Very basic hitch question...

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I recently borrowed a trailer with a pin hitch and while it felt secure and sturdy I didn't like the play when starting and stopping. For super heavy loads it's probably better than a ball.

 

[M-5]

my stock trailer is a pin hitch . It will have a little play but It doesn't bother me

 

[Bright Raven]

I recently bought a trailer to haul hay, tractor, etc. between places. It has a pin hitch. Can someone explain to me why you don't see too many of these on the road? Safety? I can change it to a pintle or ball hitch...but not sure if it is worth it...thoughts?

Thanks all!

Tim

A ball hitch is more secure with less play. The coupler locks over the ball and the lock on the coupler is secured in the locked position with a pin. It is a tight fit but still pivots well especially if you keep the ball lubricated.

The fertilizer buggies here have pins but I noticed the ones in Missouri have ball mount.

 

[M-5]

I recently bought a trailer to haul hay, tractor, etc. between places. It has a pin hitch. Can someone explain to me why you don't see too many of these on the road? Safety? I can change it to a pintle or ball hitch...but not sure if it is worth it...thoughts?

Thanks all!

Tim

A ball hitch is more secure with less play. The coupler locks over the ball and the lock on the coupler is secured in the locked position with a pin. It is a tight fit but still pivots well especially if you keep the ball lubricated.

The fertilizer buggies here have pins but I noticed the ones in Missouri have ball mount.

I disagree with more secure. the little bolt that holds the ball lip inside of the housing will fail in an accident the trailer attached with the pin will still be attached to the hitch and the failure will either be the truck frame or trailer frame

 

[Bright Raven]

I recently bought a trailer to haul hay, tractor, etc. between places. It has a pin hitch. Can someone explain to me why you don't see too many of these on the road? Safety? I can change it to a pintle or ball hitch...but not sure if it is worth it...thoughts?

Thanks all!

Tim

A ball hitch is more secure with less play. The coupler locks over the ball and the lock on the coupler is secured in the locked position with a pin. It is a tight fit but still pivots well especially if you keep the ball lubricated.

The fertilizer buggies here have pins but I noticed the ones in Missouri have ball mount.

I disagree with more secure. the little bolt that holds the ball lip inside of the housing will fail in an accident the trailer attached with the pin will still be attached to the hitch and the failure will either be the truck frame or trailer frame

I have wondered about that. My hitch is a Reese and the most likely failure I have considered is:
1. The ball shearing off.
2. The hitch attachment where hitch mates with frame failing.
3. The coupler failing.

I suspect the relative safety of these two methods of attachment has been addressed somewhere. I would be interested to know. I definitely feel more movement on the pin type hitch than the ball type hitch.

 

[M-5]

A ball hitch is more secure with less play. The coupler locks over the ball and the lock on the coupler is secured in the locked position with a pin. It is a tight fit but still pivots well especially if you keep the ball lubricated.

The fertilizer buggies here have pins but I noticed the ones in Missouri have ball mount.

I disagree with more secure. the little bolt that holds the ball lip inside of the housing will fail in an accident the trailer attached with the pin will still be attached to the hitch and the failure will either be the truck frame or trailer frame

I have wondered about that. My hitch is a Reese and the most likely failure I have considered is:
1. The ball shearing off.
2. The hitch attachment where hitch mates with frame failing.
3. The coupler failing.

I suspect the relative safety of these two methods of attachment has been addressed somewhere. I would be interested to know. I definitely feel more movement on the pin type hitch than the ball type hitch.

There is more movement but before reese hitches everyone ran a "shock Hitch" that was mounted to the bumper. there are some reese style hitches with rubber shocks in them now and if your hitch hole and pin are mated correctly you would be hard pressed to tell the difference in hitch styles. I have seen trucks and the trailers rolled on the side because the hitch pin was secure , I have also seen ball hitches come loose and the trailer turn over and only ruin the tailgate on the truck

 

[True Grit Farms]

my stock trailer is a pin hitch . It will have a little play but It doesn't bother me

A pin hitch is way stronger than a tongue and ball hitch. The pin hitch is the closest you can get to a pintal hitch. And the pintal hitch is the strongest and has the most play of any hitch.

 

[Brute 23]

I think most people just did it because it's cheap to build. A good ball hitch can be $60 or $80+.

My family has an old cattle trailer with some kind of truck axle and a pin hitch. I despise pulling it. It bounces and pops... wobbles out you hitches. You have to put rubber and washers in there for spacers for it it to be tollerable.

On my little sprayer trailer I put a ball hitch. When I spray I put a ball on the tractor and go.

We have slowly converted all the trailers to ball hitches.

 

[Nesikep]

for ball hitches I like the "hammerblow" style... secure, tight and strong

 

[Brute 23]

for ball hitches I like the "hammerblow" style... secure, tight and strong

http://www.bulldogproducts.net/mobile/p ... LDVuzdgXs=

Like this? These are solid. They don't get slack like the others or pop open. When you put the clip behind it it's locked.

 

[Nesikep]

for ball hitches I like the "hammerblow" style... secure, tight and strong

http://www.bulldogproducts.net/mobile/p ... LDVuzdgXs=

Like this? These are solid. They don't get slack like the others or pop open. When you put the clip behind it it's locked.

yep, that's the one.. I have it on my 14K trailer and I don't second guess myself with it... as long as you use the right hitch ball size!

 

[True Grit Farms]

for ball hitches I like the "hammerblow" style... secure, tight and strong

http://www.bulldogproducts.net/mobile/p ... LDVuzdgXs=

Like this? These are solid. They don't get slack like the others or pop open. When you put the clip behind it it's locked.

yep, that's the one.. I have it on my 14K trailer and I don't second guess myself with it... as long as you use the right hitch ball size!

Don't just back up to it with a ball on a 3pt. hitch a take off with the trailer. You'll tear the swing pin up if you don't get off the tractor and lock it down. The best part about a Bulldog hitch is the solid shaft, I weld it to the trailer frame.

 

[ddd75]

for ball hitches I like the "hammerblow" style... secure, tight and strong

http://www.bulldogproducts.net/mobile/p ... LDVuzdgXs=

Like this? These are solid. They don't get slack like the others or pop open. When you put the clip behind it it's locked.

yep, that's the one.. I have it on my 14K trailer and I don't second guess myself with it... as long as you use the right hitch ball size!

i have one on my livestock trailer as well and i like it a lot.