Anyone do this? Ya the blingity urethane ones work good but are over priced for what they are, pintle rings are loud and annoying..what about a 1.25 hiem reduced with high misalignment washers to 9/16? That should be greater than 45* angle by a LOT, it should never wear out in that application, pretty much unkillable and have no slop.
Downside?

ya it will not spin 360* but if my trailer is at a greater than 50* angle I already have other things to worry about :laughing:

The trailer will NOT be drug on hardcore trails, I have no need for it nor a desire to drag it/bash it to get there. I just want a reliable couple with enough angle to go most medium trails and camping areas.

Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, I would just modify it. If you want a quiet but proven method, why not use a grader ball?

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/spring2008/joints/graderball1.jpg

Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, I would just modify it. If you want a quiet but proven method, why not use a grader ball?

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/spring2008/joints/graderball1.jpg

2 reasons:
1) that will not work for taking a turn, at all
2) go price that, the heim is cheaper by a LOT!

Assuming you would use it horizontally, I'd think the tongue weight/trailer loading would put a lot of force on the side and want to pop the ball out of the socket... I'd be more worried about that than the "pulling" strength of it.

Assuming you would use it horizontally, I'd think the tongue weight/trailer loading would put a lot of force on the side and want to pop the ball out of the socket... I'd be more worried about that than the "pulling" strength of it.

Cross bolt going vertical, shaft being the tounge, mount on vehicle basically being a "link tab" like any normal 4 link attached to the end of a reciever chunk. Only "side load' on the ball would be the tounge weight.

I think with a good sized hiem it would work. I would be worried about the outer housing breaking open but it's probably as secure as a normal ball hitch. Hell, it works for farm implements on tractors so I think it would be ok for a small trailer. It's probably go with a cheap tractor joint about as large as practical and run with it. With enough overkill it will probably last a lifetime. Might be a bitch to hook up to unless the trailer is light enough to manhandle into place.

I think with a good sized hiem it would work. I would be worried about the outer housing breaking open but it's probably as secure as a normal ball hitch. Hell, it works for farm implements on tractors so I think it would be ok for a small trailer. It's probably go with a cheap tractor joint about as large as practical and run with it. With enough overkill it will probably last a lifetime. Might be a bitch to hook up to unless the trailer is light enough to manhandle into place.

What he said....plus if you get your hands on one of the blingety urethane ones I don't think you'd be that impressed, I thought they were pretty light duty....at least the "popular" one I looked at was. There are some pretty stout and dirt cheap units used on implement 3 point hitches.

Guess I don't get why you would go down to a 9/16, when most trailer ball shanks are at least 3/4" maybe I just can't imagine what you mean and how it would go together.

I think the idea is sound, but I would run the heim on the end of the trailer tongue and get a grade 8 stud with a fine thread nut to hold the heim to the truck hitch. A stud, if you could find one big enough, would allow you to only need one wrench to tighten the hitch, rather than two and would make hookups a lot easier than aligning a bolt, especially in the dark with a loaded trailer on uneven ground.

I would make sure you have safety chains in case some overactive po-po wants to give you a hard time.

Guess I don't get why you would go down to a 9/16, when most trailer ball shanks are at least 3/4" maybe I just can't imagine what you mean and how it would go together.

I think the idea is sound, but I would run the heim on the end of the trailer tongue and get a grade 8 stud with a fine thread nut to hold the heim to the truck hitch. A stud, if you could find one big enough, would allow you to only need one wrench to tighten the hitch, rather than two and would make hookups a lot easier than aligning a bolt, especially in the dark with a loaded trailer on uneven ground.

I would make sure you have safety chains in case some overactive po-po wants to give you a hard time.

9/16 in a 1.25 heim = MUCH higher angle of misalignment.
9/16 in double shear is greater than 3/4 in single (trailer ball)

picture this like a typical suspension link. The link being the tongue, then the heim with the bolt ran vertical instead of horizontal like a typical link, then a double shear link mount welded to the end of some 2" receiver stock.

Mounting it on a single shear (stud) would not add any benefit other than ease of hookup. it would also be weaker and make me have to run a bigger bolt in such giving less angle the heim can flex.

For making the hitching easier I will figure something out or not even care :laughing: maybe taper the receiver stock or make a interlocking solid part I can just leave half in the jeep.

Heim joints are at either end of the upper link of every three point on tractors. They will see more load than your trailer ever will.

i believe it would work fine.

here is what i came up with for my camper.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/31349538.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/565c852e.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/c163809b.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/19e81fa8.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/5db6478e.jpg

over 90* side to side up and down and 360* rotation. best part...ive got about $20 in it

i believe it would work fine.

here is what i came up with for my camper.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l106/jonhagan490/94%20ranger/31349538.jpg

over 90* side to side up and down and 360* rotation. best part...ive got about $20 in it

Details on what that is made out of?

