- Huyett Marketing Department
- 10/06/2022
- Updated: 06/22/2023
Clevis pins are essential fasteners for several industries, including agriculture, aviation, construction, and more. They are versatile, easy to install and remove, and come in multiple styles. When considering which pin to use for your application, it is important to understand what a clevis pin is, how to use it, and which mating pins and clips work best with each style.
What is a Clevis Pin?
A
clevis pin is a reusable, cylindrical, non-threaded pin available in a variety of styles that secure components between the head and the end of the pin. They are ideal for quickly connecting or disconnecting equipment in temporary or permanent applications, especially those that do not require precise alignment.
Clevis Pin Anatomy
In its most basic structure, a clevis pin consists of a head, shank, and shank end, with the most pertinent measurements being the diameter, shank length, effective length, and head diameter.
However, there are multiple styles of clevis pins with different heads and ends. These include heads that can be flat, radiused or chamfered, angled at 25°, grooved, or grooved and drilled, each well suited for a variety of applications. They are also available in a similar variety of end styles, with some styles including adjustable ends that feature multiple holes or quick-release pins with detent balls.
How to Use Clevis Pins
More often than not, these pins are used for three-part clevis fastening systems consisting of a
clevis rod end or
clevis hook, a clevis pin, and a bridge pin, e-clip, or similar fastener. The clevis pin is inserted through the holes of the clevis, and the attaching fastener will secure the clevis pin on one or both sides.
While this application is the most common, clevis pins are versatile, especially considering the combination of heads and ends. They can position points, connect
lifting hardware elements, and tow bar connections, trailer hitches, and other similar components.
Mating Clips and Fasteners for Clevis Pins
There are several types of clips and fasteners to use at the ends of a clevis pin, depending on the structure of the head or end type.
If a clevis pin features a hole at its end type and/or head, you can use a wire form pin or clip to hold it in place. Compatible fasteners include:
- Cotter pins: Both legs of this pin are inserted through the clevis pin hole. The head of the cotter pin prevents it from passing completely through the hole while the legs of the pin are bent backward to lock it in place. This creates a more permanent connection, as a cotter pin is typically not reusable.
- Bridge pins: To use a bridge pin, insert the straight leg through the clevis pin hole and push through until the first loop wraps around the pin. Unlike cotter pins, bridge pins are easy to connect and disconnect.
- Safety pins: Much like an everyday safety pin, it is installed by inserting the straight leg through the clevis pin hole and pushing it through until the end can latch onto the safety pin hook.
If a clevis pin features a grooved head or end point, the accompanying fastener should clip around or wedge into the groove. Options include:
- Hair pins: The open end of the hair pin slides onto the pin groove until the first loop clasps around the shaft.
- Bridge pins: On a grooved head or end, the open end of the bridge pin slides onto the groove until the first loop clasps around the shaft.
- E-Clips: Insert the open end of the e-clip onto the grooved shaft and apply force until it clips into place.
- Poodle clips: Like an e-clip, a poodle clip features large "shoulders" or "ears" that offer extra retention surface against the retained part.
Clevis Pin Buying Considerations
When shopping for clevis pins, it is important to weigh the pin's cost, functionality, and design against the needs of the application.
Cost:
Not only are the clevis pins a low-cost option for agricultural and industrial use, but so are their mating fasteners. The combination makes for an economical, reusable, and simple fastening component.
Functionality:
Clevis pins are often used in place of
bolts or
rivets. While bolts and rivets offer more clamping power, they also require tools for installation/removal and are intended for more permanent assemblies. Clevis pins offer more freedom of movement, work well in temporary applications, and offer simple installation while pairing well with a variety of fasteners.
Design:
There are several key factors to a clevis pin's design that will help you narrow down which pin is right for your application:
Clevis Pins Types
There are several varieties of clevis pins for different types of applications. Here is a breakdown of some of the most common types of pins available at Huyett.
Standard Clevis Pins
Standard clevis pins, commonly known as corn picker pins, flat head pins, or hitch pins, are versatile fasteners used instead of bolts and rivets and require a bridge pin or cotter pin for attachment. These pins have a basic flat head with no chamfers, featuring a single hole at one end.
They are used in agricultural and power equipment for both temporary and permanent connections that don't require precise alignment, offering quick disconnect features at a low cost. Available in various materials like stainless steel, carbon steel, and brass, they can be accompanied by cotter pins, bridge pins, or safety pins.
Standard Clevis Pin
Hole Diameter
SAE Clevis Pins
SAE clevis pins are pins standardized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and feature chamfered ends. While the pin design belongs to an SAE standard, it does not have a specific SAE number, meaning the standard serves more as a guideline than a strict specification.
