I found a bolt on pintle ring for LT40 WM

[yellowrosefarm]

I got real tired real quick of hooking an unhooking a 2" ball coupler on my LT40. I saw this bolt on pintle from Croft trailer supply that looked like it would fit and it does. What an improvement! 8)

 

[Chuck White]

Looks like it would simplify hook-ups quite a bit! 

[SAWMILL BUDDY]

First thing I did to my mill was change to pintle hitch.

[Dave Shepard]

Looks good to me! I don't really like ball hitches too much.

[drobertson]

Looks like a good thing to me,  I got use to the hitch, just a pain at times,

[Dan_Shade]

I made a receiver tube one for mine.  I use a removable ring.  I need to snap a picture.

I much prefer a ring and pintle hook to a ball.

[Ga Mtn Man]

I've never used a pintle hook.  What are the advantages over a ball coupler?

[Dan_Shade]

it's easier to hook up, and I believe that the attachment is more secure (not as likely to jump off the hitch).

[Dave Shepard]

A pintle is also very easy to visually verify the connection. I've hooked on to ball couplers before and thought they were down all the way, only to see that the little finger was resting on top of the ball, not under. : I always either stick my finger under there, or get a visual of that little finger. I had a better ball coupler from Hammerblow that had a hinged coupler with a sliding collar that work well. Also, pintles give you a little more leeway in tower to towee alignment.  :D

[drobertson]

the main advantage is no more banging and bending the receiver,

[Dan_Shade]

mine also makes a dandy seat while turning logs.

[yellowrosefarm]

Much easier to hook up, no way to jump off and more flexibility on uneven surfaces. I move my lt40 around the farm with my tractor and crossing ditches or washouts in the road would bind the ball coupler against the side, tweaking it in the process and making it that much harder to get hooked up the next time. With the pintle ring, the trailer can be almost at a 90 with the tow vehicle with no binding of the hitch.  Nothing more frustrating than getting to where you want to saw only to have to jump, beat and cuss the coupler to let go.

[drobertson]

ten four on the banging and jumping!  nothing more frustrating than a stuck hitch,  good idea, sounds like your problems with this is bout over, 

[Larry]

Things I have learned about trailers.

A 2" hitch will not fit on a 2 5/16" ball.

A 2 5/16 hitch will fit on a 2" ball and appear to lock.

Stout safety chains are good.

At 64, a backup camera that can see the hitch is not a luxury. ;D

[Magicman]

That bolt on pintle ring appears to be a Croft exclusive.  At least I can not find anything like it anywhere else.  I was hoping that Tractor Supply would have it.

[hamish]

I made a receiver tube one for mine.  I use a removable ring.  I need to snap a picture.

I much prefer a ring and pintle hook to a ball.

That is the most secure set up.  Prevents alot of thefts, but those that cant figure out whats missing.  Additionally the pintle or lunette eye is usually rotateable 360 degrees independantly, meaning you can roll your truck and the mill wont roll (had to lose the truck in this example).

[yellowrosefarm]

That bolt on pintle ring appears to be a Croft exclusive.  At least I can not find anything like it anywhere else.  I was hoping that Tractor Supply would have it.

Yes, As far as I know it is exclusive to Croft. I looked and looked for a small bolt on pintle ring before I found this one. They're an easy company to deal with, though, I had it 2 days after I ordered it.

[beenthere]

Chinese made?

[GDinMaine]

Thanks for the explanation on why the pintle hitches are better then the ball mount.  I understand the reasons you guys gave, but that brings up one question.  If the the pintle is so much better, why aren't more trailers come with that setup?   It appears that only very large capacity commercial trailers use it and I have never seen it on anything in the 4-5 ton capacity.
It can't be difficulty of hookup because you said it is in fact no the case.
Is it the price?
ps: yes I'm considering it as well just to avoid a possible jammed hitch.

[Dan_Shade]

my guess is cost

[GDinMaine]

Dan,  Did you adapt one of these for your mill?  I assume you welded or bolted a receiver tube on the mill and have something like this for it?

Pictures - as you said - would be welcomed.

