The pintle hitch is a popular tow hitch appliance that usually applies the tow ring configuration that is secured on either a hook or a ball. Essentially these devices are used when one wants to lug a motor less structure such as a trailer, a boat or a luggage compartment with as much ease as possible. Since its inception this appliance has won the hearts and minds of many due to its flexibility and versatility.
It can be used in a wide range of applications whether over the road or off road. Its particular capabilities of handling off road situations quite handsomely has made it very popular with heavy duty applications particularly within the military and the industrial and construction sectors. Normally one will find these devices hitched to weapon tankers and heavy industrial items that need to be moved around particularly cranes in a construction site. The following are a few basics about these appliances that one should be aware of before committing to getting one for whatever purpose.
Types of the pintle hitch
There are numerous types of these gadgets depending on one’s particular use for them. The most popular categorizations is the ball and hook configurations. In this model the appliance comes with a tow ring that can either be hooked onto a ball or hook at the receivers’ end which can be a trailer or a boat or any item that needs to be hitched. In the ball configuration the attaching part looks like an actual ball, while in the hook configuration the tow ring fits snuggly into a hook. Of the two; the hook configuration is preferred by most heavy duty movers as it offers more stability and mobility although the ball configuration is still great in these and other applications.
Another popular categorization of these handy appliances is in terms of their application. Generally a pintle can be used in a wide range of very different and varied situations. These applications range from its use on planes to attach the plane body to the landing gear, it can be used in rocketry, military operations and even in every day towing of vehicles, boats or trailers. On the other hand these devices can be looked at in terms of which situations they tend to handle best; that is between over the road or off road situations.
Ideally given their heavy duty and tough abilities they tend to offer the same level of performance with very little variations from brand to brand.
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These appliances can also be categorized in terms of their mechanisms of operation. Generally a towing mechanism can be adjustable or rigid. Mostly this applies to the mount of the actual hitch which is usually placed at the vehicle that is being used to tow the trailer. It is always advisable to get the adjustable models for more flexibility.
Benefits
The pintle hitch comes with numerous benefits that have made it into such a popular towing appliance. The most obvious benefits that one stands to enjoy while using this device is efficiency. Ideally this is a machine that has been designed to make work easier. Seemingly impossible tasks such as lifting huge masses of up to hundreds of tons and moving them around efficiently would be impossible without such appliances. By using the simple pivot fulcrum concept they are able to achieve the impossible without much trouble.
Most enthusiasts of these impressive gadgets are usually wowed by their unmatched flexibility. These appliances can afford to move at all angles without causing ones load to tip over or leading to accidents. Their mobility particularly in off road situations have made them a necessity in lots of applications particularly in the construction industry. Campers looking to enjoy an improved level of stability also tend to opt for these devices when towing their camping gear around. Although this might be overkill given the heavy duty nature of the pintle hitch it is well worth the trouble.
Strength is the other popular and extremely handy benefits that one is likely to get from their brand new hitch. In most cases these appliances are made from the strongest and most sophisticated alloys in the market that have even painstakingly processed for maximum strength. These devices can haul around 5-10 tones of weight without much trouble in any terrain. This fit requires untold strength and toughness that is usually observed in a regular pintle hitch. Another popular feature that comes with these gadgets is their durability.
Made from strong materials and finished off with a stainless steel or a black chrome coat, they tend to weather off any advance environmental elements quite well. Indeed these appliances never rust or corrode despite their use in wet, muddy and very hot conditions. This means that one only needs to invest in such a device only once in their lifetime thus saving on costs.