SAE pins can be used in similar applications as standard pins, but the chamfers make installation smoother. Key measurements include the outside head diameter (A), point diameter (B), and chamfer angle (C). These pins are typically made of low carbon steel and are available in finishes such as plain, zinc clear, and zinc yellow. They can be used with accompanying fasteners like cotter pins, bridge pins, or safety pins.
SAE Clevis Pin
Key Measurements
Grooved Clevis Pins
Grooved clevis pins, also known as grooved pins or grooved clevises, are standard pins with a snap ring groove. They are particularly useful in automated assembly or situations where lateral movement is undesirable.
Grooved pins have a flat head and a grooved end point instead of a hole, making them ideal for use with fasteners like e-clips, hair pins, x-rings, and poodle clips. They offer similar capabilities as standard pins but provide better resistance to lateral movement and precise control over effective length. Key measurements for grooved clevis pins include the groove width (A) and groove diameter (B). These pins are available in materials such as 300 stainless steel and low carbon steel, with finishes like zinc clear and plain.
Grooved Clevis Pin
Groove Measurements
Headless Clevis Pins: Drilled and Grooved
Headless clevis pins, known as yoke pins, hydraulic pins, or cylinder pins, are versatile fasteners that can be used with cotter pins or bridge pins and are adaptable to various applications. They feature holes, grooves, or holes drilled into grooves at both ends. Regardless of the type of end point, headless pins typically have a larger diameter than other pins, making them suitable for heavy-duty applications.
Headless pins are commonly used in agriculture, power equipment, and construction applications, particularly with yoke or hydraulic cylinders. Key measurements may include the groove width and diameter, hole size/diameter, or both. Instead of a shank length, the overall length of the pin is measured from end to end, while the effective length is measured between the holes or grooves.
Headless pins are available in materials such as 300 stainless steel, low or medium carbon steel, with finishes like plain and zinc clear plating. They can be used with various accompanying fasteners, including mating pins, clevis ends, yokes, hair pins, bridge pins, or cotter pins.
Drilled and Grooved Clevis Pins
Key Measurements
Adjustable (or Universal) Clevis Pins
Adjustable clevis pins, also known as adjustable clevises or multi-grip clevises, are designed with multiple holes that allow for adaptation to different lengths. The excess portion of the pin can be cut off if needed. These pins are highly versatile due to the multiple holes, allowing for adjustment to fit in smaller spaces.
Adjustable pins are suitable for applications where the required length is uncertain. The measurements of adjustable pins are taken similarly to standard pins, with the effective length varying depending on the chosen hole. These pins are available in materials such as 300 stainless steel and low carbon steel, with finishes like zinc clear and plain. They can be used with any fastener that can mate with a standard pin.
Cotterless Detent Clevis Pins
Cotterless detent clevis pins are standard pins equipped with a spring-loaded detent ball for a self-locking feature (in place of a hole or groove), eliminating the need for a cotter pin or bridge pin. The detent ball is depressed and springs out to lock the pin securely in place.
These pins are ideal for lighter-duty retention applications, particularly those with blind holes, quick installation or removal requirements, or the need for reusability. The key measurement to consider with these pins is the diameter of the detent ball. Cotterless detent pins offered by Huyett are made of low carbon steel and have a zinc clear finish. Unlike other pins, cotterless detent pins are one-piece fasteners and do not require any accompanying fasteners.
Bent Clevis Pins: Standard and Adjustable
Bent clevis pins, also known as hitch pins or trailer pins, offer a low-cost and simple design for economical quick-change applications and are used with a cotter pin or bridge pin. Bent pins have a distinctive look compared to other pin styles; the pin's shank bends at a 25° angle away from the longer portion of the shank, and the end point may feature one or more holes.
These pins are ideal for quick and straightforward fixes that require frequent connection and disconnection. The angled portion of the shank serves as a convenient handle for insertion and removal. Bent pins with multiple holes can be used in various applications by adjusting the mating fastener to change the effective length. The key measurement to consider is the effective length, which lies between the used hole at the end point and the 25° angle at the other end of the shank.
Bent pins are available in materials such as stainless steel and low carbon steel, with finishes like plain and zinc clear plating. They can be used with any fastener that can mate with a standard pin.
Bent Clevis Pin
Adjustable Bent Clevis Pin
How to Measure Clevis Pins
While the general clevis pin design is simple, the different combination of heads and ends introduce unique measuring requirements for pin types. Huyett's own product and sales' expert, John Hudson, explains how to measure different types of clevis pins in the videos below.
To compare the functionality of clevis pins to other pin fasteners, visit our
Pins and Wire Forms FAQs page.
Clevis pins are simple, cost-effective, and often reusable fasteners designed for repetitive use in applications that do not require precision alignment.
Shop for high-quality clevis pins online at huyett.com. For questions or quotes, contact our Sales Team at
(785) 392-3017 or
sales@huyett.com.
