Best quality pins and cotter / lynch pins?

icehorse

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Equipment
L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
88
11
8
98261
Any thoughts as to the best quality pins and cotter / lynch pins for hooking my box blade or landscape rake or brush cutter to my L3901? I've had a few cotter or lynch pins fail and come close to having pins slide out as a result.
 

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,991
2,033
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
Any thoughts as to the best quality pins and cotter / lynch pins for hooking my box blade or landscape rake or brush cutter to my L3901? I've had a few cotter or lynch pins fail and come close to having pins slide out as a result.
I noticed that TSC sells the common gold lynch pins, and also a black colored pin for a bit higher price. The black ones have stronger tension and don’t come off. They will snap your fingers if you’re not careful.
 
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fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,843
5,066
113
Eastham, Ma
Any thoughts as to the best quality pins and cotter / lynch pins for hooking my box blade or landscape rake or brush cutter to my L3901? I've had a few cotter or lynch pins fail and come close to having pins slide out as a result.
The lynch pin on my L48 TLB backhoe bucket locking pin, fell out multiple times.
Loosing that 14" long $90 locking pin in a pile of dirt, or in a trench, is a giant PITA.
Not ever finding it means must order new, and wait days for delivery.
Solution: A properly sized bolt with (2) jam nuts.
Nuisance factor: Must carry two small box end wrenches.
 

Lug66

Active member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610HSDC, Z422KWT
Jun 7, 2023
116
67
28
SW Michigan
I use safety wire to hold hitch and lynch pins closed. I make lanyards using safety wire for my pins as well. My top link and adjustable link are both wired up to keep them set. Tie wraps work for keeping the pins closed if safety wiring is too cumbersome. I use .025” and .032” wire.
 
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GeoHorn

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
3,316
113
Texas
The only time I’ve ever suffered a lynch-pin failure was when I used the “loop” to pull a stuck lynch-pin from the link pin…. or when I allowed the “loop” to snap/slam my fingers. 👺

TSC and others have mostly resorted to lynch pins made in “India”…. and I’ve noticed the most susupicious ones have round pins…with no “flat” on one side…. I don’t care for those… but, I’ve never had one “fail” while in-service… EXCEPT if you are using it in Heavy Brush … which can inadvertently Open the Loop when entangled with the brush.
Perhaps that is what occurred to you…??

To avoid that you can wire tie it closed… but in All Cases… install them so that if opened…Gravity will keep them installed. (Don’t install them upside-down.)
 

Soopitup

Active member

Equipment
BX23S
Oct 25, 2018
341
159
43
New England
Someone on here was complaining about lynch pins popping off; I thought they were nuts.
Then I had one knocked off my tractor soon afterwards.
I learned my lesson there....

Safety wire is great, but I think a bolt is your best bet.
I prefer grade 8 over stainless due to it's propensity to gall (I got that rubbed in my face putting together a large slide for my kids with stainless bolts).
 
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fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,843
5,066
113
Eastham, Ma
The only time I’ve ever suffered a lynch-pin failure was when I used the “loop” to pull a stuck lynch-pin from the link pin…. or when I allowed the “loop” to snap/slam my fingers. 👺

TSC and others have mostly resorted to lynch pins made in “India”…. and I’ve noticed the most susupicious ones have round pins…with no “flat” on one side…. I don’t care for those… but, I’ve never had one “fail” while in-service… EXCEPT if you are using it in Heavy Brush … which can inadvertently Open the Loop when entangled with the brush.
Perhaps that is what occurred to you…??

To avoid that you can wire tie it closed… but in All Cases… install them so that if opened…Gravity will keep them installed. (Don’t install them upside-down.)
On a BH bucket, they will disappear regularly, causing big hassle, if large pin is lost
 

GeoHorn

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
3,316
113
Texas
On a BH bucket, they will disappear regularly, causing big hassle, if large pin is lost
That’s a good point. They’re not good for digging tools.… a bolt and locknut for that.
 

DustyRusty

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Equipment
2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
6,237
4,816
113
North East CT
I recently purchased 2 "Kits" from Horror Fright" and they have a good assortment of pins and clips. No sense in buying expensive ones that will get lost when you set them down and they fall to the ground and get buried in the grass.
 
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