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

[VX KAT]

[QUOTE=tom4bren;226841]

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.

Probably not long ... he's currently underemployed (trying to get his shop to be his sole income). I'll give him a call.

Even though patience is definitely not my strongest trait , I'm kinda sorta leanin' this way, as my better judgement is telling me this is the best way to go in the long run. Whattya y'all think?

Tom, think he could make it so the 4 mounting holes match up exactly, so we can just take off old, bolt new one on??
If he can, get him to start on it ASAP so it could get to me by 5/12

1) the receiver tube could be made a little longer (maybe 1/2" -3/4"?)
2) The edge (that Dub tried to grind down in pic below) could be made a little more recessed....or maybe the longer tube takes care of that automatically?
3) the hitch pin holes be moved away from the body (maybe 1/2"?)
4) Have WelderGuy make the lip/edge that encircles the end of the receiver a little less prominent.
5) my rear cladding would then be able to snug up tightly, and therefore, the bottom cladding screws will "probably" line up...
6) so I can then install the rear skid using those 4 holes w/o any modification like a bridge
7) And then MAYBE use a conventional hitch pin lock (that's 6" wide, 7" when unlocked)???
(or at the very least the MasterLock 1480DAT which is 5 7/16" wide)

[Ldub]

3) the hitch pin holes be moved away from the body (maybe 1/2"?)

I'd go more like 3/4-1" aft if possible.

Because of the angle of the cladding/skid plate, you don't gain as much room as it would appear.

[VX KAT]

Good point, I see what you mean.

Think I'm being pretty rationale now going for a new hitch??

[PK]

Wow - nearly 50 posts in one day.

Sue, if you have not committed yet, there is a simpler way.

Carefully measure the total width of the outer tube of your hitch at the hole position.
Buy 2 off 5/8" socket head cap screws that have an plain shank (part above the thread) about 2" long.
Take them to an engineering workshop.

Have them cut one of the SHCSs off at half of the width of your receiver, and drill and tap a 5/16' thread x 1" deep into the newly cut end.

Have them cut the other SHCS to (3/4" + half the receiver width). Turn down the last 3/4" to 5/16", and tap a 5/16" thread all the way down to the shoulder.

Insert 1 SHCS in from each side of your receiver, and screw them together.

The main shank of the SHCS is twice as strong as a standard hitch pin and at the point where the shear load will be applied, if it breaks then it is the least of your problems - you have been hit by a train.
With the round head of a SHCS sticking out each side, no one will ever work out how to undo it.

PK

[Ldub]

Think I'm being pretty rationale now going for a new hitch??

You already know what I'd do...

[Bob Barker]

Wow - nearly 50 posts in one day.

Sue, if you have not committed yet, there is a simpler way.

Carefully measure the total width of the outer tube of your hitch at the hole position.
Buy 2 off 5/8" socket head cap screws that have an plain shank (part above the thread) about 2" long.
Take them to an engineering workshop.

Have them cut one of the SHCSs off at half of the width of your receiver, and drill and tap a 5/16' thread x 1" deep into the newly cut end.

Have them cut the other SHCS to (3/4" + half the receiver width). Turn down the last 3/4" to 5/16", and tap a 5/16" thread all the way down to the shoulder.

Insert 1 SHCS in from each side of your receiver, and screw them together.

The main shank of the SHCS is twice as strong as a standard hitch pin and at the point where the shear load will be applied, if it breaks then it is the least of your problems - you have been hit by a train.
With the round head of a SHCS sticking out each side, no one will ever work out how to undo it.

PK

umm... I thought u said simpler...

[PK]

umm... I thought u said simpler...

LOL - well it would be simple for me to do.

PK

[VX KAT]

LOL - well it would be simple for me to do.

PK

when's your next trip???

[VX KAT]

Larry & I chatted about it tonight a bit. Just drilling a second hole further aft as he suggests sure sounds like the easiest solution.

~There's 28mm from the aft side of the hole, to the beginning of the collar.
~If I center a 2nd hole (5/8" = 17mm) within that 28mm space, it leaves 5.5mm on each side.

~The new hole will be about 24mm on center away from the first hole.

~Is that safe enough?

~Can I bias it a few mm's closer to the collar? (wanting to max the space I have to fit the hitch locking pin?)

~Could I make a smaller hole to get it a little closer to the collar? and find a skinnier hitch pin? Or do the shear forces change too much for the worse?

[tom4bren]

Tom, think he could make it so the 4 mounting holes match up exactly, so we can just take off old, bolt new one on??
If he can, get him to start on it ASAP so it could get to me by 5/12

Do-able

1) the receiver tube could be made a little longer (maybe 1/2" -3/4"?)

Do-able

2) The edge (that Dub tried to grind down in pic below) could be made a little more recessed....or maybe the longer tube takes care of that automatically?

Do-able. He may even be able to locate stock with that edge already rounded. IIRC the stock that he used is common Lintle.

3) the hitch pin holes be moved away from the body (maybe 1/2"?)

