Fastening Know-How
Clevis Pins: What They Are, Types and How to Choose One
A plain guide to clevis pins, the headed pins that hold a clevis joint together and let it pivot.
What Is a Clevis Pin?
A clevis pin is the pin in a two-piece clevis fastener. The clevis is a U-shaped part with a hole at the end of each prong, and the clevis pin passes through both holes, and through any tang fitted between them, to make a joint that can pivot.
The pin looks like a bolt, but it is either unthreaded or only partly threaded, and it is held in place with a cotter pin (also called a split pin) through a cross-hole near its end.
Threaded vs Unthreaded Clevis Pins
- Unthreaded clevis pins have a domed head at one end and a cross-hole at the other. A cotter pin through the cross-hole stops the pin working loose.
- Threaded clevis pins have a partly threaded shank and a formed head with a lip that acts as a stop when the pin is threaded into the shackle. A flattened tab with a cross-hole lets the pin be wired, or moused, in place.
| Type | How it is retained | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Headed, unthreaded (cross-hole) | Cotter pin (split pin) through a cross-hole | Joints that are taken apart for service |
| Headed, partly threaded | Threads into the shackle; tab can be wired | Joints that must stay put under vibration |
| Grooved | Retaining ring or e-clip in a groove | Tight spaces where a cotter pin will not fit |
| Headless | Cotter pins or rings at both ends | Symmetric joints assembled from either side |
Summary of common clevis pin styles. Confirm dimensions and material against the drawing or the maker's catalogue.
Clevis Pin vs Bolt
A bolt can stand in for a clevis pin, but it is the wrong part for the job. Bolts are made to carry tension, while clevis pins are designed for shear, the sideways load a pivot joint puts on the pin. The shear strength of a threaded bolt is set by the inner diameter of its thread, so a bolt passing through a clevis is weakest exactly where the load sits.
Clevis pins should be a close fit in the clevis holes. A loose pin wears both the pin and the clevis and shortens the life of the joint.
Where Clevis Pins Are Used
Clevis joints appear wherever a link needs to rotate on one axis and stay fixed on the others: farm equipment, sailboat rigging, and parts across the automotive, aircraft and construction industries. They are also common on linkages, rod ends and hitches.
How to Choose a Clevis Pin
- Diameter: match the pin to the clevis hole for a close fit.
- Usable length: the pin must span the full clevis width plus any tang, with room for the cotter pin to pass through the cross-hole.
- Retention: choose unthreaded pins with a cotter pin for quick service, or threaded pins where the pin must stay fixed.
- Finish: catalogue clevis pins are commonly offered in standard and adjustable styles, in plain or zinc-plated finish. Match the finish to the corrosion environment.
Other Pin Types
A clevis pin is a pivot. These pins do different jobs, and several are used with or alongside a clevis joint.
| Pin | How it holds | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Split pin (cotter pin) | Two legs pass through a cross-hole and are bent back | Retaining a clevis pin or a slotted nut |
| Dowel pin | Solid pin pressed into close-tolerance holes | Locating and aligning two parts |
| Slotted pin (roll or spring pin) | Slotted tube compressed into the hole and held by spring tension | Pivots, hinges and pinning a part to a shaft |
| Spiral pin (coiled spring pin) | Coiled strip that spreads load evenly round the hole | Joints under shock or vibration, and softer host materials |
Browse the full pins and keys range or submit an RFQ for pins to your drawing.
Pins and Retaining Hardware From CSG
A clevis pin is only as secure as the pin that retains it. CSG supplies split pins along with dowel pins, slotted pins and spiral pins. See the full pins and keys range, or send us a request for quote for clevis pins to your drawing.
More on pins: how pin fasteners work and types of pin fasteners.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Clevis fastener” (accessed 25 Sep 2026); Fastener Mart clevis pin catalogue (accessed 25 Sep 2026).
Specifying a Safety-Critical Joint?
These charts are reference values drawn from published standards. Send us your drawing or specification and our team will review the fastener choice with you.