Difference in hitch pins - either style better?

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scottydl

scottydl

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I picked up a new heavy duty (per the package) hitch receiver pin the other day for securing the weight distribution shank in my truck's receiver. Upon arriving home and removing it from the package I noticed that the clip just fits onto a groove on the pin -- rather than a drilled hole in the pin. (See images below of the difference.) Is this groove-style any less secure? It looks like every major manufacturer sells both styles, and the groove versions are sometimes more expensive than the hole versions. I suppose a weak/loose clip could fall off/out of either style, so making sure that smaller pin is tight & new is probably the most important feature.
 

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I don?t trust pin clips or people around pins and clips. I drill a hole ( or enlarge hole) in pin and put a padlock in it. I also always insert pin towards low side of road. I?m a belt and suspenders type of guy.
 
I bought one of these to replace the original which had the hole for the pin.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SYPMVVT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
I have a groove style pin that I use, often.  Never any problem.  Ditto on the pins and people - I look at my hitch setup before I move the rig, every time'pins in place is just one of the checks.
 
The pin in the hole has a higher shear rating.

BillinTX suggested a locking / anti rattle receiver pin which is what I use for my ball hitch. It's not that the hitch is that expensive but what would you do if some kid took it just for fun?

My bike rack uses a threaded receiver pin which requires a wrench to install and uninstall. There is absolutely no rattle. I use a cable lock for security.

   
 
I don?t see where it would make any difference which style is used. All the forces being applied  on the pin is from front to back trying to shear the pin and none side to side. Someone who?s traveling a long distance today could conduct a experiment. When they start out towing in the morning, push the pin all the way in. At the end of the day, look and see if the pin has slid at all. IMHO, bet you?ll find it won?t move.
 
The swivel wheel carrier shank has a 5/8" spring nut and comes with a grade 8 bolt and nut.
The spring nut is inserted in the shank and when coupled in the receiver the bolt is threaded into the pin hole then tightened.  The nut is then fastened to the bolt.  No rattle and thief proof unless one carry's a couple of  correct size wrenches.

https://img1.fastenal.com/infp360pmm/derivates/3/001/329/861/48606.jpg
 
darsben said:
I  use a locking hitch pin no clip necessary.
Click to expand...

X2.  I once came off a day or boating, don't know why I even looked, but my pin was missing from my hitch. Probably would have made it home, Rene is right, I'd say it doesn't move, who knows. Where kids playing? I find it hard to believe it fell of on my 60 mile journey to the lake.  All I had was electrical tape, so I wound it over the end like a big ball and it was fine until I reached the Autostore in town. I've used a lock ever since, besides, if someone stole my hitch while camping, that would really stink  :-\.  I also lock any trailer I'm towing to my hitch, kids play too much.
 
Either pin relies on the springiness of the retaining clip to stay on the pin. Either one is arguably the same IMO.

The draw pin would have to migrate laterally in the receiver in order to have a decoupling. If the retaining clip is in place the forces would then have to overcome the shear strength of the clip.

In 40 years of towing I have never seen a draw pin migrate up against the retaining clip. Not saying it can't happen or that there are other more "positive" ways to lock the draw pin. I personally will continue to rely on the retaining clip and replace it if and when it ever loses it's "springiness" or looks deteriorated. Failure of the clip is a low probability event in my opinion.

 
i always use locking pins - kids think its funny to steel the clips - its not so funny when the guy down the street lost his boat at the gas station then the draw bar fell out of the receiver - there are lots of brands available some even are programable to the car key
 

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I use an old fashion solid tow bar for my Jeep.  It attaches to the brackets on the Jeep bumper with hitch pins.
A few years back, when my Jeep was stolen, I had removed the tow bar and stuck the pins back in the brackets.  Of course, when the Jeep was recovered the pins were nowhere to be found. 
We went to the nearest auto parts store to replace the pins, and all they had were the ones with the slot.  About a year later, I pulled into a campground and when I went to unhook the Jeep, one of the hairpin clips was gone, and the hitch pin had backed almost all the way out of the bracket.  Another couple of miles and I'd have had a quite different story to tell.
I replaced the slotted pins with a set with holes and haven't had an issue since.
Safe to say that now, I check those pins every single time I stop the coach, even if it's just to use the facilities.  Also nice to stretch the legs with a walk around the whole rig at the same time.
 
I think it's a security issue. I've spent quite a bit of money on trailers, tow bars, bike racks, motorcycle haulers, flat beds and hitches not to mention the assets on them. I have a 2" receiver on the front and back of my RV and always use locking receiver pins except my bike rack posted above but protected with cable lock. Not using them is just inviting crime.

 
Of all the things I could worry about with an RV, this would be so far down the list I'd never get to it.

Use a lock if there is a risk of theft or vandalism where you travel. If not, use what ever type is handy.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Of all the things I could worry about with an RV, this would be so far down the list I'd never get to it.

Use a lock if there is a risk of theft or vandalism where you travel. If not, use what ever type is handy.
Click to expand...
The risk of theft or vandalism is everywhere.
National parks, forests, Blm and even private campgrounds. Thieves are everywhere.
 
Gary, I understand what you're saying but locking receiver pins are an inexpensive upgrade that work great and could possibly deter theft.
 
I always use a locking pin except sometimes when just moving a trailer around the yard.
When I travel, I also add a padlock to one of the safety chains.
 
I've never really considered a locking pin... not saying it's a bad idea, just seems like a low risk that someone would come along and have a 3/4 ton or bigger truck handy to steal my trailer or hitch parts. I'm glad to hear that groove vs. hole receiver pins are not a concern. Walkarounds and pin checks are standard practice for me, at every stop.
 
I learned early on that the pins in my tow bar "knuckles" always shift in the same direction while underway. Now I always make sure I insert the pins in the direction that will keep the retainer clip away from the knuckle. Since doing that, I've seen no wear marks on the clips at all.

In many years of towing, only once have I had an issue with kids fooling with my hookup. That time, we were in a restaurant eating and when we came back to the motorhome, a trucker parked nearby came over and said I should check my connections since he chased a couple of kids away that were pulling on something. The only thing I found was that the umbilical cord plug may have been pulled slightly out its socket, so apparently he caught them in time. I always check the hookup at stops, but I was very thankful for his help anyway...
 
scottydl said:
I've never really considered a locking pin... not saying it's a bad idea, just seems like a low risk that someone would come along and have a 3/4 ton or bigger truck handy to steal my trailer or hitch parts. I'm glad to hear that groove vs. hole receiver pins are not a concern. Walkarounds and pin checks are standard practice for me, at every stop.
Click to expand...

I use the locking pin so I still have a hitch to tow with. Too easy to pull a pin and take an expensive and hard to replace quickly item. How many of us knows off hand what offset your hitch is? I don?t.
 
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