pintle noise

[rezdiver]

Been reading through the threads and i find the biggest complaint about a pintle setup is noise.
I usually take a fat bicycle inner tube and cut it up into little sections and slip one or two onto the bottom jaw of my pintle hook. this seems to stop any clanking noise.
the inner tube does not last very long but it is a disposable piece that you can carry lots of. if i am offroad i usually put two or three layers on. on the road 1 layer lasts quite a while. i usually electrical tape one end of it on that way when it breaks up i am not littering rubber all over the place and the torn bits just hang off the tape so i can throw it in the garbage.
you can also wrap the inner tube and tape it around the lunette for the same effect.
I have had no binding issues or ill effects.

 

[Martyn]

Noise is one of the issues, and probably the most annoying, but the pintle does not offer a solid connection between the vehicle and the trailer, can cause sway, and unless you have a rotational set up only offers 45' of movement.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: YUP--either the Max coupler or the "Lock & Roll" hitch's are completely "Noiseless" and offer 360° of rotation !!

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[frumpy]

But do you really want 360° of rotation

 

[rezdiver]

But do you really want 360° of rotation

your lunette has 360 degrees rotation.
I dont think everyone here with a pintle is going out to buy a max coupler, and they are definately not as strong as a lunette. I am not a fan of the max

 

[rezdiver]

Noise is one of the issues, and probably the most annoying, but the pintle does not offer a solid connection between the vehicle and the trailer, can cause sway, and unless you have a rotational set up only offers 45' of movement.

I have a pintle setup and have a very solid connection, if your pintle does not have a solid connection the pintle and lunette are not a proper match and has too much slip. there are different sizes of lunettes and pintles. my set up is almost a perfect match, i do not have any excess freeplay between the two to give me any sway at all in any condition i drive in. I had changed my pintle a while back to the ball type pintle and had very bad sway and movement, went back to the original setup and have no issues.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero:--YUP--and quietness

But do you really want 360° of rotation

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[Martyn]

A few separate points to make:

Due to design there will always be play in a pintle setup. If you are using mis matched lunette eye and pintle hook then the play is going to be even greater.

Not all pintles are set up to swivel. Static pintles have binding issues as they approach 45'

Yes you do want full 360' rotation. If you get to the position where the trailer has lifted enough to cause it to roll you don't want to prevent rotation by using the tow vehicle as an anchor. In most cases where a trailer has rolled the free rotation of the trailer has prevented the tow vehicle from rolling.

Pintle are cast so they are inherently strong, but how much strength do you need when you are towing a trailer that weighs less than 5000 lbs?

 

[rezdiver]

good point,
on a pintle setup either the lunette should have 360 rotation or the pintle should have 360 rotation at your truck, especially for non pavement applications.

 

[JIMBO]

Well ya, except it'll still be too NOISY !!

good point,
on a pintle setup either the lunette should have 360 rotation or the pintle should have 360 rotation at your truck, especially for non pavement applications.

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO

 

[rezdiver]

and the whole point of this thread is.......

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Seems to be Pintel noise and there are alternative ways around that same dilema !!

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[rk_az]

OK Jimbo, I think we all get it now that you have sensitive ears.

Everyone has their own preferences and priorities, and the small amount of noise my pintle makes is not high on my list. And I for one do not want 360 deg. of rotation. If my truck and trailer are tilted more than 45 deg. in opposite directions, I think the chances are near zero that the trailer will roll the truck. In all likelihood, the truck will prevent the trailer from rolling, which is a good thing in my book. It would be disastrous for my RTT.

And in the rare case where the trailer would actually roll the truck, I think the trailer would be rolling down such a steep hill that it would prabably drag the truck down with it regardless. I think the odds of me getting into a situation like that are way less than rolling the trailer and trashing my RTT if my hitch had 360 deg. rotation.

And I have no sway problems with my trailer at all, it trails very nicely thank you.

This is just my own personal take on the issue, you all can do whatever you like.

 

[gasman]

i run a pintle hitch , on the road and hiway i dont hear it,, off road , yeh it cluncks , but i drive a jeep, its loud and cluncky anyway, ive seen too many threads with those'' rotational '' couplers twisting and breaking, i dont know if they were installed right or abused or what ? but i can honestly say that i havnt ever seen anybody post anything about a pintle hitch breaking, im sure it has happened somewhere, but i aint seen it , so i will put up with a few more clunks and bangs ,

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Good to hear, can't fool you guys !!

When noises bother me--I fix/change it, I have a Pintel/Lunette--Ball hitch and Lock & Roll hitch set up, so I've got a choice--

I've used the Lock & Roll hitch, for over two years and it's my "quiet" favorite !

I also have jeep, but it's quiet, except for the exhaust :wings:

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO