When to replace the hitch pin?
The pin for holding the hitch into the receiver is the only real thing holding our trailers to our trucks. Mine is new, but it got me thinking, how often should it be replaced?
Forum Discussion
If I exposed my pin or any part of my vehicle or attachment hardware to a salt environment I would look for rust each time I used it and replace if it looked weakened.
I've got one pin that I have used 23 years with out any wear or tear. Mostly used to pull the boat and light weight trailers (less than 3000lbs) behind my Astro van. I guess if I lived where rust was an issue I might worry about it or the hitch bolts, welds and other attachment hardware. My truck pulls the 5er and not much else. I do have a spare hitch pin for it somewhere but when I was pulling doubles I used the pin from the van in the 5er hitch to pull the boat. It has been dipped into salt water a time or two but then washed off as soon as possible with fresh water along with the rest of any metal I had near the sea.
I've got one pin that I have used 23 years with out any wear or tear. Mostly used to pull the boat and light weight trailers (less than 3000lbs) behind my Astro van. I guess if I lived where rust was an issue I might worry about it or the hitch bolts, welds and other attachment hardware. My truck pulls the 5er and not much else. I do have a spare hitch pin for it somewhere but when I was pulling doubles I used the pin from the van in the 5er hitch to pull the boat. It has been dipped into salt water a time or two but then washed off as soon as possible with fresh water along with the rest of any metal I had near the sea.
