Show me what a multi axis hitch ca do.

[kevint]

After seeing a couple AT trailers resting like the trailer picture above I always had plans to use the standard setup most of the time to help avoid that. Having pulled an AT in some ruff stuff I can pat myself on the back because my design keeps the wheels on the ground and I dont worry any about flipping it.

In viewing the picture above, I would have assumed that whatever caused the trailer to wind up shiny side down would have also done significant damage to a conventional ball hitch. Can the ball hitch really provide enough opposing torque to keep the trailer right side up if it becomes far enough off level to tip or if you hit a rock or something with one wheel while flying down the trail?

I have been planning on adding a multi-axis hitch to my Kamparoo but don't want to end up like this trailer. I had not considered that this would add any risk, just cost.

Thanks.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

In viewing the picture above, I would have assumed that whatever caused the trailer to wind up shiny side down would have also done significant damage to a conventional ball hitch. Can the ball hitch really provide enough opposing torque to keep the trailer right side up if it becomes far enough off level to tip or if you hit a rock or something with one wheel while flying down the trail?

I have been planning on adding a multi-axis hitch to my Kamparoo but don't want to end up like this trailer. I had not considered that this would add any risk, just cost.

Thanks.

Maybe they should have been driving more cautiously/slowly to avoid it in the first place. As my wife would say, "Darwinism at its finest". We use a standard 1 7/8" ball with our trailer and it has served its purpose well. Another option out there is to use a heim joint in place of a standard coupler http://ballisticfabrication.com/XM-16-1-10-CrMo-rod-end-w-kevlar-liner_p_1579.html, they make them with a 3/4" or 1" hole(same size as your hitch ball shafts) and are more than strong enough for the application. The heim will allow for great articulation of the tongue but will not allow the trailer to roll over.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Maybe they should have been driving more cautiously/slowly to avoid it in the first place. As my wife would say, "Darwinism at its finest". We use a standard 1 7/8" ball with our trailer and it has served its purpose well. Another option out there is to use a heim joint in place of a standard coupler http://ballisticfabrication.com/XM-16-1-10-CrMo-rod-end-w-kevlar-liner_p_1579.html, they make them with a 3/4" or 1" hole(same size as your hitch ball shafts) and are more than strong enough for the application. The heim will allow for great articulation of the tongue but will not allow the trailer to roll over.

BTDT...I started with a heim and found out it does not offer as much 1 7/8" but you are 100% correct that it is strong enough.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

In viewing the picture above, I would have assumed that whatever caused the trailer to wind up shiny side down would have also done significant damage to a conventional ball hitch. Can the ball hitch really provide enough opposing torque to keep the trailer right side up if it becomes far enough off level to tip or if you hit a rock or something with one wheel while flying down the trail?

I have been planning on adding a multi-axis hitch to my Kamparoo but don't want to end up like this trailer. I had not considered that this would add any risk, just cost.

Thanks.

A ball hitch maybe not help 100% of the time but it will help. The exact reason behind my thinking of only using a multi-axis only when needed. I have been know to travel a higher speeds then I should off road with my trailer. See my trailer video 'Testing at 35mph':smiley_drive:

 

[97tjguzzy]

 

[nwoods]

Generally with the Max Coupler what we do is to leave the coupler connected to the draw bar and slide the draw bar into the vehicle receiver. We found this to be more forgiving of alignment.

That's exactly what I do with mine.

To the OP, I think you are missing the biggest aspect of the MAX. It's the clunk-free operation. It is SO pleasurable to pull a trailer that doesn't lurch, pop, bang, thud, jerk or clunk with every change of momentum or speed!

 

[TacoDell]

ball hitch... not recommended...

http://youtu.be/pibS4xWF19M

http://youtu.be/0YXqv08F04A

http://youtu.be/-PkPNmaq1r8

http://youtu.be/c6BjCnI511I

^ Max Coupler.

 

[highlandercj-7]

Yeah I feel the same way a pintle is a cave man thing. I'd rather have a hitch ball than a pintle. For extreme use the max is good, but i got to wonder: is there a such thing as too much free movement, did it allow the trailer to flop, where as if it hit a stop the weight of the tow vehicle may have kept it shiny side up. I've seen guys with a 4 link suspension have a tire drop into the rocks and get stuck where as a guy with leafs carried the tire over the hole and kept going smooth as silk.

