Enlargement of towbar pin hole

If it is the type of wear that is in the attached photo then it is not an uncommon problem and Hayman Reese are well aware of it.
It has occurred with several of our members and they have rectified the problem by welding plates on the side of the receiver housing.

The photo here shows the wear on a H.R. towbar fitted to my Chevy.
This amount of wear occurred after only 4,000 K’s of towing.
I sent pics and a description to HR who of course told me that it had never happened before.
I was advised that the wear would go no further.
So I measured and documented the wear and found that it increased significantly after another 8,000 K.

I again contacted HR who attempted to absolve themselves of any liability.
So I suggested that the towbar was not suitable for the purpose and maybe I should start talking to some of the consumer bodies, I believed that the wall thickness was insufficient and that the steel was of a grade too soft for this job.
Maybe a product recall would be called for by the consumer authorities.

Next thing I was asked to present the vehicle to a local HR agent who removed the towbar.
I was given a strong impression that the towbar was to be replaced.
Instead the dealer, acting under instruction from HR, repaired the towbar by welding plates on the side of the hitch receiver.

This modification requires the use of a HR locking type pin as they are the only HR pin long enough for the additional width.
I found this pin to be totally useless for our type of towing, the lock fills with dust and becomes almost impossible to remove.
A grade 6 or 8 high tensile bolt makes a better alternative.

Yes, Hayman Reese do have a problem here, getting them to admit to it is almost impossible but I suggest that you keep pushing and do not let them fob you off as they tried to do to me.

Bob

Click on pic to enlarge.

Eric,

Just checked my hitch and the same the hole is worn, will be speaking with the fitters of the towbar tomorrow and see what happens. As to the bolt its not there and I think it never has been so will ask about that also.

Cheers,
Stewart

We had the same problem with ours, and took the vehicle to an engineering works where they enlarged the hole then using a lathe turned up a piece of metal so that it was a neat fit in this larger hole. The section that fitted into the hole was the same thickness as the wall of the square tubing. Once outside the tubing the diameter incresased by about 10mm and it is about 10mm thick. this was then welded to the square tubing.

I now have the same sized pin hole but instead of having 3 to 4 mm on each side of the square receiver tube to wear it has about 15mm on each side and this has prevented any further wear or enlarging the hole.

My thanks go to Conrad at Tornado Dust Devil for the idea of fitting a wider bearing area for the pin to secure to.

It would be a simple way for Hayman Reece to prevent the problem during manufacture.

Brian

After this post I took the vehicle to Wescott Towbars the people who fitted the 4500kg receiver and supplied the 1000kg WDH. Now thet were excellent and after explaining what was happening they could not agree more with the simple fix of this problem by making the receiver part thicker.

Upon closer examination we came to the same conclusion that the only side the holde was getting worn and becoming bigger was the side that the curved bit of the pin was was touching, not the straight part where the "R" clip was going through that is still perfectly round. Conculsion is the the curved bit of the pin if you look at it will be worn on the under side of the curve as to where it is being forced up against the square receiver going over corrigations.

There are three solutions as I see it.
1. Weld extra 5mm plates on each side so that there is more for the pin to bite but it will still wear oblong but with the thicker metal would not be much of a problem but this voids warranty.

2. If the hitch part was made of solid metal like other Hayman Reece hitch's thne this would solve the problem but apparently the 4500kg receiver and 1000kg WDH is the only one that is forged cast and is in the shape of an "I" as this comes from the USA and this shape gives the pin less to bite into.

3. Put a straight 8.8 High Tensile 5" bolt through with lock nuts on it and there will not be a problem with the curved bit of the pin like on the original wearing the hole out.

MY towbar guy agreed and we got onto the phone to "Di" who handles this warranty stuff for Hayman Reece. Explained the situation and the solutions but they did not want to know about it saying if you weld anthing to the towbar it voids warranty. Ok!

Was then asked will they replace my towbay when it becomes so worn as to become unsafe and the answer was NO! as it is being used for something it is not designed for, eg under their so called conditions that hitch is to be used with a 70mm ball and not a 50mm ball, funny that I was supplied with a 50mm ball when fitted. All the other types of hitches like the AT35 and VC coupling and ring are not there specified conditions, talk about bull bleep as this would not make any difference in the reciver wearing, so basically any way you went there is no warranty.

