Pintle hitch

If I was working with a hitch receiver, I would get a pintle hook that fits better, rather than using the hook that doubles as a ball. The more play you have, the more likely the ring is going to damage the ball, with at least some risk of snapping it at the neck where stress in concentrated. A proper pintle hook does not have this stress concentration. All depends on just how heavy the load, how high the forces from your towing circumstances.

Is this weight bearing? Most of the pintle hook applications I've used (military and flight line) the connections have not been weight bearing, the trailers and other equipment were flat tow, and towing speeds usually under 15 mph.

Also there are different sizes and if you have them matched there is no slop.

I have the one like that is shown in wny_pats photo- it is a bit clanky- I will try moving the load further up on the trailer to increase the tongue weight.....

wny_pat wrote:
Yep, like this one!

These things are far from ideal for towing as a pintle hook, there's too much space because of the shoulder in the ball. On the other hand, the true pintle hook has a rounded shape to the inside. This allows the lunette ring on the trailer to smoothly ride in the gap provided.

One example of anAir Cushion Pintle Hook.......

Yep, like this one!

sch911 wrote:

I think I've seen them where the top part comes down on top of a ball.

Grumpy374 wrote:
Needs a special type of receiver. That ring just dosen't "go over" a hitch ball abd stay there by itself. The receiver you need is called a pintle hook type receiver, and has an arm that swings down and locks the ring in the "hook".
Some "hooks" have an intrical ball, which the ring will go over, but it still has a spring loaded arm that will swing down and lock in place.
Google pintle hitch up and you'll get an idea what they look like.
Their usually found on farm equipment or commerical trailers pulled behind dump and equipment trucks.
Grumpy

Sorry, I didn't read the OP post right---thought he was asking what a pintle was. Realize he wanted to make it quiet.

yep, but it sounds to me like he is trying to drop the ring over a standard hitch ball. Harbor freight sells a hitch that has three balls and one pintle hook.
bumpy

Needs a special type of receiver. That ring just dosen't "go over" a hitch ball abd stay there by itself. The receiver you need is called a pintle hook type receiver, and has an arm that swings down and locks the ring in the "hook".
Some "hooks" have an intrical ball, which the ring will go over, but it still has a spring loaded arm that will swing down and lock in place.
Google pintle hitch up and you'll get an idea what they look like.
Their usually found on farm equipment or commerical trailers pulled behind dump and equipment trucks.
Grumpy

Sorry, I didn't read the OP post right---thought he was asking what a pintle was. Realize he wanted to make it quiet.