Trackrig
Spent the summer in Conconuly, Wa, MH now in Vanco
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When you insert a hitch into the receiver, you secure it with the hitch pin. Considering receivers and and balls are rated for different weights, has anyone ever seen a rating on a hitch pin? And has anyone ever broken or sheared a hitch pin?
Bill
Nodwell RN110 out moose hunting. 4-53 Detroit, Clark 5 spd, 40" wide tracks, 10:00x20 tires, 16,000# capacity, 22,000# weight. You know the mud is getting deep when it's coming in the doors.
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afidel
Cleveland
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Standard hitch pin is rated for 19,000+ pounds, no bumper pull RV is even close as far as I've seen. etrailer had the question asked and two different manufacturers said they've never bothered to get them tested because everything around the pin is significantly lower and so will break first. If you're using a pintle hitch on a dump trailer and think the pin might be the weak link go for a grade 8 bolt instead, that'll get you 90k pounds of sheer strength =)
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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90klbs? Your math is off by orders of magnitude.
Shear strengths of mild steel is similar and shear on a 5/8 bolt is about 18-19kips.
Given they’re in double shear, min shear strength is >36kips.
I’d be surprised if anyone has ever seen one sheared in normal use or even in an incident.
"Yes Sir, Oct 10 1888, Those poor school children froze to death in their tracks. They did not even find them until Spring. Especially hard hit were the ones who had to trek uphill to school both ways, with no shoes." -Bert A.
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IB853347201
Eastern Ontario
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Most hitch pins and locking hitch pins are rated by class, just like the hitch which provides the weight rating.
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Guy Roan
Florida
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My worry has never been the hitch pin, but I always have worried about the safety pin that holds the hitch pin from sliding out.
Guy
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Old-Biscuit
Verde Valley
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Joined: 06/20/2009
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Guy Roan wrote:My worry has never been the hitch pin, but I always have worried about the safety pin that holds the hitch pin from sliding out.
Guy
There is virtually no side load/pressure that would cause clip to fail
Operator error 9not installing it correctly) ------ YES
Is it time for your medication or mine?
2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
On the Road Debt Free April '07
Off the road still Debt Free Jan. '14
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Old-Biscuit wrote:Guy Roan wrote:My worry has never been the hitch pin, but I always have worried about the safety pin that holds the hitch pin from sliding out.
Guy
There is virtually no side load/pressure that would cause clip to fail
Operator error 9not installing it correctly) ------ YES
May not just be an "Operator error" if the clip "disappears" via a third party "prankster" that happens along when you are away from your vehicle..
Have heard of that happening, fortunately have never had that happen to me.. But I do typically do a quick walk around and check to make sure everything is in it's proper place as it should be when taking rest stops and such before I get back on the road..
As far as strength of the hitch pin goes, don't know exactly, but the same diameter pin is used for 2x2 and 2.5x2.5 hitches.. Just the length of the pin is longer for the 2.5 hitches.. Can't say for sure on the 3x3 hitches but I suspect most likely the same diameter to allow compatibility for using an smaller hitch accessory like a bike rack or lighter weight hitch via adapter sleeves.
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Boomerweps
Hills of PA
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The old 1 & 1/4” hitches used a thinner pin.
2019 Wolf Pup 16 BHS Limited, axle flipped
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Mickeyfan0805
SE Wisconsin
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Gdetrailer wrote:
May not just be an "Operator error" if the clip "disappears" via a third party "prankster" that happens along when you are away from your vehicle..
Have heard of that happening, fortunately have never had that happen to me.. But I do typically do a quick walk around and check to make sure everything is in it's proper place as it should be when taking rest stops and such before I get back on the road..
Happened to me about 5.5 years ago. Had everything set the night before an early departure. Truck was attached to the trailer with the tongue jack down just enough to release the weight from the hitch. In the morning I simply raised the hitch and left. Little did I know that someone decided that pulling my pin would be a funny 'joke.' As I crested a small hill on the way out of the campground early the next morning, the stinger slid right out of the hitch and the tongue came crashing to the ground.
NOT a funny joke, but it was my bad for not checking things in the morning. Luckily the sound and the scare were much worse than the real damage. Chocked the tires, jacked up the tongue, reconnected, and moved on.
Never happened in 5 years of towing before that, and would likely never happen again. Still, I now double-check ever point of the connection after every stop!
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afidel
Cleveland
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I've seen video of it being done to semi drivers after another driver was upset over some slight on the road. That's why experienced drivers do a tug test, better to have it crash on the truck than all the way to the ground, much easier to get the landing gear deployed.
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