Receiver Hitch Pin

[meaz93*]

I had a very eye opening experience this past weekend.
Long story short ( it always seems to get long winded -lol )[emoji848]
I get back home from towing the 328RL Outback & my 2021 F250 6.7L. The trip was a 2.5 hr tow....and the setup was subjected to a lot of road construction including washboard / spotty missing chunks of asphalt along the way.
Trailer was moving around a bit even at slower speeds but I didn't think much of it , although I hoped the inside trailer fixtures would be intact upon arrival.[emoji849]
Ok....I inspect the 15+yr old Husky WDH w/ seat contrl only to find the receiver hitch pin had sheared the lock portion off?!
I was shocked and grateful at the same time.... started to wonder what if?
So I scheduled a completely new WDH setup install for this Thursday as we head out on Friday for the 4th of July.
Unbelievable.....
Stay safe out there and double check your WDH; bars, chains ( if you have them ), trailer frame brackets, etc....and in my case the receiver pin/lock![emoji15]

[Balvar24]

Did you forget to put the lock on?

[meaz93*]

Originally Posted by Balvar24

Did you forget to put the lock on?

No....it was and always had been locked on.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by meaz93*

I had a very eye opening experience this past weekend.
Long story short ( it always seems to get long winded -lol )[emoji848]
I get back home from towing the 328RL Outback & my 2021 F250 6.7L. The trip was a 2.5 hr tow....and the setup was subjected to a lot of road construction including washboard / spotty missing chunks of asphalt along the way.
Trailer was moving around a bit even at slower speeds but I didn't think much of it , although I hoped the inside trailer fixtures would be intact upon arrival.[emoji849]
Ok....I inspect the 15+yr old Husky WDH w/ seat contrl only to find the receiver hitch pin had sheared the lock portion off?!
I was shocked and grateful at the same time.... started to wonder what if?
So I scheduled a completely new WDH setup install for this Thursday as we head out on Friday for the 4th of July.
Unbelievable.....
Stay safe out there and double check your WDH; bars, chains ( if you have them ), trailer frame brackets, etc....and in my case the receiver pin/lock![emoji15]
Attachment 40510

What brand hitch pin lock? I bought a Bolt brand ( the lock "programes" to use the truck key") about 15 years ago and it's still going strong. The one in your picture looks like the shank is turned down further than mine is. In any case, the lock should prevent the pin from backing out of the hole far enough to get a shear force on it. I'm strictly guessing but I'll bet the lock didn't latch on and the pin worked itself back out until the turned down section took the load and sheared off. Scarry stuff!

[meaz93*]

I don't recall the brand?....I had it for as long as the Husky .
Just plain weird.
That pin material in the center where it snapped off doesn't look to strong?
Must have stress cracked?
Scary....

[Socaldave]

That sheared area is the weakest part of that pin. It should never have gotten that far into the receiver to shear off like that, if that is what happened. Did you have the sheared off end to see if you could see why it failed? Maybe lateral forces from the rough roads "popped it off" at the weakest point?

[meaz93*]

Originally Posted by Socaldave

That sheared area is the weakest part of that pin. It should never have gotten that far into the receiver to shear off like that, if that is what happened. Did you have the sheared off end to see if you could see why it failed? Maybe lateral forces from the rough roads "popped it off" at the weakest point?

To my suprise.....the pin was still inserted through the receiver / WDH, but no lock to be found[emoji15]
I've had the lock off many times while removing the WDH, and it always unlatched with the key never giving me any indication to replace it?
That's a first for me....

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by meaz93*

To my suprise.....the pin was still inserted through the receiver / WDH, but no lock to be found[emoji15]
I've had the lock off many times while removing the WDH, and it always unlatched with the key never giving me any indication to replace it?
That's a first for me....

Any chance the safety chain caught it on that side?

[meaz93*]

It didn't look like the chains were involved at all.
I had no problems going up....I cant really put a thumb on it.
Heat stress?

[flybouy]

I'm not a mettalurgist but I don't see any signs of heat. Looks to me like it a shear force that ripped it off. No indication of a stress crack either as that usually leaves a rust or stained witness line at least from what I can see on my small screen. I'm guessing if that's a 5/8" pin the turn down has to be 3/8"? I don't know the tensile rating but there shouldn't be any forces on the end of that pin great enough to snap it off. Strange one.

[spicercars]

Glad the pin stayed in place. Thank could have been ugly.

[meaz93*]

That's what I thought... I was obviously concerned for myself, wife and three dogs.....but moreover concerned with what would've happened behind me. Everything and anyone near!
The trailer was not wagging and bouncing profusely? The roads were bad but we've all encountered those.
I'm changing EVERYTHING out today.
I know that the F250 receiver hitch compared to the F150 Max Tow is way more heavy duty and requires an adapter for the standard WDH.
It all points to the pin...

[gearhead]

Like Marshall, I'm no metallurgist but had one in the next pasture/cube farm. Consulted him frequently.
I have zero confidence in a pin that is holding my life, my passengers lives, and everyone on the road's lives, in the technical abilities of a dirt floor sweatshop in China or India.
For a while I used PTO pins from Tractor Supply. I quit doing that when I realized they likely came from the same place as the hitch pins.
Someone please deliver us from this evil of outsourcing.

[meaz93*]

I mean when you really think about it......holy cow that is the only real secured point of the entire WDH?
15yr on equipment was my fault, I should have not got so complacent ....that won't happen again!

[Bullitt]

I just bought this pin. It sure is hard to find Made in the USA. Thanks to OP for posting this it opened my eyes a little more to the Pin. I too had went to Tractor Supply and well didn't really pay attention just bought a pin. This could have been a disaster Thank Goodness it wasn't and you get the opportunity to replace that pin

[jasin1]

how about a grade 8 bolt? instead of the pin

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by meaz93*

I mean when you really think about it......holy cow that is the only real secured point of the entire WDH?
15yr on equipment was my fault, I should have not got so complacent ....that won't happen again!

The safety chains should prevent total separation but I'm guessing it would make two messes, one on the back of the truck and one in the driver's seat.

[hawghauler]

I am in fact a metalurgist and I can see a piss poor grain structure on a cell phone

Looks to be Chinesium


I personally use a grade 8 bolt

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by hawghauler

I am in fact a metalurgist and I can see a piss poor grain structure on a cell phone

Looks to be Chinesium


I personally use a grade 8 bolt

Would you drill a hole in the bolt for a "hairpin keeper", use a nylock nut, or double nut it?

[hawghauler]

Nylock is my preference