Really scary incident tonight - almost lost my tow!

[rgnprof]

We had just driven about 500 miles and were about 2 miles from home. Pulled off I-35, made a right-hand turn and just about lost the Subaru. The hitch pin was completely gone, and it was a brand new pin that I installed this trip. I usually eyeball the cotter pin along the trip, but didn't this time...

I don't know if I lost the cotter pin then the hitch pin pulled out, or if the hitch pin sheared off...no idea!

One of the Blue Ox safety chains broke right at the hook, while the other stayed intact. The hitch in pulling away damaged the underside panel on the rear of the motorhome, but no big deal.

We got LUCKY!

Needless to say, I'm in the market for better tow chains/safety cables and the best hitch pin available!

ryan

[Jennifer_Koper]

Such kind of incidents happened so far i heard last time! its time for all of us to get permanent solution.

[Gjac]

cross21114 wrote:
Coincidently, we are on our way back from Alaska towing a Ford Expdition with a Blue Ox base plate and a Ready Brute tow bar. We towed this rig about 35,000 miles in total with no problems.

Saturday, we hooked up in the Badlands, SD and unhooked in Mitchel. I was shocked to find this when I unhooked. This is the "tab" which is inserted into the base plate to connect to the kunkle (not sure what the best term is for this part).



I have found a place in Sioux Falls take can get them Wednesday (I'll get 2 so I'll have a spare). My wife flew home yesterday since i will be here for 10 days to hunt pheasants. Having 2 vehicles and 1 driver conplicates logistics.
By the way, I also insert the pins from insude to outside so the pins don't ride against the cotterpin. I changed from the pins supplied which have a bent head as I found the bent heads round the hole in the kunkle. I use 1/2" bolts in which I drilled a hole for the cotterpin (and a big one).

I noticed the same thing on my Demco tow plate, the center tang of the tow bar widened the receiver end of the tow plate. I would squeeze it parallel again with large vise grips. After a few hundred miles it would open up again. I did not want to work harden the steel and cause a failure so I added a 3/8 steel plate on either side for support which fixed the issue. I have towed the car about 100k miles with out further issues.

[ron_dittmer]

chuckbear wrote:

rgnprof wrote:
I'm also trying to figure out why the NSA (NOT Blue Ox as stated above) safety cable broke - my car is about 3300lbs and the cables are each rated for 4000lbs, I think..

While your car may weigh 3300 lbs, the stress on those cables will exceed that easily under the right circumstances. Chuck

I recall reading on an RV forum (maybe here on RV.net) where someone noticed their cables were only lightly rusted on the outside, but the inner strands were horribly rusted, causing a failure of some kind with the safety cable. Maybe salt spray got embedded and ate away the cable internally.

[Grit_dog]

Wow!
Yes not likely the spring clip (I presume) came out on its own. Possible I suppose, but there’s millions of trailer hitches doing millions of miles with the spring clip in tact.
That said, one bad experience like that calls for more peace of mind.
Locking hitch pin is the easy solution.
Frequent inspections is the other solution.
I tow all those of trailers frequently and randomly (in construction). Hooked up an air compressor at one of my project sites last night, late evening, got interrupted during hooking up with a phone call. Pulled out of our yard and stopped under a light to double check as I thought I may have missed something. Sure nuff, didn’t latch the pintle down.
I’m not ocd about checking tire pressures daily and things of the like, but when towing/hauling, always give a 360 walk around visual inspection every stop. And that is why.

[chuckbear]

rgnprof wrote:
Thanks for all the replies - appreciate the concern.

I've been towing - pop-up and now my car - for years, first time anything like this has happened. A little unnerving!

I'm also trying to figure out why the NSA (NOT Blue Ox as stated above) safety cable broke - my car is about 3300lbs and the cables are each rated for 4000lbs, I think...


NSA safety cables


I will definitely make a hitch pin change and will find a way to lock it up. This one was purchased at either Home Depot or WalMart - don't remember the specific brand.


Appreciate the suggestions!

While your car may weigh 3300 lbs, the stress on those cables will exceed that easily under the right circumstances. Chuck

[cross21114]

Coincidently, we are on our way back from Alaska towing a Ford Expdition with a Blue Ox base plate and a Ready Brute tow bar. We towed this rig about 35,000 miles in total with no problems.

Saturday, we hooked up in the Badlands, SD and unhooked in Mitchel. I was shocked to find this when I unhooked. This is the "tab" which is inserted into the base plate to connect to the kunkle (not sure what the best term is for this part).



I have found a place in Sioux Falls take can get them Wednesday (I'll get 2 so I'll have a spare). My wife flew home yesterday since i will be here for 10 days to hunt pheasants. Having 2 vehicles and 1 driver conplicates logistics.
By the way, I also insert the pins from insude to outside so the pins don't ride against the cotterpin. I changed from the pins supplied which have a bent head as I found the bent heads round the hole in the kunkle. I use 1/2" bolts in which I drilled a hole for the cotterpin (and a big one).

[bobndot]

rgnprof wrote:
To be clear - the pin that I lost was at the receiver (closest to the camper)...

I usually install my base plate pins the same way as describe above by way2roll.

ok Tnx.
That's what I thought it was , the hitch pin and I also install my Blue ox pins that same way as you do. Glad to hear everything turned out to be ok for you.

[rgnprof]

To be clear - the pin that I lost was at the receiver (closest to the camper)...

I usually install my base plate pins the same way as describe above by way2roll.

[rgnprof]

I saw those exact chains listed above from etrailer...opted against them because for some reason, I didn't like the quick link end...not sure why but that doesn't look as strong to me...

[bobndot]

Are we talking about the pins (2) at the car baseplate or the 'hitch pin' at the receiver ?

[pigman1]

way2roll wrote:
I have found that on my setup (blue ox base plate and ready Brute Elite bars) that if I put the pins in from the outside to the inside they work toward the outside and when I get where I am going they are really tight against the cotter pin. I can see where it would eventually cause a failure. So, now I put the pins in from the inside out and it works it's way to the curve in the pin which is far less risky and no stress at all on the cotter pin. I hope that made sense.

OUTSTANDING INFORMATION!! Everyone should follow way2roll's system, regardless of their brand of hitch. Normal hitch motion will always move the pins outboard. Locking pins too, but they will slow the idiots out there who think pulling pins is funny.

[2manytoyz]

I have a Roadmaster setup. These cables are rated for 8000 lbs. Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), and are LESS expensive than the ones on Amazon.

Link: https://www.etrailer.com/Safety-Chains-and-Cables/Roadmaster/RM-645.html



Each of these cables appears to be the same size as the 8000 lb winch hanging on the front of the Jeep. No worries of them breaking.

[PartyOf_Five]

We almost bottomed out one time, and didn't realize it to later, but the hitch pin must have been the weakest link and it was fine. Fortunately the hitch is adjustable and has 2 pins.... But lesson learned.

[MDKMDK]

ron.dittmer wrote:

folivier wrote:
Replace the hitch pin with a correct size grade 8 bolt and don't worry about it. No rattles either. Also anyone who wants to steal your towbar better have tools!

.....With Nylon Locking Nut!

Great suggestion. Definitely.