Hitch pins for Hitchlink 2.0

Hey all:

My first purchase for my truck was a Hitchlink 2.0 to create a somewhat decent recovery point in the rear. I've searched this place a bit tirelessly for hitch pin suggestions (I've never had a hitch so this all brand new to me) and haven't really seen a ton of suggestions on the pin front, so does anyone have a pin that they've bought, used (i.e. recovered with), and can recommend?

Thank you greatly!

 

Home Depot carries them. Any hitch pin will work as the shear force rating is beyond enough for their application.

Also damn $70 for a hitch recovery point and it doesn't even come with a pin

 

I appreciate that; do you have any specific recommendations?

And yeah, the price was a bit hard to swallow but everything I've read indicates that this is the product to have in that regard. I've no issues spending money for quality, I just hope they consider making their product a bit more..."complete"...in the future.

 

For this specifically, no. The recovery point I bought in eBay for $25 came with a shackle and pin that has worked wonderfully.

I did buy a 2" ball and hitch pin from home Depot and have had no problems. Curt brand, comes in different finishes.

 

Appreciate that, I've now a Curt on the way.

 

Curt is a well known brand for towing parts, safe selection.

As far as the Hitchlink, yes Factor55 is high quality. For some things their prices are justified but in this case it's a hunk of steel or aluminum so I wouldn't personally spend the money for theirs.

As long as its solid hunk of POS Chinese steel that was machined well enough to fit the receiver and the bow shackle fits right it'll be 10 times stronger than it needs to be.

FWIW I use a graded bolt to hold in my receiver adapter. Hitch pins are I think typically grade 5 so the unthreaded shank of a grade 5 5/8" bolt would be the same thing strength-wise but with the advantage to me of being held in place with flat washers, a lock washer and nut.

 

Do you have a picture of that? I wouldn't mind keeping it installed more permanently (I am deathly afraid of someone running off with my $75 block of aluminum lol).

 

1. I would get rid of the Hitchlink and get one made from steel. Something cheap like this will do:

HiTow Hitch Receiver 3/4'' D Ring Shackle for Trucks and SUV 2” Receivers, 10472 lbs/4.75 tons Capacity

https://www.amazon.com/Receiver-Length-Trailer-Loaded-Adapter/dp/B073TFHJPN/ Your local HarborFreight or Tractor Supply may have it too. Tacomas have a relatively low departure angle (compared to FJ and Jeeps), so the hitch will scrape most often off road. A few scrapes on aluminum will smear it to the point where you wouldn't trust it anymore.

2. I've been using a Master stainless hitch pin for almost 10 years:

$12 Master Lock Trailer Hitch Pin, Stainless Steel Barrel Head Hitch Pin, Fits Standard 5/8" Receivers, 1465DAT

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-Stainless-Receivers-1465DAT/dp/B000COX0MY/ Ran it for several salty winters on my hitch and it still looks brand new. No locking clips to lose. Held up fine for recoveries.

 

I no longer run a factory receiver or rear bumper to take a better photo so this is the best I can do. Just using a 5/8" bolt, thick washer on either side of the receiver, a split washer and I double nut.

Besides it being a known quality fastener and not a randomly unknown hitch pin I also figure having the sides of the receiver supported would help if the pull wasn't straight. A tow hitch isn't really designed for a lot of off angle force but at the same time it's a 2" square tube with fairly heavy walls so it's probably not critical.



If memory serves a 4-1/2" bolt was the shortest I could find that had a grip length (the shank) that was as wide as the receiver itself. Technically a bolt is only as strong as it's narrowest dimension, which would be the minor diameter of the threaded length.

 

I'll take a look, thanks. At this point, I'm hesitant to return/sell anything, but I'll absolutely keep this in mind for future use. Would it be wise to only hook it up only for recovery purposes and just keep uninstalled until then?

 

Nothing wrong with the Factor55, it's nice and supports a solid company and I think U.S. manufacturing. Just a lot of money. I'd leave it hung in there all the time when on a trip but I have a hitch-mounted bike rack so it would come out normally day-to-day. The only reason not to is if the rattling annoys you and to keep from getting rusty. It's not hurting anything to leave it otherwise.

 

If you want to keep the aluminum shackle adapter, then it's best to keep it in your gear bag until the time comes to hook up a recovery rope. With a steel adapter, you'd be able to keep it installed for the whole trip.

Also depends on the terrain. Mud or deep snow won't hurt it. Rocks and hard packed dirt will.

 

It is unwise to keep it in your hitch until you need to use it for recovery. If you are running a trail it will more than likely get hung up/ scratched on the trail. Also shackles are notorious to rattle loose and get lost, so again, I don't mount it until I'm ready to use it. Also you will have to remove the shackle to slip on the recovery strap/ winch so why have it mounted?

 

I appreciate all the help here. I'll keep it in the truck until necessary, which is hopefully never (or not often)!

 

Something else to keep in mind (happened to me the first time I got stuck) is to properly use this recovery point you will need another vehicle to pull you out or a come along/winch. Otherwise you're just a dude stuck in a ditch with a big hunk of aluminum and a recovery strap waiting for someone to (hopefully) come along.

 

Oh yeah, I don't plan on "free soloing" anything more than a field lol. I try to be fairly risk averse and going it alone sounds absolutely ludicrous to me, a beginner's beginner.