I hooked my first trailer (bumper pull) awhile ago and my very experienced friend said to always grease the ball. I wouldn't have thought of that I don't think.

Bought a new 2 5/16 ball in an after market diesel shop the other day and asked what they recommend for grease. He said Oh no, never grease your ball. It will collect dirt and act like sandpaper wearing stuff out twice as fast as dry. He accually seemed annoyed that I had succumed to a destructive urban legend.

I did a little searching; found a few varying oppinions.

Whats the general current consensus?

Thanks

 

I will sometimes use one of my kids crayons and smush wax on it to keep it from rusting...it sort of acts as a lube too I guess. I don't put on anything that will attract and hold dirt, since it will act like sandpaper in there and wear everything out.

 

Never greased one. I used to keep my fifth wheel pin sprayed with a dry film though.

It takes YEARS to wear out a ball, plus I would think grease would not allow the trailer to ground properly to the tow vehicle.

 

Grease + dirt = lapping compound...bump that dirty greasy ol ball with a good pair of pants and you will never grease again!

 

So, I keep my hitch greased, but I keep a Uhaul rubber hitch cover on the ball to keep it from collecting dirt and from ruining my pants.
http://store.uhaul.com/master_produc...il.aspx?id=339

 

i am not concerned with the $25 replaceable ball. how about the welded on hitch coupler on the trailer? the ball is easy to deal with.

i would think the ball would be made of tougher material than the coupler on the hitch.

 

Well some say do it, some say don't do it. You get grit in there either way. I use remington dry lube for slides on mine. Not sticky so it can't hold dirt and provides lubrication so I don't have to hear it squeeking.

Hub

 

I would use a dry lube if you wanted to put some kind of lube on there. Any wet lube will attract and hold dirt which acts like sandpaper on both the ball and the trailer coupler. I have never lubricated and bumper pull trailer, I do use a spray silicone on the gooseneck though, not much though.

 

I used to use the little stumps of bar soap......you know, the pieces no one ever wants to finish in the shower.

It lubes and cleans at the same time!!


Oh, and you don't ground your trailer through your hitch, that's why you have a plug to your trailer........

 

I grease, but I was raised by an old diesel mechanic who's theory is "never too much grease in metal on metal contact". I just clean the grease/dust off the tongue and ball after each trip. To each their own, I guess...

 

exactly. wipe the ball off. apply grease, lower trailer. more so to not wear the coupler thin over time. I also grease the reciever and the pin to.

 

We grease them. Not to prevent ball wear but coupler wear. Clean the couple every so often to get the crud and grit out.

MikeyB

 

I've seen what a greased hitch will do over time. Its amazing how abrasive dirt is. If you insist on lubing the ball try bees wax or bar soap.

 

I have used crayon (wax) for years...I still have chrome on the ball and it is as old as the truck.

 

When I worked on equipment we had to lube the extendable booms on the off road forklifts. We used grease at first but a new manager started having us use a teflon spray. Don't know how that can followed me home but it works good on the trailer ball. Dries and does not collect dirt. Or don't lube, got three welders at home, simple enough to put on a new trailer coupler.