A universal hitch adapter system includes a universal hitch adapter with at least one force sensor operable to measure push-and-pull forces and coupled to a) one of a front end and a rear end of an aircraft tractor and b) an aircraft tow bar coupled to a nose gear of an aircraft. The system also including a memory; a user input interface operable to receive a user's selection of one of a plurality of aircrafts stored in the memory and a user's input associated with one of a shear pin; a processor operably configured to determine at least one shear pin breaking force threshold for each of the plurality of aircrafts based on the user's input; and an indicator operable to emit an alert as a result of the force sensor measuring a force that meets or exceeds the at least one shear pin breaking force threshold.