Pintle Hitch Removal

So, I finally got the M1009 "legal". I've been fine driving on base, but get a bit nervous out in town. Have had the local PD, Sheriff and HP all follow me, pass and wave/salute, but didn't want an incident in the event of an accident.

Got license plates today and then had to figure out how to mount one on the rear. Couldn't find a good place that I really liked and decided to commit the heresy of removing the pintle hitch. Got the 4 main bolts out and the interior lynch-pin/wire. Then couldn't figure out how to get the zerk or castle nut off. Searched the forums and came up short.

Bought a bracket at O'Reilly for $3 bucks, painted it flat black, drilled two holes and mounted it on the rear driver side leaving the blackout light visible. Doesn't look too bad actually, but it begged the question:

How in the sam hill do you remove the pintle hitch? And what specific tools do you need to get the castle nut off, etc. Maybe someone who's done this can post a step-by-step. (With pics would be even better!)

Sounds like you are already committed to your mounting location but what I did, wanting to keep my pintle hitch, is put a universal license bracket with light right under the bumper to the left of center. Tapped into a hot taillight lead for the license light.

I just did this a few weeks ago. I found a big socket that fit the nut in my 3/4" drive cheapie socket set and then used the air impact and the castle nut came right off. Sorry but I dont remember the size. You could probably use a large crescent wrench or regular wrench if you have one that big and then put a pipe or something through the pintle so the pintle will not rotate and then remove the nut.

I think it's two inch, but don't quote me.... I left mine in place. Harbor freight has giant wrenches, but they don't fit through the narrow opening of the hitch holder.

I used a big stupid adjustable wrench on the nut. I slid a pipe through the eye of pintle, wedged it into the ground and then went work, only after soaking the nut with liquid wrench. I swapped my swivel pintle out for a fixed one with a ball. I wanted to be able to tow a mil trailer, but my boat used a ball.

Mine came right off with an oxy-propane torch!
I slid a piece of 1/4" steel between the nut and the fuel tank then cut thru the nut on both sides.

How does the pintle come out, once the nut is removed? Does it thread out or does it just slide out with extensive hammering, cussing, etc.?

I removed the entire bracket, pintle hitch and all, and substituted a "stock" license plate bracket from LMC Truck. The license plate light I got from Wal-Mart and hooked it up to a hot wire in a newly installed 4-pin flat plug set.

I still have pintle capability: I installed a standard class III 2" frame hitch onto the frame. Then rigged up an arrangement with a fixed pintle that slid into the 2" receiver. So now I can tow my boat, as well as that (planned) M101A2! The only shortfall is that since the new pintle is fixed, it will not articulate in rough country the same way the GI issue pintle did.

For wiring, I retained the existing round pin arrangement although it is tucked behind the bumper, and spliced in a flat 4-pin plug setup for my boat trailer.

The whole thing was quickly rattle canned in camo green, at least until I can spray the entire exterior of the truck in a correct color.

It's an exercise in sweating/cursing with lots of impact wrench work and plenty of sawzall work thrown in.

As of a few weeks back, mine's off, and I mounted the license plate there.

I didn't figure I would be towing my M101a2 off road. I replaced my pintle with one of those convertible Ball/pintle hook arrangements also. I like it, 2" ball or pintle.

pintle hook removal

The pintle hook has 3 spacers and a bushing plate. The pintle itself has a smooth shaft and a threaded end. Took me a whole lot of pb blaster and a big f... hammer. put it up on blocks and beat the cap out of it to get it out.

Well fast forward and here it is 2018 and i've got my nut off. i've got the whole bracket on a bench and used a smaller pipe maybe 14" wrench wedged in the bracket and a railroad bar to spin the pintle, but i'm at that point of wondering how in the 'sam hill' does the rest of it come apart.

Whole thing comes off; 44 pounds worth.

Wouldn't it be better to install a pindle ring on your trailer? A lot less people would be able to steal your trailer. Along with a lot less people wanting to borrow it.