What is a Pintle Hitch & Why Do I Need One?

If you’re familiar with towing at all, you’ve seen the classic hitch and ball mount. If you’re an RVer, you know what a 5th wheel hitch is. If you tow livestock, you’re well acquainted with the gooseneck. But what about the pintle hitch? What is this strange hook-and-loop design? How does it work? And what is it used for?

In this blog post, we’ll dive into these questions and provide simple explanations for the when, where and why of pintle hitches, starting with: What is a pintle hitch?

• Pintle hitch defined
• Parts of a pintle hitch
• Advantages of pintle hitches
• Types of pintle hitches
• Pintles vs. other hitch types
• Pintle hitch FAQs

Let’s begin with a definition: What is a pintle hitch? A pintle hitch is a type of tow hitch that uses a hook-and-loop-style connection to couple the trailer to the tow vehicle.

The primary coupling component of a pintle hitch is the pintle hook, mounted on the vehicle side of the connection. The receiving component is called the lunette ring, mounted on the trailer side.

Pintle hitches come in many different styles and configurations, but all are made up of these basic components: a hook and a loop.

The way this hook-and-loop setup works is simple. As a type of hitch, obviously its purpose is to connect the trailer to the vehicle, allowing the vehicle to tow the trailer.

So, with the lunette ring mounted on the trailer, the trailer coupler can be dropped down onto the pintle hook mounted on the vehicle side. Just like a traditional ball mount and coupler, the vehicle-side and trailer-side interlock, only instead of the coupler resting on the trailer ball, in a pintle hitch connection, the hook passes through the ring.

With the hook and ring interlocked, a locking arm on the top of the pintle hook can then be engaged, securing the connection. The connection is further secured with a safety pin or lock.

Then, when you’re done towing, the safety pin can be removed, the hook arm opened, and the lunette ring released for uncoupling.

Pintle hitches are made from ultra-tough, drop-forged steel. This allows them to pull heavier loads. They also come in many different styles and configurations. Although, at the core, they’re all made up of two basic parts: a hook and a ring.

Pintle hitches are slightly more complex than a standard ball mount, but overall they are fairly simple compared to more elaborate designs, such as 5th wheel hitches or shock-absorbing hitches. There are also different types of pintle hitches to consider, but all are comprised of the same basic components.

1. Mounting Plate / Shank
   The vehicle attachment component of a pintle hitch is its mounting plate or shank. Some pintles have a steel plate with holes to bolt the hitch onto an adjustable shank. Other pintles come with a fixed shank to readily slide into a receiver hitch.
2. Retainer Pin
   The retainer pin on a pintle hitch is the metal pin that keeps the locking arm securely engaged in the downward position. It works with the locking arm to prevent the lunette ring and pintle hitch from becoming disconnected.
3. Locking Arm
   The locking arm is a spring-loaded latch at the top of the hook or ball that pivots down to secure the lunette ring connection. Most pintle hitches come with a handle to allow for easier operation of the locking arm.
4. Hook / Ball
   The hook or ball portion of the pintle hitch is the component that connects directly to the lunette ring. Pintle hitches can have a traditional hook or a trailer ball design, as on a ball-pintle combination hitch.
5. Bolt Holes / Hitch Pin Hole
   These holes are used to secure the pintle hitch onto the vehicle, whether by accepting bolts for a plate-mounted setup or a hitch pin to be mounted into a receiver tube.

From connection to capacity, there are many advantages to using a pintle hitch when towing. For starters, pintle hitches can connect to your vehicle in one of two ways: with either a mounting plate or a receiver mount. Pintle hitches also have a higher towing capacity than most standard ball mounts, making them a great option for heavy-duty towing.

The way pintle hitches connect a vehicle and trailer (with a hook and ring) also allows for a larger range of movement when compared to using a ball hitch, which has a more snug connection and less play between the hitch ball and coupler. The vertical and horizontal give of the pintle hitch makes it easier to tow on uneven ground like in off-roading or at construction sites.

This maneuverability and the superior weight capacity of a pintle hitch make them the ideal choice for towing in and around industrial and other work sites, agricultural settings and military applications.

Pros of Using a Pintle Hitch:

• High towing capacity: Pintle hitches can handle heavier loads compared to standard ball mounts.
• Versatility: They can connect to vehicles using either a mounting plate or a receiver mount.
• Enhanced maneuverability: Pintle hitches allow for a larger range of movement, making them suitable for towing on rough terrain.
• Secure connection: The hook-and-loop style connection ensures a strong attachment between the vehicle and trailer.
• Durability: Constructed from tough drop-forged steel, pintle hitches are built to withstand heavy loads and rugged towing conditions.

