my M100's original 360* lunette worked fine...
as long as an appropriately sized pintle hitch was used.

but the draw bars were too short for towing behind muh Tacoma.
and extending the draw bars would likely require permanent modifications.

sooo... I opted for the Cuamco Max C.
then fabricated a custom, bolt on, 2" receiver tube extension

Had I thought of an easier way to retain the original lunette/pintle
while maintaining the 360* rotation and allow for extension...
I would have maintained/utilized the original lunette/pintle
^ but I refused to permanently alter my M100's draw bars or the trailer's originality.

and for extra assurance... the lunette still resides intact...
and could be utilized with just a few bolts extricated.

 

[RubiconGeoff]

As discussed elsewhere, the Lock-n-Roll has a fairly well known weakness in that it is prone to bending when backing up with the trailer at an acute angle to the tow vehicle. Pretty much disqualifies it for off road use IMO.

I guess word still hasn't gotten around yet - the Lock-N-Roll has been redesigned so it no longer has this problem. I have one of the new-style LNR hitches (since the Max Coupler doesn't work on standard trailer tongues) and am very pleased with it.

Max Coupler, Lock and Roll, etc. while they work. I think of them a more of a gimmick.
As I use my trucks for more than towing a dedicated to a purpose trailer either while on an adventure or just dragging a firewood log I would rather have a pintle hook any day.
Its just far more overall conveniently there already attached to the truck, and useful.

If you've ever towed off-road with a ball hitch and destroyed the hitch, you'll appreciate having a high-articulation hitch. If you don't mind all the clunking and banging (not to mention the fatigue that causes in your hitch bolts, etc.) then a pintle is fine. But once you've used an utterly silent, non-lurching MC or LNR you'll definitely think of it as more than a gimmick. And if your tow vehicle is light in weight or short in wheelbase (like my Samurai and Sidekick with which I tow my Lifetime Tent Trailer) then you'll definitely appreciate a positive, slop-free connection.