Easy articulating hitch

[highfructose]

I’ve got a utility trailer I’d like to convert to be more trail friendly.

Is there a simple way to convert the ordinary coupler/tongue for more articulation?

I’m seeing bolt on tongue adapters that will fit a lunette ring for around $140.

Gen y torsion hitches for around $200

Motorcycle pivoting ball hitches

Are there other options?

Ideally I would prefer to leave the trailer tongue alone and get a vehicle side articulating hitch of some sort …for simplicity’s sake.

Any insight as to the smartest/simplest way to move forward?

 

[highfructose]

I forgot to include this option…which appears to be a true “bolt on” solution

 

[ntsqd]

Pintle hitch with a properly sized lunette and you're done. I don't drive loud trucks and if mine make noise I can not hear them doing it. I am slowly working towards no ball hitches on anything.
Same trailer, two different TR's:

The rotating lunette that I built used in both pics above. For scale those are 7" long, 9/16NC bolts. Note the thickness of the lunette's ring. That is the key to proper function with low noise. I frequently see lunette's with far smaller cross-sctions which allows them a lot more room to move around in the pintle and I believe that is the source of most noise complaints. MS 51336D specifies the correct dimensions for a lunette ring. Search "lunette" here and you'll find the drawing.

Why I won't use a Lock-n-Roll, this occurred when backing the trailer around an uphill corner (not mine):

 

[highfructose]

Pintle hitch with a properly sized lunette and you're done. I don't drive loud trucks and if mine make noise I can not hear them doing it. I am slowly working towards no ball hitches on anything.
Same trailer, two different TR's:

The rotating lunette that I built used in both pics above. For scale those are 7" long, 9/16NC bolts. Note the thickness of the lunette's ring. That is the key to proper function with low noise. I frequently see lunette's with far smaller cross-sctions which allows them a lot more room to move around in the pintle and I believe that is the source of most noise complaints. MS 51336D specifies the correct dimensions for a lunette ring. Search "lunette" here and you'll find the drawing.

Why I won't use a Lock-n-Roll, this occurred when backing the trailer around an uphill corner (not mine):

I’m going to do pintle Lunette combo. I found a local welder that will put a 2” receiver on the utility trailer for $75-$125.

Lunette hitch is $40…and the pintle hitch is $60.

All told about $200 to add a mostly articulating hitch…with the ability to later add any number of articulating hitches should the preference arise (due to just having a receiver on the trailer).

That hitch spinner thing for the Lynette is interesting. Too bad there’s nothing like that on the market.

 

[ntsqd]

I bought almost all of it, but did have to fabricate the core structure. This is the lunette that I bought: https://www.etrailer.com/Lunette-Ring/CURT/C48530.html I added the bronze flanged bushing, heavy washer, and heavy Belleville washer from Mcmaster to the plate that I had to make. That took care of the rotation. I set the pre-load on the Belleville very high, it take a 3' long bar and some considerable determination to rotate it even a little.

My trailers have a bare 2" sq tube at the front of the tongue. To build a simpler, lighter lunette I recently bought one of these: Lunette and one of these: Receiver Tube The lunette went into the rear of the receiver tube and was pinned in place by two pins set 90° to each other. The pins are welded and about to be bolted in place. No pics of this, yet. With nothing off the shelf that easily connects it makes the trailers that much harder to steal. A bonus of a permanent pintle hitch is that they make great anchors for snatch and tow straps.

This forum's intentional F-Up of amazon links is incredibly frustrating! WHY does it insist on making a link a [MEDIA] insert?

 

[highfructose]

I was quoted $75-$125 to add a 2” receiver to the trailer over the phone. It took less than a day turnaround.

They charged me $16 plus labor and some metal to make the removable hitch in the picture…so for road trips on highway, I can just use a normal hitch.

Lunette and pintle hitch was Around $90.

If you’re looking for an easy relatively cheap articulating hitch to add to a trailer, without losing a normal hitch for normal use of the trailer, this might be an option worth considering.

 

[ntsqd]

FWIW if you drill the tongue for a second hitch pin it will take the clunk out of that part of the system. I try to put the second pin hole in vertically, but horizontally works too. The further apart that you can get the holes the better, but temper that with not putting it too close to the edge of anything.

 

[e9999]

^^ yup, been meaning to put a receiver on mine as well for the longest time. Somewhat of a theft-deterrent too. did you check how they reinforced/welded underneath? (What's with all the spatter?)
Me, I use a rotating lunette setup to avoid binding off-road.

 

[ntsqd]

I noted that the former jack hole in the original 50° coupler now has been blocked and has something welded in place from the bottom. I'm assuming that it is a spacer that is also welded to the receiver tube.

 

[highfructose]

I noted that the former jack hole in the original 50° coupler now has been blocked and has something welded in place from the bottom. I'm assuming that it is a spacer that is also welded to the receiver tube.

This is the thing I brought the welder to jam in and weld in there

 

[e9999]

yes, but it would need to be braced somehow to the side rails. Looks like there is a plate/brace at least on top. But to me, those welds don't look the cleanest (sorry), so I'd check underneath to make sure it's all strong enough. Was it a legit pro welder?

 

[highfructose]

yes, but it would need to be braced somehow to the side rails. Looks like there is a plate/brace at least on top. But to me, those welds don't look the cleanest (sorry), so I'd check underneath to make sure it's all strong enough. Was it a legit pro welder?

Local welding shop, in business for several decades.