Used a 6 inch drop hitch with a piece of 3/8's angle under it, the center link is 2x2 1/4 inch with 1/4 inch ends and a single 3/4 grade 8 bolt between the 2 pieces.

I think the him could work, but why not just make one of those "fancy Polyurethane couplers"? I made one for a fraction of the cost and it's plenty strong (not sure about the strength of the aftermarket units).
Billy

I think the him could work, but why not just make one of those "fancy Polyurethane couplers"? I made one for a fraction of the cost and it's plenty strong (not sure about the strength of the aftermarket units).
Billybecause they bind and when they do they bend shit.
Its basically an overgrown "socket set universal joint", go play with one and younwill see t/he common angles it binds up at.
That and a single hiem is simpler, smoother and no worry of bind at all.

Now ihave to find another place that has a 1" to 9/16 high misalignment spacer along with a hiem IN STOCK

Look into a large Evolution Machine Heim.

They have the travel you're looking for and the longevity as well.

if i were going to use a heim i would do the reciever like mine is and use a 1.25 heim with a weld in tube adapter .

that way you could have 360* rotation and decent up down and side to side. just leave the lock nut off and the heim will spin in the tube adapter.

I wouldn't do it, why spend just as much on something that will bind sooner? I built mine out of some 1.5" x.25" tube with three 1" diameter grade 8 bolts similar to above. About $50 total and I would bet mine will last a lifetime.

Eh, I'd look more into cushioning a normal rotating pintle. A urethane liner of some sort to take up some of the slack in the pintle would cushion it to hold down the noise. Plus it would never bind and I doubt it would break anytime soon. It's a proven design for years beyond count.

I wouldn't do it, why spend just as much on something that will bind sooner? I built mine out of some 1.5" x.25" tube with three 1" diameter grade 8 bolts similar to above. About $50 total and I would bet mine will last a lifetime.

These can, and do bind when going into reverse. Known flaw with the design. They're find when going forward, but you have to be careful backing up.

Eh, I'd look more into cushioning a normal rotating pintle. A urethane liner of some sort to take up some of the slack in the pintle would cushion it to hold down the noise. Plus it would never bind and I doubt it would break anytime soon. It's a proven design for years beyond count.

I've heard of guys wrapping the lunette in rope to cushion the smaller rattles. A nice rope would probably outlast rubber in that position.

as long as u dont plan on extremem off road ing id run an implement hiem from tractor supply....they have them that fits a 1 inch bolt......run the bolt vertical to help with turning radius and missalignment spacers to help with up and down movement.....call it a day......abot 40 bucks worth of parts

almost finished :grinpimp:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/usmcdoc14/IMG_20110806_181518.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/usmcdoc14/IMG_20110806_181529.jpg


http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/usmcdoc14/IMG_20110806_181550-1.jpg

$75 of 1 1/4 hiem, misalignment bushings and tube adapter from Ruff Stuff as they had everything I needed IN STOCK and hassle free. $30 in receiver tube and hitch from Harbor Freight

"max coupler" and everyone else = $200+

and if I do not like it or it sucks I will just put a 2" hitch pintle or whatever back in :laughing:

Interesting. Keep us posted on how it works. Do you intend to uncouple it by pulling the bolt out of the hiem every time or are you just going to slide out one of the receivers?

I like the idea.

That being said, I can hook up to a trailer in the bush, on uneven terrain with a pintle-hitch pretty easily.

Elwenil's question is what would steer me away from using your hitch.

Keep us posted though!

JOKER

I like the idea if it works out. But the hitching part looks a bit more of a pain in the ass than it's worth especially if you are by yourself or not on level ground. Wrestling even a small trailer to a normal ball hitch is not a lot of fun. If the hiem works good, I think I'd perfect the idea a bit. Some hiems are available with the misalignment spacers made into them so that would solve messing with them but getting it lined up in the hitch for the bolt might still be a pain in certain situations. If it works great I'm thinking of something like a modified pintle hitch, sort of like the pintles with a ball, except a straight pin sticking up to slide the hiem over and then the upper jaw would lock the hiem down and trap it on the pin and keep the pin in double shear.

I like the idea if it works out. But the hitching part looks a bit more of a pain in the ass than it's worth especially if you are by yourself or not on level ground. Wrestling even a small trailer to a normal ball hitch is not a lot of fun. If the hiem works good, I think I'd perfect the idea a bit. Some hiems are available with the misalignment spacers made into them so that would solve messing with them but getting it lined up in the hitch for the bolt might still be a pain in certain situations. If it works great I'm thinking of something like a modified pintle hitch, sort of like the pintles with a ball, except a straight pin sticking up to slide the hiem over and then the upper jaw would lock the hiem down and trap it on the pin and keep the pin in double shear.

I have ideas simmilar, as I test them I will post what works. I am also thinking a "channel" with lugs on the side and you drop the hitch into it and the lugs lock in cut slots, then close and lock a lid over it.

