Drawbar Couplings & Components

Pintle Hooks, Ring Couplings and Combination Hitches
What is a Pintle Hitch?
A pintle hitch is a corrosion-resistant hook and coupling connected to a heavy-duty tow bar used by military and trucking companies. Pintle towing hitches is robust for extreme terrains.
How Does a Pintle Hook Work?

Attain Trailer Weight
Attain Truck GVM
Select the correct D-value from the chart below
Install the Pintle Hook into the 85mm x 45mm hole spacings.
Failure to select the correct D-Value to match your truck/trailer combination will result in excessive component wear.

What is the new Australian RVS Legislation?
Road vehicle regulation in Australia started a new era on 1 July 2021.

Read more about the new laws here.
CTA Road Vehicle Component Type Approval
This component is approved under section 177 of the Road Vehicles Standards Rules 2019 and fully complies with the applicable national road vehicle standards.

CTA Approval is available for download upon purchase of selected towing parts. Vehicle inspectors may want to see this certificate for registration and certifications.

Towing parts are available at wholesale prices to dealers and resellers.
If this sounds like you, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss wholesale prices. This is not open to the public.

The CRN on the invoice is your guarantee of compliance with D.O.T. regulations.

For example, engineering starts with testing equipment like 10t Gooseneck auto-lock coupling and heavy-duty 3″ tow balls.

Testing results in D-Values and V-Values that satisfy your engineer’s inspection requirements.
Pintle Hook Damage
Pintle hook trailer hitch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure manufacturing integrity.

As a result of extensive testing, we found that various driver errors cause pintle hook damage. They include:

Reversing into the trailer ring coupling causes the top locking mechanism to twist or break.
Reversing a vehicle and trailer at a sharp angle, causing the bottom of the hook to jackknife.
Towing with a coupling head weight above 7%. – This is too heavy for tandem trailers.
Hitch ball breakage is caused when the towing vehicle tow ball hits the trailer coupling.

Before installing a new trailer hitch mount, it is an excellent idea to weigh your rig on a weighbridge to calculate its towing capacity.

Disconnecting the trailer hitch is necessary to obtain an accurate trailer towing weight. Then, you can configure the correct head weight for connection to the vehicle tow bar.
Tow Ball Hitches and Receiver Kits
Necessary: We recommend offroad couplings of all brands use a solid cast receiver hitch. Hollow receivers have a welded tongue that distorts in extreme offroad conditions and under shock loading events on the highway.

Couplemate manufactures a range of cast tow bar receivers and hitches in Australia and tested to Australian road conditions.
Vehicle Inspections
If questions arise from your engineer or Heavy Vehicle Inspection Officer, show the officer your invoice. It contains engineering certifications that will answer many questions.

Furthermore, the Inspecting Officer may need to copy your invoice to follow up on non-compliant equipment. The easiest way to copy an invoice is to take a photo with your mobile phone.

Finally, excessive tongue weight causes light steering and lifts the vehicle’s headlights into oncoming traffic, which is a safety hazard.

Read more:

How to Stop Trailer Hitch Rattle
Video Gallery & Towing Tips.
ADR and Towing Regulation Material in Australia
How to avoid a Towing Disaster