Keystone Scoop Pin Mod

I'm getting tired of losing these hitch pins that hold up the cat scoop screen in my Keystone.

After a few weeks of burning these hitch pins wear out and get banged around by splits and eventually fall out. I had the whole basket drop down on me once so I'm trying to think of some better way, any ideas? Maybe a different pin or maybe change out the posts for something with threads I can screw a nut onto?

 

Here's the hitch pin that goes through the posts the hold up the scoop screen.

 

What's the material?
Wondering if those are available in stainless steel, and if they'd last longer?

 

Can't find s/s pins locally but I've had them when the stove was new and they didn't pan out any better.

Maybe if I drilled out the hole in the post and used a thicker heavier duty pin? They just seem to loosen up over time and slide out.

 

Call WS.
Maybe they have a fix.

 

Maybe a ring cotter pin? A roll pin would definitely work but might be a pain to remove.

 

He could use a drift to get it back out.

 

I've only had one fall out in the 2 winters. I just stuck it back in. The OEM pins are stainless.

 

These would be good but they would have to be smaller diameter. Maybe you could find a smaller one or else grind the shaft down on a bigger one and/or enlarge the hole in the stud?

 

Or maybe use the standard one. The problem is they don't lie flat against the scoop, so maybe you could bend the loop end so that it would be centered with respect to the post, instead of the entire loop on one side of the post, where it can hang down. Another thing would be to bend the straight pin end so that it takes a bit of force to push it through the hole in the stud.

 

WS going to send me some standard pins. Maybe its the cheapo pins I get around here. I put a bigger size in than I had before, maybe that will help.

I thought about those ring pins but can't find right size, maybe a good option if enlarging the post hole.

 

I like this idea. WS should get a call or email along with the problem and pictures.
They do have great CS folks there!

 

WS says they occasionally come across this problem. They agree the pin is the weak link in an otherwise good design. I think I'd rather see a nut and bold design rather than a quick and easy pull the pin design.

 

Go to HF and buy their cheap cotter pin assortment. Just like on the hearthstones. Shove it through and bend the end over. Done. If it fails after repeated removals then pop a new one in.

They had the nerve to use those hairpins on my tractor in a few places which were promptly removed by brush. I replaced with wire (in the field) and then with a cotter pin.

 

I've got 4 nails holding the cat shield on the Buck in place right now. They flop around though. There's 4, and the back 2 are harder to mess with since the fire box is wide, not tall. I like the cotter pin solution; You could bend each leg out, and that should hold both flat against the shield so you don't hit 'em when loading. If not bent out too far, you can probably grab the round end with a pliers and pull 'em right out.

 

Yeah, probably just go the regular old cotter pin route if these fail again. It might be a pain tho getting at the far pin when it comes time to remove the scoop. Not much room to work with in that tiny firebox.

 

The Buck might not even be as tall as the Ks, but at least I'm not trying to go through that tiny door. I thought the Dw box was as big as the Fv, but it's about the same as the Ks. Need primo wood to get good mileage out of a load. When you try to pack it really full and start jockeying splits around is when you're apt to hit the pins and knock 'em out...

 

I've got the exact same problem with the Iconel screen in the Progress - the SS cotter pins get weak and fall out - lost a few that way. I like Dennis' wire tie idea.

 

Why would those screen have to be removed? I just got the PH and haven't used it enough yet to come across that yet?