Pintle Hitch vs. Ball: Which is Best for You?

When setting up a bumper tow for the first time, you'll probably wonder which is the best to use: a pintle hitch trailer or a bumper hitch. Unfortunately, those with a lot of towing experience may not even really know the difference between the two hitch types. There are, in fact, major differences between the two devices, and knowing which to use could make your ride a lot smoother.

In this article, we'll go over the pros and cons of both pintles and balls so that you know what to use next time you set up a tow.

What Is A Pintle Hitch?

A pintle hitch has a claw-like appearance and is designed for towing trailers that feature a lunette ring. This hitch type tightly attaches to the ring from above and below, ensuring the trailer is secure. Thanks to the ring's circular shape, pintles allow the trailer to gently pivot while the car is in motion.

At the same time, this range of motion can make for a bumpier and noisier ride, which can become annoying - especially when driving over long distances. Another main drawback of pintle hitches is that they are incompatible with weight distribution systems. To use a weight distribution system, you would need to first remove the pintle hitch.

Due to the range of movement offered by pintle hitches, you often see them used in heavy-duty loads and industrial and agricultural applications. Typically, the heavier the load, the smoother a pintle hitch works. However, they don't work as well with lighter loads, which would be better suited to a trailer ball.

Pros of pintle hitches

• Higher weight capacities
• High tongue weight capacity
• A pintle hitch lets the trailer move more
• The best option for off-road towing
• Easy to attach

Cons of pintle hitches

• Can be noisy
• Can create a bumpier ride
• Not compatible with weight distribution systems
• Doesn't work well with light loads

What Is A Ball Hitch?

A ball hitch is precisely as it sounds to be: a hitch with a protruding metal ball that is compatible only with a trailer coupler. Your trailer coupler will have a ball-shaped cap at its end that clicks onto a ball hitch easily. As long as you get the correct ball hitch size for your trailer coupler, there should be minimal space between the ball and the cap.

There are generally 4 sizes of ball available, which include:

• 1 7/8” (2,000 lbs - 3,500 lbs.)
• 2” (3,500 lbs - 12,000 lbs.)
• 2 5/16” (6,000 lbs - 30,000 lbs)
• 3″ (30,000 lbs. maximum)

Although getting the right ball hitch size for your trailer coupler is essential, it restricts your trailer's movement. Compared to a pintle hitch, a ball hitch doesn't allow the trailer to pivot.

Due to this restriction, ball hitches have a low towing capacity and are only recommended for smaller loads. They are typically used for recreational purposes, such as for towing small boats.

Pros of ball hitches

• Available in a range of sizes
• Great for towing lighter loads
• Easy to fit in
• Allows for smoother towing
• Allows for less noisy towing

Cons of ball hitches

• Not suitable for heavy bumper towing
• Does not allow a trailer to pivot

Pintle Hitch Vs. Ball Hitch: Which Is Better?

Regarding the question of pintle hitch vs. ball hitch, it depends on what you're towing - it's difficult to say that one is better than the other. A pintle trailer hitch will be the preferred option if you're carrying a high-capacity load. Alternatively, a trailer ball hitch would be better suited if you've got a lighter load.

Ball hitches also have the advantage of being suitable for all kinds of road surfaces. However, given the amount of movement provided by pintle hitches, the hitch type is much better for off-road terrain. Ball hitches would not work as well over bumpy terrain and may even be dangerous.

It also depends on what type of coupler your trailer comes with. For example, you'll need a pintle hitch if you've got a trailer with a ringed coupler. Conversely, if your trailer has a ball socket coupler, you'll need a ball hitch to attach it.

Is it easy to swap between the two?

Yes, it's straightforward to swap a pintle for a ball. All you've got to do is remove whichever one is currently attached to your hitch receiver tube and fit the other one in its place.

What Is A Combination Pintle Ball Hitcher?

A pintle-ball combination allows you to attach your car to both trailer balls and lunette rings. For example, with a combination ball pintle hitcher, you could switch from a pintle hitch load to a trailer ball without changing anything at the attachment point.

Conclusion

When attaching trailers to your truck, you have two options: a pintle hitch and a ball. Pintle hitches are arguably the best vehicle towing applications as they allow for more movement when driving and can carry heavier loads. However, ball hitches are much better at carrying lighter loads, depending on how heavy your load is.

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