dieselfuelonly

Down at ECU (my college in Eastern NC) someone decided that it would be a good idea to pull the pin out that holds my pintle hitch in my receiver. Of course, I had no idea that this happened until I'm heading down the highway at 70 MPH.

There was a tow-truck semi pulling a large Freightliner box van following about 2 and a half seconds behind me, and I glanced up in my mirror and saw this black thing fly up about 10 feet in the air, hit the ground and bounce up again this time to the right. The semi swerved hard to the left and thankfully missed it. At first I thought it was just a plastic bottle that might have flew out of the bed, but I had a gut feeling that it wasn't.

I pulled over and gave the truck driver the "Sorry!!" wave went around behind my truck, and sure enough, my hitch was no where to be found. I turned around at the next exit and thankfully found the hitch lying on the side of the road. Its pretty heavy and if there was a car or smaller truck following just a second closer, it would have gone straight through their windshield and had it met someones head, there wouldn't be much left.

Peoples ignorance/stupidity never ceases to amaze me. That hitch flying out easily could have gone straight through the semis radiator, blown out his tires, or worse, killed someone. I find it unbelievable that someone would have pulled out the pin that holds it in the receiver. I know that happened because it was fine all the way down there, there was no way the clip could have worked its way out, and I hadn't driven the truck since I got down to the dorm.

Its a bit banged up but nothing seems cracked. The adjustable plate has a completely solid shank and all I can say is that I got real lucky that it didn't hit anyone/thing.

I've never liked the locking hitch pins because I'm aways afraid it'd rust/I'd lose the key/etc., but I will never, ever risk having that happen again.

Totallyrad

Dennis, you're the second luckiest person on that stretch of road. I'd be willing to bet the pulling of the pin wasn't the ultimate goal. A heavy draw bar and pintle runs over $150. My bet would be someone interrupted the attempted theft from your truck. Given a few more seconds and you'd been without your hitch.

dieselfuelonly

Yeah, I paid around $100 for the hitch and the plate, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be much more willing to grab it off my truck than go buy one themselves. Do you have any recommendations for a locking pin? I want to make sure its not gonna freeze up/rust on me.

DaveB.inVa

I bought a locking pin at Walmart. I think it was made by Master. I've had it on for about a year, its been through all kinds of nasty stuff and I can still unlock it.

I did think ahead though and put a couple drops of gun oil like Remoil down in the mechanism and in the pin when installed it. I'm sure that didn't hurt. The good thing about the pin I have is that it has a rubber cap that covers the lock mechanism to keep stuff out.

I didn't use anything like WD40 due to it being so volatile that it would've evaporated long ago.

annabelle

I lock ever receiver I have now. Someone stole my weight distribution receiver from me when I was 1200 miles from home,camping. No replacement could be located. Fortunately I was able to make it home with the reg. receiver I had in the tool box. All I needed was a 2 5/16 ball.

ramlovingvet

We drill and tap our receivers then run a bolt in against the bar. Wont stop a thief but slows them down and most wont bother. It also stops the annoying clunks and bangs

annabelle

I drill the pin and put a lock through it......I sure hate thieves.

ramlovingvet

That happens a lot here during hunting season a guy walks in to hunt and when he gets back to the road his hitch is gone. I always have a spare and have sold a few in the woods to help guys get home.
No I don't mark them up!!!

stinkindiesel

I also didn't like the locking pins until I got back to the dock and found someone had jacked my pin. I also found out the hard way when I pulled forward and the drawbar and trailer slipped out and the trailer got all uncooperative.

A few drops of 10W30 in the works has kept my locking pin smooth and easy; it's got o-rings and a dust cap, too.

BgBlkTrk

I probably have the same one DaveB.inVa has, and have had it for years, with no issues as far as rust or corrosion, and unlocks every time I need it to, although it usually just stays on the truck.

nelrod

I had a Reese locking pin and turned out to be a POS. Threw it away and put regular pin in it. After reading this potential horror, going to put lock back on. I am going to try to find the one that was mentioned, with rubber on it. I guess you can get a bad item from any manuf. as I have always had good luck with Reese.

12valve@heart

I have a Master from WalMart and it has a brass lock and has always unlocked when I needed to get it off. It's under there all the time regardless of weather.

SIXSLUG

A thousand people will walk by something not locked up and not even consider touching it, its the one jerk that will that can ruin your day. Realistically you should have already had that hitch locked or bolted or stowed considering its value. Realizing someone couold have been killed by it makes it that much more relevant. Regardless of the situation you would have been finally responsible for the event since it was unsecured and came from your vehicle. Get a lock.

Kurt

nelrod

12 Valve, gonna go to Wal Marx and get 1 just like yourn

RamPB331

Speaking of unsecured loads, I had a stuffed rucksack wedged in the back of my truck, and it came flying out one day on a bridge on I-65 (Blue River) near Edinburgh IN, when the tailgate latch failed as we hit the bridge (bumps pretty good). We were darn lucky a. nobody wrecked, and b. neither of us got ran over trying to retrieve it. That was one of the hairiest days of my life.