HELP!! Would like to replace pintle with coupler (1 Viewer)

[GISX]

I am looking to replace my pintile hitch with a standard 2" coupler (for a ball) on my small old military trailer. The current pintle hitch (coming out of the trailer) is an 18" long circle bar (2" in diameter).

I cannot seem to find any information here or online elsewhere. I can find the "bolt on couplers" from places like etrailer : Fulton Fas-Lok Coupler, 2" Ball, 2" Channel - 3,500 lbs Fulton Trailer Coupler F222000301

Problem is those seem to always be a square (2" or 3") bolt on without the bar. I would need a circle to square bar for this to work...

My current 2" circle pintle looks just like this:

or like this:

I would like to replace the circle pintle with a standard coupler for a circle bar (or circle to square bar). Any help??? Does anyone know where I can pick up a circle bar that could (or already has) a coupler for std ball hitch to fit in my existing mounting hoels?

Thanks!

 

[e9999]

keep in mind that the ball coupler probably needs to be mounted solidly upright for the ball coupling to be safe, I would guess. If so, it needs more than just than just welding a piece of round stock to a square one, which would be easy.

(what's wrong with the pintle? these are usually considered better than balls)

 

[greentruck]

I've got a M101. From what I've seen others do, they unbolt the casting that holds the lunette and the landing leg from the rest of the drawbar assembly. Then a square tube is welded in, to which the coupler is attached, preferably welded in.

Then you have to figure out the landing leg. Usually can find something fugly at the local farm store for that.

AFAIK, there is nothing that will slide into the casting to replace the lunette.

I am kind of wondering why you want to eliminate the lunette. Too noisy or ? There are some ways to deal with the noise, if that's what it is.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

My son welded up this 2" receiver housing for my Bantam civilian trailer. The hitch telescopes, and there is a 2" socket on the end for either a lunette or a 2" barrel. We haven't gotten around to welding up a bracket for landing gear yet.

If you decide to get rid of the hitch assembly, I'm interested in it.

As far as replacing the lunette, I prefer them. They allow a lot more articulation off road than a ball hitch.

 

[GISX]

Thanks for the replies.

I dont like how the lunette is currently set-up with my reciever. The only reciever I have for this sits a good 18" higher than where my hitch reciever is mounted to the frame on my Xterra. This forces me to put the lunette in the highest position on the trailer to make it somewhat level.

I also dont like how the trailer seems to slap forward (when braking) and backward (when accelerating). I dont get that type of feeling (or sound) compared to when pulling a standard ball/coupler. I'm worried about the sway of the trailer when going faster than say 65 mph. Looking to take this next weekend to the mountains and dont want to go in the "super slow lane"...

see picture to current set-up



Thanks for the help!

 

[Living in the Past]

Will that lunette move in the lower holes? Then move the pintle down on that plate. I would think that would help a lot. I have a adapter that changes the lunette to 2" ball hitch for my M416. I used for a while but safety chains were a tad bit short for my set-up on my 100 series. So I mainly use the pintle. The early 1/4 ton I just bought had the same type of adapter that was old and rusted so I removed it before I towed it home.

 

[wengejor]

why don't you get a better mount for the pintle hitch?

 

[e9999]

Thanks for the replies.

I dont like how the lunette is currently set-up with my reciever. The only reciever I have for this sits a good 18" higher than where my hitch reciever is mounted to the frame on my Xterra. This forces me to put the lunette in the highest position on the trailer to make it somewhat level.

I also dont like how the trailer seems to slap forward (when braking) and backward (when accelerating). I dont get that type of feeling (or sound) compared to when pulling a standard ball/coupler. I'm worried about the sway of the trailer when going faster than say 65 mph. Looking to take this next weekend to the mountains and dont want to go in the "super slow lane"...

see picture to current set-up

View attachment 451365

Thanks for the help!

???
that is one bizarre setup. Just lower the lunette...

also, this makes the effective tongue really short, seems like

 

[greentruck]

And I'll bet that flaky engineering is at the root of the swaying, too.

You can pick up a decent pintle hitch for $40-$50 at most big box stores. Then just bolt it up as directly as you can. I don't think an Xterra has any way to directly mount it, like the 4 threaded holes on the back of Land Cruisers. The best thing to do then is to get the receiver mount in the photo above.

If you don't have lower mounting holes for the lunette on the trailer side of the equation, I'd highly recommend getting that cut off and a proper drawbar fabricated, with whatever coupling that works for you.

Seriously, a decent pintle and lunette setup will tow dead straight behind at 65 or whatever mph. I wouldn't want to tow that around the block, but I can be picky about my gear

 

[Brian in Oregon]

And I'll bet that flaky engineering is at the root of the swaying, too.

You can pick up a decent pintle hitch for $40-$50 at most big box stores. Then just bolt it up as directly as you can. I don't think an Xterra has any way to directly mount it, like the 4 threaded holes on the back of Land Cruisers. The best thing to do then is to get the receiver mount in the photo above.

If you don't have lower mounting holes for the lunette on the trailer side of the equation, I'd highly recommend getting that cut off and a proper drawbar fabricated, with whatever coupling that works for you.

Seriously, a decent pintle and lunette setup will tow dead straight behind at 65 or whatever mph. I wouldn't want to tow that around the block, but I can be picky about my gear

I'm not having any problems with a properly installed pintle. Rides just fine at 65 mph.

Yes, there is clanking at times. But, since my pintle is a combo with a ball, I just slip an old 2" ID radiator hose over the 2" ball, and that cushions it quite a bit.

 

[AustinCruiser]

Just remove the lunette and put it back where it belongs. That weird attachment is not original to the trailer and it looks dangerous. Lunettes have been used by the military for decades and they are the way to go for an off road trailer.

Ed

Thanks for the replies.

I dont like how the lunette is currently set-up with my reciever. The only reciever I have for this sits a good 18" higher than where my hitch reciever is mounted to the frame on my Xterra. This forces me to put the lunette in the highest position on the trailer to make it somewhat level.

I also dont like how the trailer seems to slap forward (when braking) and backward (when accelerating). I dont get that type of feeling (or sound) compared to when pulling a standard ball/coupler. I'm worried about the sway of the trailer when going faster than say 65 mph. Looking to take this next weekend to the mountains and dont want to go in the "super slow lane"...

see picture to current set-up

View attachment 451365

Thanks for the help!

 

[Raszr]

This is how I did it... if you still didnt want the lunette ring, you could weld or bolt your coupler to the square tubing.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tech/381430-my-m416-build-starts-up.html

 

[Dezdan]

That weird attachment is not original to the trailer and it looks dangerous.

Whether or not the attachment was apart of the original trailer design is unknown to me, but almost all DRMO'd M762 trailers have that attachment. I presume it was so larger vehicles could tow the M762 trailers.

GISX, like others have mentioned, just move your lunette to the lower hole and pickup a pintle hook adapter mount like wengejor mentioned. I'm running one and my M762 follows behind me at 75mph with no problems at all.

 

[MANUCHAO]

The axle on that traier seems to be too forward on the trailer.. Im thinking this is why your trailer sways at speed and also why it slaps front and back.....

I also dont like how the trailer seems to slap forward (when braking) and backward (when accelerating). I'm worried about the sway of the trailer when going faster than say 65 mph.

View attachment 451365

Thanks for the help!

 

[Dezdan]

The axle on that traier seems to be too forward on the trailer.. Im thinking this is why your trailer sways at speed and also why it slaps front and back.....

Good catch! You can clearly see where someone lengthened the trailer with what appears to be a sheet of plywood and some framing. With that high pintle mount and the tail dragging I bet she sways!