I resently purchased a 2015 F250 from a 2001 and now am having problems with bending my hitch pin. The first one I was like eh it was a cheep pin. Had to get it quickly because I wasn't aware of needing a longer pin on these heavy duty hitches with the sleeve in them. I baught a fairly pricey master lock pin and once again it's ben after our trip. Our trailer is about 7000 plus pounds and pin is rated for 10k pounds. Is it my weight distributing hitch that is doing this? I thought I saw a post about this somewhere that your not supposed to use weight distribution with the sleeve. Thanks for any guidance.

I mentioned this a couple of times and was told each time that it was not possible to bend the pin when using a sleeve. I got a 2-1/2" shank so that I no longer need that floating sleeve.

Am I on the same page? Are you referring to the 5/8" dia hitch pin that holds the receiver hitch? Seems like it would shear before bending. I had a 5 ton truck hit me in the rear while I was stopped at a red light. He hit my hitch. it sheared off the bolts holding the hitch to my PU but never bent or sheared the hitch pin. I think if that pin is bending or shearing I would go to a 3/4" dia pin

I'd say we need a pic of this. The hitch pin is in double shear. Its not likely to bend and its highly resistant to shear.

Must have been pretty hard to get the bent pin out of the receiver with an adaptor sleeve? One bent pin, maybe too soft of material, but two bent pins? I have read of the hitch pin holes being elongated when using an adaptor sleeve but until now have never heard of bent pins. And yes, some after market sleeves are labeled with a warning "not to be used with a weight distribution hitch" or similar wording.

Second bent hitch pin | Good Sam Community

43 Replies

Tvov
Explorer II
Apr 05, 2016
Thanks for the update!
2_many_2
Explorer III
Apr 05, 2016
Great news!
RooDude09
Explorer
Apr 05, 2016
Just a little update. I sent pictures in to Etrailer.com they said the shank was defective and we're sending another. Paid for the other to be shipped back. Got it today and much to my surprise it slide right in! I highly recommend them for customer service.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Mar 23, 2016
^ That's what I'm thinking too. In 25 years and dozens of trucks and prolly 500kmi of towing something I've never had a hitch pin not fit through the hitch.
If your hitch receiver isn't drilled square it will bend every pin you put in it. And forces exaggerated by the slop between bearing surfaces when using an adapters.
Remember hitch pins are only designed for their recommended strength in shear.
If you introduce any bending forces that little 5/8 pin would need to be significantly larger diameter to not suffer any plastic deformation.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Mar 23, 2016
RooDude09 wrote:
Got the shank today. Much to my dismay it would not slide into my receiver. I got it in by pounding it in. Figured the paint needed to wear off. Once in the pin holes would not line up!! I could get the pin in one side but not out the other. Not sure if the tight fit is causing the problem or if the hole is drilled at an angle. For now went to Walmart and got the Reese reducer. The hole on it is a 5/8 hole and not Oblonged so I will see if that works till I can get a shank that fits. Hopefully I haven't banged up the shank I got so much that I'm out $140

Once again, it should be pretty easy to tell if the hole was drilled crooked: Put the pin in the shank and look at it. If you can't tell by eye, get a square to check it.

It wouldn't be the first time. The first 2-1/2 Reese shank I got for my truck, the cross pin holes weren't even close to lining up. I didn't notice until I got it home because there was a sticker over one of the holes.

The other possibility is that your truck's receiver is not drilled square!

A defective receiver on your truck could explain the problems you've been having.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Mar 23, 2016
While this is a bit off topic, I'll show you my pin modification. I pressed on a collar and then turned the face square. Now that bend will no longer wallow out the receiver hole.
Tvov
Explorer II
Mar 23, 2016
One of my hitches was tight, but it was just the paint that with use wore off. A little WD-40 and all works fine.

Hope you get yours figured out!
path1
Explorer
Mar 23, 2016
I'm on my second pin but in a 01. Probably 60,000 miles towing between 2 trailers over the years. One trailer about 5,000 pounds. The other about 8,000 pounds. This last time I took a real good look and noticed the hole was just a little bit egg shaped. I put fender washers on both sides of the pin. Pin is now "square" to the hole. Seemed to solved my problem.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Mar 23, 2016
You should be able to see where it is tight by the paint marks. I found that one corner was too sharp on my new Reese Titan shank, so I ground on some more radius, and repainted.
2_many_2
Explorer III
Mar 23, 2016
RooDude09 wrote:
Got the shank today. Much to my dismay it would not slide into my receiver. I got it in by pounding it in. Figured the paint needed to wear off. Once in the pin holes would not line up!! I could get the pin in one side but not out the other. Not sure if the tight fit is causing the problem or if the hole is drilled at an angle. For now went to Walmart and got the Reese reducer. The hole on it is a 5/8 hole and not Oblonged so I will see if that works till I can get a shank that fits. Hopefully I haven't banged up the shank I got so much that I'm out $140

:E:S:( That is a bad deal, stuff shouldn't be this difficult.............

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Second bent hitch pin

43 Replies

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