grease your balls or not

[Fallon]

I did. It gummed up/corroded enough that the key wont's turn now. I want to pull the hitch, but will have to cut the hardened locking pin. We tow frequently, so I had just left it in there.

How best to cut that pin? Sawzall, or?

I'd try flushing it with lots of penetrating lube, let it sit a while, then more flushing. Repeat that for a day or 2 if needed & it might clear things up. WD40 is OK, but other penetrating lubes are better. It stands for Water Displacement formula #40, which a keen eye will note indicates lubrication wasn't the primary focus when it was created.

If lube fails, a cutting wheel is your next best hope, it will work better than a saw blade on hardened steel.

 

[RobertN]

I work at a large office complex(7 buildings, ~6000 people, two internal cafeteria's...).

People seem to think they need to back thier pickup in to the parking spot till the back wheels hit the crub/sidewalk. So, the back of the truck is already hanging in the middle of the walkway. Then, the hitch is hanging out even further. Of course since the curb is ~6-8", the ball/hitch is hanging there at perfect ankle/shin bruising height.

As I mentioned previously, my hitch is always in, partly because I can't get the locking pin unlocked. But I try not to park where it affects other people(do not commute in truck anyways).

I agree. It seems popular around here to back up to the sidewalk with your hitch sticking out as far as possible as if showing off. I consider it rude.

 

[RobertN]

I have some PB-Blaster; maybe I'll try that this weekend.

Yes, WD40 will leave a yellow sticky goop on stuff over time, that is a pain to clean up. It is not a good gun preservative; my Dad did that to a 22 years ago. I spent hours getting that yellow goo off. Worse than cosmoline.

I'd try flushing it with lots of penetrating lube, let it sit a while, then more flushing. Repeat that for a day or 2 if needed & it might clear things up. WD40 is OK, but other penetrating lubes are better. It stands for Water Displacement formula #40, which a keen eye will note indicates lubrication wasn't the primary focus when it was created.

If lube fails, a cutting wheel is your next best hope, it will work better than a saw blade on hardened steel.

 

[Fallon]

I have some PB-Blaster; maybe I'll try that this weekend.

Yes, WD40 will leave a yellow sticky goop on stuff over time, that is a pain to clean up. It is not a good gun preservative; my Dad did that to a 22 years ago. I spent hours getting that yellow goo off. Worse than cosmoline.

Get a plastic cup spray a bit in & mark the level of the WD40. Come back in a day or 2 & boggle at how much less is in the cup. Granted a lot of penetrating oils will do that to some degree, as the more volatile compounds vaporize & it's those volatile compounds that penetrate into cracks really well, carrying the other better lubricating compounds. But there are not a lot of those lubricating compounds at all in WD40.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I did. It gummed up/corroded enough that the key wont's turn now. I want to pull the hitch, but will have to cut the hardened locking pin. We tow frequently, so I had just left it in there.

How best to cut that pin? Sawzall, or?

Sawzall or cut off wheel.

I have seen 3 vehicles in my shop where we could not get the hitch bar out after the pin was cut. All required hitch replacement. We tried heat, chaining them to a tree and a good jerk, and dragging a Van around with a backhoe with its rear tires 3' off the ground with no luck.

It's amazing what rust/corrosion can do.

Chris

 

[jwstewar]

When Dad had early stages of Dementia (we didn't know it at the time) he lost the keys to the locking pin of his hitch. He went and got one of his big pipe wrenches, put it over the end of the pin, and popped the end right off that pin. Took maybe 5 seconds and didn't make a sound. Way faster than cutting. If I were going to try to steal a hitch, this is the method I would certainly use - not that I plan on doing that.

 

[bindian]

I've dinged my shin enough times and learned to take the hitch out.

That is why I pull mine out instead of pad locking it in. Besides, my dually needs every inch in parking spaces.
hugs, Brandi

 

[lilranch2001]

When ever I grease my balls, it takes forever to get them clean in the shower

 

[Looking4new]

This is drifting off-topic from greased balls, but I wondered if all you folks who leave the hitch in the receiver all the time also have a locking pin to make it harder for somebody to steal your hitch.

My pintle hitch has been on for the past 6 months and it does have a locking pin. IF I can't get the pin unlocked I will just cut it off.

 

[LindenBruce]

Okay, this is getting hairy but my balls are dry............ Normally.
B.