Anouther problem with hitch pin

[40Kchicks]

A couple of weeks ago I posted about how the hitch pin came off my manure spreader causing the PTO yoke to be damaged. This is the old post: $310 to fix a $3.60 problem That cost me $310 for a new yoke. So I bought a good hitch pin with a cinch pin to keep it in place.

The rains have returned so this week I was finishing up my manure spreading. While going down hill the hitch pin keeper broke and the hitch fell out. Since I was going down hill the spreader rammed into the tractor. It broke the u-joints in the yoke and badly damaged the yoke ends. So after spending 310 for a new yoke I had to have it rebuilt at a cost of $140. Then when I put the rebuilt yoke on I found that the shaft on the spreader that connects to the PTO yoke was bent. I will have to fix that next week.

Have you guys ever had problems with hitch pins coming off? Have you found a solution? What am I doing wrong?

Eric

 

[KiotiJohn]

The only time I've lost hitch pins was when working in brush in the woods, and once when ploughing a garden. I guess some limb got ahold of my ROPS pin on one side and lifted the retainer enough to come out. The other was my lower lift arm pin (at the tractor, not implement) must have caught somehow on the mud I got up to the bottom of the tractor and caused it to come out. I can't imagine why you're losing the pin unless something is contacting it that you can't see. Sorry to hear about it nevertheless. John

 

[cowboydoc]

I use about every piece of farm machinery there is and I have never had a hitch pin come loose. Any way to post a picture of the hitch pin you are using? I just can't believe that the keeper would break. I'm not saying it didn't just that I don't see how it could.

 

[Bird]

I agree with Cowboydoc; never had one come unhitched and need to see a picture of what you're using.

 

[Lazy]

Hi
sorry to hear about the luck with the hitch pins.
with all the bad luck you're having you must have broken a mirror. I understand if you break a mirror you will have 7 years of bad luck.

Charlie

 

[40Kchicks]

So I did kind of assume that the pin broke off. It was connected to the hitch pin with a chain, which did break. It is possible that it came off while driving around the manure pile. I was at work when I posted. I know better that to post without pictures but what could I do.

Anyways the attachment is the hitch pins I used. Left to right in order. The last two had ¼ inch cinch pins connected to them as keeper pins.

 

[40Kchicks]

This is a picture of the pin in the hitch.
Eric

 

[40Kchicks]

This is a picture of the shaft that was bent when the spreader rammed into the tractor. I need to fix it yet. It wobbles.
Eric

 

[beenthere]

Were you in a corn field where the corn stalks could have ripped the cinch pin clip loose? I have had trouble with losing them when in the woods, and have replaced most with short bolts and lock nuts.

There are hitch pins that have bails and things on them, and found at farmers' stores. Not good to have a pin come out and they can work themselves up when the tongue begins to bounce. We used to tie them with bailing wire, (like the coat hanger that was mentioned) but sometimes they can be ripped off too. Goes with the territory - if you are active and working, things will happen. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[40Kchicks]

This is a little bigger picture my old manure spreader.

Eric

 

[40Kchicks]

Beenthere.

I am just spreading the manure on pasture. Some of it will get cut for hay this year. Where I lost the last pin was going over some small rocks (not in the hay area) when the hitch came out and my mishap happened. As I was driving home today I was thinking how when I return to the manure pile I have to drive over a small pile of manure that spills out the back when I’m loading. This could have the same affect of grabbing the keeper. I think your right about tying the keepers on. It will be another year before I go through this exercise again so I’m afraid I won’t have results right away but as expensive as these mistakes are I may take these extra precautions every time I hook up.

This picture is of where my manure pile was. I still have some but most this area was covered in 6’ of manure. That was alot of loads with my small spreader.

The cows in the pasture are calving. We have had three so far, including one this morning. All bulls. We are expecting six more in the next few weeks.

Eric

 

[Junkman]

I have experienced the same thing, and I believe it is a result of the pin being too long and the bouncing causing the retaining clip to just come out. I have found that duct tape solves a lot of problems. I use it to hold a lot of things together that would normally tend to loosen up when towing. I call it a cheap fix in a roll and you can just tear it off when you need to.

 

[crb478]

when you put the cinch pin through at the bottom you may want to drill it and saftey wire it shut or do the same to a bolt that goes through the pin. Kind of a pain to have to cut the wire each time you want to take it off, but much cheaper than the repairs.

 

[BillyP]

Eric, would it be possible to use one of those 3pt hitches?

Also, I think Junkman is right. If the hitch pin is too long it can cause a lot more torque on the latch pin. You could use a high grade bolt (the same size as the pin) and use a self locking nut to secure it. You could use two nuts, the second one to lock the first in place. You could even drill a hole in the appropriate place on the bolt and use a cotter pin to secure the nut.

 

[cowboydoc]

The last two are the same pins that we use. I sure don't know how it came out if you had the pin in the middle with that keeper.

 

[Bird]

Just a few rambling thoughts:

1) It would seem that you would have to run over some pretty bumpy ground to bounce those pins out,

2) The cinch pin shown with the center pin appears to be the $.29 variety; there are much better ones that are harder to open, therefore harder to lose,

3) There are hitch pins (Tractor Supply Company as well as elsewhere) that look like the two on the right, with the shoulder that prevents them from going on through the hole, but without the loop handle. I have used those type hitch pins, inserted them from the bottom up, and used the good cinch pins when I thought I might be driving through anything that might catch or pull on the cinch pins.

 

[AndyMA]

Eric

I would just take some steel wire (like electric fence wire) on the handle type pin and wire it tight to the top of the spreader flange. I've done than for years and never had one bounce out. Many times I use the wire instead of the cinch pins and also have never lost one.

Andy

 

[40Kchicks]

Billy
I’m not sure what you mean by 3 pt hitches. The kind I was using was a ¼ inch pin with a spring over ring. The other kinds I have used on other things are a bent wire kind of like a large bobby pin.

Did you recognize the first pin as being old auger connecting rod for a feed line?

Eric

 

[40Kchicks]

The cinch pin that I had in the picture was the next size smaller than the ones I lost and bought at the local farm store for $.29. Bird should go down and enter that price is right show. I don’t know how good he is at guessing furniture and grocery prices but he sure does know his ag hardware prices. I will need some more cinch pins so I will check the quality next time.

Thanks for the suggestions. When crossing rough ground I will be taking extra precautions like the ones suggested. I now have $450 into that PTO yoke and a damaged manure spreader that prove that its just not worth taking a chance.

Thanks Eric

 

[JerryG]

Eric,
I have had a problem with a hitch pin coming out repeatedly. The way I fixed it was to get a flat head pin, just the right length. Put the pin in from the bottom and put the clip pin on top. No more problems since. If you don't want to do it that way, you might put a swivel ball like on the lift arms on the trailers hitch and cut off one side of the clevis. A lot of newer balers are set up this way. They seem to work good, it gives the pin room to move.