Doh... :(
The point is the OP replaced an original rolled pin w/ a cotter key. There's a reason there was a pin as opposed to a cotter initially. The likelihood is that it was for the shear strength w/ a somewhat lesser chance it was to minimize play.
You're right. I went back & looked at the OP story and there it was, all about the trailer jack. Not too sure what that is, but I was visualizing a spring loaded pawl, pivoting upon and secured by a hardened roll pin. I could have my visualization wrong, though. Then I got so caught up in the roll pin removal adventure that I lost track of what the darn roll pin was was supposed to be doing in the first place :-P
Agreed, if a hardened roll pin is securing something to something else, best to evaluate the situation and ask oneself if a mild steel Cotter pin would suffice or would fail. Case in point for failure would be the common application of a roll pin to secure an automotive engine oil pump's externally splined shaft to its mating internally splined drive gear. Hardened steel shaft, hardened steel gear... even though a Cotter pin might fit clearance-wise, it would eventually fail, and with catastrophic results.
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