 

[/dev/ram]

ball hitch... not recommended...

http://youtu.be/pibS4xWF19M

http://youtu.be/0YXqv08F04A

http://youtu.be/-PkPNmaq1r8

http://youtu.be/c6BjCnI511I

^ Max Coupler.

I think this is very illustrative of what actual wheeling with a trailer is like - you have no idea what's going on with the trailer, and can only judge which lines to take, how hard to hit an uphill section, etc. based on your tow rig's capabilities, your line of sight from the driver's seat, etc. You need that sucker to follow you and not be an issue.

I've driven mine over all types of terrain and generally describe it as being like dragging a boat anchor. You absolutely do not need to be worried about whether a piss ant ball coupler is going to fail - just like you don't need to worry about ground clearance, the trailer staying in the same track as the tow rig, etc.

Can you do it? Sure. Can you do it repeatably in varying conditions and eliminate a heart rate raising, blood pressure pounding, *** puckering factor worry point? No.

Do you have to spend $250 on one? No. I built one that I trust, but unless your skills, materials and design avoid the above issues, then it's worth the money.

Nuff said as these are just words. Until you have a coupler rip apart on you under circumstances that might have gotten somebody killed, well some folks just won't believe. Gotta decide what's more important - being right, or being prepared.

Good luck on the trails.

 

[jomobco]

Maybe they should have been driving more cautiously/slowly to avoid it in the first place. As my wife would say, "Darwinism at its finest". We use a standard 1 7/8" ball with our trailer and it has served its purpose well. Another option out there is to use a heim joint in place of a standard coupler http://ballisticfabrication.com/XM-16-1-10-CrMo-rod-end-w-kevlar-liner_p_1579.html, they make them with a 3/4" or 1" hole(same size as your hitch ball shafts) and are more than strong enough for the application. The heim will allow for great articulation of the tongue but will not allow the trailer to roll over.

No offense but your I wouldn't listen to your wife's thoughts on evolution. The roll was caused by too high of a spring rate on the trailer and not a speed/caution issue. Sometimes you don't know you have to change the set-up until you run into a situation you haven't previously encountered and then its too late. Fortunately I wasn't in an off camber situation with both the jeep and trailer where the tipping over of the trailer with a ball hitch may have caused the vehicle to go over with it. I wouldn't run a ball hitch for where I like to go. I want one piece of equipment going over to not take the second piece with it.

 

[HenryJ]

A multi-axis coupler did add some, wow factor. Lots of questions about it and it does work well. Clunk free and quiet. No worries of binding or uncoupling on the trail.

We put our old trailer through the paces. I have a camera on the rear license plate now, so I am able to watch the hitch pretty closely and see the angles it goes through.

When we made the move to the new trailer, I considered installing another multi-axis coupler. Having seen the angles and knowing the new trailer is not quite as offroad capable, I decided to stay with a ball hitch. I am confident that the ball hitch will handle anything we want to put the base-camp trailer through. While the angles may look severe, watching the coupler in action, I am confident that the ball coupler will handle it just fine.

Having watched it in action, no worries. As mentioned before...much easier to connect

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Heh Heh Using a Ball hitch for exclusive OFF-ROAD trailer towing is like using a parachute made in China !

It'll probaly work, but why trust your life init ?

Using a 360° rotation coupler hitch will work 99.9% of the time--NO MATTER WHAT-

If you're happy with the ball hitch, then thats what counts--it's yours !

:costumed-smiley-007:wings:

 

[jeeepguy]

Yeah I feel the same way a pintle is a cave man thing. I'd rather have a hitch ball than a pintle.

LOLOLOLOL

I'm going to use this as a sig quote. It's THAT good!

Logic, science, history and plain ol' common sense be da**ed:exclaim:

 

[highlandercj-7]

To the OP, I think you are missing the biggest aspect of the MAX. It's the clunk-free operation. It is SO pleasurable to pull a trailer that doesn't lurch, pop, bang, thud, jerk or clunk with every change of momentum or speed!

I'm all for common sense, but for the afore mentioned reasons the pintle brings the suck. If you need the full 6DOF Max all the way.

 

[Woods]

What does that mean?

I'm all for common sense, but for the afore mentioned reasons the pintle brings the suck. If you need the full 6DOF Max all the way.