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NatParkJunkie's avatar
NatParkJunkie
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2022

dinghy towing question

Hello
I got a jeep this year to tow behind my camper. So far loving the added flexibility it gives me!
After driving to my destination, when I go to unhook, I've been noticing that my pin between the tow bar and the jeep frequently floats around. The pin has frequently slid all the way out so that the safety hitch pin is all the way against the side of the clevis bracket. Is this normal?
I'm slightly concerned about the safety pin failing or breaking some day and the bar with the red handle falling out. (have safety cables attached, but definitely don't want to need to use them...)

Setup using ReadyBrute/Ready Brake tow bar, and maximus 3 tow loops on the jeep side.






  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Jun 20, 2022
    these are the pins we use. i think you can see the difference.

  • Y-Guy's avatar
    Y-Guy
    Moderator
    Jun 20, 2022
    NatParkJunkie wrote:
    Hello
    ...I'm slightly concerned about the safety pin failing or breaking some day and the bar with the red handle falling out. (have safety cables attached, but definitely don't want to need to use them...)

    Setup using ReadyBrute/Ready Brake tow bar, and maximus 3 tow loops on the jeep side.


    I have a ReadyBrute as well, had the same observation as you did. I didn't want to rely on the cotter pin, so I flipped how I inserted the clevis pins so the cotter pin is now on the outside. Inserting the clevis from the inside to the outside. I can't explain why the clevis pin seems to always move to the outside (towards bumper end) but it does. Now the pressure is on the handle, might not be as easy to remove in some situations but I've had no problems.
  • Dutch_12078's avatar
    Dutch_12078
    Explorer II
    Jun 20, 2022
    On edit: Oops, I see Y-Guy posted the same thing, so I'll just leave mine as a second vote...

    If you always put the pins in from the outside in, try reversing them. I found the pins on our tow bar always drifted outwards, so installing them from the inside always keeps the safety clips away from the tow bar. It's so consistent in keeping the clip away from the bar that I suspect I could leave the clips off and nothing would happen. I have no plans to test that theory though ;)
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jun 21, 2022
    Do both pins slide toward the safety pin?
    It could be an alignment problem with the base plates.
    I would try putting the pins in from opposite direction and see if they move away from safety pins. That would be handles toward the center of the toad.
  • folivier's avatar
    folivier
    Explorer
    Jun 21, 2022
    I bought 4 large washers and put one on each side of the pin. That helps keep the cotter pin isolated.
  • Y-Guy's avatar
    Y-Guy
    Moderator
    Jun 21, 2022
    enblethen wrote:
    Do both pins slide toward the safety pin?
    It could be an alignment problem with the base plates.
    I would try putting the pins in from opposite direction and see if they move away from safety pins. That would be handles toward the center of the toad.

    In my case after I changed the direction of inserting the clevis pin the head of the pin was now the piece resting on the edge of the clevis, not the cotter pin. While it's probably not a big deal, I'd rather be safe then sorry.
  • NatParkJunkie's avatar
    NatParkJunkie
    Explorer III
    Jun 21, 2022
    thanks for all the advice! I think that may be the answer. I wasn't paying too close attention to when the pins were sliding, but I'm pretty sure that it was happening when I inserted them from the outside towards the center.
    I switched to that direction because it was a little easier to get it started in the holes to get everything lined up.
    Next time I tow next week, I'll try to go from the center out and see if that solves it for me. That makes sense, because that is the direction that the pins shifted towards the outside.
    thanks all! that was a quick and easy answer.
  • JRscooby's avatar
    JRscooby
    Explorer II
    Jun 21, 2022
    With bars shaped like V, every time you stop the bars push on the pins toward the outside. The easy fix is reverse the pin. When bars push to outside, motion is stopped by the shoulder, not pin.

    And best practice is pin should be locked so can only rotate 1 side of hinge, rotate only in the part that has the largest surface.

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