Pintle hitch question

[Mobuck]

First: I'm certainly not an amateur trailer user.
'We' (meaning I was only close enough to see the end result) had a close call yesterday involving a pintle hitch failure.
Equipment: GMC dump truck, 20K# tandem axle pintle hitch trailer with flip over ramps, 7000# skidloader.
None of these were new to us and the trailer and truck had been used together many times. Truck/trailer sitting on a fairly level gravel driveway. Son was in a hurry (as usual) with expectations of doing 2 days of work in one afternoon. He ran the skidloader up the ramps a bit faster than was prudent and seeing he was moving too fast, brought the loader to a a stop right on the ramp/dovetail juncture. I was 50 yards away watching as I approached when the trailer tongue reared up about 2' and then slammed down. Reaching the truck, I saw the hitch loop sitting on top of the pintle which appeared to be still latched.
I/we got the trailer jack down and lifted the loop enough to roll the truck forward. I figured the safety pin on the pintle latch had sheared but it was still intact and the hitch was latched just as it was before the OOPS. WTH?? Here's my take on the scenario: The lug on the latch jumped past the lug on the hook and popped open. When the trailer loop came down, it caught the latch and pushed it back past the lug appearing to be in the closed position. No other damage has been found but the catch on the truck hitch seems to be much looser than before.
I've been telling 'the boys' they should put a couple of boards under the ramp legs to prevent damage to the pintle but to no avail. The leverage applied to the hitch noticeably lifts the rear of this heavy dump truck by 2-3" and puts a lot of stress on the latch lugs and safety pin. The skidloader was unloaded/reloaded twice after the incident w/o a replay. BUT with much less 'RAMMA JAMMA- in getting on/off the trailer.
Any heavy towing guys have insight/input on this.

 

[beentheredone]

No comment here, other than the fact that I learned the hard way years ago that messing around with heavy equipment can make us dead, fast.

 

[hittman]

“Getting rammy” is what my Uncle Cy called their stunt. At best equipment gets damaged. At worse you become another “farm accident” stat.

I’d discontinue use of that hitch until it’s checked out good for proper function. We used hitches like that in the 70s and 80s when I was still involved in the farm stuff. Thankfully, step dad and uncle were super cautious.

I’d say y’all dodged a bullet.

 

[blume357]

I was once at a house where some renovation was going on and the guys ripping up cracked concrete drive showed up pulling a relatively small bulldozer on a trailer behind a 1-3/4 ton pickup... they parked in front of the house next door where the street sloped slightly down hill. Few minutes later the dozer cranked up and guy started to back it off the trailer... when he was about half way off the tongue of the trailer picked up the rear end of the truck enough that it and trailer headed down the street..... front wheels on the truck were not chucked... I would have never thought of this either... once the rear of the truck lifter up and tires with emergency brakes on had no surface contact... everything was a go... they all headed down the street about 60ft until the truck decided to turn left and rammed into a concrete block wall in front of a house..... taught me a lesson I hope to never have to use. I often wonder if it would have gone better once everything started moving if the guy on the dozer had thought to just drive back on the trailer quick allowing the rear of the truck to come back down.

 

[hittman]

Yep ….. if you ain’t gonna secure the wheels at least make sure the tow vehicle is in 4WD.

 

[Robb Barnes]

I learned a long time ago to have simple jacks or jack stands installed near the back of the trailer when loading tractors and other equipment onto flat beds with ramps. Just takes a few seconds to add the support needed to avoid all the stress on the hitch set up. May not be an idea that is viable for the “run and gun” mentality of loading but sure beats tearing stuff up.

 

[Mobuck]

"when he was about half way off the tongue of the trailer picked up the rear end of the truck enough that it and trailer headed down the street"
I've actually seen that happen. Neighbor Son had a similar OOPS right in front of my house. Even funnier: Amish/Mennonite guy had transplanted a Perkins diesel into an older Chevy pickup but hadn't bothered with the mechanical kill cable. He'd just put the pickup in high gear and let the clutch out killing the engine. One day he forgot to leave gear shift in R and when he proceeded to unload his skidloader, the jostling of the loader rolling off the back pushed the pickup far enough to 'gravity start' and the pickup and trailer went careening off downslope, got hung up on the RxR track, and was hit by a train (not funny for him).
Yes, I've already ordered a new pintle hitch for the truck-not much interested in this happening again. Exceptionally lucky nothing was damaged beyond the easily replaceable $100 hitch.

 

[eveled]

I think you are correct the hitch must have been forced opened then slammed shut when the tongue came back down on it.

I hope your son learns to slow down and work safer before something bad happens.

In the long run he will save time money and equipment.