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?