“Disappearing” Lynch Pins

[jmc]

30-some years ago, my neighbor told me not to buy 3rd world lynch pins (and he was a cheapskate). There's probably no other sources by now.

 

[Cougsfan]

After loosing a few I learned to install them in the direction that will not allow brush to scrape them open. The tow bar for my tractor allows the hitch pin to spin, so I put the pin in upside down from normal with the lynchpin on top. Tat keeps the brush away from the lynch pin. Haven't lost one in years.

 

[hube2]

Only time I loose them is when I sit them down on a tire and drive off. I always have a bunch in the shop anyways.

I have large magnets that I put on the implement and I take out a pin I put in on the magnet. Same for the thumb screws that hold covers on.

 

[marhar]

I am inexperienced but it seems to me a lynch pin should not pop out if installed correctly. Two guys were running tractors at deer camp this weekend and had a spreader and rototiller come off the 3PH. One swears he had the lynch pin installed and it must have broken off....that seems unlikely too.

Seems more likely it was not snapped closed

Opinions?

I found out the hard way there is more than one strength of Lynch Pin. I have changed to
CountyLine Lynch Pin, 7/16 in., Heavy Duty, 22LPN007TSC in most applications. The ring that secures the pin is substantially harder to open.

 

[LD1]

I have conceded that the harder they are to get off / lose.....the slower/harder they are for swapping implements.

My two go-two attachments are a rotary mower and a rear blade. Both QH compatible so no need for lynch pins....

Only rarely use lynch pins now for things like plowing once a year.....or discing. Neither of which are actions that are prone to loosing lynch pins.

The quick x-change bucket on my bobcat 334 however.....uses a lynch pin. And have lost countless of them....especially when dinging out stumps. Root's will grab it and flip it open. Even the black ones are no match to roots when stumping. But surprisingly cotter keys last alot longer and less prone to loosing. Dont want to do anything like a bolt/nyloc....because I like to keep bucket swapping a tool-less endeavor

 

[WranglerX]

Put safety chains on Lynch pins... That way they are harder to lose...

 

[deezler]

The quick x-change bucket on my bobcat 334 however.....uses a lynch pin. And have lost countless of them....especially when dinging out stumps. Root's will grab it and flip it open. Even the black ones are no match to roots when stumping. But surprisingly cotter keys last alot longer and less prone to loosing. Dont want to do anything like a bolt/nyloc....because I like to keep bucket swapping a tool-less endeavor

I rented a Bobcat E35 all weekend, kinda dizzy today from 15 hours of spinning around. Had to give them one of my spare linch pins, for the quick change bucket rod. I yanked like 30 -some stumps out, surely left one at the bottom of some hole.

 

[Martin Roper]

I am inexperienced but it seems to me a lynch pin should not pop out if installed correctly. Two guys were running tractors at deer camp this weekend and had a spreader and rototiller come off the 3PH. One swears he had the lynch pin installed and it must have broken off....that seems unlikely too.

Seems more likely it was not snapped closed

Opinions?

Watch the lynch pins disappear at a sale or any gathering, evaporate, maybe. You don't forget to put them on after you have gone to all the trouble hitching it up really.

 

[jdmeth]

I have lynch pins holding the spindles in on the caster wheels on my mower, brush cutter, and snow plow. I lose several a year on the brush cutter. So much so, that I buy a half dozen and keep them in my toolbox on the trailer that I haul the machine on. If doesn't take much for a stick to grab them and pop them open, then it's just a matter of time before it's gone.

Take some baling wire (or electric fence wire) and fasten the flip bale to the pin. I had to do that when chopping down cover crop on my farm. I use the ones with the spring circle

 

[ljgordon]

I replaced all my lynchpins with master locks as big as would fit the hole. Haven't lost anything in 2 years.

 

[JethroB]

Lose them of the CX-15s so bad I went to this type.

https://content.speedwaymotors.com/ProductImages/91045567_L_1cbe8cef-041c-4dac-8667-51a991116b86.webp

I remember those from the days prior to PTO shafts having built in locking mechanisms.

 

[Liquidsilver]

I had a slough of lynch pins that weren't flat against the 'work side' and those would pop off so bad, I just gave up and used 3/8ths bolts with jam nuts. They are still on there (on the tractor side). Only later did I discover the problem was the crummy pins.

For other implements I use those big bent washers that came with my Pat's quick connects. Those really help me.

 

[spruce Deere]

Lynch pins are considered a consumable.... consumed by brush, soil, forgetfulness, tires.

 

[beenthere]

I am inexperienced but it seems to me a lynch pin should not pop out if installed correctly. Two guys were running tractors at deer camp this weekend and had a spreader and rototiller come off the 3PH. One swears he had the lynch pin installed and it must have broken off....that seems unlikely too.

Seems more likely it was not snapped closed

Opinions?

Easy for brush to pop open the lynch pins.
Is the reason that I use bolts with lock nuts on the 3ph as well as the iMatch. The combination is much safer from losing pins and getting the resulting casting failures that can easily happen.

 

[redman135]

I am inexperienced but it seems to me a lynch pin should not pop out if installed correctly. Two guys were running tractors at deer camp this weekend and had a spreader and rototiller come off the 3PH. One swears he had the lynch pin installed and it must have broken off....that seems unlikely too.

Seems more likely it was not snapped closed

Opinions?

shooter don, in the above incidents, did the operators have the stabiliser bars fitted? On some tractors the 3ph with out stabiliser bars fitted will swing from side to side and hit the rear tyres and the side of the tread will open the lynch pin and then flick the lynch pin out and the first you know about it is when the attatchment falls off the tractor. The problem is easily fixed by fitting the stabiliser bars so the 3ph cannot touch the tyres.
Also use good quality lynch pins, with strong springs.

 

[shooterdon]

shooter don, in the above incidents, did the operators have the stabiliser bars fitted? On some tractors the 3ph with out stabiliser bars fitted will swing from side to side and hit the rear tyres and the side of the tread will open the lynch pin and then flick the lynch pin out and the first you know about it is when the attatchment falls off the tractor. The problem is easily fixed by fitting the stabiliser bars so the 3ph cannot touch the tyres.
Also use good quality lynch pins, with strong springs.

That is a good point and one I had not considered. Could have happened on one of the tractors as I know that operator does not check that stuff.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Not all lynch pins are created equal.. Quality lynch pins are worth a little extra money.. None are fool proof..

Like said.. If it is necessary to not loose one, use a 3/8 bolt with a lock nut.. The extra work to use a bolt and lock nut is worth it in the long run than to have issues with a lost pin..

For top link pins with the hair pin type keepers I use a zip tie or wire on the end to keep them from being pulled off by brush and such..

 

[JethroB]

My old MF has slots on each lift arm for (as I quickly learned long ago) temporary storage of pins during hookup. Otherwise they are gone in seconds.

 

[RalphVa]

I've had both the pin type and circle type both get pulled loose by brush. Recently a push pin type on the bottom arm of the HF QH came out, and the pin was wanting to drop out but was crassways and keeping itself in place. Put a circle type in place of it and taped over both of them. Have thought about putting a touch of Goop on them.

 

[Zetorboy]

Me too. Change it for a nut & bolt.! Problem gone forever!!!