Bigbird99
Alberta, Canada
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In pulling a bumper pull trailer, I see that most campers I compe across don't put any grease on the ball or inside the trailer's hitch. I would think that one would want some sort of lubrication between the metal ball and the metal hitch. Is it or is it not a good idea to have a greased ball? Is this the same for a fifth wheel hitch?
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Rubiranch
Salt Lake City, UT
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yes, grease the ball
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downtheroad
Puget Sound
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Yes, greasing the hitch ball is a very good idea. This is what I use.
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surveyorjp
Missouri
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Grease your ball!!!
It will last longer and pivot much easier when making turns. I use regular old wheel bearing grease myself, but most any type of lubrication is better than nothing.
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wtravlr1
Palm Harbor, Flordia, and Geneva-on-the-lake, Ohio
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downtheroad wrote:Yes, greasing the hitch ball is a very good idea. This is what I use.
yes grease
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Hornet28BHDS
Parker, PA
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Definately go for the grease!
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BobJoh
Whitestown, IN 46075
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Joined: 05/23/2004
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I put a double piece of wax paper on mine before droping the coupler on. But we don't tow long distances. No dirty grease.
BobJoh
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djgarcia95928
Northern, Ca. , USA
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Joined: 07/26/2002
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Bigbird99 wrote:In pulling a bumper pull trailer, I see that most campers I compe across don't put any grease on the ball or inside the trailer's hitch. I would think that one would want some sort of lubrication between the metal ball and the metal hitch. Is it or is it not a good idea to have a greased ball? Is this the same for a fifth wheel hitch?
Not using any grease is a disaster waiting to happen . I use white lithium that comes in a squeeze tube. At least when you brush your pants or shirt on the lithium it does not show up as bad compared to using a dark colored grease
Dick
djgarcia@earthlink.net
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jharrelson
Carson City, Nevada
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Everyone has their opinion on this subject... and that's as it should be...
But here is my opinion...
I have never used any type of oil or grease on a trailer hitch ball or coupling.. Nor do I recommend putting any type of lubricant on them.
Grease and oil will collect dirt and form a "Grinding Compound" that could cause damage to the surfaces of both ball and coupling.
*** Especially if it's one of the new type Aluminum balls ***
For about fifty years, give or take a year, I have pulled all types of trailers, from small open bed utility, to small and large boat trailers, to large 12000 pound enclosed utility trailers and several RV trailers ranging in length from 18 ft to 30 ft.... and never had any type of problems with using a dry ball ....
But as I have said... everyone has an opinion on this issue.. so you must make your own choice on the issue.
as for me .. if I ever catch someone greasing my hitch ball, they better have a proctologist close at hand to remove my foot from their rear end..
John
John Harrelson
Carson City, Nevada
fulltime since 1977
93 Ford 350 4wd Diesel
95 Prowler 30.5 ft 5th wheel w/slide
TWO CENTS WORTH
The story goes that a man died and was approached by the Devil who told him that he could buy his soul back for a dollar. The man searched his pockets and could only come up with 98 cent. While begging the Devil to forget the two cent he was short, an Angel happened by and hearing the Devil laughing, asked the man, "Would you mind if I put in my two cents ?" The Devil got so mad that he exploded in a puff of smoke and the man's soul was saved.
The moral: Sometimes putting in your two cents worth makes a difference.
JOHN "the cook" 1997
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mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
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Well the "Aluminum trailer hitches" have an aluminum body but the ball/balls are still steel. Seen a lot of them.
As for the grinding compound, if you don't clean anything that gets dirty any lubricant will act as a grinding compound.
Metal to metal on a high pressure application like a trailer hitch or a 5th wheel pad and pin will gall from the load and spall or tear the surface.
Not to mention EVERY hitch/receiver/draw bar/ball/coupler builder recommends using lubricant.
Keeping it clean if fairly easy if you buy a $2 ball cover and keep a rag handy to wipe out the coupler once in a while.
In over 30 years of being a repair tech for the extended camping family I can say I never saw a "ground out/up coupler/ball" caused by dirty grease, but saw a lot of them gouged and spalled from no lubricant.
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