Torquing hitch ball - how critical?

[Sysop]

One thing I've not seen mentioned which I've always found to be a "best practice" for any threaded fastening device: after some use, double-check it.

If you can tighten it any more after a little bit of use, you didn't have it torqued properly to begin with.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have had one come loose twice. Finally welded it.

Chris

 

[oldyellr]

I like Sysop's advice, retorque it after first use. I suspect that tightening the nut as hard as you can with a wrench or pipe wrench that fits is probably safe, or else each ball would come with a torque spec. and warning.

If you really want to tighten it to the maximum torque, you can do some research on the effective stud length and thread size. I really would not want it to the maximum short of permanently stertching the threads because any shock beyond that could possibly snap the ball off.

But the biggest problem is the ball spinning before the nut is tight. Some towbars and balls have a hex or a notch and a boss to prevent spinning. This is especially important if you need to change to different size balls. On one of my hitches I'm planning to grind a notch in the ball flange and putting a socket head cap screw in the towbar.

 

[bcp]

On one of my hitches I'm planning to grind a notch in the ball flange and putting a socket head cap screw in the towbar.

I used to see that idea ready-made in stores, but not for a few years. They used roll pins and a notched ball, IIRC.

More places are now selling interchangeable ball systems.

Convert-A-Ball Interchangeable Ball Set - 2" and 2-5/16" Balls - 1" Shank - Stainless Convert-A-Ball Balls 906B

Bruce

 

[Bird]

I've only had one hitch ball loosen. In July, 1972, we drove to Alaska in a 3/4 ton Chevy pulling a 25' travel trailer, and way up in Canada, as I pulled into a service station for gas, it just didn't feel right and I had a pretty good idea why. Of course with the load distributing lift bars, the ball probably could never lift high enough to come out, but I wouldn't want to be the one to test that idea.:laughing: Anyway, the nut had backed off quite a bit. That ball had been installed by a dealer in a Chicago suburb a few months earlier. I tightened it as much as I could with the crescent wrench I had, then used a punch and hammer on the "shoulder?" of the nut to force it just a little farther and never had anymore trouble with it.

I've never used a torque wrench on one; just pull on the biggest wrench I have until I can't turn the nut anymore.

 

[JohninCT]

Agree with the others here. I've never installed a hitch ball with torque wrench. Always used "spot torque" method. Use a BA wrench and tighten until you see spots. ; )

 

[newbury]

Agree with the others here. I've never installed a hitch ball with torque wrench. Always used "spot torque" method. Use a BA wrench and tighten until you see spots. ; )

Is that a typo?
Is it supposed to be a BA wench?

 

[JohninCT]

Is that a typo?
Is it supposed to be a BA wench?

Ha yeah you can use a BA wench too if you got one handy

 

[oldyellr]

I've only had one hitch ball loosen. In July, 1972, we drove to Alaska in a 3/4 ton Chevy pulling a 25' travel trailer, and way up in Canada, as I pulled into a service station for gas, it just didn't feel right and I had a pretty good idea why. Of course with the load distributing lift bars, the ball probably could never lift high enough to come out, but I wouldn't want to be the one to test that idea.:laughing: Anyway, the nut had backed off quite a bit. That ball had been installed by a dealer in a Chicago suburb a few months earlier. I tightened it as much as I could with the crescent wrench I had, then used a punch and hammer on the "shoulder?" of the nut to force it just a little farther and never had anymore trouble with it.

I've never used a torque wrench on one; just pull on the biggest wrench I have until I can't turn the nut anymore.

This linkin an earlier post shows a cotter pin at the bottom of the ball stud to keep the nun from completely unscrewing. That looks like something anybody could do.

 

[Bird]

This linkin an earlier post shows a cotter pin at the bottom of the ball stud to keep the nun from completely unscrewing. That looks like something anybody could do.

Not all hitch ball shanks have the hole to put a cotter pin in. Some years ago, I had the Convert-A-Ball with 1 7/8", 2", and 2 5/16' balls, but now I have two separate ball mounts; 1 7/8" and 2". Both came from U-Haul and both came with the cotter pin, and of course U-Haul does torque them tight.