Those DARN lynch pins

[GreenYellow]

Last night, just as I was finishing brush hogging a 5 acre field, i discovered that a lynch pin worked it's way out. Unfortunately, I discovered it the hard way -- and it involved lots of racket.
I was about cross a ditch, so I pulled up the 3pt. When I did this the main top link pin worked it's way out, because of the missing lynch pin. The rear of the top link bar swung down and tangled with the engaged PTO shaft, bending the heck out of the top link bar.

Another good reason to keep a good PTO shaft sleeve in place. This one was missing a 6" section from the middle. (i know, i know! Don't chastise me!) :ashamed:

On most of my pins, I'll safety wire them so they can't come off. But the ones I change out often (changing implements) are too much of a pain to safety wire. I've lost several over the years (as everyone has) but this one is the first to really cause a problem. I keep a few spare pins on the tractor, but no extra top link bars. :laughing:

Just one of those things!

 

[GManBart]

No fun! I was pulling my neighbor's tractor out of deep snow (he was pulling a large tree) and somehow the lower left lynch pin came loose which let my 1,400lb counterweight hit the ground. Luckily, it happened while I was going very slowly, so it didn't hurt anything, but it could have been a real pain! I still have no idea what caused the pin to work loose....maybe a chunk of frozen snow/ice.

 

[newbury]

We've had several good threads on lynch pin replacements.
I don't have any bookmarked but there are some that pins that look like a chinese puzzle and are supposedly easy to put on and off.

 

[GreenYellow]

I'll look around for some of those chinese puzzles while I'm at Tractor Supply getting a new top link bar. I like the cheapness of the regular ones, but I hate them coming off.

 

[gwdixon]

While at Tractor Supply, check out the black lynch pins. Those are super strong pins. I've not had one ever come loose but the zinc plated yellow ones have come off a couple of times.

Just don't get your finger caught in one while testing it.

Another trick is to put a large, properly fitting, washer between the pin and the ball.

 

[GreenYellow]

While at Tractor Supply, check out the black lynch pins. Those are super strong pins. I've not had one ever come loose but the zinc plated yellow ones have come off a couple of times.

Just don't get your finger caught in one while testing it.

Another trick is to put a large, properly fitting, washer between the pin and the ball.

View attachment 430888 View attachment 430889

This is the most genius thing ever. You win the interwebs today.

 

[ishiboo]

This is the most genius thing ever. You win the interwebs today.

Agreed. I also second the black TSC pins... the spring is very stiff and they hold on tight.

It looks like those home-made washers could also be used, coupled with a bushing, for quick attach bushings.

 

[ishiboo]

BTW... one more thing you can do that only requires drilling is to get a shaft collar for whatever size lift pin, drill a hole straight through it (use the set screw hole for the entry point), and then use a regular lynch pin or PTO pin to hold it on.

 

[GreenYellow]

Well TSC didn't have any Chinese puzzles. Really didn't have anything out of the ordinary. I did grab a handful of the black ones. They're a lot stronger for sure.

They only wanted $22 for a new top link, but they wanted $149 for a 4' plastic PTO sleeve. That's just crazy...

 

[GreenYellow]

Anybody else ever had a disaster over a lost pin?

 

[DKCDKC]

Never had a disaster, but have had them pop on a rotary cutter a few times that tilted the cutter enormously and messed up the ground. I always carry extras and was able to put one on and continue. Lost one on a box blade once that carved up my road, but it was fixable. Biggest problem I have is getting them in in the first place. My equipment is on uneven ground sometimes and getting it hooked up requires repeats and levers to engage so I can even put the pins in. But I like the washer idea and will try it shortly.

 

[Texas Dawg]

I lost on while mowing with the rotary cutter. By the time I had found it, the turnbuckle was bent and had to be replaced. Around $100 repair due to failure of a .25 cent part.

 

[k0ua]

Well. not a loss of the pin per-se.... um.. more like forgot to put in in.

I put on my ballast barrel, and worked with it for 30 minutes on without incident. then I was backing downhill with a sharp turn at the bottom when the left lower link slid off of the ballast barrel's draw pin. of course that side hit the ground, and a few milliseconds later the top link was bent. I had a lot of trouble getting it hooked up on the slope, and in the mud. I found the pin in the top of the ballast barrel where I had left it 30 minutes ago.

I finally go it hooked up, moved to level ground. I managed to straighten the top link by making a wooden fixture and beating on the nut with a 4 pound hammer to not damage the threads.. lots of fun.. I know this makes me look like an ID 10 T, but it can happen.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I just had the same thing happen last week while bush hogging. I bent two sway bar stabilizers when the pins came off. Stuff happens. Main thing was no major damage to tractor or bush hog but I've got to replace those bars.

 

[GreenYellow]

Well. not a loss of the pin per-se.... um.. more like forgot to put in in. I put on my ballast barrel, and worked with it for 30 minutes on without incident. then I was backing downhill with a sharp turn at the bottom when the left lower link slid off of the ballast barrel's draw pin. of course that side hit the ground, and a few milliseconds later the top link was bent. I had a lot of trouble getting it hooked up on the slope, and in the mud. I found the pin in the top of the ballast barrel where I had left it 30 minutes ago. I finally go it hooked up, moved to level ground. I managed to straighten the top link by making a wooden fixture and beating on the nut with a 4 pound hammer to not damage the threads.. lots of fun.. I know this makes me look like an ID 10 T, but it can happen.

Ha! No, that doesn't make you look like an idiot, or anything similar. It does, however, make you look very human. I've tried to drive off without hooking up the top link several times.
If you haven't facepalmed a few times, you've never run a tractor much.

 

[rd_macgregor]

When my tractor was delivered the lower lift arms were attached with lynch pins. After dropping a lift arm while mowing brush, and having the mower climb a rear tire, I replaced the pins with bolts.

 

[oldballs]

When my tractor was delivered the lower lift arms were attached with lynch pins. After dropping a lift arm while mowing brush, and having the mower climb a rear tire, I replaced the pins with bolts.

I like that idea. On the other hand, that still leaves room for my idiot happenings.....er...humanness.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[ishiboo]

I took off mowing at my neighbors with my flail pinned on with only one lift pin and the top link, completely forgot the other side. Ooops!

 

[GreenYellow]

Lot's of humans here, I see! Glad to know I'm not the only one!

I have considered replacing several pins with grade 8 bolts with nylon insert lock nuts. (ones I don't remove often) Grade 8 bolts DON'T break, and no amount of vibration will loosen a nylon lock nut. TSC sells them by the pound. Don't remember exact $, but they're cheap.

As for forgetting to hook up stuff -- i got no fix for that.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm a bit paranoid about losing lynch pins. The first time the pin doesn't function properly or feels easy to open, I pitch it. I carry replacements in the toolbox.

I've never lost one from the top link though.

When I was a kid my Dad always used the kind that the pin is short enough for the clip to go past it. If he couldn't find that kind and had to buy the longer ones, he cut the pin off. I've looked for that kind for several years but can never find them.

I made several pairs of the washered pins. They work great for hitching a QH to a pinned implement. Keeps the washer out against the end of the implement pin for easy hookup.