Hitch Pin Shifting and Blocking Holes for Safety Chains

[Deleted User]

Has anyone experienced this......you arrive at your destination and the curved end of the hitch pin has shifted and is pointing down and blocking the hole where your safety chain attaches? A couple of times, it was blocking me from being able to remove the chain. Other times, I've forgotten to make sure it was pointing up an after I got all hitched up and I went to attach the chains the the hole was blocked again by the curved end of the hitch pin!  I've had to take the weight off the hitch in order to shift the pin....which is more of a pain than it sounds. 

I'm not a fan of the straight locking type pins because its just one more point of failure when the key breaks off or the some freak thing happens.  (Mr. Murphy usually camps with me every trip) so I try to keep things as simple as possible and avoid things that require a key as much as I can!

I saw someone suggested using D rings and then hooking the chains to those.  I'm just wondering what others are doing that have encountered this issue.

Thanks

Verna

I leave similar threaded quick links connected to my factory hitch in the F-150 because the spring loaded clips on the T@B’s chains are not large enough to attach to the holes in the hitch. 

(Be sure to get the Quick Links that are rated at 5,000+ lbs. Do not use inexpensive carabiners like those used for key rings. These shown are NOT strong enough fir the weight of the T@B’s—I grabbed the photo of the first ones I saw on Amazon.)

jkjenn

What aboyt rubber washers for the hitch pin to help hold it in place? Or a longer pin?

Tampakayaker

I use D ring shackles from Harbor Freight.  Like Verna, I had a hard time getting the spring loaded clips on and off the slots on the hitch.  They carry two sizes.

[Deleted User]

great ideas!! Thanks so much.  I just ordered the quick links, but I like the idea of a longer hitch pin also.  I will try the links first, but I like all the ideas here so nice to have options!!

Thanks so much! Its so awesome to have a problem solved for you over night!!!