Don't Buy This Hitch Pin!

[GunnIt]

I bought one of these, Reese Towpower Anti-Theft Hitch Pin with Lockable Swivel Latch, last week at Walmart because it looked like a good hitch pin and I though that it might be safer than one with a spring steel clip.

Today I was returning from a 3 day back country camping trip with my wife and son on top of the Pariah Plateau. We were heading up a hill in deep blow sand (they call the top of the Pariah Plateau "The Sand Hills" for a reason), the jeep wheels were chattering when suddenly there was a big BUMP and I looked back in the rear view to see my AT trailer 30-ft behind my jeep with the tongue buried in the sand.

The new hitch pin had either disintegrated or popped out (gone) and my trailer had disengaged from the receiver. We were lucky, the tow chains had broken due to the sudden digging in of the trailer fork and the AT trailer came to a sudden stop with the front hitch buried in deep sand. The sand was a blessing as we were able to dig down and lower the AT's Bull Dog trailer jack then jack the nose of the trailer up, then get a milk crate under the nose, reel the jack up, fill the hole with sand, repeat the process a couple of times until we were back at ground level with the jack and nose of the trailer and then re-hook the trailer with a spare hitch pin (thanks to my AN planning and spare parts).

An hour of hard teamwork we were back on track. The AT Trailer was perfect before and after, no problems there, all systems functioned perfectly. Don't buy one of these Reese Hitch Pins, this could have been a disaster.

 

[Pedro]

I had one like that let go as well. it definitely didn't snap (I found mine) the little tab got worked back into position and slid out. I only use the traditional style pins now. and I tend to buy them at Tractor supply. you can even get them with the big handle on them (typical for 3pt hitch setups).

 

[lowenbrau]

Many jurisdictions require the safety chains to be short enough and crossed under the tongue so that it cannot touch the ground if the hitch fails. It can still be a wild ride as the trailer sways crazily but that might be better than parting ways with the trailer. Glad this incident had a happy ending.

 

[Titanpat57]

I have the same one, but not after this!!

Glad you guys were ok and trailer or TV wasn't damaged.

 

[ExpoMike]

This is why I bought the Slient Hitch Pin from Adventure Trailers. It basically "bolts" the pin and receiver together so it never comes loose, doesn't rattle and the lock is just there to prevent theft. 1000's of miles, hundreds offroad and never had this come loose.

http://www.adventuretrailers.com/accmisc.html About midway down the page.

Glad you were able to get going again without any real damage.

 

[MotoDave]

I bought one of these, Reese Towpower Anti-Theft Hitch Pin with Lockable Swivel Latch, last week at Walmart because it looked like a good hitch pin and I though that it might be safer than one with a spring steel clip.

I found the problem ....

 

[Deleted member 9101]

That hitch pin is intended to be locked with a small pad lock, thus preventing any chance of it backing out.I used one for 8 years and never had a single problem.


BTW: Yeah, shorten your chains, they should have caught the trailer and held it under the bumper.

 

[upcountry]

Yikes! Good work digging out. Just curiously what weight were the chains(#s)?

 

[Brian McVickers]

I had the same thing happen with the same style pin.
We had just pulled off the blacktop after about 700 miles and started our way up a very tame but rocky trail.
Whump! and the Chaser was nose to the ground with no hitch pin to be found!
At first I thought that style hitch pin was cool but I will not use them again!

Brian

 

[GunnIt]

This is my follow up on the replies and posts so far and a bit more information on the incident:

My credo is: Where there is smoke there is fire. For 3 people to post that there have been problems with the same hitch pin out of 400 and some viewers of my post, is way off any chart of actuarial probability.

I have personally towed trailers for more than 150,000 miles and employees of my company have towed trailers for a total of more than a 1,000,000 miles. This is the first trailering incident that we have personally experienced. I have even had 3 boat trailers break the trailer welds at the fork of the trailer and tongue strut...always while the trailer was being loaded or backed but never while driven at speed....what are the odds of that??!! In the past 30 years I or my company have never had an accident with a trailer, I've been lucky.

I'm a pilot, I always do a walk a walk-around and follow a mental check list before I take off, drive away, or launch my boat. My tow chains are always short and crossed to keep the trailer tongue from hitting the ground. I check this every day on the boat trailer that I haul, each and every one of my 10 guide boats, and every one of my 3 rental boats that leave my lodge.

Towing a trailer in deep sand changes every parameter of towing dynamics. I learned my lesson yesterday when towing my AT trailer uphill in deep sand... I was into the throttle, in 1st gear, the JK tires were chattering. I cannot imagine the stress that was put onto my tow rig when the hitch pin failed or fell out, but the trailer stopped like it struck a rock and then the tow chains held for less than a nanosecond because the hardware that connected the chains to the jeep receiver straightened out and disintegrated into pieces and the trailer tongue dug into deep sand. Looking at the sand tracks, this all took place in about a two foot span

Yesterday, I was just taken to school on towing hardware. I'm one to try to plan for the worst case scenario. Tomorrow, I'm out in my shop with my plasma cutter and welder, I'm doing some very serious evaluation and reconstruction on the towing hardware to each of the 23 trailers that I own and operate.

Go ahead and use your Reese Towpower Anti-Theft Hitch Pin with Lockable Swivel Latch and put a lock on it or whatever, however, keep your eye on your rear view mirror; I would much rather focus my attention on what is in front of me.

 

[Pooch72]

Hey Terry,

I feel you. I'm not a pilot, but I'm an Aircraft Mechanic for the Air Force, and so I know exactly what you mean with the walk-around inspection and following a mental checklist. I did the same thing recently, but it's impossible to predict a mechanical failure. Your hitch pin failed. In my case, it was the coupler that "unlocked" on me. The safety chains caught my trailer, but only because I had the chains crossed under the hitch like the WSDOT regulations specify. My father didn't know to do that until I pointed out the regulation. Had I not known that, I think I would have lost my trailer on it's maiden voyage. Here's a picture just 10 minutes before the incident.

Since then, I've upgraded the coupler to a brand new one, as well as a coupler lock pin, and a locking hitch pin. I really don't care to repeat that experience again. Glad you and your trailer are all in good shape. it's a good lesson learned, and thanks for passing along the lesson.

 

[hillbillyjake]

nice job on the recovery. it stinks you had to do it though. i have been using the 3 pt. style hitch pins that can be found at tractor supply for about 2 years now with good results.

instead of using the normal cotter key threw the hole on the end to hold the pin in, i bought the goldanodized pins that have a spring loaded ring that is on the end so it stays closed and holds the pin inteh reciever. i think they be called lynch pins? hope this helps.

 

[4x4x4doors]

Making do: Just a factoid that may or may not come into use. In 2003, we were moving the child home from college and towing an empty UHaul behind my Blazer. Standard hitch pin somehow came loose and fell out along the highway. Short chains and no load kept it under control and we pulled off. I had pretty well emptied all my usual loadout of supplies to make room for all her stuff. Dug and hunted and thought and finally came up with the standard jack handle (one piece with provisions for removing a wheel cover on one end and a lug socket on the other). Turns out that tool is the right size to go through the hole if you've got room for it to stick out 16 inches on the other side. Hold that puppy in place with a couple of bungies and you're good to go. No slapping and banging.

 

[GunnIt]

I too have had the latch on my coupler pop open while trailering on the highway but luck was with me and the coupler stayed on the ball. That is why I use one of these on all my trailer latches.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I just use a standard hardened hitch pin with a lock on the coupler and a lock on the chain, less moving parts means less failure points.

And why is the woman doing the shoveling in the pictures? ha ha!