Torquing hitch ball - how critical?

[bcp]

And places that don't use salt seem to get by OK.

Bruce

 

[sld]

Yeah.... people who've never been "blessed" with living in the salt-belt might find it hard to believe.

I've seen 3 trucks chained together (2 as anchors), torches going full blast, and the biggest guy in the shop pounding away with their biggest sledge to get a drawbar to move. Yes, that's with the problem truck pulling in 4wd on dry pavement.

Reminds me.... I gotta move !

Rgds, D.

Sounds like some preventative maintenance is in order in your climate.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yeah.... people who've never been "blessed" with living in the salt-belt might find it hard to believe.

I've seen 3 trucks chained together (2 as anchors), torches going full blast, and the biggest guy in the shop pounding away with their biggest sledge to get a drawbar to move. Yes, that's with the problem truck pulling in 4wd on dry pavement.

Reminds me.... I gotta move !

Rgds, D.

We lifted a Chevy Astro Van off the ground with a Backhoe trying to remove a stuck hitch. Yanked against a telephone pole did nothing either. Finall bought a whole new hitch.

Chris

 

[3930dave]

Sounds like some preventative maintenance is in order in your climate.

Unless you tow every day, like Slowzuki said, the solution is to only put the drawbar into the receiver when you need it. That's what I do, works OK for me.

Some guys pay no attention, till they need to change drawbars - like Chris's story, may mean a whole new hitch.

The liquid brine they use on the highways now here is BRUTAL, but is good for keeping the auto plants running.

Rgds, D.

 

[Qapla]

I need all three sizes from time to time. I do not really like the 3-in-one style so I carry one of each. That way, I just slide one out and the other one in. Also makes it so I don't have to change (losen/tighten) the balls to change sizes. For the little it actually costs, it makes sense to me. Since I do not live where salt is needed, that is not a problem.

All that said, I did have to assemble all mine and have installed or changed balls on various vehicles many, many times. I have never used a torque wrench. I generally use either a 24" pipe wrench or a breaker bar and socket. I also use the vehicle to hold the slide mount while I install/remove/change the ball. I also turn it sideways so I am pulling up to remove or install. I seem to get better tightening that way .... at least for me. If it won't come lose pulling up, I will try turning it so that I need to push down then either stand/jump on the handle of the wrench or use a sledge on it.

Have never had one come lose.

 

[94BULLITT]

I think proper torquing is critical.

I had a stuck ball mount. I hooked to a big tree and I think I used a porta power to push on the hitch to get it out.

 

[slowzuki]

Yeah we tried chaining a dodge ram and using a ford 5000 to pull the ball mount out. Waste of time, won't happen. I've got another hitch from a dodge caravan in my scrap pile for the same reason.

 

[bcp]

I wonder about these in salted areas.

Aluminum Ball Mounts | etrailer.com

Stainless Steel Ball Mounts | etrailer.com

Bruce

 

[Diamondpilot]

I wonder about these in salted areas.

Aluminum Ball Mounts | etrailer.com

Stainless Steel Ball Mounts | etrailer.com

Bruce

They will sieze up to due to dissimilar metals.

Either way these hitches were made to take out after each use. Just take them out. Simple fix.

Chris

 

[newbury]

They will sieze up to due to dissimilar metals.

Either way these hitches were made to take out after each use. Just take them out. Simple fix.

Chris

Yeah, until you misplace it

I lost the drawbar to my B7610 for 2 years, kept putting off buying another one, finally found I had put it in my trailer box