Trailer hitch pin

[bigtiller]

I have a 3/4 ton truck to pull a 7000 lb trailer. The factory hitch uses a 5/8" hitch pin that came new with the truck. I want to put the ball assembly into the hitch and leave it their but I am a little leary of the general public's honesty when it sits unattended in a large parking lot. So I am thinking of replacing the hitch pin with a bolt and lock nut.

Will a 5/8" grade 8 bolt be strong enough to pull the trailer?

What grade of material are hitch pins made of?

 

[coolreinfarm]

You might try a locking hitch pin Etrailer has several on their website.

 

[George2615]

There's been some discussion on hitch pins here.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/182179-hitch-pins.html

I have seen bent hitch pins so IMO I suspect they are grade 5. The grade 5 pin will take a lot of horizontal force to break or shear it. I see no problem if you want to use a grade 8 bolt and nut to secure your hitch in the receiver. Or you can buy a 5/8" locking hitch pin at a reasonable price. Even wally world sells them.
I use 3 different hitches on my 3/4T so I remove the hitch and store in the bed since I have a locking tonneau cover.

 

[TMGT]

I use a locking pin, I keep one key in the console of the truck and one in a magnetic key holder under the back of the truck.
I take my hitch off enough that a bolt and nut would be a pain.

Locking pins can be had for under $20

 

[grnspot110]

I used a grade 8 bolt for years pulling closer to 12,000 lbs. Now that I'm back down to a maximum of 7,000, I use a locking pin when in questionable areas.

 

[bigtiller]

I'm not sure how well a locking pin would work this far north.

With the bolts, I was conflicted with grade 5 vs grade 8. Is 5 hard enough or is 8 to hard.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've cut plenty of them off friends trucks, rusted or lost keys. You couldn't give me one.
For your theft concerns, a g5 or g8 bolt will work, so will a proper size roll pin instead of the spring clip in a "normal" 5/8 pin.

 

[newbury]

Etrailer does sell one that you can do a one time key match to a vehicle key. It reads like I could use my Ford key (simple key, nothing fancy) to key the pin lock.

 

[TMGT]

Etrailer does sell one that you can do a one time key match to a vehicle key. It reads like I could use my Ford key (simple key, nothing fancy) to key the pin lock.

I've seen those, were a bit pricy for me but would be nice.
I figure I've had my cheap one for 11 years and on 4 different trucks, it stays on in the winter also. Had to oil it a couple times but I have been amazed at how long it's held up.
I might be down to one key now though, been thinking about buying on other one, there's also stainless ones available for the northern folks.

 

[WM75Guy]

I am using the same locking pin from TSC on our 2017 GMC that I bought in 2003 for a new truck in Missouri. Never had an issue. Ever so often it comes off to change to a different ball mount. A key is with each set of truck keys.

 

[mrmikey]

If you do use a bolt, make sure there it's only the shank in the hole. If there's a threaded portion in the hose the constant back and forth will elongate the hole eventually. I'd have no problem using a gr8 bolt and locknut.,

 

[Pete6114]

I had a "Bolt" which matches your key but once matched it cant be re keyed to another vehicle's key. Wife bought it for me and when i sold my truck, it went with it....
BOLT Trailer Hitch Receiver Lock for 2" and 2-1/2" Hitches - Codes to Toyota Key Bolt Hitch Locks BL723584

 

[bigdeano]

I suspect a 5/8 gr 8 bolt won't shear off, but would pull thru the mild steel receiver tube until there's a big wad of metal ahead of it. It would be a fun experiment in my press, but I don't have any tubing that size. At any rate, it should be more than strong enough.

 

[bdog]

My receiver hitch is currently held on with a 5/8" grade 8 bolt with double nuts and the second nut is tack welded on. I much prefer the locking pins but when I got my truck in November the 3" receiver hitches were brand new I guess and I couldn't find a locking pin long enough to use. I have a 3" aluminum weigh safe drop hitch that wasn't cheap and no way I was leaving it in there with a normal pin as I travel a lot and stay at hotels quite a bit.

I need to revise it and see if longer locking pins on the market as it would sure be nice to take it out from time to time.

 

[aczlan]

I suspect a 5/8 gr 8 bolt won't shear off, but would pull thru the mild steel receiver tube until there's a big wad of metal ahead of it. It would be a fun experiment in my press, but I don't have any tubing that size. At any rate, it should be more than strong enough.

Yep, I would use a grade 5 and remove it to inspect yearly. A new grade 5 bolt is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new hitch because the bolt elongated the holes.

Aaron Z

 

[orezok]

I have a 3/4 ton truck to pull a 7000 lb trailer. The factory hitch uses a 5/8" hitch pin that came new with the truck. I want to put the ball assembly into the hitch and leave it their but I am a little leary of the general public's honesty when it sits unattended in a large parking lot. So I am thinking of replacing the hitch pin with a bolt and lock nut.

Will a 5/8" grade 8 bolt be strong enough to pull the trailer?

What grade of material are hitch pins made of?

A 5/8" grade 5 bolt has a single shear strength of over 22,000lbs. In double shear like in a receiver it is considerably more. Yeah, I think it will handle your 7000lb trailer.

 

[boggen]

my shin is not favoring me leaving the hitch in place on truck.

i say that, but, i end up hooking up a trailer more often than not. from either hooking to trailer or tossing chain around to drag something.

i do have 2 trailers, and of course use different ball size. and some times easier to pull hitch out and toss onto ground, to make it easier to get pipe wrenches on ball and its nut. with cheater bars on them when needed.

i tend to min once a year maybe twice a year, pull hitch out, and give some grease to it all. so the hitch does not rust into place. once it is greased up you can tell there is some slop between hitch and receiver hitch on truck. but i have yet to notice rattling or issues. the grease also tends to help make it easier to pull out the hitch and put it back in. though it normally requires me greasing hitch up. pulling trailer for i don't know 15 minutes or more. so grease works into everything better. then normally some paper towels to wipe off any excess grease after the short trailer pull.

the time i grease hitch, is normally when i also grease all the jacks on trailers to keep them easy operating smoothly.

========
i realize ya looking, to keep someone from steeling the hitch. but... *shrugs*

when ya find out you need to pull the hitch and it is rusted in tight. and ya toss a chain around a tree to hitch. and put pressure on it all. then give some taps with a hammer to get it loose and still nothing budges. *been there done that* spent more time jacking around getting rusted up hitch pulled, than i have spent all the time total greasing up the hitch.

 

[bigtiller]

If I do decide to bolt it in, it will be just for the winter when my trailer is parked in the tin shed. I'd use it for emergency towing. In extreme weather, my bride of 34 years sometimes likes to challenge my endurance and stamina by driving into a snowdrift. She never does it when it's sunny and 70.

 

[Creamer]

I suspect a 5/8 gr 8 bolt won't shear off, but would pull thru the mild steel receiver tube until there's a big wad of metal ahead of it. It would be a fun experiment in my press, but I don't have any tubing that size. At any rate, it should be more than strong enough.

Grade 5 is plenty strong enough in double shear. The most important point is that they properly fit the hole so that they spread the load as much as possible and do not jerk back and forth. Grade 8 will not pull through any faster it is only a matter of fit.

 

[LD1]

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