 

[isawlogs]

 I have hydraulic brakes on my mill, activated by the ball hook-up, so I would not be able to put a pintle hook on. I tried to go that way when I bought my mill but it was not an option, now with electric brakes it would be an easy it. I might just pull the axle off my mill and go with electric brakes on it and get a ring hook-up for it. I need to go over the brake lines and brake linings and probably drums too... might be cheaper in the long run to just go electric.

[YellowHammer]

Pintles hitches although very secure allow relative movement between the tow vehicle and the trailer.  They do the "bang and clang" as the tow vehicle accelerates and decelerates, or the trailer tongue bounces.  Somewhat annoying at stoplights, stop and go traffic, bumpy roads, etc.  Ball hitches fit securely, have very little slack and don't thump and bump.  Pintles are great for heavy equipment, farm implements, and large tow vehicles that are not affected by the backlash, not so much for smaller tow vehicles that react to the slack in the hitch.
Just my experiences with them, your mileage may vary
YH

[rmack]

Pintles hitches although very secure allow relative movement between the tow vehicle and the trailer.  They do the "bang and clang" as the tow vehicle accelerates and decelerates, or the trailer tongue bounces.  Somewhat annoying at stoplights, stop and go traffic, bumpy roads, etc.  Ball hitches fit securely, have very little slack and don't thump and bump.  Pintles are great for heavy equipment, farm implements, and large tow vehicles that are not affected by the backlash, not so much for smaller tow vehicles that react to the slack in the hitch.
Just my experiences with them, your mileage may vary
YH

X2, only I wish mine would have come with a 2 5/16 like everything else I own.  :

[jcbrotz]

Pintles hitches although very secure allow relative movement between the tow vehicle and the trailer.  They do the "bang and clang" as the tow vehicle accelerates and decelerates, or the trailer tongue bounces.  Somewhat annoying at stoplights, stop and go traffic, bumpy roads, etc.  Ball hitches fit securely, have very little slack and don't thump and bump.  Pintles are great for heavy equipment, farm implements, and large tow vehicles that are not affected by the backlash, not so much for smaller tow vehicles that react to the slack in the hitch.
Just my experiences with them, your mileage may vary
YH

X2, only I wish mine would have come with a 2 5/16 like everything else I own.  :

When I bent mine I replace it with a 2 5/16 hammer lock, Never cared much for a pintle I always liked the goose but I cant finger out a way to put one on the mill. :D :

[yellowrosefarm]

I have hydraulic brakes on my mill, activated by the ball hook-up, so I would not be able to put a pintle hook on. I tried to go that way when I bought my mill but it was not an option, now with electric brakes it would be an easy it. I might just pull the axle off my mill and go with electric brakes on it and get a ring hook-up for it. I need to go over the brake lines and brake linings and probably drums too... might be cheaper in the long run to just go electric.

My mill had hydraulic brakes too when I first got it. That was the first thing I changed. It's all bolt on stuff and any good trailer supply can get the electric brakes as an assembly. It was less than $200 to convert. I use the mill to charge the breakaway box. It's wired so that everytime I bring the head back to the "strip" it also sends current to that little battery.

[Chuck White]

I'd really like to switch from the surge brakes to electric.

Only thing is, it just looks to be quite complicated to me!  :-\  :-[

[yellowrosefarm]

I'd really like to switch from the surge brakes to electric.

Only thing is, it just looks to be quite complicated to me!  :-\  :-[

Well, I'm probably not the best judge since it's sort of what I do for a living being a small engine/tractor mechanic who has worked on a boat load of trailers. Basically, you remove the drums, unhook or cut the hydraulic line to the wheel cylinder, unbolt the 4 bolts holding the brake assembly to the axle and remove the whole shebang. Then, bolt on the electric brake assembly, grease the bearings and put the drum back on. Some drums are made to be used either with hyd or electric, some are not, so you may have to get new drums depending. Then, there are 2 wires sticking out the back of the brake assembly. One needs to be connected to the break away switch and the red wire coming back from the trailer brake controller in the truck. The other needs to be connected to a common ground. Same for both sides. The break away battery and switch will come with instructions for wiring too. Lastly, toss the hydraulic coupler for the pintle ring and you're done. If it seems like too much, any good trailer sales/repair place can quote you a price for doing it. Should take 2-3 hours labor and the price of parts.

