off road trailer coupler

[mesha]

I have been using my little off road trailer for several years now. I love it and it has gone many places with me. I am thinking about building a trailer coupler for it. I like the max coupler, but was thinking of a slightly different approach.

Would a 1.25" heim joint work? I can't really see a problem, but I am not very far into the thinking about it process.

 

[Rock Taco]

Found this

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/995756-using-hiem-trailer-coupler.html

 

[skiboarder]

Look at a pintle hook also. I think that's how you spell it.

 

[Caleb]

The problem I could see with a heim is noise. Heims always end up getting noisy over time, I would think especially if it's used as a trailer hitch of sorts. I really like the idea of the Max Connector where it uses bushings.

 

[mesha]

nice. thanks!

 

[mesha]

Look at a pintle hook also. I think that's how you spell it.

not a fan of the noise and slop with pintle hitches.

 

[skippy]

I think an 1.25" heim is the best way to go, ecspecially for the money involved

 

[mesha]

What about a large joint like the teraflex large flex joint? It is rebuildable, has a bushing so it won't be noisy and a lot of articulation.

 

[skippy]

What about the size of bolt that each joint uses I am not sure but I think the 1.25 heim would take a bigger bolt and that may be better

 

[mesha]

I dont know the bolt size on the terajoint, but I also think the heim would be bigger. However, the terajoint style has a ball rather than separate spacers which I kinda like.

 

[TJDukit]

What about the Metal Cloak duraflex joints? They have builder joints that will fit into most "johnny Joint" style housings including Teraflex joints. You wouldn't get any noise at all.

 

[mesha]

What about the Metal Cloak duraflex joints? They have builder joints that will fit into most "johnny Joint" style housings including Teraflex joints. You wouldn't get any noise at all.

Those are definitely something to look at.

 

[Caleb]

I think a joint like the teraflex joint would be ideal. I'm unfamiliar with the Metal Cloak duraflex joint so can't speak to it. I wouldn't worry too much about the size of the bolt. Look at the size of a traditional trailer pin, 3/4" or so and they're rated to tow way more than you'll ever be towing with your offroad trailer. I would say as long as you're similar in size or bigger, I wouldn't think twice about it.

 

[Bob B]

I built mine from a old school Teraflex flex arm.. I have yet to try it out. Ill try to dig up a pic.

 

[flexyfool]

I would worry about breaking the center ball out of the housing -- especially with the johnny joint style. All these joints are made to load in 1 plane only. No professional mechanical engineer would design a coupling like in the photo. But, the shear size of a 1.25" heim joint with a small (1000lb?) trailer is probably robust enough. You definitely want brackets above and below the heim (double shear) in case the ball breaks out. The thread will also tends to loosen when the trailer twists past the misalignment capacity of the joint in 1 direction.

 

[Bob B]

This is how mine turned out. I made it out an old teraflex flex arm. It rotates on the threads of the arm. I welded a very, very thick "washer" on the end of the threads inside so if the threads should fail, it wont pull apart. I left the flat plate long. My intentions are to cut it back into the side brackets. I also have to drill a hole in it. Much like the true Max coupler, I will use a bolt through that plate and down into a normal hitch. A couple brass bushings between some metal for happiness...Full rotation and articulations on all axis. Whatcha think?

 

[I Lean]

Yours looks good, Bob! Except you have the brass bushings upside down in your pic. The big one is supposed to go between the flat plate and the hitch.

 

[mesha]

That looks like a pretty awesome set up. In the picture with the bushings it shows quite a bit of overhang on where the bracket will be mounted. Is that how you are going to mount it?

 

[Bob B]

No, once I finally mock it up on the jeep, I will cut it back to make it as short as possible. Most likely the bolt will go through the plate about a inch infront of the upper bushing...Hope that makes sense.


CARL: thanks I couldnt remember where which one went.

 

[jmaxj]

The scary part about that is, I've seen more than once those teraflex arms separate and flatten threads as a rear control arm. Kinda scares me to think it could separate and bye bye trailer.