Losing Pull-Rite cotter pins

[KathyandDave]

We have a Pull-Rite 20.5k static fifth wheel. Twice now, a cotter pin that secures a larger pin, one of several that hold the thing all together has fallen out. Most recently, on a very bad road, a cotter pin that secures the big pin that secures one end of the fifth wheel plate fell out fell out, unnoticed, then the big pin fell out, too. I noticed that the TV seemed to heave on some bumps. Later, after setting up, I noticed the pin and cotter pin missing and found them lying in the TV bed. Obviously, we had been travelling with the fifth wheel held down by one end and gravity.

Obviously, I'll be checking carefully to see if the pins are all secure on a regular basis. Does anybody know of an alternative, more secure cotter pin?

[Pete Hanson]

Hmmmm.....We have put many miles on our Monty using a PullRite slider and have not had one pin fall out. I'm at a loss as to what might be causing that.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

What Pete said.
In 5 years I have never lost a pin.

[Capt Kidd]

Sounds like the cotter key pin needs to be replaced. Sometimes these things get weak. I haven't had the problem on the monty but have had it elsewhere.

A possible solution would to be to replace the offending one with a real cotter key that come out.

[Waynem]

Are you talking about a CLICK PIN?

If so, they do weaken if taken off occasionally. When that happened to mine, I used a tie wrap around the ring and the pin until I got a new one. Tractor Supply should have them, along with some RV stores.

[sailer]

I have never lost a pin on my pull-rite in 3 years , replace the pin for sure,,, sailer

[KathyandDave]

What I am calling a cotter pin is a thin piece of springy steel that is folded back on itself with the fold being curved to fit around the big pin. Push the straight part through the hole in the big pin and the curved part snaps around it. However, the spring quality seems wimpy and I can pull it off without using tools.

[sgtpp214]

IN four yrs I have had this happen twice. It is now part of my safety check process to see that all the pins are in place and secure.

[racerjoe]

Another thought is to have the end of the pins drilled and install a cotter pin that could be bent over to keep it in place. Just like your front wheel bearings are held on. If you keep your hitch in your bed all season,that would keep pins in place. One less thing to monitor while you are traveling.

[Waynem]

Dave,
See my post above. That is a "click pin," and readily available at a lot of places, including the link above for ordering. Just make sure you order the correct diameter pin. Measure twice, order once. Better to bring the old one with you to a store and match them up.

In my case in removing my hitch one time, I pulled the ring back to far and it snapped around. From that moment on it was loose.

Also, on my Reese 18K hitch, the flat stock with a little bend in the tab on the clevis pin kept bending away from the end of the clevis, letting the pin spin in the hitch. I was concerned with this and called Reese. Told them about the two situations, click pin and clevis pin, and they sent me a new one of each.

[BB_TX]

I assume you are talking about hair pin cotter pins. That is what mine has, but I have never lost one. I would go to your local hardware store and get new ones and see if that stops it.
http://www.pivotpins.com/catalog/hair_pin.shtml
You might also try pushing it all the way to the large loop rather than stopping at the first detent.

[KathyandDave]

BB TX: That's the pin! Thanks for the name. Obvious, once you know it, of course.
I'll take the bigger pin with me to a quality hardware store and try to get a better cotter pin. Ironically, I work with rigging from time to time. There's a thing called a shackle - its pin is threaded in place, then locked by the rigger with a twisted piece of stiff wire. I'd like that level of security with these pins.