Interesting. Keep us posted on how it works. Do you intend to uncouple it by pulling the bolt out of the hiem every time or are you just going to slide out one of the receivers?

Mine is built in a similar way. I usually pull the whole thing. Then when hooking it up you can pull the trailer side pin and shove the hitch as far back as it will go. Then back the vehicle in and you have some forward play to get it in the vehicle.

It's not as bad as you would think.

Has anyone tried a swivel pintle and hook with a polyurathane coating to deaden, cushion and "tighten"? Grease it and put a zipper bag around it to keep the grease in and dirt out?

That was my original idea and I'm surprised no one has run with it yet. A lot of the common pintles are similar in dimension so a "one size fits all" deal held on with CV boot straps or something similar would work fine. A heavy durometer urethane bushing of sorts would work pretty good and would probably last a long time. Alternatively a cushion could be made for the lunette ring though it may not be as easy.

what about a mdt truck swivel pintle hitch,

trying to locate a picture now

http://ww1.safholland.us/sites/usa/en-US/products/couplingproducts/pintlehooks/Pages/PH-30SA%20Series.aspx

That is what we have been talking about when we say a pintle that swivels.

ya, I have no real space for a swivel pintle unless i mount it on the trailer and use a lunett ring on the rig

I have been thinking about that for my "wood" trailer, and slip a ring in the receiver. Then i could use my receiver normally for the other trailers we tow.

I think a heim would work well. However I wonder what my auto insurance man would say...

We have the same type of hitch device on our plows for a crumbler behind a disc. Its not an exposed heim but an incorporated heim with plate steel welded all around it.

Yeah 1 1/4" Hiem is simple and clean looking. However, it would be stronger if the bolt was horizontal to the ground, but then you wouldn't get the turning angle.

Yeah 1 1/4" Hiem is simple and clean looking. However, it would be stronger if the bolt was horizontal to the ground, but then you wouldn't get the turning angle.

I figure the only weak side load it should get will be the max of 500lbs of the tongue weight

Yeah I was just thinking that the banging up and down over time might weaken the joint. I bet there wouldn't be any issue with a light trailer.

Will be interested to see how the hiem hlds up int hat application.


You could always go to an EVO Monster Heim :laughing: but that's probably not exactly budget friendly :D

well I am still gathering parts before road testing. ditched the surge brakes and axle from hell (wtf is this an 8K axle or something?) and picked up a normal 6 lug axle with brakes for $30 :D I have to test the brakes and make sure the axle is happy then I will shorten and run adapters to match my JK

i was just down at the tractor parts store looking for ideas for my hitch and wondered if youve made any progress, there are some huge implement joints that look like they would handle the load they have one built into a 1" thick stap of steel that would be easy to weld on but not so handy to replace if it wore out. lets see what youve been up to.:D

ive been thinking about something like this http://www.curtmfg.com/index.cfm?event=prodetail&id=148&categoryid=47 on the jeep and a lunette style ring on the trailer, you could put some poly bushings on the vertical pin to help a little with push/pull direction rattles.

You would need a lunette ring that can rotate in order to use that. Otherwise the first time the trailer started to twist in a direction other than that of the tow vehicle, it will bend the hell out of something.

i can see what your saying but a traditional non rotating pintle/lunette combo will limit your twist too, im thinking of say a 4" diam ring mated to 2" wide strap on the vertical pin/receiver part, that way you could still get 45 degrees of twist, although i suppose there might be some instances when you would want more twist than that. theres about 20 pages of 360deg axis hitch chatter on exp portal, its interesting to hear the different schools of thought from people with actual experience running these types of setups. i like your idea of a rotating ring that would be fairly simple to do, you could use one of the big tractor heims with that vertical hitch pin setup but i don't think you can get enough misalignment with the ag style heims??

A Johnny joint or similar joint might be stronger and rebuildable.

only on Pirate :laughing:

let us know how it holds up, I am also looking for a custom "high travel" hitch design to take a small trailer on light trails...

and i don't want a pintle hitch...

Cut a Ford 2wd radius arm down and put it behind a tongue. Bushings are cheap, 180 degree rotation, roughly 30 degrees of movement any direction and a arm is like 50 bucks from a salvage yard with the bracket. Bushing kits are 14 to 20 bucks. You can limit the rotation on the horizontal plane with what amounts to steering stops.

only on Pirate :laughing:

let us know how it holds up, I am also looking for a custom "high travel" hitch design to take a small trailer on light trails...

and i don't want a pintle hitch...

Well it went from CA to VA with 3k of trailer with out an issue, wear or problem. :D

MUCH better than the pintle the first time across the country,the lack of slop and the smooth turning was noticed.

I figure the only weak side load it should get will be the max of 500lbs of the tongue weight
Not saying it's going to be a problem, but that 500lbs of static tongue weight could be multiplied quite a few times in certain situations (braking). That said, look at how well those joints hold-up to side-loads in 3-link applications on desert trucks. Wouldn't worry about it.