Cons of Using a Pintle Hitch:

• Rougher ride: Pintle hitches can result in a rougher and noisier ride compared to ball hitches due to the added play between the hook and loop.
• Incompatibility with weight distribution systems: Pintle hitches cannot be used with weight distribution systems, which may limit their use for some towing setups.
• Limited compatibility: Pintle hitches are typically designed to connect to trailers equipped with lunette rings, limiting their compatibility with certain types of trailers.
• Complexity: Pintle hitches may be slightly more complex to install and operate compared to standard ball mounts.
• Maintenance: Pintle hitches may require more frequent maintenance due to their moving parts and rugged design.

There are several types of pintle hitches available on the market today, and each serves a specific purpose. We’ll lay them all out here, starting with the pintle hook.

A pintle hook is the traditional form of a pintle hitch, consisting of the hook component without the trailer ball. The hook is able to couple to a lunette ring and is designed to rotate and pivot while connected to the trailer.

Generally, pintle hooks are rated for higher weight capacities than their ball-pintle combo counterparts. However, the one drawback of a pintle hook is that it leaves a certain amount of play between the hook and ring. This can lead to chucking noise in the hitch connection.

Additionally, pintle hooks are only designed to couple to lunette rings. They cannot be hitched to a traditional ball-style coupler.

A pintle ball hitch or ball-pintle combination is one that allows you to alternate between using a traditional trailer ball (lighter-duty) and a pintle hitch (heavier-duty) for towing. This type of hitch has a special pintle ball integrated into the design, which can function as a hitch ball to connect up to a traditional trailer coupler or as a pintle hook to accept a lunette ring.

The pintle ball hitch is a great option for those who use the same vehicle to tow many different trailers. It lets you choose between the two hitches to tow with quickly and easily because nothing needs to be swapped out. The hitch stays in place on the vehicle (typically a truck).

A receiver-mount pintle hitch is a type of pintle that attaches to a receiver hitch opening on a vehicle — the square tube hole usually just below the bumper. This receiver tube accepts an equivalent-sized shank built into the receiver-style pintle hitch.

The advantage of this type of pintle hitch is the convenience of its one-piece design — the shank is built into the pintle hook, eliminating the need for additional components. Receiver-mounted pintle hitches are available as a pintle hook or combo unit.

A plate-mount pintle hitch is a type of pintle that attaches to the receiver hitch opening on a vehicle as well, but unlike the receiver mount, a plate-mount does not have an integrated shank. Instead, it has a flush mounting plate with a series of bolt holes. This allows the pintle to be bolted onto a pintle mount.

Many pintle mounts are intended to be adjustable with extra bolt holes that allow you to move the pintle hook higher or lower to get the best fit and most precise leveling when connecting your trailer.

The four hitch types above all attach to the vehicle in a towing setup. So what about the trailer side? When using a pintle hitch, a lunette ring is needed on the trailer side.

A lunette ring is just what its name suggests; it's a steel ring on the front of a trailer that attaches to the pintle hook on the vehicle. A lunette ring is affixed to a trailer tongue in the same place a traditional coupler would be and sits parallel to the ground.

Another type of pintle hitch to consider is the CURT SecureLatch pintle hitch. This line of pintle hitches — comprised of hooks, combos and lunette rings — is engineered with an auto-locking mechanism to streamline the hookup process.

It offers all the security of a traditional pintle hitch, but the auto-lock allows you to connect to your trailer with much more convenience. Check out the easy "strike-drop-auto-lock" action in the video below.

The world of towing has many variables, and because of this, many equipment options. Pintle hitches serve their own unique function and provide a number of key benefits compared to other types of hitches.

A receiver hitch is the part of a traditional towing setup that bolts onto the frame at the back of the vehicle. It has several connection points with the frame to ensure a secure attachment to the vehicle, while also offering a square tube opening that faces the back of the vehicle so you can attach a ball mount or other hitch accessory.

While pintle hitches and receiver hitches are not exclusive options, it's important to understand that there’s a difference between the two. In fact, a pintle hitch can be thought of as a receiver hitch accessory.

Receiver hitches are usually designed to be vehicle-specific and fall into one of five weight classes. Pintle hitches are not vehicle-specific but universal. Tube openings on receiver hitches come in three standard sizes (widths): 1-1/4", 2" and 2-1/2". Pintle hitches come with standard shank sizes to match, with the exception of 1-1/4" because of the higher capacity requirements.

The standard ball mount (also known as a ball hitch) is perhaps the most common type of hitch used on the road today. This type of hitch connects the vehicle to the trailer using a trailer ball and coupler. The straight part of the ball mount (called the shank) is inserted into the opening in the receiver hitch on the back of a vehicle with a hitch ball attached to the other side.

The coupler (a socket-like attachment) on the front of the trailer frame fits snuggly over the hitch ball and locks, connecting the vehicle and the trailer you’re wanting to pull.

A weight distribution hitch (sometimes called a WD hitch) is used to ensure a smooth, level ride when towing. Like a pintle hitch, a weight distribution hitch is a receiver hitch attachment.

