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

[VX KAT]

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.

How long do you think that would take, i.e. turnaround Tom? He could also modify that edge (that Dub tried to grind down when installing it for me), so the cladding tucks back down tight.

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..

We'd use Dave's FJ or my GX470. 5000 lb, 6500 lb rated respectively.

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).

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.

Dang I was hoping the pin didn't affect safety at all....

I always employ the KISS solution...

Drill a hole on either side, further aft of the original.

problem solved...

Then, for further protection, fill the old hole with a short gr8 bolt.

I've been leaning toward that too. Can could anybody drill new holes on the hitch tube while it's STILL on the truck?

a quick easy fix.....

get (2) nut/bolt/lock washer set-ups... probably need what, just over an inch in length?

I would install w/nut/lock washer to the inside using an open end wrench.

I'm sure you don't take the hitch on-off every day, so that wouldn't be too much of an aggravation, but it would do the trick.

p.s..... you could even get black hardware, so they would barely be noticable...

Hmmm.....I like that idea Dan.

~To solve that problem Tom, wouldn't a barrel connector (internally threaded connector like Eric said) work if I could get the other bolt to thread into it?

~Outside tube is 2 3/4", probably use 1 1/4" long bolts on each side, plus the connector.???