They did say however that I could use there fancy straight locking pin which funny enough is just a straight pin which would solve the problem like we said, and by the way they do not make a straight simple pin with two "R" clips.

Now funny enough the extra long lockable pin is only rated at 3500kg, so then the insurance company will have a ball with that.

Just today I have been to the all the bolt places and I can get a 8.8 High Tensile bolt that will be a lot stronger that the pin that Hayman Reece supply but righly so was told that insurance companies will write you off if they pick that in an accident.

There is another type of pin a Clevis Pin that is used in tractors which is the same as the pin supplied, basically a shear pin that just has a bolt head on it with an "R" clip that would do the job perfectly but I have to chase that one down and locate one.

I found a towbar guy that actually makes the pin the same as the Hayman Reece pins but with a slightly less of a bend but he can also make me one that is just straight with a hole in each end and a "R" clip through each end for about $15 and I think the problem would be solved.

Now we checked on the quality of these pins as to the grade of metal used and and it was only mild steel so in actual fact the high tensile bolt would be a lot stronger.

I went to the Hayman Reece agent here in the west and as usual they are only the agents and he gave me the email address of Hayman Reece to take the matter further, so now this may be the next step or I might just get the high tensile bolt or a straight pin made up.

It is the usual thing they want to sell the product but don't want to know you after.

To all of you that are having this trouble let me know and I will add the numbers to the email I will send Hayman Reece and see what their response is as all I was suggesting was to save them further problems down the road and a solution to the problem like we all have been doing

Cheers
Stewart

I don't want to blow your theory away but here is another pic, this one from the right side of the towbar.
I always insert the hitch pin from left to right so the bent bit is always on the left.
The damage pictured here is from the side where the "R" clip goes.

I also found HR to be very uncooperative and almost threatening in their approach.
They also strongly warned me against welding plates on the side of the bar as "any welding will affect the towbar and void all warranty", and then they went and did it themselves.
But only after threats of bringing this matter to the attention of various regulating authorities.
Anyhow, keep fighting and here is another pic.
Bob

Hi All,
I have certainly opened a can of worms with my first post on this subject, thanks all for your experiences, I am still battling away with H.R. I am dealing with one of the managers now, a John Duljas, if anyone else wants a contact, I think I have his ear as he is trying to get an answer from the engineers in regards to beefing up the side walls of the box receiver. I have been emailing him your responses so at least they can see it is not only happening to me as they have tried to say to all of us who have contacted them. I have also expressed concern that the steel plates that the shakles are attached to are not very thick, what are your thoughts on this, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, and I have gone to a lot of trouble upgrading chain to a PIN LOCK system through Bartletts in VIC with a huge shakle that is rated over 4,500kg, the comparison of the shakle to the steel plate it is attached to is rediculous. Maybe if a few of us keep at them we may get change.
Regards
Eric

Hi, lets add to the fun!

My 4500kg hitch receiver has the same wear and it is technically not a HR product! Although I believe it is an HR product it was purchased and installed at a Ford Dealer. Once I finally receive the magic GCM letter I will go to Ford with a warranty claim pertaining to the hitch receiver and see what they say about the ever widening hole.

Jay

Is this normal?

New & Old cam bolt compared

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wont allow me to add gallery pic, so if it doesnt work it can be seen under my pics, Hayman Reece Bolt.

I am the latest BT user to find elongation of the pin hole in the HM bar . I have used the van only for a total of 5,000 klm so I am very surprised .

I will ask ARB about it , as I originally purchased it from them .

Does anybody have any further updates on their communications with HM ?

Willie .

Stewart are you dealing with the same manager I am, a John Duljas, I have not spoken to him since before Xmas but will be on his tail again when we get home from the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Each time i ring him he passes the buck to the Engineers who supposedly haven't got back to him about testing etc, sounds like the usual run a round. If a few of us keep up the pressure we may get there.
Willie why don't you give him a ring as well, they keep trying to tell us that it is only happening to you and no body else, his number is 0397973222 ext 209, he's not good at returning emails, in fact he has not returned one I have sent him.
Good luck
Eric