Every single truck in NZ that pulls a draw bar trailer has a RINGFEDER. In fact I'd never heard of a pintle hook until the other day and I'm 63 years old and used to pull trailers.
we use something similar in Michigan on the gravel trains (heavy hauler / double dump trucks) it is a pintle hook but utilizes a fishmouth for the ring to slide into instead of the ball system. only difference seems to be the auto pin feature on the ringfeder, we drop a large 15 lb pin through the fishmouth and ring by hand to accomplish the hook with the dolly i do like the ringfeder though, thanks for the demo
I can't understand why the outdated hook system is still in use in the usa. It has little tensile load and drawbar load and you need these safety chains and there is no automatic locking.
We call that a drawbar trailer in South Africa. It's used with a rigid truck combination, and so we call that a truck & trailer combination. Ringfeder is only a brand name for the manufacturer.Are any of u guys (Australians & Americans) familiar with our interlink/superlink combination in South Africa?
Out of curiosity have you ever heard of a ring feeder letting go and the trailers detaching from the tractor? Or could this only happen if the ring feeder pin hasn't engaged correctly?
Yes we do have a version of a ringfeder...its called a "fishmouth". Basically the same thing except the pin is just sitting in the top. It is dropped in from the top...and is not automatic like this one. Used on the heavy haulers in Michigan........the ones that weigh 164,000 lbs,,,,,twin axle dolly....these are also called "A" trains....the 5th wheel is on the dolly. "B": trains have the 5th wheel on the back of the front trailer.
a bit old school that compared to the ones we use in the nordic, but still better then the jesus era in the states ;) they can fail if packed full of snow and people dont see that they dont lock right. other then that they are safe as can be. i got tired of doing this 10 times per day so now i just got a end dump semi :)
