Always check your hitch ball!

[Lifeguard53]

I’ve been towing trailers for years, but recently had a frightening epiphany. Arrived home from a trip and noticed my hitch ball missing after dropping off a cargo trailer. I’d towed my airstream across the country and back, motorcycles trailers, cargo trailers, boat trailers, travel trailers. I’ve never had a hitch ball loosen up. With complacency comes disaster. My son got the cargo trailers back to where it needed to go, musical equipment, back line. When he got home, no trailer ball. I asked him where it was, his boss went out in the parking lot and sure enough going over the speed bump ejected the ball with no nut. Thank goodness we didn’t have a yard sale of amps and drum sets all over the freeway. From now on I’m adding check torque on the hitch ball every trip. I would have hated my 28’ International Signature to be strewn about the highway.. Yep I feel like a dummy, but I learn. Also got a road master anti rattle device as I noticed my hitch pin hole was becoming a little sloppy, hopefully from now on , no rattling, and if there is, there’s a problem! Happy towing!

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, so if the nut worked loose over time and came off of the hitch, wouldn't it still be locked to the trailer's coupler? I can see it coming off of the hitch. I can see it coming out of the coupler. But not both. If I read your story correctly, the ball was found in the parking lot.

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, so if the nut worked loose over time and came off of the hitch, wouldn't it still be locked to the trailer's coupler? I can see it coming off of the hitch. I can see it coming out of the coupler. But not both. If I read your story correctly, the ball was found in the parking lot.

Ball found to parking lot after trailer was dropped off. No trailer attached when ball fell off. That’s what I understand anyway.

[Overstreet]

While you are looking at the hitch ball make sure it is rated for the load you are towing.

A friend of mine had one shear off that wasn't the right load rating.

[xrvr]

Often times cargo trailers have a smaller ball.

[Al U. Minium]

Lifeguard,

Did you normally grease your ball?

And...when you installed the retaining nut, how did you torque to spec...or not?

Al

[markdoane]

All couplers have a nut that can adjust the tightness of the coupler on the ball.

If it is too tight and the coupler can't freely rotate on the ball, then it can loosen the ball every time you make a left turn.

So check the torque, but also check that the coupler isn't too tight on the ball.

[Overstreet]

Originally Posted by xrvr

Often times cargo trailers have a smaller ball.

Sure if you get a single axle landscape utility or small box trailer it might have a 1 7/8" diameter ball with a tow class I , 2,000. The most used U_Haul cargo trailer I've used was a two axle box trailer that used a 2" ball and hauled 8,000# more or less. Balls and shanks come in different sizes and ratings. It is always best to rate them to the tow you are going to do.

Take a look at the balls and varing weight ratings for each diameter ball...…..
https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Hit...itch_Ball.aspx


Of course my brother in law, the contractor, used to tow a 40 ft cargo trailer that weighed out around 10,000.

There is no standard in "cargo trailer"

[dnas]

sorta related: two weekends ago we were towing a U-haul and lost the pin that holds the hitch apparatus in. Oopsy. But those chains REALLY work! Husband hopped out of the truck immediately when the U-haul started swaying and stuck a small nail remover bar through where the hitch pin would be, which allowed us to go to the nearest Wal-Mart and buy a new hitch pin. He's a regular McGuiver.

[Starlight Mike]

Do check torque on nut that holds the ball, it will loosen up and has happened to me.

[Captnkirk54]

We use a product in airplanes call torque putty . It leaves a small amount of material that will shear if a nut or bolt moves. After this story I think I will apply some to my hitch.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by Captnkirk54

We use a product in airplanes call torque putty . It leaves a small amount of material that will shear if a nut or bolt moves. After this story I think I will apply some to my hitch.

And that doesn’t keep things tight just shows if fastener has loosened up, right?

One of my favorite visuals is to look under ball mount flange for movement witness marks or try to slide a dollar bill between things that should be solidly tight against each other.

[Bob662]

One easy visual check is to see that the lock washer common to every hitch ball,is fully "flattened"/compressed. They still need to be torqued.

[wimpy]

While towing a car trailer with a car, safety chains & all, trailer & ball departed the hitch after 20 miles of extreme expansion joint bumps. Truck was being pushed into the oncoming concrete truck when the trailer tongue snapped the left rear metal tire valve, quick 360° sent everything into the ditch. Nut had been lost.

Minor damage to the hood of the car on the trailer, pants required cleaning & tire changed.

After getting a new nut, my machinist friend drilled a roll pin sized hole immediately below the torqued nut. Hammered in the roll pin, problem fixed permanently. Repeated for each of the hitch balls I used.

[SSquared]

I got my current hitch from Can-Am in Ontario. They torqued down the ball, then put a spot weld on it. It's not going anywhere.

[RWitherspoon]

10 years ago had a nut come loose on the ball, so I applied red Locktite. It is supposed to require extreme heat to remove the nut after using it.

Google result "Loctite Threadlocker Red 271 is designed for the permanent locking and sealing of threaded fasteners. The product cures when confined in the absence of air between close fitting metal surfaces. It protects threads from rust and corrosion and prevents loosening from shock and vibration."

[Lifeguard53]

Just never checked it, my bad!