Replace cotter pins with hitch pins on riding mower?

[reader2580]

Would it be safe to replace cotter pins with hitch pin clips on my riding mower?

I have a pretty big commercial riding mower which has some pretty beefy parts for raising and lowering the deck. To swap the snow blower in place of the mowing deck I have to remove a bunch of 7/8" and 3/4" pins that are secured with cotter pins. Would it be safe to replace cotter pins with hitch pin clips to make it easier to swap between snow blower and mower deck? It is a pain to get the cotter pins out.

 

[porschedude996TT]

Sure, just watch them for a while before and after you use it. Make sure nothing in surrounding area can push the pin out. Point them down or back to help keeping them in place. There are some pins that look like big safety pins that lock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[csp]

OP you sure put a lot of worry in what the purpose of those cotter pins is. They are only there to either keep a nut from backing completely off should one happen to get loose or hold a flat washer on a pin. They aren't structural or have any load placed on them.

As people said in your other thread regarding cotter pins, a piece of wire would do the same job, so hitch pins would do the same thing provided there aren't ways for them to be pushed out like when the deck is raised or lowered.

 

[matt_i]

I think its a great idea. Just watch for them falling out or getting hooked by thick grass. If they do you can either put on another or revert back to the cotter pin. If they don't, problem solved

 

[reader2580]

The problem is if the 3/4" or 7/8" pins were to come out there could be major issues. The cotter pins are the only thing holding the pins in place. There is really no pressure on the cotter pins, but they need to be there. The larger 7/8" pin is the pivot point for the arms that raise/lower the implements. The 3/4" pin secures the hydraulic cylinder to the end of the arm.

When I change from mower deck to snow blower the arms get changed out as the two have different arms. It is a royal pain as the wheels have to come off to get access.

It is kinda like the pin that holds a hitch drawbar in a receiver hitch. The hitch pin clip has no pressure on it normally, but it needs to be there to keep the pin in place. If the hitch pin were to come out that would be a major disaster as the drawbar would pull out.

 

[johninct]

Would tractor 3 point hitch pins work?

 

[DekeT]

Would tractor 3 point hitch pins work?

Sometimes the really small hitch pin size will fit on a garden tractor but mostly not.

 

[wayne55]

My riding mower is a lighter version, but the deck on it came with hitch pins.

 

[larry_g]

lynch pins, or hairpin cotter is the proper terms for what you want. They will do the job as well as a split cotter, but like most things they can range from junk to great. I would suggest that you go to a commercial vs box store to get them. If getting hair pin cotters then make sure they are spring steel and not soft wire.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[dfiler2]

These work well and don't get pulled out.

http://www.agrisupply.com/self-locking-grip-clip-twist-pin-bg/p/32741/

 

[Farmall Cub]

OP you sure put a lot of worry in what the purpose of those cotter pins is. They are only there to either keep a nut from backing completely off should one happen to get loose or hold a flat washer on a pin. They aren't structural or have any load placed on them.

Unfortunately, on some applications like the mower deck and front blades, etc. they do get a load.
Not a structural type of load but a lot of vibrational and lateral load depending on the age and condition of the points attached.
I run a lot of old Cub Cadets and undercarriage lift points are hard on pins. The most important thing is a good flat washer sized to the pin so it doesn't move around, that will eliminate most of the worry of a pin failure.
A lot of attachment pins aren't necessarily a round hole on a round pin. A lot of times this connection is used for a point to eliminate downforce on an impliment or give it a float capacity. This means an elongated hole on a round pin (worst case but popular).

That said, hitch pins work great in place of cotter pins for quick and easy change outs.

 

[reader2580]

After thinking about it for a while I am tempted just to stay with cotter pins because those absolutely won't come out. Earlier this summer I had a bolt back out on the electric PTO clutch that destroyed the clutch and cost me over $300 for a new one.

I will probably look at some locking pins at Fleet Farm and if they won't work I will just stick with cotter pins and removing them twice a year for the biannual implement change.

 

[redmondjp]

Unfortunately, on some applications like the mower deck and front blades, etc. they do get a load.
Not a structural type of load but a lot of vibrational and lateral load depending on the age and condition of the points attached.
I run a lot of old Cub Cadets and undercarriage lift points are hard on pins. The most important thing is a good flat washer sized to the pin so it doesn't move around, that will eliminate most of the worry of a pin failure.
A lot of attachment pins aren't necessarily a round hole on a round pin. A lot of times this connection is used for a point to eliminate downforce on an impliment or give it a float capacity. This means an elongated hole on a round pin (worst case but popular).

That said, hitch pins work great in place of cotter pins for quick and easy change outs.

Well said! Regardless of what type of fastener is chosen, as you stated: the use of a flat washer is an excellent idea, and I add them when I am working on mower deck attachment points.

 

[kbs2244]

Just push them past the first "hump" so they will need to go past 2 to fall out.
A not very likely occurrence, but a simple safety item.
And still easy to remove.

 

[DonPowers]

I use lynch pins on my equipment. Have only had one come off, which was on the excavator bucket pin. Came off when digging roots to pull a big stump The bucket pin didn't come out.