Lunette/Pintle Hook For Bumper?
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 312
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
Lunette/Pintle Hook For Bumper?
I have a 2008 XL regular cab, V6, no tow package. Is anyone aware of a pintle hook which fits into the hole (1”?) in the stock bumper? I rarely tow, don’t want to have to install a hitch receiver if I can avoid it.
Enclosed cargo trailers are pretty expensive for the amount I would use them, but there seem to be a lot of trailers at auctions with lunette hitches. If I can win one of those, it may be an option I can afford.
i have a 7-pin harness to install. Have to get a trailer brake controller, too.
Usage of the trailer is mainly for storage, moved a couple of hundred miles once or twice a year. Probably no more than 4000 pounds in total to keep everything within my 10000 pound GVWR.
The simplest thing will be to replace the lunette hitch eye with a normal ball trailer hitch. But I don’t know what the actual trailer will require, since I haven’t bought it yet, and I don’t want to try to get something welded at the auction site.
BTW, tow package for the V6 that year did not include the aux trans cooler, so I don’t think it would help much.
And please don’t suggest buying a Super Duty…buying another truck is not in my budget.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
Enclosed cargo trailers are pretty expensive for the amount I would use them, but there seem to be a lot of trailers at auctions with lunette hitches. If I can win one of those, it may be an option I can afford.
i have a 7-pin harness to install. Have to get a trailer brake controller, too.
Usage of the trailer is mainly for storage, moved a couple of hundred miles once or twice a year. Probably no more than 4000 pounds in total to keep everything within my 10000 pound GVWR.
The simplest thing will be to replace the lunette hitch eye with a normal ball trailer hitch. But I don’t know what the actual trailer will require, since I haven’t bought it yet, and I don’t want to try to get something welded at the auction site.
BTW, tow package for the V6 that year did not include the aux trans cooler, so I don’t think it would help much.
And please don’t suggest buying a Super Duty…buying another truck is not in my budget.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 502
There's a reason you're not finding a pintle option for the hole in the bumper. Most trailers heavy enough to use a pintle hitch shouldn't be placed on the bumper. For the weights you're looking to haul, you'd be wise to invest in a real, frame mounted receiver. You certainly don't need a Super Duty for a 4k lb trailer, but a real receiver would be a good, worthwhile investment, in my opinion.
Also, as an option, some utility trailers come with the pintle loop that's bolted to the trailer's frame. You may be able to swap the loop for a standard ball-style hitch. That may allow you to pull from the bumper (although I'd still strongly suggest a frame mounted receiver). Check the actual rating of the bumper to make sure it can handle the tongue weight of the trailer you intend to tow.
Also, as an option, some utility trailers come with the pintle loop that's bolted to the trailer's frame. You may be able to swap the loop for a standard ball-style hitch. That may allow you to pull from the bumper (although I'd still strongly suggest a frame mounted receiver). Check the actual rating of the bumper to make sure it can handle the tongue weight of the trailer you intend to tow.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 312
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
little common sense it’s fine. Obviously it isn’t a good idea with a 7000 pound travel trailer, but my budget doesn’t allow for that or a new truck to tow it!
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 312
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Regarding:
For some reason, there are plenty of pintle/lunette trailers at auction from commercial users. USMC also uses them. Many are smaller than 16 feet and with a 2500-pound or lower empty weight.
:Regarding:
That would be my first choice. However, I can’t inspect the trailer until auction day to see if that’s possible, and I won’t have much time to get the right adapter from etrailer, Amazon, or Ebay. But clearly that is the best choice for right now if it’s possible.
Definitely! Ford says 5000 pounds max, 500 pounds tongue weight. Not planning on exceeding either.
Thanks again for your insights.
:Regarding:
Thanks again for your insights.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,992
Likes: 4,141
From: Angier, NC
I am with the rest I would not pull anything over a 1000 lb with a bumper ball.
