Towbar receiver pins

[Brissieboy]

I have noticed a few towbars fitted with a recovery hitch using a locking retainer pin. Good for security, but . . .
The pin in my towbar is clearly stamped '1012' which is a carbon steel considerable better performing in this role than mild steel.
After looking at a few locking retainer pins, I have not seen any that are stamped or with any indication of their strength.
Seems like a potential weak point, but does anyone know enough metallurgy to tell me if a strong pin is really required?
Thoughts?

[threedogs]

Ive rang a few tow bar manufacturers years ago asking for a rating on the pin.
All requests came back blank and all pins had no rating, Still very easy to bend
a pin with a strap on it..Bugger to get out to.

[Brissieboy]

They are unlikely to bend with the recovery hitch or the tow hitch inserted as it will be mostly shear forces in play.
Not so with a strap directly onto the pin though. Not a fan of that idea, but heaps better than the ball.
I would assume that the pin would not be the weakest point in a recovery hitch setup, but would like to be a little more confident.
Ever heard of a pin failure?

[BillsGU]

I have seen and done many snatches over the years and we always use only the pin at the rear. I have never seen one bend. What are you doing to make them bend? If you are putting that much force on it maybe you should not be snatching. Maybe you should be winching instead.

[Brissieboy]

I have seen and done many snatches over the years and we always use only the pin at the rear. I have never seen one bend. What are you doing to make them bend? If you are putting that much force on it maybe you should not be snatching. Maybe you should be winching instead.
Never had a bent one either - I can just see the potential to bend one. Never seen a damaged one either, but was just wondering about the possibility of damage when I noticed that mine was stamped and the locking ones were not.
Sorry if it is a silly question but just thought I'd ask the experts here.

[MudRunnerTD]

Not a silly question mate at all. I have never seen one bend ever. Done some big snatches off on too. I have also had a rated hook shear during a snatch and go through the fuel tank of the tow car. If it's a big snatch winch out.

[threedogs]

I have seen and done many snatches over the years and we always use only the pin at the rear. I have never seen one bend. What are you doing to make them bend? If you are putting that much force on it maybe you should not be snatching. Maybe you should be winching instead.

Ive never bent one just a story Ive been told

[MudRunnerTD]

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/07/52.jpg

Also had a snatch block basically explode during a Triple line pull!!

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/07/53.jpg

Might have been a little bogged!

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/07/54.jpg

Here's a good one!! Would you recover off this hook!!!!

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/07/55.jpg


http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/07/56.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk cause AB turned it back on!!

[threedogs]

MudRunnerTD That red hook should of had a gusset plate welded on the underside of the bar, But that was then eh
remember those washers ARB welded on the front of their bars cause the eyelets were ripping open.
Better to grind them off altogether plus some pre air bag bull bars had the facility to bolt some
black hooks to them as well, these too needed a gusset plate minimum 6mm .
We have come a long way since then though and hopefully common sense takes over,
as the recovery gear improves , but this is only about the tow pin eh.
Ive also found after buying over 5000 rated hooks,,,,,, that the chrome
ones tend to stretch and break more than the black ones

[Clunk]

Ive never bent one just a story Ive been told
Like that time at band camp hey

[MudRunnerTD]

That red hook has actually Deformed and straightened! The bar has also deformed but that hook was nuts!

[threedogs]

That red hook has actually Deformed and straightened! The bar has also deformed but that hook was nuts!

Yeah Ive seen plenty that will stretch still nearly straight.lol
{again not band camp]

[MudRunnerTD]

Hmmmm yeah I have seen a couple of pics of the OEM Nissan hook straightening out but they are formed rod, that's one of those 10,000LB recovery hooks the same as the snapped one in the photo above. I was very surprised to see it like that!! Was on the front of a Comp Truck though.... :p

[threedogs]

well there you go , thats an extreme case with lots of forces eh?

[BillsGU]

MudRunnerTD - is there any sort of marking / rating on that red hook? Is there a brand stamp? In a way I suppose it is better if it stretches rather than breaks. It's still not good but at least you don't have a broken piece of hook zooming through the air.

[threedogs]

Most of those hooks have a 10,000LB rating stamped on them,
With all my destruction tests done not one hook passed , just saying

[BillsGU]

Most of those hooks have a 10,000LB rating stamped on them,
With all my destruction tests done not one hook passed , just saying

What sort of tests did you do? Were they done by a lab on a calibrated machine or using calibrated load cells?

[threedogs]

What sort of tests did you do? Were they done by a lab on a calibrated machine or using calibrated load cells?

yes I had them done at an accredited NATA testing Facility,,,,,,,,,