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what about the safety pin for tralier ball hitches?

M

mmidlam

Member
I had a small trailer come unlatched after going over some railroad tracks. The spring latched ball coupling has a place to install a padlock,or so I thought. Is this really meant for a required safety pin and not an optional padlock? The cheap S hooks on the safety chains just straightened out.
I got a ticket for basic speed law because the trailer scratched the sod and hit a yard sign next to the road-- 3 points on my record. The officer admitted he didn't know much about trailer hitches.
 
Yes that hole is for a safety pin or padlock. Something needs to be in that hole as a safety measure when hauling the trailer.
 
I guy I know had his boat and trailer come unhooked at a RR tracks. The boat and trailer hit a car head on. He spent time in prison over that.
 
When I was discharged from the Army in 1955 I towed a mobile home from Ft Bragg to MD. I used a cap screw with double nuts to secure the hitch to the ball. I had to stop for gas quite a few times and I would check it and the tires. I also used a two wheel dolley to take the weight off the tow vehicle, so I had two of those ball hitches to safety pin. Hal
 
A positively retained safety pin or lock installed the coupler latch hole is required by law here in New York.
 
I am unsure of the law but don't trust the "S" hooks on safety chains. I buy screw together chain couplers to attach safety chains.
I also use a padlock to ensure the ball is secured.
When travelling on Interstate highways I stop at the first couple of rest areas to chack safety chains and load binders (whichever I'm using).

The law will probabily still find something wrong but these are my efforts.
 
New trailers don't use S hooks, they use 3/8 inch chain and chain like hook with a spring to keep them on. However, my old 1996 16 ft 7k utility trailer did have S hooks and a smaller chain.
 
I always stick a bolt with a nut on it through the hole, and I've always wondered about the S hooks. I just bought a new cattle trailer about a month ago, and it has the S hooks on it. Am going to use it for the first time tomorrow, but I may just go out and put the spring loaded chain hooks on it tonight. Should have heavier chain in my opinion. My 10,000lb skid loader trailer has 3/8 chain, and I kind of think this cattle trailer should too. Just may have to change that.
 

You have not NOTICED that you can readily unlatch it without that pin..???
Hope you at least had a safety chain on it...


Ron..
 
A pin that goes through the old style tractor PTO works great for securing the ball. Available at any farm store.

But yes, you do need something through that hole to make sure the hitch doesn't unlatch. Bolt or spring pin would also work.
 
I use the type of pin that is about 5/16 (they come other sizes also) that is held securely in place with the C shaped spring. And inside the C is where my electric wire is held right where I want it.
 
If someone didn't tell you about safety pins, break away brakes, the size of safety chains, type of hooks, hitch class, where would you find regulations for small trucks and trailers used for non-commercial purposes? It seems that some states may consider commercial and non-commercial the same. I've been looking for regulations in Indiana for non-commercial purposes and comming up with very little. Lots of info for commercial purposes, but nothing for cars, small trucks and trailers.
 
(quoted from post at 18:44:34 04/17/11) I use the type of pin that is about 5/16 (they come other sizes also) that is held securely in place with the C shaped spring. And inside the C is where my electric wire is held right where I want it.
Click to expand...

Same here.
 
Yes something positive needs to be in that hole. There are some older types of hitches that have a spring loaded pin that stays right there to lock the hole in the latch in but these don't seem to be available now.
 
Our tractor club had a DOT guy come in and go over rules and regulations on how to tie down & tow our tractors. It was a real eye opener because a lot of the things you can buy at your local farm store for towing purposes are not legal by DOT standards. What was interesting was we asked the guy about adding hook points to our tractors, like running a high strength chain from one side of the frame to the other and attaching with grade 8 bolts, and he told us that was not considered a tie down point by the state because it was added on to the original tractor and not original equipment. The interesting thing is our current club president got his DOT numbers shortly after that meeting and had to have a audit of his vehicles. While the guy was there he showed him some of his hook points he has added to his tractors (he restores them and doesn't want to scratch the paint) and that DOT official said they were okay and legal to use. Go figure.....

