Securing trailer balls

[Midniteoyl]

5 minutes of Google searching turned up these:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Towing: Nut backed off ball caused accident
Check your trailer hitch ball. - Moderated Discussion Areas

Convert-A-Ball Interchangeable Ball Set - 1-7/8", 2" Balls - 3/4" XL Shank - Nickel Convert-A-Ball Balls 8B
Tow Ready Hitch Ball - 3,5 lbs Tow Ready Balls 63912
Switch Ball Sets

Thats first link - Looks like the guy really had minimal torque on the ball nut. Plus improper chains.

 

[Travelover]

5 minutes of Google searching turned up these:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Towing: Nut backed off ball caused accident
Check your trailer hitch ball. - Moderated Discussion Areas
Convert-A-Ball Interchangeable Ball Set - 1-7/8", 2" Balls - 3/4" XL Shank - Nickel Convert-A-Ball Balls 8B
Tow Ready Hitch Ball - 3,5 lbs Tow Ready Balls 63912
Switch Ball Sets

Five minutes of Google searching will turn up all kinds of tragedies. If you convince yourself they are significant risks, you'd sit at home trembling.

 

[Cord]

Nope, but trying to convince the injured parties attorney that I did not take reasonable care to prevent a nut from coming off does make me tremble. I usually ask myself if I'm willing to risk losing my home over something (assuming policy limits are exceeded). If you are not willing to invest the time into applying some locktite, then that's your decision. Personally, I've been deposed twice and in both instances the effort that would have been required to prevent the incident was dramatically less that the time that I sat being deposed. It's just not worth the risk.

 

[hawkeye08]

Often overlooked is what a loose ball can do... A coworker had his boat and trailer come loose and pass him going down a mountain road. It sheered the ball off, but the analysis showed that it had a loose hole and the ball had been working back and forth constantly for some time. The rust in the break showed that it was not a completely new break.

Clean, inspect (tighten or replace if necessary) and grease. Should be part of periodic maintenance, no less important than checking your brakes or turn signals...

 

[Travelover]

...... Personally, I've been deposed twice ........

I guess I'm a lot more careful - I've never been sued.

 

[Cord]

Never said that I had been sued. Big difference between a deposition and being sued. Read it up.

 

[Travelover]

Never said that I had been sued. Big difference between a deposition and being sued. Read it up.

Well, I've never been deposed, either - too busy tightening all the nuts and bolts on all my equipment every day.

 

[Cord]

Defintly proof that ignorance is bliss.

 

[Travelover]

Defintly proof that ignorance is bliss.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[jack707]

So I guess she thing to do is weld the ball all around after tighing.

 

[Travelover]

So I guess she thing to do is weld the ball all around after tightening.

Yes, then drill a hole through the nut so it can be safety wired.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Then sell the trailer and put the hitch on the shelf..

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Yes, then drill a hole through the nut so it can be safety wired.

????

If you are going to weld the ball, you might as well just hit the nut with the welder too. It would be a whale of a lot easier and faster than drilling a hole.

 

[drizler]

Use a Jam Nut..

Eactly. Stone simple and 200% reliable. No need to go drill pressing and pinning or welding. Like the old Sarge used to say, "Keep It Simple Stupid"

 

[Travelover]

????

If you are going to weld the ball, you might as well just hit the nut with the welder too. It would be a whale of a lot easier and faster than drilling a hole.

This suggestion is what used to be called a joke before people got so uptight.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

On the Internet there are so many stupid people that it is no longer safe to assume that obviously stupid suggestions will be taken as humor. Too often, they are dead serious.

I'm glad to know it was an attempt at humor in this case. One less idiot giving advice!

 

[Diamondpilot]

Eactly. Stone simple and 200% reliable. No need to go drill pressing and pinning or welding. Like the old Sarge used to say, "Keep It Simple Stupid"

I don't have a single bar and ball setup with more than 2 to 3 threads showing. No way a jamb nut would work. I bet that's the case with 99% of the bars and balls out there.

Chris

 

[clemsonfor]

If it was a wide spread problem, they'd come with cotter pins and castle nuts - the ball manufacturer's lawyers would make them. Like others have said, a little common caution and maintenance and your problems are elsewhere.

I think I am in this camp.

But anything can and does happen. There are many easy solutions. One is the second nut. THis will cost you a dollar or two at TSC for another nut. Being cheap I would go with blue locktite and or bugger up the threads with a chisel for the first few under the nut. It wont come off before you notice, you should start hearing a clunk when accelerating stopping or a bump as the extra gap created as the nut loosens allows the ball to shift around.

At work there is one truck with a cotter pin under the nut. I think this came this way from the factory. If I remember I will try and look at it and get a brand and pic maybe.

Edit Until I got the weight distributing hitch I used one of those dual welded ball and receiver things. No way it could come loose