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

[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).

[vt_maverick]

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.

You aren't trying to install the skid with the pin/bolt/screw in place are you?

[Ldub]

Kat,

Here is what I was referring to when I mentioned a "sleeved" pin the other night.

Removing the sleeve, then inserting the pin from one side & the sleeve from the other, provides just enough increased clearance for me to get the pin into mine. (with the hole moved aft)

[VX KAT]

You aren't trying to install the skid with the pin/bolt/screw in place are you?

Kat,

Here is what I was referring to when I mentioned a "sleeved" pin the other night.

Removing the sleeve, then inserting the pin from one side & the sleeve from the other, provides just enough increased clearance for me to get the pin into mine. (with the hole moved aft)

Yes, actually Mav I've tried it both ways....but because with the skid in place, the pin has to go in at an angle..it doesn't work that way. So I thought, put it in first, then I could put the nut on after the skid is in place. The problem, I can't GET IT OFF without removing the skid.

Yesterday when I was fitting it/playing with it, while at Fastenal, I realized it IS equivalent to a locking pin...cuz you can't get that pin out without some major cutting of the skid, and fighting with the cladding as well, since it's so close.

Dub- I think you're saying with the sleeve removed, the skinner pin can be inserted at just a little bit of an angle and get through?
When you attach the lock barrel, is it touching your skid at all or does it just clear as well?

Can you give me a measurement...from the fore side of your 2nd hole, using the center of that hole as your horizontal marker, to where your cladding touches the tube?
I know cladding can be in different positions, but this would at least give me a ballpark.

[tom4bren]

Junster,

Our hitches can handle the draw weight just fine. It's just tongue weight that is limited. In my discussions with Welder Guy yesterday, we decided that we will go ahead and try to fab up the frame to frame version that is hidden behind the rear cladding. As far as I can tell, this hitch will replace that little tube bumper we gots behind the cladding so it'll actuall make for a stronger rear end & give us all the tongue weight that the suspension can handle.

Gotta help Welder Guy out a little since he got laid off & his shop is his sole means of income now.

As far as trailer light wiring, I just made all my connections inside the VX and keep the wire coiled up in the jack cubby. When I need the trailer lights, I just run the wires out the back door.

Tom

[Ldub]

Dub- I think you're saying with the sleeve removed, the skinner pin can be inserted at just a little bit of an angle and get through?
When you attach the lock barrel, is it touching your skid at all or does it just clear as well?

Can you give me a measurement...from the fore side of your 2nd hole, using the center of that hole as your horizontal marker, to where your cladding touches the tube?
I know cladding can be in different positions, but this would at least give me a ballpark.

20.6248 mm...

Or about 13/16" iff'n yer a MerIkin (no, not a merkin...)

And yes, that's exactly what I'm saying...

It provides just enough angle to slide the pin in first, then slide the sleeve in from the other side. Nothing touches when locked in place.

Mine is different from the one I posted the pic of, mine looks like this: