Greasy hitch parts

[Jebster]

My wife and I were trying to figure out what to do with the greasy hitch parts while camping and while the trailer is being stored. I will have an absolute fit if grease gets all over the storage compartment or in my truck. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

[LongIslandCamper]

We actually keep the sway bar and bars in their original boxes. The actual ball mount goes in a milk crate

[Rustic Eagle]

I keep a plastic tray/bin (Walmart) in my pass through and put my spring bars in there when not in use. I also put a quartz size freezer bag over the knuckle end of the spring bar. I set my ball mount in my pass through as well with a freezer bag over the ball.

By the end of the summer new freezer bags are required

Bob

[drfife]

I'm fortunate to have a Hensley hitch. The spring bars stay attached. There are no greasy parts to handle. The only thing that is removed is the draw bar "stinger" from the receiver.

[tinlizzie23]

When I had a TT, I covered the bar ends with a couple of Walmart plastic bags, and the same with the ball mount. Then into the back of the Suburban, and never had grease on anything. Bags had to be replaced frequently, but we always had an over supply of bags anyway.

[FPM III]

I use a long wooden box that wine was shipped in and lined it with a piece of brattice cloth. Brattice cloth, used in mining, is kind of a like a heavy-duty, reinforced tarp. The box keeps all the hitch equipment confined and the brattice cloth lining prevents any grease from getting absorbed into the wood and allows it to be easily wiped off with a paper towel. The box is long enough that I can slide it out through the trailer's pass-thru compartment door just like a drawer for convenient removal/storage of all hitch equipment.

[McMonk]

I put leftover carpet in the storage area to keep things from sliding around. I've a large rag/towel that sits in there. Sway bar & hitch go on the rag/towel, which is then draped over the whole she-bang. Once every couple of years, I recycle a towel from the house. Just don't tell the wife and never use the new ones!

[Jagiven]

I have an Equalizer brand hitch. Typically I leave the hitch in the receiver while at camp and I pull the bars around to the truck. Sometimes I will pull the hitch and place the ball in tongue of the trailer and lock it in. If I do this I remove the bars and swing the hitch around to one side so it is not a leg breaker. My theory is it was made to get wet so it can stay outside.

At home I take the hitch apart (to reduce its weight) and place it in the garage on the floor under my shelves so it is out of the way.

If I bring the trailer into the shop for work, I place the hitch parts right inside the passage door.

I never place the hitch in the cargo hold as I do not want to damage the small cargo door trying to get it in and out, nor throw out my back reaching to get it in and out.

[bayleightucker]

While in camp we put all the hitch components on a small piece of plywood under the front of the tt. I then run a small piece of chain thru all the parts and include the propane bottle, battery, and portable generator. I don't want one piece stolen and not be able to return home. In storage we use the same plywood and store all the components on the floor inside the tt......happy camping!

[dalenoel]

Originally Posted by drfife

I'm fortunate to have a Hensley hitch. The spring bars stay attached. There are no greasy parts to handle. The only thing that is removed is the draw bar "stinger" from the receiver.

X2

[Wyotraveler]

Living on a ranch everything that moves gets grease, yup, even the top of the hitch ball. I carry a box of large black trash bags in the TT. I use them a lot. I have a grease gun, extra tubes of grease and a couple of large rags in one of those black trash bags that is wrapped up and stowed in my truck tool box.

I wear throw away rubber goves when I hook or unhook the TT. I grease all moving parts when I hook the TT and I wipe all the grease off with the rag when I unhook the TT. Once wiped down the trunion bars go in my truck tool box. The rags and grease gun and grease tubes get rolled back up in the plastic bag when I am finished. Rags are cheap. Costco sells bundles of small towels for that purpose. Most farm stores sell boxes of actual rags for that purpose. When they get too dirty or greasy they go in the trash.

[RustyFairmount]

The port storage hatch on our x23b is used for tools, electric cords, and hitch parts. The draw bars get old gym socks over the greasy ends to keep them clean from dirt and sand. They get put into the port compartment, along with the ball hitch, which is covered in a heavy duty shopping bag.

[fochman]

I just wipe the grease off with some shop towels once we get unhitched and put them in the bed of my truck. Just reapply grease before hooking back up again. Only takes a few minutes.

[edowsfamily]

I was a old pair of work gloves and slip the greased up ends and the ball in them

[usar2931]

I agree with wiping off the old grease and applying new. Grease holds onto dirt, which can lead to excessive wear on the parts over time.

[mrnoyb]

I leave the hitch attached to the truck and support the spring bars against the "L" brackets.

[cekkk]

We were using a ProPride 3P, so like the Hensley, there was no grease problem. But it didn't work out for our TT's design and we now have an Equalizer. The bars are clean, but I have to deal with the grease on the ball mount. I put a Walmart type bag over the ball and secure it with duct tape. It now comes in a gorgeous array of colors. I chose grey. Anyway, the bag is disposable, and with a minimum of caution, I remain grease free. BTW, anyone want a 3P at a bargain price?

[Quahog]

Something else I used to use for the ball was a tennis ball. Simply cut the ball along its lines until it's loose enough to slide over the ball and you're good to go.

[cekkk]

It's a pain to remove the shank, but the thought of getting rear-ended and damaging it while driving around is enough to make me remove it almost as soon as I unhitch.

[Crabman]

I seem to end up getting greasy! Need to address this also.