[Dan_Shade]

GDinMaine,

Yes, I Use One Of Those

[Chuck White]

Thanks Yellowrosefarm!

Appreciate the explanation, doesn't really sound all that complicated if I could just get the conversion parts.

[Dan_Shade]

this is my setup:

 

[Magicman]

Thanks Dan.  You guys have me in the thinking and wondering stage.     

[beenthere]

Dan's pic of the pintle makes me think of what might take place if the pintle breaks (and same ?? goes for the ball hitch as well).
The safety chains would "contain" the mill from going across the road or into the ditch, but what happens when trying to stop the loose rig? Apply the breaks and the mill slides up under the rear bumper and wipes out the hyd. controls?
Or what?

Seems an upright post (temporary or some other design) on the tongue of the mill might protect the controls. 

But if the hitch never breaks loose, then no harm done. 

[Magicman]

I immediately noticed that Dan has his safety chains properly crossed and attached.  My thoughts are that for a hitch to actually fail, some sort of an accident would have to take place. 

[jcbrotz]

Dan's pic of the pintle makes me think of what might take place if the pintle breaks (and same ?? goes for the ball hitch as well).
The safety chains would "contain" the mill from going across the road or into the ditch, but what happens when trying to stop the loose rig? Apply the breaks and the mill slides up under the rear bumper and wipes out the hyd. controls?
Or what?

Seems an upright post (temporary or some other design) on the tongue of the mill might protect the controls. 

But if the hitch never breaks loose, then no harm done.

You would need to think first but hit the trailer brake controller and it will slow the trailer then the you can slow the truck and minimal damage will occur, you will/may break off the front outrigger first thing, don't ask how I know or you have to be REAL lucky like magicman was, to bad I ran my luck out years ago.

I have never really seen much difference between ball hitch and pintle you have to remember to either hitch the hitch or receiver, one or the other although the pintle is a lot stronger and a little easier to hitch.

[pnyberg]

I had my LT40HD pop off the ball hitch once, about a mile from my home returning from a job 100 miles away.  The road I live on is a little bouncy.  It scared the crap out of me (not literally), but nothing happened to the mill.  I stopped without a problem.  Reattached the mill to the ball, and finished the ride home. 

The next day, I tightened up the nut inside the hitch to remove some of the slack.  No problems since.

So, I'm confident the chains will work as they should (at least at 30 mph).  I have no confidence that the trailer's safety brake will work. Maybe I will inadvertently test that someday.

--Peter

[hamish]

Pintle hitches take the guess work out of whether or not you have made a secure attachment, if the throat is closed its secure.

It is the most secure attachment for a trailer out there, and much more user friendly than a ball hitch.

[Dan_Shade]

loosing a trailer is a fear of mine.

I saw a small trailer come off of a vehicle once on I-81 years ago, luckily, it veered right and went off to the side of the road. 

One of my concerns has been the hitch coming off of the truck.

At any rate, I like my setup, it's easy to remove the ring, and it's easy to hook up.  I normally sit on the ring when I'm turning logs, it's suprisingly comfortable!

[barbender]

 I'm fine with my ball hitch, but I would like to get a couple of hitch pins to replace the bolts that attach the hitch assembly to the mill frame. When I am set up and milling, the hitch and my shins want to occupy the same space at times :

[pnyberg]

I just checked, and found that the hitch on my mill is welded on, not bolted.

--Peter

[Thomas Ruga]

Guys: Safety chains are most necessary. I had one of the guys hook up my work trailer last week in the rain. I didnt check it. At 55mph and a wicked bridge the trailer came off the top of the 2 5/16 ball. The emercgency wire pulled out and the brakes applied and slowed the truck to a stop. The trailer never came close to the truck. After a prayer and hooking things up I went another 150 miles no problems. Use your safety stuff, it works.

Grey haired and safe,
Tom

[Ga Mtn Man]

"...and slowed the truck to a stop."??

[Thomas Ruga]

Paul: Yes. slowed it to a stop! We adjust the electric brakes on all of our trailers every 4-6 months. With a good e-brake controller you can tell if the e-brakes are getting tired. We put a priority on brake maintenance on all of our fleet trailers. 80,000 lbs is a lot to stop! Maintenance is a lot cheaper than paperwork for an accident report and etc...

