What size pintle ball combination or pintle alone hitch should I be using with

So I just got the trailer used from craigslist. It’s in great shape, the only thing is that it uses a pintle type hitch, which before now I’ve never used. The Lunette ring width is 3 inche so I just got the trailer used from craigslist. It’s in great shape, the only thing is that it uses a pintle type hitch, which before now I’ve never used. The lunette with is 3 inches. The pintle ball receiver, has a ball that’s 2 inches wide. Seems like that is too small to be used in that size lunette. It’s just a single axle trailer, so from a capacity standpoint it’s fine, but it seems it’s kind of sloppy and making a lot of noise. Do you guys recommend another size receiver or type?

The lunette is welded on the trailer, so changing that wouldn’t be an option.

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That trailer tongue is made from a piece of pipe????

Yes. It’s a homemade trailer, As you probably already guessed.

Here are some better pictures of the tongue and undercarriage

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I wouldn’t ever pull that trailer my self just looking at that threaded pipe tongue.
As for pintle hitches, they are sloppy, loud, and annoying. There is only one bigger size ball you can put on that hitch and it wont make much difference

La wrote:

It’s just a single axle trailer, so from a capacity standpoint it’s fine,

La wrote:

Yes. It’s a homemade trailer, As you probably already guessed.

The capacity rating on this trailer is “fine”? What is the rated capacity? I’m sorry but “Black” or “Galvanized” pipe is NOT rated as structural member for trailer building material. This is why you do not see commercial builders using it.

If you’ve got a short term need for that trailer use it and get rid of it. I wouldn’t put any money into it. That trailer is not made for the highway.

The only way I’d pull it is on another trailer.

biggill wrote:

If you’ve got a short term need for that trailer use it and get rid of it. I wouldn’t put any money into it. That trailer is not made for the highway.

The only way I’d pull it is on another trailer.

I agree.

It would be fine around the farm or through the woods, but I wouldn’t tow it down the highway.

Looks like an insurance claim or lawsuit waiting to happen……

Side note: I pull pintles at work all the time. Everything Bearcat said it spot on.

Yikes….

I was going to tell you to cross cross you chains also to make a saddle. But the next picture down shows your chains are not even actually connected to the trailer. Both ends have s hooks?
And I’m sorry and trying to be polite. But those welds are horrifying. I would never consider that even a option to pull down a public road. You are only asking for trouble.
And I’d you so pull it, it hope a police officer spots it and shuns it before it is the reason for some innocent person to get hurt.

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate the advice!

Bearcat89 wrote:

I was going to tell you to cross cross you chains also to make a saddle. But the next picture down shows your chains are not even actually connected to the trailer. Both ends have s hooks?”

Not that it’s takes away from all the other things, but As far as that part, its two different pictures at different times. One just put on for a photo.

The chains do attach to treailer tongue

Friend of mine just got hit head on with a trailer that came unhooked from someone’s truck. It was a Bobcat trailer. Thank god there was no skid steer on it. Totaled his 2018 Tundra and sent him and a passenger to the hospital for treatment. Air bags saved them from serious injury. D Bag had no insurance.

Looking at the spattery welds on that trailer, the mish-mash of materials used and the way it’s stacked together, there is no way that trailer should be taken on a public road even without a load on it.

Luis, we’re not saying this be a-holes or jerks. That trailer looks really, really dangerous. Those welds are a total amateur hour job. I could weld better than that as a 13 year old in shop class. I just don’t want you to be that guy that finally has that thing bust loose on him and causes a really tragic accident.

For your own sake and the sake of everybody else on the road, get that thing assessed by a welding shop to see if it’s road-worthy. BTW, see if they can come to the trailer rather than taking the trailer on the road to them. They’ll tell you what (if anything) can be done for it.

If it’s safe to proceed they can fit a standard ball coupling on it and reinforce it.

Grouse

I’ll probably end up junking it. Expensive lesson to learn, but hopefully learned in time.

La wrote:

I’ll probably end up junking it. Expensive lesson to learn, but hopefully learned in time.

I see you are new to this site. There is some awesome insight on here and smart people to asses different things like this. Like grouse said, we are not being rude just saying the truth