Old Cub Cadet garden tractors used to use split or "roll" pins in the
steering mechanism. The Torque applied to the place they were used
caused the metal in the holes to wear, leaving the pin loose and causing
an annoying amount of "slop" in the steering mechanism. A taper pin
totally solves the problem.
See: http://www.spaco.org/loose.htm

Actually, I see it as less work to use. The exact size of the tapered
hole isn't even important, as long as the taper pin isn't too short.

Pete Stanaitis
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Bob Engelhardt wrote:
A taper pin is so much more work to use - is it that much better than a
split pin (aka spring pin)? Or, putting it another way, in what
circumstances would a split/spring pin be inadequate and a taper pin be
required?

Thanks,
Bob