Pintle hitch for Basecamp?

[dkmcgrath]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question, or if it would be better placed in the Basecamp section.

Anyway, I own a BC20X towed by a PowerWagon. Most of the off-road-focused trailers I cross-shopped with the BC use a pintle hitch and lunette ring rather than a ball coupler.

Has anyone either made this conversion, have thoughts on why it is a good idea or a bad idea, or just general thoughts on the actual off-road capabilities of the BC20X, I’d love to hear about it.

Most of the other trailers I looked at fell more into the small end of the spectrum: small T@Gs, off-road teardrops like Oregon Trail’r, and other off-road-focused options.

Obviously, we didn’t go with any of those options, and we love our Basecamp. The only concern we have is articulation. A pintle hitch has a significant advantage over a ball couple in terms of break-over but is also much noisier.

I understand that I’d have to physically modify the A-frame. I don’t use a WD hitch or any sway control and have never felt the need. The truck and trailer are very well matched. The only sway I’ve encountered was in a 50MPH cross-wind, and it was less sway and more a lateral push on my whole rig. So that lack doesn't bother me, though I know for a lot of folks that eliminates any consideration of going pintle.

Thoughts appreciated! For, against, experiences, all are welcome here.

[dkmcgrath]

And of course, my phone helped me by correcting pintle to pintos in my title. Ugh…

Any chance an admin can fix me up?

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by dkmcgrath

And of course, my phone helped me by correcting pintle to pintos in my title. Ugh…

Any chance an admin can fix me up?

Done...

[dkmcgrath]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Done...

Thank you!

[PB_NB]

Originally Posted by dkmcgrath

And of course, my phone helped me by correcting pintle to pintos in my title. Ugh…

Any chance an admin can fix me up?

I had 2 Pinto’s as my first cars. Sort of brought back some nostalgia about the good old days!

As far as avoiding sway, if you keep the tongue weight up by loading the trailer to the front, that will make the sway less noticeable. Try to keep the tongue weight above 10% of the trailer weight and closer to 15% if possible.

Sounds like a big job to convert to a pintle, Have you considered the long term if you ever decide to sell the BC, you might have to switch the hitch back to a ball socket. Either way there is going to be some cutting and welding involved.

Is there a ball option that will give you similar performance on the market?

[dkmcgrath]

Originally Posted by PB_NB

I had 2 Pinto’s as my first cars. Sort of brought back some nostalgia about the good old days!

Try to keep the tongue weight above 10% of the trailer weight and closer to 15%.

My tongue weight was 550# from a 4300# trailer, and that seems to work well for me.

Is there a ball option that will give you similar performance on the market?

I haven't been able to find one. That doesn't mean they don't exist. That would be the ideal, if I'm honest.

[dkmcgrath]

Addendum: I did find the Gen-Y Glyder, which would allow some articulation in the vertical plane, but not as much as I’d like.

[bel73]

Have you looked into the Polyblock used on the Black Series campers?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8T3XSBZ8FdQ

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by bel73

Have you looked into the Polyblock used on the Black Series campers?

Hi, I would not use this hitch, especially off road, without a locking connector pin.

[dkmcgrath]

The articulation on the PolyBlock seems good. I also found the Lock-n-Roll or similar name when I was looking for a US source for just the hitch components on the PolyBlock. Don't really want to buy a whole trailer just for the coupler .

[dznf0g]

Check out lock and roll hitches

Sent from my SM-G950U using Airstream Forums mobile app

[GCinSC2]

Conversion is a possible? Here's a combo but fitment needs confirmation.

DEMCO 15795-52 channel mount and 09557-XX ring.
https://www.demco-products.com/trail...nents/couplers

[Rolind]

I have been in situations where I could have used a pintle hitch, but my biggest problem then was not the lack of a pintle hitch. It was that I shouldn’t have been there at all. My BCX just isn’t set up for extreme off roading. Very capable yes, able to get me deep in the tall weeds and out yes, but I don’t have the ground clearance and the break over angle at the hitch to make extreme off road towing a possibility.

[LNBright]

Originally Posted by Rolind

I have been in situations where I could have used a pintle hitch, but my biggest problem then was not the lack of a pintle hitch. It was that I shouldn’t have been there at all. My BCX just isn’t set up for extreme off roading. Very capable yes, able to get me deep in the tall weeds and out yes, but I don’t have the ground clearance and the break over angle at the hitch to make extreme off road towing a possibility.

I want to emphasize this...

I've got a couple of old Land Rovers, and in what I call my previous lifetime I was in the infantry, military equipment uses pintles because we were, doing things in places that weren't for fun.

Yes, if you're offroading, a pintle is good in that, it's a simple ring w/ a pincher to hold the ring. Dragging a utility/ cargo trailer behind you while traversing ditches or roads w/ channels eroded into them, it lets you have some flexibility.

But you also have less control. The 'nice' thing about a hitch that drops onto a ball is that it maintains a good level of control. But, as you're well aware, that means you also need to be on some decent road. Not necessarily paved, but, groomed gravel roads are okay too. But no, you don't want to go having to cross-axle across a berm w/ a ball-hitched trailer in tow.

But I'll admit: even if my AS was a Basecamp, I would not want to inflict on it, any roads that require having to have a pintle over a ball. If I had to keep going deeper, I'd drop the idea of a trailer and go tent. I just don't want to do that to my trailer.

Just my two cents....

[dkmcgrath]

Originally Posted by LNBright

I want to emphasize this...

I've got a couple of old Land Rovers, and in what I call my previous lifetime I was in the infantry, military equipment uses pintles because we were, doing things in places that weren't for fun.

Yes, if you're offroading, a pintle is good in that, it's a simple ring w/ a pincher to hold the ring. Dragging a utility/ cargo trailer behind you while traversing ditches or roads w/ channels eroded into them, it lets you have some flexibility.

But you also have less control. The 'nice' thing about a hitch that drops onto a ball is that it maintains a good level of control. But, as you're well aware, that means you also need to be on some decent road. Not necessarily paved, but, groomed gravel roads are okay too. But no, you don't want to go having to cross-axle across a berm w/ a ball-hitched trailer in tow.

But I'll admit: even if my AS was a Basecamp, I would not want to inflict on it, any roads that require having to have a pintle over a ball. If I had to keep going deeper, I'd drop the idea of a trailer and go tent. I just don't want to do that to my trailer.

Just my two cents....

Totally fair. There are a few spots along the pacific coast that we like to go. Very nice roads, except for a couple spots where I don’t think the break over of a ball will really do it.

I’ve actually been convinced by a few posts upthread with alternatives. Something articulating but solid is better than a pintle, I think. Or at least think now .

[vintageracer]

The real question "I" think you need to answer is:

Is an Airstream Basecamp trailer built well enough to go the places that your tow vehicle is capable of going and YOU want to go that would make a "Pintle Hitch" or other type of modified hitch connection a needed addition to you Basecamp trailer?

I suggest that answer is NO!

An Airstream Basecamp trailer is nowhere near well enough constructed to go anywhere close to where a "Pintle Hitch" or other articulating would be of any value!

Find another trailer for that type of off-road (Overland) travel!

[R ROGERS]

I was shopping the Black Series at an RV show and noticed they upgraded their hitches to a unique articulating hitch. https://www.mchitch.com.au/automatic-couplers


This might be an alternative for you. I don't know if there is a US distributor but the Australian site says they ship worldwide.