Grease the ball hitch?
- Thread starter Ks.Kev
- Start date
Silverado23
Iowa Chapter Leaders
Yes, the ball will last longer and noise will be drastically reduced. I use a synthetic grease called super lube. It readily washes out of clothing among other things
http://www.super-lube.com/
MP_CS
Well-known member
Agreed.. Greasing the ball is only going to provide very negligible wear resistance and really all its going to to is get all over everything when you're not hitched up. I tow ball hitch trailers all the time, have for years and have never once noticed any undue wear that greasing would have saved.
SNOKING
Well-known member
Alan_B
Well-known member
Yes, a good starting list. I would also add checking the tightness on the bolts that hold the trailer hitch insert assembly together.
SNOKING
Well-known member
So you do not think that ball joints and tie rod ends on the front of a vehicle need grease, it is just two metal parts rubbing together? Why grease them they will not wear out. Chris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu9NmR3ql44
MP_CS
Well-known member
Matter of fact i do grease my tre's and ball joints, but have never and will never grease my ball hitches.. If someone wants to and have grease all over their clothes, truckbed, toolboxes, and pretty much anywhere else that it touches thats their business.
Strange. "High Temperature grease"? I think the article means High Pressure grease.
trading-time
Member
I lube mine with Wheel Bearing Grease and cover with Rubber Cap when not in use.
If you happen to use a chrome plated ball and after a few uses, the chrome is wearing off, there is some wear going on.
Plus the hitch will slide on and off the ball much easier with some sort of lube on it.
Ever have to stand on the hitch or bumper, jumping up and down to get the ball loose?.....grease it.
Plus the hitch will slide on and off the ball much easier with some sort of lube on it.
Ever have to stand on the hitch or bumper, jumping up and down to get the ball loose?.....grease it.
Domi
Well-known member
We grease ours with wheel bearing grease (small tubes from Wal-Mart) before each hook up. Keep a container of cheap baby wipes in the nose compartment and wipe the ball when we unhitch and my finger after we grease. Keeps everything from getting messy. We use a thin layer of grease, just enough to coat the ball.
Biggest reason we do it is that it unhitches MUCH easier with the grease. We were having troubles getting the ball to release and greasing has solved that issue for us. It just slides right apart as the nose is lifted off. I was having to try and jump up and down on the hitch at one point in the spring to get it to release.
Good luck and enjoy your NT.
John
Biggest reason we do it is that it unhitches MUCH easier with the grease. We were having troubles getting the ball to release and greasing has solved that issue for us. It just slides right apart as the nose is lifted off. I was having to try and jump up and down on the hitch at one point in the spring to get it to release.
Good luck and enjoy your NT.
John
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
In all the years I've been pulling trailers (almost 40 years) . . . I've never once had to do that with my own trailers and WD40 on the ball and inside the trailer's hitch.
Of course, now with a 5th-wheeler, I do grease the pin on the trailer and the workings inside the hitch, but that is a much different beast.
