64GT ~ What kind of hitch setup do you have? We had a thread some time ago that delt with the coupler jumping off of the ball with a WD hitch. I did some testing on my rig and with the WD attached, the coupler and ball are very well attached.
Hello Everyone,
If that WD and tv and trailer are level and setup right ,no way that will allow
the hitch to come off .The load of the bars pulls down on the ball ,not up.I agree with the others on the wear off the inner piece that locks upwards against the lower part of the ball .I use the grease from the rv shop to lube the ball ,the sway control ball ,and th wd bars where they insert into the hitch head.here is a funny note, my original tongue hitch is stamped for
2 5/16 ball and is an atwood , it looks original ,the welds and such as well
as the jack is retained by four large solid rivits .No indication that I can see it was not factory installed .The kicker is that the ball size is 2" ,yes 2" and a
2 5/16 ball does not fit in the coupler ,no way possible .The 2" ball fits tightly
and I use the jacking up method also as I must to install the spring bars.
So that is a strange one isn't it ?Definately find out what the deal is and do cross the chains ,if they are too short to cross ,replace them with longer ones as they will help "catch" the tongue as it comes off .SCARY
I have an original 1956 boat trailer, for an original 1955 #28 hull Boston Whaler. It needs a new tongue/hitch set-up. Is the best choice a 2", or a 2 15/16"??? Any recommendations? - if so, why? why not?
You mean 2 5/16 ball ,and of course 2" .Any way the 2" really is plenty strong and you can get a 1" shank as I have for my tradewind .2 5/16
are usually for heavier trailers ,longer ,bigger etc. since your replacing your coupler you really can go either way .Of course the larger ball will be much stronger,but then do you need it ? Probably not ,but you will feel better with the knowledge that your hitch ball and coupler are extra strong.
I think the answer for you depends on if you have other trailers. A 2" is certainly enough. It's a little more common (i.e. renting a Uhaul, most boats, etc.). However, if you have another trailer that takes a different size then you probably want to stick with one size. A 1-7/8" should be plenty for the whaler too and is common on small single axle boat trailers.
Historical (hysterical?) note: Uhaul used to use 2-1/8" balls. I keep one around for "weird" occasions. I like WD hitches. However, they do take a little longer to hook up and if you're launching your whaler from the trailer, especially into salt water you might not want to expose your WD hitch to this. IF your tow vehicle can handle it and IF the whaler tows fine without it then a separate light weight shank for your boat is in order.
I found this thread to be very helpful but it brought another question to mind. If from time to time replacement of the ball is recommended that's going to be a little hard for the Hensley since its welded on?
I have had my trailer for 1 year and pulled it about 7000 miles. When I checked the lube today is was almost all gone. Had some shiny spots on the front of the ball but doesn't appear to be worn to any excess.
So thanks to the gentlemen who started the thread its helped me be aware of the need for grease. I am assuming once a year will be enough?
Pappy
Last edited by Mel; 06-30-2006 at 10:30 AM.
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