By the way I'm in Iowa.
 
I think you're using what I was referring to below. Lots of early PTO equipment didn't have the built in spring loaded pin to lock the implement shaft onto the tractor PTO shaft- just a hole, that you lined up with the hole in your tractor shaft, and you used a pin with C-shaped locking spring wire to hold it on. Works great for locking the hitch, too.
 
(quoted from post at 05:40:44 04/18/11) Yes something positive needs to be in that hole. There are some older types of hitches that have a spring loaded pin that stays right there to lock the hole in the latch in but these don't seem to be available now.
Click to expand...

This is what is on trailers (< 5 ton) here. No pins.

http://www.anhaengerteileshop.de/

Dave
 
I've been researching the laws in Indiana for Non-commercial vehicles towing trailers and have come up with very little. Called IN DOT and asked if they had a book for dummies who tow trailers with a small truck. She didn't know, but said she would get back to me. Hasn't yet.

I could be wrong about this, I think I read that in Illinois, Kentucky and about 20 other states, that any turck and trailer, commercial or NON, with a combined weight over 10K has to have DOT #s. Indiana was not one of those states.

Also asked if they had Physics Cops. Her reply was what for? I replied cops that arrest you for violating the Laws of Physics, which are good laws. None of which have yet to over turned by the courts. Here response, "NO!"

All jokes aside, I would like to know what is legal for Non-commercial pick-ups towing trailer with small tractors on them in Indiana. Would appricate finding a sight that has Indian's laws reguarding this topic. Thanks George
 
The DOT guy told us that if you crossed state lines and had a GVW more than 10K pounds, federal law requires you have a DOT number. If I stay in the state of Iowa, I can have a GVW of 22K pounds before I'm required to have a DOT number.

They were trying to enact a federal law that any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight over 10k pounds must have a DOT number. They have not implemented it yet because they found out your 350/3500 trucks, some suburban style vehicles have a GVW over 10k pounds. That would mean if you bought an excursion for the family, your wife would need a DOT number to legally go to the grocery, pick up the kids from school, etc.
 
That's nice to know. I could have gotten a ticket when I picked up a tractor in Kentucky and Illinois. Thanks for the info.

Got a call back from In DOT. They know nothing. Passed the buck to the BMV and State Police.
 
Yeah, here in Iowa they don't have a rules and regs book avaliable to the public. What is avaliable and in print is very vague. I'm sure they have some master book somewhere. They do have an 800 number in Iowa where you can call and ask specific questions, but I was never able to get through. Maybe Indiana has something similar???
 
I'm not having any luck. May have to learn from people who got tickets in Indiana. I think I'll stay off the interstate and keep asking questions. Hope I don't have to learn the hard way by getting a ticket.
 
I did a quck search and found this. If you've already seen it then disregard.

http://www.in.gov/isp/2500.htm
 
Been there. Must be 10001# and for hire to have DOT#s or over 26000#s to have a CDL. Don't need anything if I'm hauling my personal items and not for hire, meaning I'm not displaying a sign on my truck. BTW, I'm not for hire. Perhaps some day I'll make a post asking people in Indiana to share their personal hauling experiences with the law like this guy did.
 
Did you have ANYTHING in the hole on the hitch at all?

Padlock or pin, it doesn't matter. As long as SOMETHING is in that hole that can't fall out, it will keep the hitch secure.

If you had a padlock in the hole and it still came unhooked, you never had the trailer hitched up properly in the first place!!!

ALWAYS try to lift/jack the trailer tongue up off the truck after you think it's hitched. If you start jacking up the truck along with the trailer, you're good.

ALSO, the S-hooks are NOT meant to be the primary attachment for the safety chains!!!

You feed the S-hooks THROUGH the safety chain loops in the hitch, and hook them back to the chains. This puts the stress on the CHAIN if it comes unhooked.
 
Another thing is you should cross your safety chains--i.e. hook the left one into the right hole, etc. That way they form a cradle to support the hitch if it does come unhooked and keeps it from digging into the ground.
 
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