Trailer hitch pin

[not2old]

I vote to keep it out until needed.

You or others walking into it is no fun. And putting it in and taking it out as needed keeps it from seizing. Nothing worse than needing it out and it won't budge

I have a 97 Dodge I bought for the Cummins motor that has the hitch seized in the receiver. I keep squirting penetrating oil in it to free it up to no avail. One of these days I'm going to have to decide on which part I cut off with a torch in order to save the other.

 

[bigtiller]

I'm with the leave it out club, but occasionally convince has trump so I leave it in.

I guess I'm about as "middle of the road" as you can get. :steeringwheel:

 

[Paul Thornton]

As someone who has walked into one I'm all for pulling them out. Mine is on the floor behind the drivers seat and takes. Less than a minute to install when needed.

 

[bigtiller]

As someone who has walked into one I'm all for pulling them out. Mine is on the floor behind the drivers seat and takes. Less than a minute to install when needed.

I won't put mine there. As a kid, I was in a car that we purposely rolled just for the fun of it. Everything that was on the floor ended up on the roof, along with my head.... Heavy things live a mark.

 

[LD1]

I have a 97 Dodge I bought for the Cummins motor that has the hitch seized in the receiver. I keep squirting penetrating oil in it to free it up to no avail. One of these days I'm going to have to decide on which part I cut off with a torch in order to save the other.

Had to take one out of an old 1998 Dodge half ton that was seized. Chaining to a tree and several Yanks didn't budge it. Took about 3 hours to finally free it. Lots of heat/quench cycles on the insert itself, 10 ton porta power from the back side down to the rear axle (spare removed), and whaling in the nut/threads of the ball we decided to sacrifice with a sledge. (It was a useless 1-7/8 anyway.)

Finally got it to start moving. Then back to the tree and chain to finish her off

 

[Creamer]

I was going to say heat and mechanical shock are the two best methods to get it moving. Then penetrating oil can creep in much easier. After it moves a little it is just pure force of whatever type but penetrating oil does lower the force requirements.

 

[aczlan]

For the amount of time you will spend trying to get a stuck ball mount out, look seriously into the cost of a new hitch, might be easier and cheaper to remove 3-5 bolts on each side and bolt a new hitch on. Then you don't have to worry about the hitch having rusted out from the inside or being damaged from being heated too hot.

Aaron Z

 

[civilian]

I won't put mine there. As a kid, I was in a car that we purposely rolled just for the fun of it. Everything that was on the floor ended up on the roof, along with my head.... Heavy things live a mark.

And probably no seat belts, hence the head on the roof! Jon

 

[bigtiller]

And probably no seat belts, hence the head on the roof! Jon

You're right, 1950 Fords didn't have them.

 

[Creamer]

Still the point is valid. Bottled water in the back of soccer mom vans have caused many injuries when the vehicle runs into something. They launch right up the inside of the tailgate and come flying forward. Non restrained cargo is worse in the cab than outside of it.

 

[TMGT]

Knew a kid that died after the lose amp in the back seat cushed his skull in an accident, unless it's a pillow or equivalent it gets secured inside the cab.

 

[PILOON]

I have made many a pin and I like to use old car jack handles (lever/lug nut tool) as those handles are a nice hardened steel and just the right diameter.
While hardened they still can be drilled for the retaining pins. I usually weld a short flat on the undrilled end.

If I can qualify the metal by spark grinder test and drilling I'd say the jack handles are somewhere between grade 5 and 8 steel.
All I know is that they stand up to the job and when not returned there is no big loss. (my friend rents out 6-7 trailers and clients all too often forget to return the pins)

 

[scdeerslayer]

I use a locking pin. Keep one key in the truck on the key ring that has keys to trailers, gates, etc. The other key goes on the key ring with the spare truck key/fob in the house.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Use it as designed and leave it out till needed!

 

[Creamer]

The only problem is that you need a good storage solution until you need it. Unless you haul a toolbox around in your truck where do you safely store a big piece of iron?

 

[Diamondpilot]

The only problem is that you need a good storage solution until you need it. Unless you haul a toolbox around in your truck where do you safely store a big piece of iron?

I have bags for mine. In my wife's car I store it in the spare tire compartment. In my trucks it goes under the passengers seat.

My Nissan Titan was the best for this. There was a compartment for such items.

Chris

 

[Creamer]

Under the passenger's seat is not good. Most accidents start with a rapid deceleration which will cause that mass to slide forward out from under the seat. Then if the vehicle rolls you have no idea where it is going.

This is why I mentioned a safe place to store it - most trucks do not have one.

 

[bdog]

Under the passenger's seat is not good. Most accidents start with a rapid deceleration which will cause that mass to slide forward out from under the seat. Then if the vehicle rolls you have no idea where it is going.

This is why I mentioned a safe place to store it - most trucks do not have one.

I am not a safety sally but this is a very valid point. A receiver hitch is the last thing I want bouncing around in the cab with me if I am in a wreck.

 

[kf4uda]

Just for kicks, I did a google search for "where to store your receiver hitch". The first result was this Introducing Stor-A-Hitch It shows mounting in the bed but I guess you could mount it anywhere (in the cab, under the hood). This would stop the loose hitch from killing me but what about the other 30 things in there

 

[bigtiller]

That's a great idea. I'll have to rummage through the scrap pile and see what i come up with.