Locking Hitch Pin Gone Bad

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

arcticfox2005

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Posts
716
Just a friendly recommendation - if you have a locking hitch pin over a very few years old, replace it. When we left home, towing our Jeep behind the MH, the Husky locking pin was fine. When we got to Wyoming, and I tried to remove the tow bar from the back of the MH, the key turned freely in both directions, but the lock would not un-lock. It obviously needed replacing, but the removal was a bear. I figured the pin itself was hardened, so a hack saw was out of the question. The best solution appeared to be drilling out the lock. We started out with a 3/16 bit, and then enlarged the hole with 1/4 and then 5/16 bits. At this point,  larger pieces of the lock started hitting the ground, and after another 10 minutes or so, enough had been drilled out that it came apart. I don't know what the original problem was, but a new locking pin every 3 years or so sounds like a sure bet. Amazon has a good selection, including some very high quality items.

Bill
 
I take mine off and clean and lube it every year. Still works fine every time. Does yours have the rubber cap over the keyhole too? Mine celebrated it's fifth birthday last month. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.

Ken
 
4 1/2" cutter grinder with a laser blade.  It would be off in 30 seconds.  Just like MasterCard, Don't leave home without it.  But maintenance doesn't hurt.
 
When we couldn't find the key for our locked hitch pin, one hit with a hammer broke the lock end off.
 
Thanks for the replies, but let me clarify a few points.

Yes, it had a rubber cover over the lock, no, there was no evidence of grit or dirt - the lock and pin were clean.

To repeat, the key turned freely, in fact too freely - I could tell by the feel that the key was moving but not affecting anything inside.

I have a reciprocating saw, but it was at home in my shed. I can only pack so much into my MH.

Ned's idea is good, but the way my hitch is tucked up under the bumper of the MH, you are doing good to even see it, much less have the clearance necessary to smack it with a hammer.

Powderman - I am not familiar with your cutter with a laser blade - where do you find them?

Once again, thanks for your replies.

Bill
 
arcticfox2005 said:
Yes, it had a rubber cover over the lock, no, there was no evidence of grit or dirt - the lock and pin were clean.
To repeat, the key turned freely, in fact too freely - I could tell by the feel that the key was moving but not affecting anything inside.

Bill,
I wonder if by having a rubber boot on the lock if that didn't play a role in destroying your lock. Condensation may have built up inside corroding the internals. The boot didn't allow it to dry out.  I would still use the boot but just make sure the internals are well lubricated.
 
If you can't get at it directly with a hammer, use a metal rod, like a piece of rebar, and hit that with the hammer.  Or a chisel, if there's room.  Those locks are often hardened to resist cutting, but can also be brittle, so they break rather easily.
 
I use a matched set of Blue Ox hitch pins for the towbar and the pins on the toad.  I use locks on the toad because we have to leave a "live key" in the ignition when we're towing.

When we first started full-timing the set of Blue Ox pins we purchased used a normal looking key with a "snap catch" (you could push the locking end on the pin without using the key).  These worked well until they didn't.  One day one of the locks fell off and our toad was swinging along with only one arm of the towbar!

The replacement set of Blue Ox pins we purchased after that incident were of a totally different design.  The new pins use cylinder keys and the locking mechanism no longer relies on any springs.  Not to say that it couldn't freeze, but it appears to be chrome-plated brass and the cylinder mechanism moves very easily.
 
There are many types of locking pins and basically two ways to get 'em off easily when they fail.

The kind I had (have actually) I do not think will fail that way but if it does

Acetylene torch or in my case high speed angle grinder
 
arcticfox2005 said:
Thanks for the replies, but let me clarify a few points.

Yes, it had a rubber cover over the lock, no, there was no evidence of grit or dirt - the lock and pin were clean.

To repeat, the key turned freely, in fact too freely - I could tell by the feel that the key was moving but not affecting anything inside.

I have a reciprocating saw, but it was at home in my shed. I can only pack so much into my MH.

Ned's idea is good, but the way my hitch is tucked up under the bumper of the MH, you are doing good to even see it, much less have the clearance necessary to smack it with a hammer.

Powderman - I am not familiar with your cutter with a laser blade - where do you find them?

Once again, thanks for your replies.

Bill

4 1/2" grinders are available most everywhere but Harbor Freight at about $14 is probably the cheapest.  The laser cutoff blades are there also. About $7 for a ten pack.  I always get a good laugh when people say they protect their stuff with locks.  That's not to say they aren't useful to keep kids or just someone from walking away with things, but they are completely useless to really protect things of value. About the best one can do today is limit surroundings where thievery is high and keep a close eye on your stuff.  BTW the hardened steels seem to be easier to cut as they don't load the blade.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
131,752
Posts
1,384,328
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom