Adding a HD pintle?

Hey everyone,

I have been desiring to add a heavy duty pintle to my tractor so that I can tow tag equipment trailers. In addition to this capability, I am planning to build a removable 11' flatbed for the tractor.

The idea is to be able to haul something on the tractor that I loaded with a forklift towed behind, or simply to be capable of say... hauling a buddy's excavator to a location dump truck style.

I would like this pintle to be rated high enough that it would also be allowable to pull a full sized loaded trailer (say 28'+) via a dolly.

Before I jump into this, I'd like to hear about considerations I might be missing?

Things like:
1. What would be the minimum sized (and also the best sized) pintle to buy?
2. Is it worth having an air activated pintle?
3. What are the legal considerations for the build (how do I make this bolted on hitch DOT legal?)
4. Would I need a doubles endorsement for pulling a single trailer on a dolly behind the tractor?
5. What are the dangers of this setup?
Etc.

All advice appreciated.

 

Something like this...

 

Thanks for the answers guys, and sorry if I was vague...

I am looking to be able to do *both* straight to pintle and also tow with a dolly.

I saw a setup like this recently where a guy had a flatbed on the tractor (maybe 10-11'...basically to the end of the frame), then a pintle to a dolly joined to what looked like the second halve of a doubles setup (but it was flatbed).

Basically I just want to be able to tow/haul just about any kind of trailer that I find (I will also add RV 5th wheel, GN, and class 4/5 to this).

 

Let me refine and add a couple questions...

1. Not knowing what the air activated pintle actually does, I thought it was just a lock? What did I miss, and how does this prevent dog wagging?

2. I'm trying to imagine ill effects to braking and handling if pulling a loaded trailer via a dolly with little weight on the drive axles? Dunno if this is even legal?

3. A 50 ton pintle... makes me wonder if smaller pintle eyes will fit over it?
I suppose for smaller trailers I could use a 2" > Pintle adapter and pull from the receiver, so there is a work-around if a 50 ton won't accept every trailer.

4. As a fabricator, I actually have more confidence in my welding and construction than I would put in most truck shops, but I do wonder if some sort of receipt of certification would be required to have the hitch be DOT legal?