Trailer Hitch Pin Retainer Clip Insertion Point (How I Almost Lost A Trailer Yesterday)

[tentimesover]

Fortunately it was my 5x8 utility trailer and not my Ranger 521Z trailer.  

 

Question: How far down do you push the trailer hitch retainer clip through the hole in the  pin that attaches hitch to receiver?  And, what is the correct position for that clip?

 

 In the past I have only pushed it to the first indent on the clip, thinking that the larger loop was for convenience in pulling the clip when removing the pin and hitch.  Yesterday after hooking up my trailer and pulling it about 65 miles the hitch came loose from the receiver and the only thing holding the trailer was safety chains.  I (and fellow travelers near me on the road) were very fortunate to get it all stopped with no damage to trailer, vehicle or goods on the trailer.  

 

My lesson learned was that I'm pushing the clip all the way down to the large loop in the future.  I don't need any more of that brand of excitement.  Today a friend dropped by and I looked at his trailer hitch on his truck.  Sure enough it was only at the first indent of the clip.  He said to me that he had been pulling trailers for years like that with no problems.  So did I until yesterday.  I'm changing.

[Jolly Green]

Lucky!  I have always pushed the pin all the way to the loop.

[J Francho]

I use a locking pin.  No issues with a clip.

[Crappiebasser]

I use a locking pin.  No issues with a clip.

X2. I was in a tourney several years ago where a guy's Triton trailer was stolen by pulling the pin and taking hitch and all. Since then everything gets locked.

[Wayne P.]

All my hitches have locking pins.

[tstone]

I use a locking pin.

[(='_'=)]

once i had a locking pin fail. i pulled the boat 2 hours to a lake, fished all day, and when i was returning home, i noticed something was wrong. i got down and the trailer was hanging from the chains... fortunately this happened within 10 minutes from the ramp and we were still on a dirt road... i was able to find the pin, but not the locking part. so i put the hitch in place, put the pin, and tied it with ziplocks in place. im not sure if somebody messed with it, but i dont think so, as its a private ramp and i had never had any issue leaving the trailer there. however, if it was not installed properly it would have failed in the morning. so, i dont know what happened there...

[BuckMaxx]

I use a 3/4 inch bolt with a nylon nut also keeps some yahoo from stealing your receiver hitch.

[William Snee]

Glad you didn't have a major accident. I use a receiver lock to lock the receiver hitch. It stays on my truck all the time. No problems. Hope this helps.

[BassnChris]

I used to push to the first indent.....but have used a locking pin for about 3 years now.

[BrianinMD]

I use a locking pin, to many thieves around. Don't want to make it so easy to the trailer

[cadman]

Ever since someone at a tourney took out my hitch pin clip, I now always have a locking pin. Drove all the way home that way. When I got home it scared the c$$p out of me to think what would have happened if the hitch pin would have pulled out.

[Robeng]

I pulled a 6000lb Starcraft camper for 10 years with a retainer clip to first "grip"  No issues.  

 

The boat hitch has a locking pin with key.