Non-Traditional Trailer Couplers

[jeprovo]

It seems like more and more people are making or buying trailer couplers that are not the traditional ball coupler or pintle/lunette coupler.

If you're running a non-traditional trailer coupler, please let us know why you made the decision to run the coupler that you chose, and please post a picture of your coupler, especially if it's something that you made.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a lunette eye on the trailer I'm designing. I've towed a little M416 military trailer with one, and was pleasantly surprised with how quiet it was on the road. It was a little noisy over speed bumps and in driveways, but no worse than a loose ball coupler. However, the engineer in me is really intrigued with the alternative couplers made by people like 86 slo-vo. http://tnttt.com/viewto ... c&start=37

Thanks, James

[Steve F]

I have an orac coupling. Cheap, ADR (Australian Design Rules) approved and has unlimited articulation. Quite easy to hook up again as well.



Down here in Australia you never see a hook and pintle setup on anything that is not agricultural, military or heavy vehicle.

Cheers
Steve

[schaney]

MAX Coupler is the way to go in the US.



Personally I'd never use a pintle setup, to much banging around from the slop.

[86 slo-vo]

It seems like more and more people are making or buying trailer couplers that are not the traditional ball coupler or pintle/lunette coupler.

If you're running a non-traditional trailer coupler, please let us know why you made the decision to run the coupler that you chose, and please post a picture of your coupler, especially if it's something that you made.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a lunette eye on the trailer I'm designing. I've towed a little M416 military trailer with one, and was pleasantly surprised with how quiet it was on the road. It was a little noisy over speed bumps and in driveways, but no worse than a loose ball coupler. However, the engineer in me is really intrigued with the alternative couplers made by people like 86 slo-vo. http://tnttt.com/viewto ... c&start=37

Thanks, James

just depends on the kind of person you are, me personally if i see something that is $200 and i could make it myself for under $50..well then im going to try to do it myself. may work may not.

[jeprovo]

I have an orac coupling. Cheap...

I wish they were cheap here in the US. It seems like a really nice piece.

[jeprovo]

just depends on the kind of person you are, me personally if i see something that is $200 and i could make it myself for under $50..well then im going to try to do it myself. may work may not.

I hear you! It's guys like you that inspire me to design my own cheap coupler.

[86 slo-vo]

just depends on the kind of person you are, me personally if i see something that is $200 and i could make it myself for under $50..well then im going to try to do it myself. may work may not.

I hear you! It's guys like you that inspire me to design my own cheap coupler.

nah im just married which means my play money is tight so it just leads me to find alternatives.

[jeprovo]

nah im just married which means my play money is tight ...

I hear you there! I'm divorced, and the alimony really hurts my play money...

Lock N Roll has a nicetrailer coupler, but again, $200
http://www.locknroll.com/

I'm going to draw up a few couplers tomorrow at work. It has to be much cheaper to make something than pay that kind of money.

[Shadow Catcher]

I was looking at this mostly to have a coupler that is hard to match (theft deterrent) and found http://www.campertrailers.org/couplings.htm
I have settled for using a Trailer Cop lock (can't be cut using a bolt cutter) for the time being.

[newimage]

Now all of the couplers rotate 360 degrees correct? I have been working with a company that is building me a 45 degree limiting coupler so you will NOT flip your off road trailer on the side.

[bdosborn]

11 Pages of multi axis hitches

I guess you need to be careful when you jack knife them.

Bruce

[Shadow Catcher]

I really think I would prefer the trailer flip than the tow vehicle I am in

[jeprovo]

Now all of the couplers rotate 360 degrees correct? I have been working with a company that is building me a 45 degree limiting coupler so you will NOT flip your off road trailer on the side.

The couplers have 360 degree of free rotation in one axis.

you want the trailer to be able to flop over without pulling over the tow vehicle. It would really be tragic to be off camber, have the trailer roll over and take the tow vehicle with it. There are also cases where the tow vehcicle and trailer may be twisted up, and 45 degrees of rotation may not be enough to prevent binding and damage.

[Hillmann]

Just my 2 cents worth,
One problem with using unusual hitches is you can no longer use any vehicle to tow your trailer but with a ball hitch any vehicle with a ball can tow it. I know I like being able to hook up any of my vehicles to any of my trailers or hook up my trailers to friends vehicles.

Now if it is on a heavy vehicle or for off roding then that is a different story.