[sdbob]

I have a receiver on my 2500 GMC. I lost(misplaced) my pin,for my hitch. So I went to local trailer dealer and bought a new one. I asked him how hard a pin is, just curious. He asked the manufacturer before but never got an answer. I get concerned about Chinese steel. I have special key locking pins but use a pin with a just a little spring pin. Wonder if the pin is just 1018 steel or could it be case hardened?

[Sirrotica]

Bob, From E trailer: The typical shear strength of a 5/8" hitch pin is 90,000 LBS., or 45 tons. Even if it was inferior steel, and it was 40,000, or 20 tons, you'd be pretty safe. I've never seen many tow vehicles that can exert that much force on a trailer, it's pretty much a non issue. I've also never seen a hitch pin deform, or shear, probably not worth worrying about.

If you're still concerned, I'd buy a name brand pin, and it was likely still made in China............

[Trulyvintage]

The towing capacity of a motorhome is
rated by the manufacturer.
Unless the frame is engineered
and reinforced specifically to be
utilized as a towing platform
it is not suitable as a tow vehicle.


Jim

[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by Trulyvintage

The towing capacity of a motorhome is
rated by the manufacturer.
Unless the frame is engineered
and reinforced specifically to be
utilized as a towing platform
it is not suitable as a tow vehicle.
Jim

But... When you purchase a motorhome and it comes with a Class III or higher rated hitch from the manufacturer it would appear that they have thought things out.

[Sirrotica]

They're have been many racers that have sheared off the rear frame of motorhomes towing an enclosed race car trailer with a bumper hitch. That flimsy, light duty rear frame section on most motor homes, is only meant to hold up the floor and living area. Flexing it over the road constantly, with 5 plus tons of trailer hooked to it, usually doesn't work out in the long term.

Maybe there is an option to use heavier steel for that section when it's being built, but any of the rear frames I've looked at are way to light duty for attaching a class 3 hitch to.

BTW, maximum class 3 is only to 8000 Lbs, most open trailers with a car on it, and equipment carried on them will likely be over, or near that rating.

E trailer does caution putting high weight rated hitches on motorhomes because of the frame deficiency of most motorhome rear frame sections.

I've seen, and heard of too many racers breaking motorhome frames to think it's a good idea.

[Trulyvintage]

My opinions are formed by firsthand
experience and advice offered by
folks who are in vehicle enforcement
including a recently retired Weigh master
in California and active vehicle enforcement
officers in Ohio - Oklahoma - Pennsylvania.

My tow vehicle set up:

15K receiver hitch
15K ball mount or “ stinger “
15K 2-5/16” trailer ball

My current custom all aluminum trailer:

12K coupler
12K equalizer assist

So my capacity is 12K for what I pull.
Not a problem because I don’t transport
any vehicles over 6K.

If I added this bicycle carrier device
my rating which decrease to 6K.

That - is a fact.

I am an actual business.
I am subject to the law.
I respect and observe and comply.

Irregardless of my opinion of it.


Jim

[Trulyvintage]

The manufacturer of this product
is in the business of selling bike
and trike racks :

@ https://www.hitchrider.com/

This appears to be a product someone
designed to keep a bicycle rack they
sell from ratting around …..

The manufacturer of this aftermarket
product is not making an accurate statement
in the email reply..

This is the legal description of a Class 3
receiver hitch according to Curt



Aftermarket receiver hitches products are
submitted for evaluation and review for
suitably for application by the manufacturer
to protect them from civil and criminal
negligence claims arising out of
claim of loss or failure.

Sounds Ike this is a small company
that chose not to do that - hope
they have deep pockets in the event
off a lawsuit.

The manufacturer assigned a Class 3 rating
to this product - if the manufacturer intended
the product to be used on any class of 2 inch
receiver hitch then that should be clearly
stated in the description.

Hitch Styles and Classes explained;

@ http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1690812264



Jim

[Mr Anonymous]

For the nerdy:

When the pin is holding the hitch together, is it one case of double shear, or two cases of single shear? Can see it both ways.

[Elarson]

Originally Posted by Mr Anonymous

For the nerdy:

When the pin is holding the hitch together, is it one case of double shear, or two cases of single shear? Can see it both ways.

It's one case of double shear; with a little bit of bending mixed in because of the side clearance between parts. Running a few numbers:

double shear area of 5/8" pin = .613 in2
Assuming 1018 mild steel cold drawn, the ultimate tensile strength = 63,800 psi
Shear strength is around 57% of ultimate so it's about 36,000 psi.
So the pin should break at about 22,000 lbs.
A wise traveler should have a safety factor of at least 2 or 3.
So the allowable load would be 7000-11,000 lbs.

Better pin material (like an alloy steel) would bump those numbers up a lot.

Eric

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Elarson

It's one case of double shear; with a little bit of bending mixed in because of the side clearance between parts. Running a few numbers:

double shear area of 5/8" pin = .613 in2
Assuming 1018 mild steel cold drawn, the ultimate tensile strength = 63,800 psi
Shear strength is around 57% of ultimate so it's about 36,000 psi.
So the pin should break at about 22,000 lbs.
A wise traveler should have a safety factor of at least 2 or 3.
So the allowable load would be 7000-11,000 lbs.

Better pin material (like an alloy steel) would bump those numbers up a lot.

