Bent Hitch Pins

newman fulltimer wrote:
if you are in north louisiana you can bring it by me and i can tell you.Send me a pm i will give you the info

Why not just tell everybody the secret why keep the info just to yourself

PRodacy wrote:
Be cautious about switching to a grade 8 bolt. Different steels and heat treatments are designed for different applications. Grade 8 bolts are very strong in tension (like when you bolt two pieces of matL firmly together), but they are much more brittle than other grades. A sharp shock, which happens often when towing, can shatter a grade 8 bolt whereas a grade 5 bolt will absorb the shock. It may bend, but won't shatter.

Do you have any documentation to support your claim a grade 8 bolt will shatter?

Take a look at this YouTube video.


Grade 8 vs grade 5 bolts

Be cautious about switching to a grade 8 bolt. Different steels and heat treatments are designed for different applications. Grade 8 bolts are very strong in tension (like when you bolt two pieces of matL firmly together), but they are much more brittle than other grades. A sharp shock, which happens often when towing, can shatter a grade 8 bolt whereas a grade 5 bolt will absorb the shock. It may bend, but won't shatter.

Just an update. Talked with a Ford factory rep. She stated the problem was too much slack with the overall setup. She suggested I get a 2 1/2" shank and send her the bill. Ford will pay for it. I'm good with that. I'm sure it will fix the problem.

I have a 14 Ram and tow a 7500 lb TT with 1000 lb TW. I used the 2.5-2 sleeve this year on a 3K mile pull all over Oregon. No bent pin or noise. Thought I would have to buy a 2.5 shank but never did. Remember, the sleeve just floats there so the actual contact point of the pin is moved out on each side at least 1/4 inch and that is what is causing the pin to bend. A 2.5 solid shank will stop the bending.

mkirsch wrote:
If you're in this for the long haul, so to speak, get a 2.5" WD hitch shank and transfer the hitch head over.

Your problem is you have slop within slop. Remove one source of slop, and you won't have another bent pin.

For example:
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Reese/RP54977.html

It's even worse than that. The spacer is free to move fore and aft, so that causes 1/4" of excess slop.

If you're in this for the long haul, so to speak, get a 2.5" WD hitch shank and transfer the hitch head over.

Your problem is you have slop within slop. Remove one source of slop, and you won't have another bent pin.

For example:
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Reese/RP54977.html

I also have a bent pin on my 13 ram 2500, with the 2.5 to 2" reducer sleeve. My entire set up is fairly new, truck, trailer, and equalizer hitch. My pin has not bent bad enough that I can't remove it, but there is a definate bend in it.
When assembled there is some slop in the sleeve and receiver.
The pin was aftermarket from the local rv dealer.
I am pulling a 30ft TH, approximately 9k.

Please post a picture of the 'bent' pin and the receiver holes.

Thinking semantics here. I picture in my mind a 'bent' pin as a nail
that was miss hit and bends.

Wondering you are referring to a pin shank misshapen-ed from the shearing
between the receiver pin box, the insert and shank. Looks like it was
almost cut by scissors

As far as I know, receiver pin boxes are dead soft, or not hardened

So the pin would either be the same or harder (think harder) and the
hole in the receiver pin box would be buggered up (oval'ed)

The picture would tell if a large impact event happened or a series
of small banging's over time

Camper117 wrote:
My tongue weight is about 850 pounds. I'm not sure what size WDH I have. I will check that. I do know this however. I am using the same hitch and WDH that I used when I towed my trailer with an F150 Ecoboost. I pulled the trailer many, many miles and never had any problem, so I have to believe that the problem lies in the receiver on the truck. I guess I will have to change something to fix the issue.

Just a friendly heads up unless you stated one of these wrong.

You stated a 9,500# TT with a loaded 850# TW. That is 8.9% TW which is not good for stable towing. Or is that 850 a dry, unloaded weight or the 9,500 a GVWR and not the actual loaded weight?

If those where scaled weights, recommend you move some stuff around to get the loaded TW up around 1,235# (13%) or more.

While your posted weights might be off, even a 1,200# TW should not be bending that pin. If that is a Ford pin, I'm sure they want to know it is being bent in use. For sure the guys back at Corporate. Hitch failure on a truck is not a good thing.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

John