How to Install a Hitch Pin
The everyday pin through the receiver and shank — then the clip that keeps the pin from walking out on the highway.
Watch on YouTube →Hitch Pin, Clip, and Safety Chains Guide (Canada)
Before you roll out of the driveway this weekend, walk the hitch once. A pin and clip keep the ball mount in the receiver. A hitch lock does the same job with theft resistance. Safety chains are the backup if the coupler ever comes off the ball — and they only help when they cross under the tongue the right way. This is a practical Canada checklist, not a lecture.
Built for Canadian weekend tow setups. Free shipping on CURT pins, locks, and safety-chain hardware from Lots of Parts.
Pair this page with the
hitch lock and safety guide
and
tongue weight explained.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Official CURT videos for pins and coupler hardware
These are public videos from the CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Watch the hitch-pin install first, then skim the coupler and lock clips so the hardware on your trailer matches what you buy.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under each card.
Coupler Lock Overview
How a coupler lock blocks the coupler so a parked trailer is harder to hook and roll away when you are not towing.
Watch on YouTube →Anti-Rattle Clamp
Tightens the shank in the receiver so a ball mount or rack chatters less — complementary to a solid pin or lock.
Watch on YouTube →Coupler Latch Hardware
Worn latch parts make couplers harder to secure. Fix the latch before you trust a lock or a pin alone.
Watch on YouTube →Pin and clip versus hitch lock
Both keep a ball mount or accessory shank from sliding out of the receiver. The difference is what happens when you walk away.
Everyday hardware
Pin and clip
A hitch pin through the receiver and shank, then a spring clip through the pin hole. Fast, cheap, and fine when you stay with the vehicle. Never drive without the clip seated.
- Match pin diameter to the receiver — commonly five-eighths inch on Class 3
- Replace bent pins and stretched clips before a long trip
- Does not stop someone from pulling the mount when you are gone
Walk-away security
Hitch lock
A locking pin or barbell-style lock replaces the plain pin so a ball mount, bike rack, or cargo carrier cannot be pulled without a key. It is still a retention pin first — theft resistance is the upgrade.
- Use overnight, at trailheads, and whenever a rack stays on the vehicle
- Does not replace a coupler lock on an unhitched trailer
- See the deeper lock and safety guide for coupler locks
How safety chains should cross under the coupler
Safety chains are the backup path if the coupler lifts off the ball. Hook them so they cross under the tongue in an X. If the coupler ever comes free, the crossed chains can cradle the tongue instead of letting it dig into the pavement.
- Cross under the coupler — left chain to the right hitch loop, right chain to the left hitch loop, forming an X under the tongue.
- Leave a little slack — enough for turns, not enough to drag on the ground.
- Use the hitch’s chain loops — not a random bumper hole or a single shared link that can slip off.
- Match chain rating to the trailer — undersized S-hooks and light chain are common weekend mistakes.
- Attach the breakaway cable when the trailer has electric brakes — that cable is separate from the chains.
Tongue weight still matters. Chains do not fix a tongue that is too light or too heavy. Read tongue weight explained if the trailer feels nervous at highway speed.
Common mistakes we see
Mistake 1
No clip on the pin
The pin walks out on washboard roads. Seat the clip every time, or switch to a lock that stays captured.
Mistake 2
Chains that do not cross
Both chains on one side, or hooked only to each other, cannot cradle the tongue in a coupler failure.
Mistake 3
Chains dragging
Too much slack sparks on the pavement and weakens links. Shorten or use a holder bracket on the shank.
Mistake 4
Lock confused with coupling
A hitch lock holds the mount in the receiver. It does not latch the coupler on the ball. Close the coupler, pin the latch, then add chains.
Weekend hookup checklist
Step 1Seat the coupler
Ball fully in, latch closed, coupler pin or lock through the latch if your coupler uses one.
Step 2Pin or lock the receiver
Pin and clip for a quick stop, hitch lock when you walk away or leave a rack on overnight.
Step 3Cross the safety chains
X under the tongue, hooks on the hitch loops, slack checked for turns without dragging.
Step 4Lights, brakes, tongue weight
Plug the harness, test lights, attach breakaway if equipped, and confirm tongue weight feels sane before the highway.
CURT pins, locks, and chains we stock
Real store links. Confirm pin diameter against your receiver class, and chain rating against the trailer plate.
CURT 21500Five-eighths hitch pin with clipEveryday Class 3 retention pin
CURT 21510Five-eighths hitch pin with clipAlternate packaged pin and clip
CURT 21506Heavy-duty five-eighths pinFor larger receiver openings on the card
CURT 21551Five-eighths swivel hitch pinSwivel-style retention pin
CURT 23501Hitch lockKeyed receiver lock upgrade
CURT 23528Barbell hitch lockFive-eighths lock for listed receivers
CURT 23504Right-angle hitch lockAlternate lock style on the card
CURT 23515Hitch lockAdditional keyed lock option
CURT 45806Trailer safety chainConfirm rating on the product card
CURT 8003048 inch chain with S-hooksRated chain pair for lighter trailers on card
CURT 8003148 inch chain with S-hooksAlternate packaged chain set
CURT 45807Chain holder bracketHelps keep chains off the pavement
Related guides
Hitch Lock and SafetyLocks and coupler security
Tongue Weight ExplainedWhy the trailer feels stable
Ball Mount GuideDrop, rise, shank fit
Weekend Install ChecklistDIY hitch weekend habits
Wiring GuideLights before you roll
Towing Guides HubAll guides
Shop Locks
Browse hitch locks and related security hardware with free shipping across Canada.
Open locks →Also useful
Pins, chains, and mounts live with hitch accessories.
Hitch accessories →Trailer hitches →
Ball mounts →
Lock and safety guide →
More help: towing guides hub · brake controller guide · brakes and breakaway · contact support
