Removeable Alternative to Hammerlocks

[ccw]

Something like this would be perfectly acceptable as well with low risk of back out due to vibration. I do like some of the options @BroncoHooves posted with retention, however.

CURT Channel Mount Lock Set (5/8 in. Diameter) 21602 - The Home Depot

This CURT three-pack of hitch clips offers a universal design. They fit either 1/2" or 5/8" hitch pins with a hole or groove attachment style, and they keep the hitch pin securely set in place in your

www.homedepot.com

Out of curiosity, how would that style of clip be better than a linch pin?

To be clear, the linch pin's hoop isn't loosely dangling; the way it's designed, the hoop takes pretty notable pressure to flip up as it binds up at its attachment point.

 

[Modman]

Out of curiosity, how would that style of clip be better than a linch pin?

Sized correctly for the hole you could use this in two ways since it is acting as a cotter pin from a functional perspective and not bearing any load:
1) Insert to the first relief - agree with you that this would be similar to the linch pin in that you are relying on perpendicular pressure for retention. With enough force along the insertion axis this can be overcome.
2) Insert fully to the larger ring. To remove the force would need to be overcome twice, adding additional safeguard:

 

[Modman]

Sized correctly for the hole you could use this in two ways since it is acting as a cotter pin from a functional perspective and not bearing any load:
1) Insert to the first relief - agree with you that this would be similar to the linch pin in that you are relying on perpendicular pressure for retention. With enough force along the insertion axis this can be overcome.
2) Insert fully to the larger ring. To remove the force would need to be overcome twice, adding additional safeguard:

View attachment 41682

So option 2 in my mind is better than a linch pin and highly unlikely to vibrate out in this application. To be honest I think a linch pin has low likelihood as well. Considering neither is the primary retention device, for failure you would have to have the safety pin back out first, and then the nut back out to lose the primary shackle pin. If the nut loosens first it provides additional load against the safety pin making it harder to remove.

That being said it is better to have a cotter pin that can't come out, I was just offering another reasonable option that I have used with this style of shackle, although not for towing...

 

[ccw]

So option 2 in my mind is better than a linch pin and highly unlikely to vibrate out in this application. To be honest I think a linch pin has low likelihood as well. Considering neither is the primary retention device, for failure you would have to have the safety pin back out first, and then the nut back out to lose the primary shackle pin. If the nut loosens first it provides additional load against the safety pin making it harder to remove.

That being said it is better to have a cotter pin that can't come out, I was just offering another reasonable option that I have used with this style of shackle, although not for towing...

Gotcha. Makes sense when using the second position. Hadn't considered that.

 

[oops]

Noting that most of us here are holding our entire hitch onto our truck with R-clips or linchpins and I’ve never had or seen a report about problems with either.

That said: I also use both (along with PTO pins) when attaching implements to heavy equipment and I find that R-clips, unintuitively, consistently outperform linchpins and PTO pins in that application.

I don’t think I’ve ever had an R-clip fall off, but I lose lynchpins and PTO pins at least once every 8 hours of running.

I don’t understand the physics, and I’m probably using these things wrong, but that’s been my experience.

Just to build on Modman’s recommendation, while also noting all of this is pretty overkill on a truck.

 

[oops]

I’ll also add: I’ve never had a simple bendable cotter pin fail, so I’d probably go that direction if I was planning to fasten these shackles to my truck semi-permanently.

 

[oops]

Also: I appreciate all the enginerding in this thread. Keep it up.

 

[ccw]

Noting that most of us here are holding our entire hitch onto our truck with R-clips or linchpins and I’ve never had or seen a report about problems with either.

That said: I also use both (along with PTO pins) when attaching implements to heavy equipment and I find that R-clips, unintuitively, consistently outperform linchpins and PTO pins in that application.

I don’t think I’ve ever had an R-clip fall off, but I lose lynchpins and PTO pins at least once every 8 hours of running.

I don’t understand the physics, and I’m probably using these things wrong, but that’s been my experience.

Just to build on Modman’s recommendation, while also noting all of this is pretty overkill on a truck.

Good point about what folks are using for the main hitch pin. It's because of that I wouldn't hesitate to use the linch pins tomorrow if I suddenly needed to tow. Though might as well find the best option, especially given how cheap all of these clips are.

That's good context with R-clips. I definitely was intuiting that linch pins would be better at holding.

I’ll also add: I’ve never had a simple bendable cotter pin fail, so I’d probably go that direction if I was planning to fasten these shackles to my truck semi-permanently.

Agreed! My thing is that I'll only have these shackles on when towing. So they need to be attached as if they're permanent because of the high vibrations, but for a relatively limited amount of time (I won't be towing often).

 

[Modman]

That said: I also use both (along with PTO pins) when attaching implements to heavy equipment and I find that R-clips, unintuitively, consistently outperform linchpins and PTO pins in that application.

I've snapped my finger a few times using the linch pins probably because I am a dumb-a** so there's that too!

 

[oops]

I've snapped my finger a few times using the linch pins probably because I am a dumb-a** so there's that too!

haha - truth

 

[ccw]

I've snapped my finger a few times using the linch pins probably because I am a dumb-a** so there's that too!

Oh boy. Well given that we're all dumb asses sometimes, that's a very valuable point.

 

[oops]

Oh boy. Well given that we're all dumb asses sometimes, that's a very valuable point.

I’ve managed to stab myself with R-clips too though.

So I just keep several pairs of bright orange gloves within reach at all times as dumbass insurance. And then still forget to put them on half the time.

 

[Birdhunter39]

I took a 15 inch heavy duty wire tie and tied them together when not in use. No rattle..lol

Genius! Been reading up on these hammer lock things and the last thing i want is more rattling (need to find a hitch rattle thingy). This just makes so much sense it's ridiculous.

You don't need to untie them when towing as the tie will surely come off if the chains come into play.