Need ideas for a locking hitch pin WITH Ron skid in place

[VX KAT]

Want to put a locking hitch pin in WITH my "Ron" skid plate in place.
Looking for ideas & suggestions....
1st choice- WITHOUT cutting the plastic skid.

~Outside width measurement on receiver tube: 2 3/4", Receiver hitch hole: 5/8"

~Width of recessed area on skid for the pin 4 1/2"
~Will NEVER be towing, so pin strength isn't a prime issue, just the superbumper. It only needs something to keep it from falling out. It goes forward in rear impact, don't believe the pin plays into that safety dynamic at all.

~Traditional bent pin with cotter pin - can't get in due to the angle...recessed area would need to be cut out AND I THINK, so would some of the top part.

~Dub said drill a new 5/8" hole further away from the body, makes room for the wider pin.....downside...that involves removing the hitch.

~Shortest pin I could find was 5 7/8" wide....too wide.

~Wire lock pin? Able to get it in at the angle? Wire fit around the hitch?
http://www.wilsonmfgco.com/hitchpins/wirelockpins.htm

~Rowhard suggested a nut & bolt: Not a locking device, but it may be OK for my needs. But not sure it will go in due to angle.
http://www.fastenal.com:80/web/produ...u=19426&ucst=t

~Get a shop to fab a pin, at about 90 degrees, then use a thin airline/luggage type lock....Would have a problem removing the pin though.


IDEAS ??

OR, GIVE UP ON FITTING A HITCH PIN, AND CUT OUT THE SKIDS?
SUGGESTIONS FOR WHERE TO CUT??



Skid plate actually slides down about another 1/2", I didn't have it completely seated when I took these pics. BUT, when it's properly seated, the upper corners of the receiver hit the skid plate....scratching it up badly.

[Bob Barker]

Take the pin to a machine shop that can cut a grove around the pin and use an e-clip, or snap ring of the correct diameter. E-clip would push in with your finger, and pull out with a flathead screwdriver, and snap ring would use a simple tool called "snap ring pliers" :haha: to take in and out, and the holes for the pliers and be pointed in any direction you wanted.

When you said "shorted pin i could find was 5 7/8" wide" did you mean 5 7/8" long? and too long?


And that wire lock pin should work, if I'm thinking the right way about your dilema.

[Bob Barker]

Example of an e-clip
http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl...qi=g3&aql=&oq=

examples of snap rings
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...og&sa=N&tab=wi

and some snap ring pliers
http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl...qi=g3&aql=&oq=


(bored at work... using Google to pass the time!)

[VX KAT]

Take the pin to a machine shop that can cut a grove around the pin and use an e-clip, or snap ring of the correct diameter. E-clip would push in with your finger, and pull out with a flathead screwdriver, and snap ring would use a simple tool called "snap ring pliers" :haha: to take in and out, and the holes for the pliers and be pointed in any direction you wanted.

When you said "shorted pin i could find was 5 7/8" wide" did you mean 5 7/8" long? and too long?


And that wire lock pin should work, if I'm thinking the right way about your dilema.

Thanks BB. Never heard of those before, so thanks for the new ideas.
Here's the shortest locking pin I've found (so far)...it's 5 7/8 from end to end (left to right) guess I interchanged "long"and "wide"...but that recessed pocket on the skid is only 4 1/2" wide.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-14.../dp/B0000AXY62

The biggest problem I'm having is finding something to get through the hitch holes because it's entering at an angle....since the recessed pocket is so shallow. I'm not even sure if I could get the 3 1/4" Bolt through...

So I like the idea of the snap ring, but I've got to get some pin in there first.

The wire lock pin looked to me like it might work, if I can find one with the pin about 3", AND the wire long enough to go around the hitch tube (2 3/4" x about 2 = roughly 5.5")

Just found a cable lock for bikes/scooters, 2' x 5/8". Since it's flexible, I could get it threaded through the hitch holes, and it'd still fit within that 4 1/2" recess.....only thing is...2' is more than I need, would hang down, or I'd have to secure it with zip ties or something..
https://www.kryptonitelock.com/Produ...=1001&pid=1186

This product says it's 2.75" x .75"......really, is it that short?? Must be to lock a bike tire/rim.
https://www.kryptonitelock.com/Produ...=1001&pid=1184

So TOMORROW (I've got to get to sleep!) I'm going see if I can find some type of similar cablelock that's much short than 2'. I'll check bike and motorcycle places online. I'll bet there's a ton to select from. ALso, going to look into the wire lock pin.

This cable idea may be the best if I don't want to cut the skid plate.

