• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

Towbar Incident Report

KsM715

Well-known member
5,149
142
63
Location
St George Ks
Ferro, Glad you were able to get stopped with out and major problems. I'm curious, do you still have the broken pin? Does it show any signs of being previously cracked?

This reminds me I need to check over my pins before I loan out my towbar.
 

papabear

GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
13,508
2,383
113
Location
Columbus, Georgia
I've heard the Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) are amazing.
Unmanned Deuce Vehicle (UDV) may be a REALLY bad thing heading down the interstate:jumpin::roll:

Glad ya had her chained so she couldn't make her own path:wink:
 

3dAngus

Well-known member
4,719
101
63
Location
Perry, Ga.
It would be burrs most likely, from repetitive use that weaken the pin.

If used extensively, it is always a good idea to change them out, and throw the old ones away.
 

3dAngus

Well-known member
4,719
101
63
Location
Perry, Ga.
Just be sure you buy original mil-spec pins that come with the towbars, or from a GL auctions.

There are plenty of people out there with them. I would never use a grade 8 bolt, or anything else other than the original mil spec pins specifically tested at the highest standards for these things. You just got to do regular maintenence on pins and towbars, just like you do on your trucks, though it is not something we usually think about. Why? Cause they never go bad.

This is an extreme rare exception.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,247
1,166
113
Location
NY
I think the lynch pin failed for some reason, and allowed the 1" pin to come out.

The ring can come out of the head of the lynch pin, then there is nothing to hold the lynch pin in.
 
Last edited:

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,576
209
63
Location
Dickson,TN
I think the lynch pin failed for some reason, and allowed the 1" pin to come out.

The ring can come out of the head of the lynch pin, then there is nothing to hold the lynch pin in.
I tend to agree. I just can't see a 1" pin breaking under normal conditions.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,247
1,166
113
Location
NY
I replaced the lynch pin with new ones not that long ago.
If the new lynch pins were "foreign" manufactured, I have seen the rings come out of the head with one or two uses. The quality of "foreign lynch pins is very low(non spring steel rings).

There's a good reason TSC or ACE can sell them, 10 for a dollar.
 
Last edited:

3dAngus

Well-known member
4,719
101
63
Location
Perry, Ga.
I tend to agree. I just can't see a 1" pin breaking under normal conditions.
Lynch pin falling out is a possibility. He did say the pin broke though.

Stress test are run all the time in the Air Force. Fractures due to stress are known to bring down $70M fighter jets, or $100M cargo jets.

Metals will only take so much abuse, and he did say he was pulling off the interstate when it happened, which would induce additional stress on the well worn pin or on the lynch pin.

We'll never really know, but if you had the half of the pin, a mechanical analysis could be done to determine the problem, and more probable cause. Private individuals don't have the financial resources Uncle Sam does thought, so I'm not saying this is likely, but we have done every downed plane that ever fell in America to determine stress levels and cause/effect relationships.
 

ODdave

New member
3,213
38
0
Location
lansing michigan
I have to agree with DH, when i was looking for lynch pins i compared the ones from tsc and maynards to the ones i use from fastenall and man are they chit! the ring has about half the tention and the pin is not even the correct diameter (smaller) fastenall is a bout twice as much but i specificaly requested a USA made product. They did an origin search and the ones they suppied me with seem far superior.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,247
1,166
113
Location
NY
Maybe we'll change the title after we get some more info from Adam, to confirm this is correct.
 

bigugh20

Member
361
0
16
Location
Mt. Pleasant/ SC
Adam, glad you or someone else didn't get hurt. I guess all the trouble that you go through checking, double checking, tripple checking your hookup only has to pay off one time. Good job with the heavy safety chain.
 

Ferroequinologist

Resident railroad expert
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,806
723
113
Location
Liberty Hill, SC
Ok, you guys are correct, I *don't* know that the pin broke for sure. I guess we can change the title to towbar pin fell out, or towbar incident, pucker factor 8. (not 10, I've had a 10, 10 is way worse.)

I do know that my lynch pin was new, and that I wire tie them in, so that's why I *assumed* the pin broke. Angie also mentioned last night when we were talking about it again that she saw a bit bouncing down the road a few miles before she pulled ahead of me, that was not as large as a full pin but not just the golden lynch pin either. She just assumed it was road debris that got bounced up, and didn't think to mention it until I brought up the question of if the pin broke or not.

I don't have a piece or the whole pin to be sure, and I didn't want to brave the interstate traffic walking back what could have been miles looking for it.

We may never know if it truely broke or the lynch pin came out somehow. I guess the purpose of the thread is to remind others about what can happen, check your setup often, and make sure you have the chains that are rated to do the job.

All we need is for one deuce to break loose and hurt or kill someone, and then it's bye bye hobby.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,247
1,166
113
Location
NY
I looked at this thread as an after accident report. Analyze the data and make a reasonable summary. Learn from it.

Thanks Adam, I appreciate it.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks