Wierd Trailer Hitch - What Is It?

[ssn696]

I took a massive Class 5 trailer hitch off a 1989 Suburban. It has a semi-circular track and the actual receiver can pivot about 160 degrees under the fuel tank. I can barely lift this ting by myself to move it. Anybody know anything about i? Who made it? How do you hook a trailer to it? Does the tongue of the trailer slide into the receiver? If so, how do you go over a dip? Please reply with any info. View attachment 80501

 

[Schumacher]

I believe it was to ad in hooking to the trailer. The truck and trailer did not have to be lined up perfectly and when pulling forward the hitch would center and a spring loaded pin would lock it in place. A normal hitch would be intalled in the receiver.

 

[ScottLewis]

I can't recall the name but it was a hitch sold some years back that boasted better towing because the pivot point was located much farther forward, reducing "tag wag" and having a smaller turn radius. They used to be advertized regularly in magazines like Trailer Life.

 

[Mark31]

Could this be a Pullrite hitch? pullrite.com

 

[Bill Stockard]

Could this be a Pullrite hitch? pullrite.com

Yep, it's a Pullrite.



PullRite has a SAFER, STRONGER, BETTER designed hitch for you



Video:

PullRite has a SAFER, STRONGER, BETTER designed hitch for you



Bill

 

[Schumacher]

I didn't realize you can tow with the hitch uncentered. What keeps the trailer from also pivoting on the ball mount? I watched the video and looked at the pics but, I couldn't figure it out.

 

[Slow Six]

If you look at the info closer you will read that the ball mount is locked out from turning by the equalizer bars. An older friend who towed with a minivan had one of these. Idea is okay and it worked but was a piece of junk which eventually broke. I did a short test drive when he had it new. One thing I remember is the trailer tracked further into a turn than a normal hitch. When it broke he had me take it away for him. I cut it up, used what I could and scrapped the rest.

 

[HBarlow]

I took a massive Class 5 trailer hitch off a 1989 Suburban. It has a semi-circular track and the actual receiver can pivot about 160 degrees under the fuel tank. I can barely lift this ting by myself to move it. Anybody know anything about i? Who made it? How do you hook a trailer to it? Does the tongue of the trailer slide into the receiver? If so, how do you go over a dip? Please reply with any info. View attachment 80501

Greetings. From your member ID I assume you are a fellow submariner. I've been retired too long to know - what is the name of SSN 696?

I recommend against using that hitch. A free hitch receiver is not necessarily a bargain. I remember when these hitches were advertised in magazines years ago but have never used one or talked with anyone who did.

Looking at the photos you provided it looks like all the load starting and stopping stress is carried by one 3/8" or perhaps 1/2" bolt. I wouldn't trust it myself.

 

[Blu-meanie]

U. S. S. NEW YORK CITY SSN 696, is what I found.

 

[HBarlow]

U. S. S. NEW YORK CITY SSN 696, is what I found.

Thanks. I knew that in that class of submarines it would be named after a major US city but didn't know which one.

 

[ssn696]

Thanks, everybody. As you can see, I have a bunch of steel I am taking to a recycler. I finally got around to inquiring about this chunk o'steel to see if it was worth advertising on EBay or Craigslist. I was hoping it was worth more than 10 cents a pound. Looks like it's worth 10 cents a pound.

Yes, you are only the third person ever to catch the moniker (I have it on my license plate too). I helped decommission the NYC in 1996. My Dad was able to take a three-day tiger cruise from Florida to Sandy Hook, NJ. Just across the bay was our namesake (and host) city. It was bizarre standing around the NY Yacht club in our Mr. Salty Pretzel outfits trying to drink small beers with our pinkies in the air. The USS NYC was one of the first LA Class subs. The Navy refueled and updated about every other one of the early LAs. For my last year in the Navy, my ship was a building.