Weight distribution hitches use spring bars to distribute the weight of the trailer over the front and back axles of the vehicle. This distribution helps level out the trailer and vehicle, eliminating potential sagging at the connection point, improving control in steering and stopping, and helping to reduce or even eliminate trailer sway (the side-to-side movement of a trailer when in motion behind a vehicle).

Pintle hitches do not offer any of these leveling benefits. The hook and ring serve only to connect the trailer to the vehicle. However, that connection is highly secure. While WD hitches provide weight ratings as high as 15,000 pounds, pintle hitches can go as high as 30,000 pounds.

When towing a bigger, heavier 5th wheel trailer, a 5th wheel hitch is needed. 5th wheel hitches are designed to sit securely in the bed of a pickup truck and connect to a kingpin on the front of a trailer. They have a U-shaped head plate that the kingpin slides into and locking jaws that hold it in place.

Despite their drastic design differences, pintle hitches and 5th wheel hitches are both high-capacity towing options. There are options on both sides for up to 30,000 pounds of weight capacity. However, the two are also very different and are used for different types of towing. 5th wheel hitches are uniquely made for towing 5th wheel trailers, while pintle hitches are intended for bumper-pull-style trailers.

The last hitch we want to touch on is the gooseneck hitch. This type of hitch is mounted in the bed of a pickup truck and is equipped with a heavy-duty trailer ball. When you're ready to tow, a gooseneck coupler attached to the front of your trailer connects to the goose ball in the bed of the truck.

This setup is similar to a 5th wheel hitch in that the type of trailer dictates which type of hitch is needed (i.e. gooseneck trailers require gooseneck hitches). However, gooseneck hitches are like pintle hitches in that they’re designed for high-capacity towing, upwards of 30,000 pounds. Also like pintle hitches (specifically ball pintle combinations), gooseneck hitches use standardized ball sizes of either 2-5/16" or 3".

Towing can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. The bottom line is that you need to do your research and decide what setup is best for you. Pintle hitches are a great option for high-capacity towing, especially when the path is not a smooth, open highway. Making sure your journey is safe and your investments are secure should be at top of your list when making your choice.

1. Why would you use a pintle hitch?

Pintle hitches are especially useful for heavy-duty towing, as well as towing on rough, off-road or uneven terrain. They have much higher tongue weight (TW) capacities and gross trailer weight (GTW) capacities than most traditional ball mounts. Their design also provides for extra movement at the connection point — both vertically and horizontally — for added maneuverability and safety while towing.

2. Which is better: a pintle or a ball hitch?

Answering which hitch is better depends on how you plan to use it. Ball hitches fit snuggly into the coupler on your trailer and have a lower tongue weight (TW) and gross trailer weight (GTW) capacity. Pintle hitches have characteristically higher towing capacities than ball hitches (more than double in most cases) and are the better option for high-capacity towing. To compare, the CURT pintle hook #48231 has a 12,000-pound TW capacity and a 60,000-pound GTW capacity, whereas the highest rated industrial CURT ball mount #45431 only has a TW of 2,800 pounds and a GTW of 21,000 pounds. Pintle hitches also allow for more movement at the connection point with the lunette ring on a trailer, making travel over rough or uneven terrain easier than they would using a standard ball hitch.

3. What is required when using a pintle hitch to tow a trailer?

The required equipment needed to tow with a pintle hitch is a lunette ring on the trailer and a pintle hook mounted onto your vehicle. It should be noted that there are several options for each, depending on the size and weight of the trailer you're planning to pull and possibly the terrain over which you are using your setup, but the basics needed boil down to simply a hook and a ring. 

4. How safe is a pintle hitch?

Pintle hitches are a safe towing option, especially when you're pulling a trailer over uneven terrain. The locking mechanisms on CURT pintle hitches secure the connection between your vehicle and trailer, while the hook and loop design allows for extra movement when traveling in areas that are rocky, hilly or otherwise unpaved. Keeping in mind the towing capacity and using your equipment correctly is also a crucial part of towing safety.

5. What are the downsides of a pintle hitch?

The downsides of a pintle hitch are the rougher, nosier ride when compared to a ball hitch. It's also important to note that you cannot use a weight distribution system when towing with a pintle hitch, which may be a dealbreaker for some trailer owners.

6. Are pintle hitches noisy?

Pintle hitches are a bit nosier than ball hitches because of the added play or range of movement between the lunette ring on the trailer and the pintle hook on the vehicle.

7. How much weight can you pull with a pintle hitch?

The GTW (gross trailer weight) of CURT pintle hitches ranges from 10,000 to 60,000 pounds max. (NOTE: Just because your hitch has a rating to pull a certain amount does not mean you can immediately pull that much). You need to consider the GTW and TW of each component in your towing setup — including your vehicle! — and go with whatever has the lowest capacity in order to tow safely.

Disclaimer: These photographs, recommendations, and approximations are intended for demonstration purposes only and do not reflect the specifications of any particular tow vehicle, recreational vehicle, or trailer. Always consult the manufacturer’s Owner's Manual.