A frame hitch is pretty cheap, can be shipped to your places and you can install it, keeping the price down.
It also gives you options to pull anything, with in reason, with different hitch / ball size set ups down the road.
I found a NIB unaversal frame mount for my 81 F100 on CL local pretty cheap.
I set my truck up as a back up to pull my 20' open deck car trailer, it uses a 2-5/16" ball or I can install a 2" and pull a Uhaul trailer or even a 1-7/8" for a small trailer if I have to.
Try that with a bumper mounted ball
Dave ----
A frame hitch is pretty cheap, can be shipped to your places and you can install it, keeping the price down.
It also gives you options to pull anything, with in reason, with different hitch / ball size set ups down the road.
I found a NIB unaversal frame mount for my 81 F100 on CL local pretty cheap.
I set my truck up as a back up to pull my 20' open deck car trailer, it uses a 2-5/16" ball or I can install a 2" and pull a Uhaul trailer or even a 1-7/8" for a small trailer if I have to.
Try that with a bumper mounted ball
Dave ----
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 909
Likes: 120
The F are you people smoking?
Have any of you looked at the actual structure of the bumper and brackets?
Sure, it's no receiver hitch but there's more beef in it than where the hitch bolts to in the frames and unibodies of vehicles that are actually rated for ~5k. OP will be fine.
Have any of you looked at the actual structure of the bumper and brackets?
Sure, it's no receiver hitch but there's more beef in it than where the hitch bolts to in the frames and unibodies of vehicles that are actually rated for ~5k. OP will be fine.
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Tuned
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The only real problem with pulling that much weight off the bumper is the inability to level the trailer. The height of the bumper is fixed and if it’s too tall or too low, it just is what it is.
this poses a problem for some trailers and not for others.
another consideration is turning radius. You will always have better turning ability without smashing the trailer tongue into the bumper with a receiver hitch.
if it’s rated for 500/5,000 then it is safe at those limits. But rarely will a 5,000 lbs trailer have only 500 lbs on the tongue. It’s almost always more.
I’d get a receiver and install it myself to save the money. Very little reason not to IMO.
YMMV.
this poses a problem for some trailers and not for others.
another consideration is turning radius. You will always have better turning ability without smashing the trailer tongue into the bumper with a receiver hitch.
if it’s rated for 500/5,000 then it is safe at those limits. But rarely will a 5,000 lbs trailer have only 500 lbs on the tongue. It’s almost always more.
I’d get a receiver and install it myself to save the money. Very little reason not to IMO.
YMMV.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 502
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Regarding:
For some reason, there are plenty of pintle/lunette trailers at auction from commercial users. USMC also uses them. Many are smaller than 16 feet and with a 2500-pound or lower empty weight.
:Regarding:
That would be my first choice. However, I can’t inspect the trailer until auction day to see if that’s possible, and I won’t have much time to get the right adapter from etrailer, Amazon, or Ebay. But clearly that is the best choice for right now if it’s possible.
Definitely! Ford says 5000 pounds max, 500 pounds tongue weight. Not planning on exceeding either.
Thanks again for your insights.
For some reason, there are plenty of pintle/lunette trailers at auction from commercial users. USMC also uses them. Many are smaller than 16 feet and with a 2500-pound or lower empty weight.
:Regarding:
That would be my first choice. However, I can’t inspect the trailer until auction day to see if that’s possible, and I won’t have much time to get the right adapter from etrailer, Amazon, or Ebay. But clearly that is the best choice for right now if it’s possible.
Definitely! Ford says 5000 pounds max, 500 pounds tongue weight. Not planning on exceeding either.
Thanks again for your insights.
I'd really be concerned with a pintle hitch on the bumper. It's not a tight connection like a ball mount, they rattle around so you end up with impact forces on top of the standard stresses of towing (even if the overall weight of the trailer is low).
Good luck! Hopefully you find a solution that works out.
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