Hitch Locking Pins November 24, 2020, 09:41:27 am If you are not towing, this will be of little interest.So I lifted the Jeep 3 inches which meant I needed to raise the receiver hitch. I got one that is adjustable. I now realize I should have gotten a fixed height one. So what I have needs three pins, instead of two. One to clip the hitch extension to the LD. Another to set the adjustable section to the desired height. And finally, one to clip the tow bar to the hitch extension. Arg!, that means two getting two more locking hitch pins, more $, more keys, more complications.So I looked on Youtube for ideas and found locking pins can be removed in seconds with a length of pipe. One vendor puts a nut inside of the receiver so that even if the lock on the hitch pin is broken off it can not be removed without a wrench.I am thinking I will use three Grade 8 bolts as hitch pins and put nuts inside the receiver to tighten the hitch so it will not rattle and secure the pins with Nyloc nuts on the outside. Mounting flush there will be nothing to break off with a pipe and will require two 3/4 wrenches to remove. How many thieves carry them? I could fab what the picture shows to go inside the receiver rather than a nutI am thinking that will be more secure than buying pin locks that can be easily broken. Do you see a way to build more security into this?
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #1 – November 24, 2020, 10:49:19 am Given the way I pass my days, I don't see the concern. If my car is connected and I am someplace like a Walmart lot, my car is locked with no keys in it. Disconnecting the hitch is easy. I don't have locks on it. When I get to a destination, I disconnect my car and, again, it gets locked with no keys in it. So, I don't get what I would be trying to protect - the tow bar itself? There is a locking pin securing my tow bar in place, but how likely is it that someone would try to snap off that pin just to steal the tow bar?That being said, I think your plan is reasonable. I particularly like being able to tighten the connection to reduce looseness and rattling.Ken F in NM
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #2 – November 24, 2020, 11:09:02 am It's the tow bar and hitch I want to protect about $1,000, plus the extreme hassle of getting a new one while on the road. 1 Likes
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #3 – November 25, 2020, 03:16:27 pm Locks are one of those areas where you have to decide if you want to feel secure or be secure. As you learn more, you realize that being secure isn't very easy. You can spend hours watching the lockpickinglawyer youtube channel and not find a lock that is secure.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAIONzHzlXkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR31o8x1OvU&ab_channel=LockPickingLawyerI just make a reasonable effort to secure things, try to stay out of sketchy areas if I can, and make sure the insurance is paid. Rich
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #4 – November 26, 2020, 08:37:59 am After seeing videos like this, I decided I would use Grade 8 bolts and nuts. All it would require is for someone with two 3/4 wrenches to remove the hitch and tow bar, but that seems more secure to me than locking hitch pins which can be removed in seconds.Same deal as folks trying to secure outside surge protectors, generators, bin doors, and this morning some was concerned about having her coach batteries stolen. We are away from our rig for hours at a time, in remote locations. We just seek to make theft a little less attractive.As always the cab doors are the most vulnerable.
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #5 – December 29, 2020, 06:49:03 pm Just spotted this thread.To secure the towbar, in the receiver, I drilled 3/4" holes in the receiver and welded 5/8-NC" nut over the holes, allowing 5/8" bolts to be threaded in. It tightened the towbar connection, so there is no slop and makes it difficult to remove.Not a great photo but it does show one of the nuts and bolts added to secure the towbar.The two eye bolts, once used for the safety cables have been replaced with a stronger connection. Eyebolts are not designed to be used for side pulls, they may shear off.There is a way to make stealing it even more difficult. With the towbar install and secured, drill and thread a 1/4" hole under the receiver and into the towbar, then thread in a short set screw, short enough so it doesn't stick out, to keep it from being noticed. Fill the set screw's head with mud. Utah's mud is the best, dries like concrete and it lasts for years.Done right, no one will ever find the set screw, making it impossible to steal the towbar, make sure to take a photo to remind yourself where it's at.Amazon.com : Set ScrewsLarry 1 Likes
Re: Hitch Locking Pins Reply #6 – December 30, 2020, 09:57:15 am Quote from: Larry W - December 29, 2020, 06:49:03 pm Fill the set screw's head with mud. Utah's mud is the best, dries like concrete and it lasts for years.And if you can’t make it to Utah, try some of this:Jeep is selling mud in a can for your car. No, really 1 Likes
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Topic: Hitch Locking Pins (Read 443 times)
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