Hitch Pin Replacement Question

[Ron Nossaman]

> Just curious Jon - why do you say to "be prepared to go through many 
> bits while drilling?" I find plate iron to drill wonderfully easy and 
> smoothly - or are you trying to dril through old hitch pins or 
> something? If there is any room at all, I always try to drill into 
> virgin territory for my vertical hitches.
> 
> Terry Farrell

David Hughes wasn't asking about vertical hitches. He's 
replacing originals with new and shiny. But since it was 
brought up, drilling through the middle of the old pin is one 
of the best ways ever invented to break bits. If you can't get 
the old pin out, and don't have room on the riser to move to 
virgin territory, grind them off flush and center punch the 
back edge. Drilling vertically, you are taking out some of the 
pin, and some of the plate, but the bottom of the pin is out 
of the way and still embedded in iron so it won't turn and 
grab the bit. As always, at least two passes. One undersize, 
and one ream to final.
Ron N