6 Best Quick Release Pins For Implement Changes That Old Farmers Swear By
Boost farm efficiency with the right hardware. Explore 6 top quick-release pins, favored by experienced farmers for their speed, strength, and reliability.
There’s nothing that brings a productive morning to a grinding halt quite like a seized hitch pin. You’re trying to swap the box blade for the mower, but the pin is rusted solid, the cotter is bent, and your hammer is just out of reach. A ten-second job just turned into a ten-minute wrestling match that ends with scraped knuckles and a whole lot of frustration.
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Why a Good Hitch Pin Saves Time and Knuckles
A hitch pin seems like the simplest piece of hardware on the farm, but it’s one of the few things you interact with every single time you change implements. A cheap, poorly designed pin will fight you every step of the way. It will bind up, the clip will be hard to pull, and it will inevitably get dropped and lost in the tall grass.
The right pin, however, makes the process smooth and safe. A good quick-release design means you aren’t tempted to grab a hammer to "persuade" a stuck pin, which is a terrible idea when you’re working near hydraulic lines and sensitive equipment. It’s about working smarter, not harder.
Think of it as a tiny investment in your own sanity. Spending a few extra dollars on a pin with a good grip, a captive clip, or a smart locking mechanism pays for itself the first time you swap implements with cold, wet hands. It turns a potential chore into a non-event, letting you get on with the real work.
SpeeCo Red Head: The Classic, Reliable Choice
If you walk into any farm supply store, you’ll see a bin full of these. The SpeeCo Red Head Clevis Pin is the industry standard for a reason. Its simple, robust design consists of a solid steel pin with a large, vinyl-coated head and a separate hairpin cotter.
This pin is all about strength and simplicity. The red head is easy to see if you drop it and provides a decent grip. It’s a workhorse, perfect for drawbar connections or implements that stay on the tractor for long periods, like a backhoe or a log splitter. You set it and forget it.
The main drawback is also its primary feature: the separate hairpin cotter. These little clips have a magical ability to vanish the second they touch the ground. For an implement you only change once a season, it’s no big deal. But if you’re swapping attachments multiple times a day, you’ll spend more time looking for that clip than you will doing the actual work.
CURT Clevis Pin with Grip for Cold Mornings
CURT took the classic clevis pin design and made one simple, brilliant improvement: a big, ergonomic handle. Instead of a small, flat head, their pins feature a large, black vinyl grip that you can actually wrap your hand around. This small change makes a world of difference.
Imagine it’s 40 degrees and raining, and you’re wearing thick work gloves. Trying to pull a standard, slippery pin head is nearly impossible. The CURT grip gives you the leverage you need to pull the pin without fumbling or having to take your gloves off. It’s a creature comfort that you quickly realize is a necessity.
Like the SpeeCo, it typically uses a separate R-clip or hairpin cotter, so the risk of losing the clip is still there. But the sheer ease of handling the pin itself, especially in less-than-ideal weather, makes it a top contender for any primary drawbar connection. It’s a knuckle-saver, plain and simple.
Buyers Products Wire Lock Pin for PTO Shafts
The wire lock pin is the first true "quick release" design on this list. It features a pin with a permanently attached wire loop that snaps over the end of the pin, securing it in place. The entire mechanism is a single, unified piece.
This design is a game-changer for frequent swaps. Because the locking clip is attached, you can’t lose it. This makes it ideal for connecting PTO-driven implements like mowers, tillers, and post-hole diggers. You can pull the pin with one hand, let it dangle by the wire, and use both hands to align the driveshaft without worrying about where you set the clip.
The only potential issue is that the wire loop can occasionally get snagged on brush or bent out of shape if you’re not careful. However, for most hobby farm tasks in a relatively clear area, the convenience far outweighs this minor risk. It’s the pin you want when speed and efficiency are top priorities.
Agri-Supply Lynch Pin Kit: Best Value Pack
Sometimes the best pin is having the right pin on hand. A lynch pin (or linchpin) is a self-locking pin that uses an attached, over-center ring that snaps down flat against the pin shaft. It’s a very secure, low-profile design.
The real magic here is buying a kit. For a small amount of money, an assorted lynch pin kit from a place like Agri-Supply stocks your workshop with a half-dozen different diameters and lengths. When you buy a new or used piece of equipment and find it needs a 5/8" pin instead of the 3/4" you have, you won’t have to stop everything for a trip to the store.
Lynch pins are fantastic for 3-point hitch connections, especially the lower lift arms. Their flat profile is less likely to interfere with moving parts than a wire lock pin. Having a full kit ensures every piece of gear on your property has a proper, secure pin instead of a mismatched bolt you "temporarily" put in there three years ago.
Specialty-Zap Detent Pin for Frequent Swaps
For the ultimate in speed, nothing beats a detent pin. This pin has no external clips at all. It’s held in place by one or two spring-loaded ball bearings that retract when you push a button on the handle and pop out once the pin is through the hole.
This is the pin for situations demanding constant changes with lighter implements. Think of swapping between a carry-all, a trailer hitch mover, and a boom pole all in the same afternoon. It’s a true one-handed, one-second operation, both for insertion and removal.
However, this convenience comes with a critical tradeoff: detent pins have a much lower shear strength than a solid pin secured with a cotter. They are absolutely not intended for heavy, shock-loading, or ground-engaging work like plowing or pulling a heavy, loaded wagon. Use them for utility tasks, not brute force jobs.
Tractor Supply Twisted Pin for Tough Angles
Every so often, you run into an implement where the hitch point is in a truly awkward spot. It might be tucked up under the gearbox or right next to a hydraulic cylinder, leaving no room to get your hand in to insert or remove a standard straight pin. This is where the twisted pin becomes your best friend.
This specialty pin has a deliberate 90-degree twist in the shaft, which offsets the handle from the pin’s axis. This bend allows the handle to sit in a different position, giving you the clearance and leverage needed to operate it in tight quarters. It effectively moves the handle out of the way.
You probably don’t need a twisted pin for every connection, but having one in your toolbox can turn a frustrating, 20-minute struggle into a simple task. It’s a problem-solver. When you finally need it, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one.
Choosing Pin Diameter, Length, and Material
No matter which style you choose, getting the fundamentals right is non-negotiable. The three most important factors are diameter, usable length, and the material it’s made from. Get one of them wrong, and even the best pin design is useless.
Diameter is critical. The pin must fit snugly. A pin that’s too small will allow for slop and movement, which over time will wear out and "egg-shape" the holes on both your tractor’s hitch and your implement. A pin that’s too large simply won’t fit. Always measure the hole and buy the corresponding pin size.
Next, consider the usable length. This is the distance from the underside of the pin’s head to the cotter pin hole or locking mechanism. It must be long enough to pass completely through both sides of the clevis or drawbar with enough space left over for the clip or ring to be attached securely. When in doubt, slightly too long is better than slightly too short.
Finally, think about the finish.
- Plain Steel: The cheapest option, but it will rust quickly.
- Zinc-Plated: The most common finish. Offers good rust resistance for general use.
- Yellow-Chromate/Dichromate: Often gold-colored, this plating offers superior corrosion resistance to standard zinc and is a great all-around choice.
- Stainless Steel: The most expensive and corrosion-proof option. It’s overkill for most, but a smart choice if you’re frequently spreading corrosive materials like fertilizer or salt.
Ultimately, the best hitch pin is the one that makes your workflow safer, faster, and less frustrating. Ditch the rusty, undersized bolts and the bent pins that came with your used implements. A small investment in a few high-quality, well-designed pins is one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your operation.
