Lost pins when operating

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
I have about 8 hours on my tractor and have lost a 3 point lower connector pin for my rotary cutter and a pin on the upper hook on my quick hitch. My dealer does not even stock these items! The QH hook has a cotter pin holding it on and the lower pin has a pin linch to hold it on. I figure that these are items that are commonly lost. I'm stunned that the dealer doesn't carry them. I ordered from Messick's as they are easier to order from and the price when shipped is about the same as the dealer 14 miles away. Is there a trick to keep these type items from coming loose?
 

mrcarnage2

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Equipment
B3300SU
Nov 13, 2017
40
1
8
Pullman, MI, USA
I have about 8 hours on my tractor and have lost a 3 point lower connector pin for my rotary cutter and a pin on the upper hook on my quick hitch. My dealer does not even stock these items! The QH hook has a cotter pin holding it on and the lower pin has a pin linch to hold it on. I figure that these are items that are commonly lost. I'm stunned that the dealer doesn't carry them. I ordered from Messick's as they are easier to order from and the price when shipped is about the same as the dealer 14 miles away. Is there a trick to keep these type items from coming loose?
Can you take pictures of what you are talking about?
 

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
The Rotary Cutter is held on the Quick Hitch by 2 pins with bushings and held in place by a linch pin.


The hook on my Quick Hitch is held on by 2 small pins held in place by cotter pins.


Somehow I have lost one of each of these in my first 8 hours of operation. I have been taking it easy too as I am in break in period. I guess I could have been just unlucky in this case but wanted to know if others have lost such items and if there is any known trick to keep them in place. Since I am using a Quick Hitch I can wire the linch pin on the end of the pin in the first pic. I can probably do something similar with the small pin for the hook too. If i tether them with thin wire they might stay in place.
 

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
I thought so buy the lynch pin on my rotary cutter connection disappeared along with the pin it held. It was the one that came with the tractor but I don't know if it was a Land Pride part or not. I have some that are much tougher to open than others. I'll make sure I have stiff ones in those lower pins.
 

jajiu

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L3560 HSTC, Grader, Backhoe, Snow Plow, Pallet Forks
Jun 5, 2016
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Check Tractor Supply, they have a wide variety of different pins for replacement.
 

armylifer

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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
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Thurston County, WA
Because I rarely move the pins now that everything is adjusted I just put a bolt and nylock nut through the holes for the cotter pins as well as for the lynch pins.
 

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
Because I rarely move the pins now that everything is adjusted I just put a bolt and nylock nut through the holes for the cotter pins as well as for the lynch pins.
That is what I was hoping to hear. I thought about stainless bolts but needed confirmation that I was not looking over an obvious reason why that wouldn't work. If I use the quick hitch on all rear attachments the pins should be able to stay put.
 

Jim L.

Active member
Jun 18, 2014
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Texas
The thin wire that you are looking for is called aircraft safety wire. It will twist without breaking. I have this on several fasteners.

I went to the local airport and asked around the repair shops. Got a spool there without any fuss.
 

armylifer

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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
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Thurston County, WA
For that matter, if you wanted to go Bulldog's route you could use tie wraps. The are $0.99 per 100 at Harbor Freight.
 

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
The thin wire that you are looking for is called aircraft safety wire. It will twist without breaking. I have this on several fasteners.

I went to the local airport and asked around the repair shops. Got a spool there without any fuss.
That's right! Guy I learned wrenching from was an old off road endurance racer, think Mint 400 etc. He had one of these aircraft wire twist pliers. This chap is using it on clevis pins. Available on Amazon so I'll pick one up with a spool of wire.
 

yzinger

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Feb 5, 2015
71
3
8
Nova Scotia, Canada
I was hoping to hear how the OP was losing the items.

I know in my situation the cotters and lynch pins are not super easy to remove. Hard enough I wouldnt expect them to just pop out.
 

armylifer

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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
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Thurston County, WA
The lynch pins on my tractor don't have a very strong spring action. I bought some new ones at the Kubota dealer that are colored black and they are much stronger than the original bright colored metal ones. Maybe Kubota has upgraded the lynch pins to have a stronger action now.
 

Dunbar

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L2501 LA525 QA PFL2042 Forks RCR1860 FDR1672 BB1560 EA55 WR Grapple FitRite TnT
Aug 2, 2018
215
6
18
Texas
I was hoping to hear how the OP was losing the items.

I know in my situation the cotters and lynch pins are not super easy to remove. Hard enough I wouldnt expect them to just pop out.
I was hoping to hear if I was the only one this was happening to. 8 hours on tractor with fairly light usage. Some of my lynch pins are super easy other are tough to fasten. Perhaps I need to set a game camera to catch my neighbors or some curious animal sneaking around the barn.
 

RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
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Local TSC has "regular" lynch pins for 25 cents. The heavy duty ones are 99 cents.