[Riff Raff]

I'm thinkin' to just take your original chrome lock pin and hacksaw off the bent end. Then drill a matching cotterpin hole on the sawed-off side. Thus, you'd have a cotterpin on both sides of the hitchpin, and the chrome hitchpin itself would be at the bare minimum length just to barely poke its nose out each side of the receiver hitch (in order to barely get the other cotterpin through the drilled hole). Whatcha' think???

[Bob Barker]

Sounds simple enough to me!

[tom4bren]

Sue,

I can get Welder Guy to make you a new hitch with a longer tube if you want to go that route. I'll do a no cost swap with you so you'll only be out the cost/effort to swap them.

Lemme know.

Tom

BTW, of course that means that your SuperBumper will stick out about a 1/2 inch further.

[etlsport]

Riff raff mades a good suggestion... I was going to say get two shorter bolts and then home depot sells internally threaded spacers that are meant for joining two bolts or threaded rods together. I would try to find a way to secure one of those inside the super bumper and Then you only have to use small bolts on each side. It doesn't matter if they connect because the strength of your hitchpin comes from the shear strength of the material at the joint of the hitch and whatever you are using the hitch for

I would try to get a pin that is as strong as possible, your super bumper will probably just push into hitch instead of compressing if the pin breaks, which would focus all of the energy of the crash on your gas tank or rear frame (it's been so long I forget what is behind the hitch)

[vt_maverick]

I'm thinkin' to just take your original chrome lock pin and hacksaw off the bent end. Then drill a matching cotterpin hole on the sawed-off side. Thus, you'd have a cotterpin on both sides of the hitchpin, and the chrome hitchpin itself would be at the bare minimum length just to barely poke its nose out each side of the receiver hitch (in order to barely get the other cotterpin through the drilled hole). Whatcha' think???

Riff raff mades a good suggestion...

But if I understand that solution correctly, it provides no "locking" capability right?

[etlsport]

But if I understand that solution correctly, it provides no "locking" capability right?

right-o but if you use a snap ring or something to hold the end, who would bother messing with it to pull it off, would have to happen in a parking lot somewhere

[Junster]

Shortest possible I'm guessing would be to make a new stinger that had a 1/2" hole cross drilled then thread the hole so a 1"x5/8 bolt could be screwed in to each side instead of a pin. You'd need only 1 1/2" max on each side and it would never rattle.

Reading back I guess this is kinda what EDL suggested.

What if you get a wild hair and buy a Jetski? Wahoooo..

[tom4bren]

... would focus all of the energy of the crash on your gas tank or rear frame (it's been so long I forget what is behind the hitch)

The fuel tank shield would take the first impact but that's pretty thin. The fuel tank would probably get punctured if the hitch pin fails if hit from the rear on the SuperBumper (that's why I cut about 1/2 inch off of mine).

The other concern I would have is that if the internal threaded spacer were to get deformed, it'd be a real BEEEEOTCH to remove.

I'm leaning more towards the external clip ring approach with the pin being made as short as possible. Sue may have trouble getting even that to engage properly considering the angle it would have to be at during insertion.

[Mile High VX]

I've been thinking about this too since I have the Tone (RIP) hitch and need to lock my bike carrier on occassion. I don't have the rear skid plate (yet) and I still don't have enough room for a locking pin setup.

I think that the solution I have decided on is to install my bike rack and then drill another set of holes further away from the rear of the VX for the locking pin. I will still use the Thule threaded pin in the rear and the new locking pin closer to the collar. I don't think that this will cause any issues with the strength of the hitch or the bike rack.

Just a thought.

[Riff Raff]

But if I understand that solution correctly, it provides no "locking" capability right?

True, VT if using just the cotterpins on both sides of the hitchpin as I described. However, I've seen some miniture padlocks at both HomeDepot & Lowes with skinny shank loops that might be able to wiggle thru the cotterpin hole of the chrome hitchpin. If you get two(2) minature padlocks sold as a pair that are "keyed alike", then you'd have a padlock on each side of the hitchpin using the same one key. I'm sure the right minature padlock is out there somewhere that would fit in those tight confines at the hitchpoint.

I would try my recommendation first, and simply hacksaw the chrome hitchpin to the bare minimum length as required and drill a secondary cotterpin hole. As Eric indicated; it is the "shear" strength that is most important, and by using the original chrome hitchpin then that strength is maintained regardless of how stubby the sawed-off hitchpin might become during the retrofit. Plus, I think it may be the simpliest solution to the problem without damaging the rear skid plate.

[vt_maverick]

MH - I'm surprised that you couldn't get a locking hitch pin to work with your Tone hitch. I bought a run-of-the-mill Reese pin from Wal-Mart for $15 that worked with no problems.