Tension bar won't stay in place

Question

Reese round bar...As I was pulling out from last camping trip, campground neighbor stopped me to let me know a tension bar had slipped from the hole on the hitch..

I put it back in and tapped the spring-loaded clip...when I got to destination and unhooked, the bar popped out as soon as tension was released.

Ideas? do the bars themselves wear out such that the groove is no longer able to hold the clip tightly? If so, can just the bar be replaced? Do the spring clips wear out? Is there something I should be doing that I've overlooked, or something I should be doing differently?

This hitch system has been used on nearly a hundred trips, with many trips involving unhooking and re-hitching multiple times

scottg · Answer

You shouldn't have to tap the spring clip, it should audibly snap into position.
Once it snaps in, you can apply downward force and it will stay. If it fails this test then somethings wrong.
I suspect you have lost the small, seperate piece that engages the spring bar and only have the spring part left. If so, you will need a Spring Bar Retainer Package to get the part you need.
Or, you're not pushing the bar up into the socket high enough.

barneys · Answer

I suspect the locking pin has worn out from those many years of use. They are easily replaceable.

Here are the ones for a Curt WD hitch. I suspect this one would be good for most other round bar hitches also, including your Reese.

Use these for a Fastway E2 hitch.
Actually, I see no reason either one would not work for any round bar hitch.
Barney

nv_guy · Answer

Same thing happened to me years ago, BarneyS pretty much summed it up. Get some new pins.

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Tension bar won't stay in place

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