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Old 07-24-2014, 10:27 PM   #1
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Question

On your sway arms, what areas should you lube/grease and what should you not grease? Not sure of the correct terminology but where the ends of the sway bars go into the metal pockets, (where it actually moves left and right when you make turns), should you grease this where it moves to the left and right ? It is metal to metal that constantly makes rubbing contact. I think these may be called spring bars. the back end has the chain links and the front end is where I am asking about. Thanks-------------Mike
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Old 07-24-2014, 10:45 PM   #2
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I always greased the top and bottom on each side and then had a rag to wrap them in when taken off to keep the grease off everything. I never greased the chain end. Also Don't forget to give your ball a little lube love also.
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Old 07-25-2014, 07:21 AM   #3
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Yes, you need to grease the ends where they fit into the sockets. In fact, my sockets have grease zerks on them. When I first got my trailer & WD hitch, it made a horrible grinding sound. Followed the advice of folks, here, and put some grease on the ends of the round bars. When I went to insert them into the sockets, I noticed the zerks. Pumped the zerks full of grease, added a thin coating to the ball, and now it's as quiet as a church mouse - at least until I turn a corner. I couldn't agree more with Ll2 on wrapping the ends with a towel, plastic bag, or something. Makes a heck of a mess inside the storage pass-thru when that grease gets all over everything!
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Old 07-25-2014, 09:49 AM   #4
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Be careful about greasing friction rotation points on your WDH/sway control hitch. For some points, the friction is what provides the sway control, and you don't want to lube that. In Brownie's example above, the round bars do not provide any friction sway control, so they should be greased where they enter the hitch head. However, I would not use standard grease on an Equalizer hitch head with 4-point friction sway control. They make a "lubricant" to use on the spring bar pockets, but IIRC, it's not standard grease, it's more like Vaseline. Vaseline is a very inefficient lubricant under pressure and works more to cut the noise than provide lubrication. Either way, if your spring bars hang in brackets on the trailer tongue that provide friction sway control, you definitely don't want to lube those points. I have been known to use Vaseline there, but I used very little, and wiped it off after a few tows and the noise has calmed down significantly.

Either way, I would still grease the hitch ball.

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Old 07-25-2014, 03:40 PM   #5
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Still confused

My sway bars are square and not round. They are Reese and about 30 years old. The rear has the chain links, and the front is where it goes into the pocket area and does the moving left and right.
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Old 07-26-2014, 10:34 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Camper_bob View Post
Be careful about greasing friction rotation points on your WDH/sway control hitch. For some points, the friction is what provides the sway control, and you don't want to lube that. In Brownie's example above, the round bars do not provide any friction sway control, so they should be greased where they enter the hitch head. However, I would not use standard grease on an Equalizer hitch head with 4-point friction sway control. They make a "lubricant" to use on the spring bar pockets, but IIRC, it's not standard grease, it's more like Vaseline. Vaseline is a very inefficient lubricant under pressure and works more to cut the noise than provide lubrication. Either way, if your spring bars hang in brackets on the trailer tongue that provide friction sway control, you definitely don't want to lube those points. I have been known to use Vaseline there, but I used very little, and wiped it off after a few tows and the noise has calmed down significantly.

Either way, I would still grease the hitch ball.



Just my pair o' pennies.

Good points, CB! I should have mentioned NOT to lube the friction sway control. And thanks for bringing up the Vaseline on the Equalizer hitch head, as well.
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Old 07-26-2014, 10:50 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by cobblestone1820 View Post
snip..... and the front is where it goes into the pocket area and does the moving left and right.
..... Yes, it's the "pockets" in the ball mount where you apply some grease. Sounds like you have the trunnion (square) style spring bars, not the round style.

Bob
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Old 07-26-2014, 01:53 PM   #8
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Hmmmmmm

But the pockets is where the friction DOES take place.
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Old 07-26-2014, 02:35 PM   #9
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It doesn't sound like your hitch is designed to provide integrated sway control, (weight distribution only) so those spring bar sockets are most likely safe to lube. If you're towing a larger trailer, I would get a sway control to add to your setup. If you grease them, tow for a bit and see how it does, if it sucks, you can always wipe the grease off and start over.
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Old 07-26-2014, 02:51 PM   #10
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I think u r right

I think you are correct Bob in that mine are just Reese weight distributing bars only. We got them back around 1984. used a few times then but havent camped now in about 24 years.
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Old 07-26-2014, 10:55 PM   #11
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Please note that 'Camper_bob' references a "Equalizer hitch head" in his post, which is the "Equal-i-zer" brand WDH with integrated sway control. I offer this clarification because many folks refer to a standard WDH (Reese, Draw-Tite, etc.) as an equalizer hitch.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Camper_bob View Post
snip...... In Brownie's example above, the round bars do not provide any friction sway control, so they should be greased where they enter the hitch head.......snip
The above statement (which is correct) refers to WDH brand names like Reese, Draw-Tite, etc., who manufacture standard WDH's that come in either a Round Spring Bar or Trunnion (square) Spring Bar.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Camper_bob View Post
snip...... I would not use standard grease on an Equalizer hitch head with 4-point friction sway control. They make a "lubricant" to use on the spring bar pockets, but IIRC, it's not standard grease, it's more like Vaseline.....snip
The above statement (which is correct) is referring specifically to the "Equal-i-zer" brand WDH.

'Camper-bob', please advise if I'm not interpreting your statements correctly.

Bob
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:09 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle View Post
Please note that 'Camper_bob' references a "Equalizer hitch head" in his post, which is the "Equal-i-zer" brand WDH with integrated sway control. I offer this clarification because many folks refer to a standard WDH (Reese, Draw-Tite, etc.) as an equalizer hitch.







The above statement (which is correct) refers to WDH brand names like Reese, Draw-Tite, etc., who manufacture standard WDH's that come in either a Round Spring Bar or Trunnion (square) Spring Bar.







The above statement (which is correct) is referring specifically to the "Equal-i-zer" brand WDH.



'Camper-bob', please advise if I'm not interpreting your statements correctly.



Bob

Nope, that's all 100% correct!
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:41 AM   #13
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...... appreciate the confirmation

Bob
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Old 07-27-2014, 02:54 PM   #14
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Thanks Guys

Thank you guys for all the very helpful information. I try to limit myself to just a couple questions a day lol.
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