[Ga Mtn Man]

If my trailer came unhitched and the emergency wire pulled, the electric brakes would slow the trailer to a stop.  Things must work differently up in New Jersey.

[beenthere]

If the two were still attached via the safety chain, the trailer would also slow the truck to a stop, unless I'm missing something here.  ;D  That all is depending on the WM trailer having its own brakes.

Do they normally have trailer brakes? Maybe required by law due to weight?  Seems it would be the wise idea.

[Tom the Sawyer]

Thomas R.,
Reply #40 - ".... 2 5/16 ball"
Reply #42 - ".... 80,000 lbs. is a lot to stop"
Are you referring to 2 different set ups?   :-\

Before I retired I worked several fatality crashes caused by runaway trailers, both ball hitch and pintle hitch style trailers.  In those cases the safety chains had not been connected and the breakaway box it was either defective or it wasn't hooked up either.   

There are no bumpers or crash collapse zones on trailers, it doesn't have to be a large trailer to be a hazard if it gets loose.  The hitch is like a spear piercing the windshield or side of a vehicle.  Keep your trailers in good repair, especially brakes, tires and wiring.  Connect the safety chains, hitch pins and the breakaway wire if you have one.  Secure your load and take the time to set the trailer brake sensitivity, you'll never know when you will need it. 

Our families are on the road with those trailers, be safe. 

[Ga Mtn Man]

If the two were still attached via the safety chain, the trailer would also slow the truck to a stop, unless I'm missing something here.  ;D  That all is depending on the WM trailer having its own brakes.

Do they normally have trailer brakes? Maybe required by law due to weight?  Seems it would be the wise idea.

OK, now I get it.  I forgot about the chains tying the truck to the trailer. :-[

[Thomas Ruga]

Tom The sawyer: Yes 2 different trailers. All of our smaller trailers have electric brakes and safety chains.
They typically haul up to six tons. The larger trailers 40' and longer have air and haul anywhere from 10-100 tons. Sorry for the confusion...

Tom

[kderby]

Thomas, Thanks for your post:

Paul: Yes. slowed it to a stop! We adjust the electric brakes on all of our trailers every 4-6 months. With a good e-brake controller you can tell if the e-brakes are getting tired. We put a priority on brake maintenance on all of our fleet trailers. 80,000 lbs is a lot to stop! Maintenance is a lot cheaper than paperwork for an accident report and etc...

I would like to learn how to adjust my e-brakes.  The gain mechanism on my dump trailer seems to be less effective.  Do I tighten the brakes or adjust another part of the system?

Kderby

[Thomas Ruga]

derby: You can try adjusting the brakes with the adjusting screw/knob/thingy that turns. We also have upgraded our controllers to electronic. You can adjust the brakes to any conditions or load that you are hauling. Here in NJ you can even adjust them to the dumb drivers on the road!lol ;D
Tom

[yellowrosefarm]

Thomas, Thanks for your post:

Paul: Yes. slowed it to a stop! We adjust the electric brakes on all of our trailers every 4-6 months. With a good e-brake controller you can tell if the e-brakes are getting tired. We put a priority on brake maintenance on all of our fleet trailers. 80,000 lbs is a lot to stop! Maintenance is a lot cheaper than paperwork for an accident report and etc...

I would like to learn how to adjust my e-brakes.  The gain mechanism on my dump trailer seems to be less effective.  Do I tighten the brakes or adjust another part of the system?

Kderby

If the trailer has drum brakes, then it has a star wheel adjuster just like a truck or car drum. Jack up the wheel, pull out the rubber plug on the inside of the backing plate, shine a light through the hole to see which side the star wheel is offset to, stick adjusting spoon or screwdriver in hole, spin wheel, turn star wheel (should only turn one direction easily) until you hear the shoes rubbing on the drum. Then use the box in the truck to fully apply the trailer brakes and repeat the process until there is a slight but noticeable drag on the wheel when you spin it. Put plug back in and do the others. They do not self adjust like a car drum so you need to do it every so often yourself.