Well Yeaaahh, ain't that what started all this PITA

4) Have WelderGuy make the lip/edge that encircles the end of the receiver a little less prominent.

Actually, he could leave that off entirely. We talked about that originally and decided to include it just because it's industry standard. Deleting that would make the build much easier (he said that was the biggest PITA on the fab.

5) my rear cladding would then be able to snug up tightly, and therefore, the bottom cladding screws will "probably" line up...

Fingers crossed; prayers answered; & Zeus don't drop any lightning bolts down our shorts

6) so I can then install the rear skid using those 4 holes w/o any modification like a bridge

See comment above

7) And then MAYBE use a conventional hitch pin lock (that's 6" wide, 7" when unlocked)???

Refer back to same comment above

Larry & I chatted about it tonight a bit. Just drilling a second hole further aft as he suggests sure sounds like the easiest solution.

Sounds like the KISS solution but I'm still willing to do the replacement hitch if you wish.

~There's 28mm from the aft side of the hole, to the beginning of the collar.
~If I center a 2nd hole (5/8" = 17mm) within that 28mm space, it leaves 5.5mm on each side.

~The new hole will be about 24mm on center away from the first hole.

~Is that safe enough?

It is

~Can I bias it a few mm's closer to the collar? (wanting to max the space I have to fit the hitch locking pin?)

Yes, you can go right up the the collar. You may need to grind down the collar so that the bulky part of the lock will clear

~Could I make a smaller hole to get it a little closer to the collar? and find a skinnier hitch pin? Or do the shear forces change too much for the worse?

I'd stick with the same size pin for the sake of the SuperBumper functionality. If you ever take a hard hit on the SuperBumper, that pin will take a lot of impact

[Ldub]

~Could I make a smaller hole to get it a little closer to the collar? and find a skinnier hitch pin? Or do the shear forces change too much for the worse?

NO...because the the hole in whatever accessory you use in the receiver is still 5/8"...

And I KNOW how much you would like a new rattle...

[VX KAT]

Went to visit my new favorite store...Fastenal.....just lookin' for any possible option to serve as a hitch pin...off the shelf..

Well, I found this do-hickey....called a socket head shoulder screw or a stripper screw (hmmm, that just doesn't sound right!).
It fit, it's grade 8, it's strong, it's solid, it's the right length....was under $5 for both bolt & nut....
The shoulder is 5/8", which solves the problem Dub highlighted in the prior post. It spans the entire receiver tube, then the threads hold the nut, with a little more threads sticking out.
It's not a locking solution however.

I'm also getting a 2nd hole drilled Friday by my off-road guy....decided I/we don't have the power to do it horizontally...(that and I'm still a big chicken, bach bach bach baaaach!).

So with the shoulder screw, I at least have something to secure the superbumper just in case I don't have room for a conventional locking pin or even one of the L shaped ones. I know I couldn't get the skid on today with this screw...so I'm really gonna need every mm I can get on moving the hole aft.




http://www.fastenal.com:80/web/produ...u=26375&ucst=t

[Ldub]

Went to visit my new favorite store...Fastenal.....just lookin' for any possible option to serve as a hitch pin...off the shelf..

Well, I found this do-hickey....called a socket head shoulder screw or a stripper screw (hmmm, that just doesn't sound right!).
It fit, it's grade 8, it's strong, it's solid, it's the right length....was under $5 for both bolt & nut....
The shoulder is 5/8", which solves the problem Dub highlighted in the prior post. It spans the entire receiver tube, then the threads hold the nut, with a little more threads sticking out.
It's not a locking solution however.

I'm also getting a 2nd hole drilled Friday by my off-road guy....decided I/we don't have the power to do it horizontally...(that and I'm still a big chicken, bach bach bach baaaach!).

So with the shoulder screw, I at least have something to secure the superbumper just in case I don't have room for a conventional locking pin or even one of the L shaped ones. I know I couldn't get the skid on today with this screw...so I'm really gonna need every mm I can get on moving the hole aft.




http://www.fastenal.com:80/web/produ...u=26375&ucst=t

[Riff Raff]

It's not a locking solution however.

http://www.fastenal.com:80/web/produ...u=26375&ucst=t

Very cool item, indeed. I wonder if a small cotterpin-sized hole could be drilled just above the threaded portion for the installation of a minature padlock. Thus, it would then be a lockable hitchpin. Just food for thought.

[tom4bren]

Welder Guy is making a hitch for Bee Sting as we speak. He's going to round off (or chamfer) that sharp edge. He's going to move the receiver pin hole aft. He is NOT going to make the receiver tube longer yet until we find out that it's really necessary. I'll keep you posted. We did discuss the functionality of that collar at the end of the receiver tube. As far as we can tell it only serves the purpose that if you don't have anything in the receiver, and you take a bump on the tube, it will keep the tube from getting deformed. BLUF: on any future orders, you may opt to leave that collar off.

BTW, that sharp corner is because that's the way the stock comes. I was right, it's just cut from lintle (the metal brace that goes over doors & windows in brick homes).