Eric

I guess E Trailer had some bad information on their site. Your calculations are a long way from the "90.000 Lbs" they have posted on their site. They are off 3 times too high on their guess............LOL

Looking further on some other sites I find specs of 21,000 lbs for 5/8 inch hitch pins.

I've had to do some jacking on my 1900 built farm house and using a 20 ton hydraulic bottle jack, using a floor jack post, the adjustable pin started to deform the tubing before the pin sheared. From that example I'd surmise the mild steel would start to tear at the holes before the pin shears on a receiver hitch. Just an experiment I've run across in jacking my home up to where it was before everything sagged and settled in the last 123 years.

The floor jack posts are rated at 18,000 lbs, much closer to Eric's calculations

Bob, my apologies for citing the wrong information from E Trailer.com..... You'd think a business that specializes in trailer towing equipment would strive to have more accurate information on their website.

Eric, thanks for some better calculations than E Trailer has posted....

[61-63]

You can get US made hitch pins at McMaster-Carr

[sdbob]

Thanks guys for the info. I get concerned about things as I age. When I was young teenager,I'm not sure how I made it to my 20s,then 30s etc

[Bills Auto Works]

This is my 41st year of transporting with well over 4 million accident-free transport miles & I have NEVER bent or sheared a pin! I guess anything could happen, but there are many other things that go wrong more frequently while pulling the trailer.

The great thing about your concern is that should it ever happen, it would happen pulling away from a stop & the safety chains would keep the trailer attached to the truck, you would feel something right away & get out to check. No Harm, No Foul

For piece of mind, you could carry a spare.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[TAKerry]

I could almost see if the hitch was worn and the receiver was worn. That may cause some back n forth within the receiver itself and maybe could bend the pin. But if that is the case there is a lot more going on. I am with Bill. Although he has dreamt about pulling a trailer more miles than I ever will do so, I have pulled my share. The pin is about the last thing I would worry about. I bought one of those fancy chrome locking ones a few years ago when I was on vacation pulling my trailer. I was afraid someone would steal the hitch! Around home I just use a simple one from TSC. I have 2 trailers one is a pintle so I need to swap hitches on occasion.

[Trulyvintage]

Receiver hitches wear out.

The steel receiver hitch tube
and the solid steel stinger
that your trailer ball mounts
to are softer than the pin.

The OP should have his
receiver hitch and tow vehicle
completely inspected at an
established trailer repair shop
and/or an established welder.

My primary welder is in farm country
outside of Iowa City, Iowa.

All of my tow vehicles have been
fitted with custom designed and
reinforced receiver hitches by
Reg Yoder at Sharon City Welding.

One of several quality service providers
who keep me going down the road ….

Jim

[OG68]

You didn't mention what year your truck was, but some GM receivers were recalled for cracking. I believe the years were between 1999-2005.

After about 5000 miles of towing my travel trailer, I noticed the receiver tube was wearing out with the pin hole becoming elongated as mentioned by Truly Vintage above. Bought a new BW receiver for my 06 Silverado.

[Bills Auto Works]

Originally Posted by OG68

You didn't mention what year your truck was, but some GM receivers were recalled for cracking. I believe the years were between 1999-2005.

After about 5000 miles of towing my travel trailer, I noticed the receiver tube was wearing out with the pin hole becoming elongated as mentioned by Truly Vintage above. Bought a new BW receiver for my 06 Silverado.

I was also aware of this recall, as both my trucks fit into this year range ('02 & '03). I also did notice the hole elongation on one of mine after about 300,000 miles of towing. Pretty simple fix (at least for me) I MIG welded a 3/16ths steel plate on both sides....Could NOT do anything thicker, because then the pin hole would have been covered up.

I also have a couple of those locking chrome pins & had a thought in the back of my mind that maybe they were not as strong as the normal ones, but my minor concern was calmed by another million or so miles on each one!

As for wear pieces....BOTH of the tongues on my trailers have over 1.5 million miles on each with little wear! Reason being, I lube my balls (insert joke here) before I leave the shop EVERY time! I was actually thinking of replacing them both along with the balls just for Sh1ts & Giggles this year. With my anal maintenance schedule, my trailers never leave the building with anything wrong. Fact is...I want to get my customers cars delivered on time & want to get back home to work on mine as quickly as humanly possible!!!!!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[Bills Auto Works]

Very impressed...$9.95 shipping & it is already on its way! Hope the quality is as good as the customer service.

I will report back when I get the 1st one.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[Trulyvintage]

So - if you tow ….

It is a good idea to have your tow vehicle
inspected along with your tow hitch by
an experienced “ meat & potatoes “
trailer repair/hitch installation/welding shop.

If you haven’t had that done - schedule
an appointment - it is also a good idea
to have whatever trailer you are towing
completely checked out as well.

The frame - tongue - hitch - safety chains
as well as the breakaway switch - trailer
brakes - wheel bearings - spindles - hubs
along with the tires & rims..


Jim

[turbo69bird]

Anyone familiar with the fatality (and it happens quite a bit) from trying to pull a stuck truck with a cable and hitch. The hitch breaks if I remember correctly not the pin, but it send the remaining oart of the hitch right through the windshield killing it occupant. So remember that if ever towing a car off the hitch with a cable or strap if they lock up the brakes or get stuck on something.