Here's my take on it. Obviously we're in a different position here with much lower axle load limits than it seems you have there, and pintle hooks are rarely used, but so far I see everyone in the thread saying it's a bad idea. Now to me, if you keep getting told by seasoned drivers - and heavy haul drivers at that - that your idea is unsafe, then to me it seems like it must be a bad idea, and to keep arguing otherwise is pretty damn arrogant. JMTCW
First of all, do you personally know anyone here or their qualifications? I know I don't. Unless I KNOW someone is experienced in what they are talking about, their opinion doesn't hold much weight unless I can verify it, or they can explain in detail why they know what they are talking about. And unless they have personally done a somewhat similar combination, how do you believe they have any experience on the matter or know anything about? Someone could be a great driver, tons of knowledge, but if they've only pulled a flatdeck for 30 years down the highway, their knowledge on pulling a pintle equipment trailer is going to be zero.
Secondly, many of the things I see on this site people claiming are not safe, are completely safe, and seasoned drivers I know personally agree on that, and you see it all the time here without any problems, and DOT's also have no issues with it. So if someone here is saying "it's not safe" towards something I know is, their opinion on saying something else isn't safe doesn't hold much weight (unless it is backed up).
There is I believe ONE post pointing to a reason why this combination may not be safe, the rest of the reasons why are either wrong, or just assumptions on many things that are not factors.
BTW here pintles are used all the time, pulling loads over 40,000kg, and heavy hauls over 100,000kgs even.