Hitch ball lubrication

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Red Lucas bearing grease in a small, about 1 cup, plastic jar with screw-on lid. Keep it in the trunk, smear some on with gloved fingers before hitching.
After unhitching, cover ball with orange plastic newspaper bag, slip rubber ball cover over it. That keeps ball cover clean and provides an orange warning to on-coming shins. Usually tie plastic grocery bag over trailer tongue.
Stays slick, resists rust, covers keep grease off everything. Grease can reach out up to 18" you know, and smear itself on anything. It has a special proclivity for light-colored clothing and unwary hands.

[JebTN]

Originally Posted by Finally Able

I use a bit of lithium grease on the ball as needed -- don't need much. After towing, I always place a sandwich baggie over the ball, pull the hitch from the receiver and stow it in a storage bay to prevent someone cracking a leg on it. I also remove and stow the anti-sway bars to prevent theft and protect them.

I agree, I do the same thing. I put a plastic bag on the ball and pull the hitch before pulling away from the trailer. By doing this no one gets a bashed shin (especially myself) and the ball stays lubricated. I re-grease as needed, but not very often. I use silicon crease just because I had a tube, been using the same tube for over 20 years.

Wish everyone pulled the hitch, constantly having to dodge them in parking lots, some so rusty I don't think they have seen a trailer for years.

[joe w]

I use Reese hitch ball grease on the ball and on the L brackets on the trailer frame. I use one of those Ziploc 1 quart bags to cover the ball when not in use and secure it with a piece of shoestring.

[mikehoots]

Originally Posted by slabat

I have never greased a ball in all the years I have been towing. As someone said the chances of brushing up to it is great. The other thing is grease will pick up dirt, not sure that is going to be good for a ball either.

In 40 yrs and 1000's of miles I have never greesed my ball either

[jimmoore13]

Grease (I use chassis grease from a grease gun, because I keep a small grease gun handy) and a rubber slip on cap for the ball when it's not connected.

ALSO, it's desirable to grease the inside of the receiver and/or the outside of the mating portion of the hitch ball mount. There's far more motion in there than you realize. If I pull and store the ball mount, I have a bag in which I store it to keep things clean. If I pull the ball mount, I wipe out the grease in the receiver to keep it from picking up grit.

I clean everything and regrease annually. In the case of the hitch ball, if the ball is clean, I add grease occasionally as needed, but between the coupler and the ball cover, very little grease is lost or contaminated.

[rgrimm]

Originally Posted by DelawareSteve

Continuing my newbie questions-we had the Fastway E-2 weight distribution sway control unit installed and service rep recommended that I lubricate the ball on every use. Which lubricant should I use?

I just use a sheet of wax paper. Rip off a piece as long as the Wax paper is wide, fold it in half, then fold in half again so I end up with a square. I place it on the top the ball and lower the hitch on the ball. The grease tends to hold dirt so the ball and inside hitch must be cleaned and re-greased. It's a messy job.

Every time I un-hitch I remove the used wax paper and replace it with a new piece the next time I hitch.

Works for me.
-Russ

[craigav]

Ball grease hasn't been an issue for me in a long time now, but for my boat and other trailers my thought is perhaps a "Clear Synthetic Grease" would be a better choice as for those who have greased their balls know, dark colored grease (perhaps white is not so bad) easily stains whatever it touches. ~CA

https://www.amazon.com/Tri-Flow-TF23...s%2C178&sr=8-3

[RedHorse1]

Originally Posted by rgrimm

I just use a sheet of wax paper. Rip off a piece as long as the Wax paper is wide, fold it in half, then fold in half again so I end up with a square. I place it on the top the ball and lower the hitch on the ball. The grease tends to hold dirt so the ball and inside hitch must be cleaned and re-greased. It's a messy job.

Every time I un-hitch I remove the used wax paper and replace it with a new piece the next time I hitch.

Works for me.
-Russ

We owned a bumper-pull for 2 years before the 5th and I did this too.

[Maizenbrew]

Originally Posted by mrmom

With the Fastway E2 you will hear a lot of "popping" noise from the bars during tight turns and backing. I have found that spraying the rub surface with WD40 where the bars sit on the trailer brackets works wonders. I do this every time I hook up. Not enough lubrication to diminish sway control but it sure cuts down on the noise and makes for smoother operation.

Guess I read someplace that lubricating the sway bars reduces the friction thereby reducing the effectiveness of the sway control.

[rust47]

I use plain old vaseline petroleum jelly. Just rub a little on the ball when leaving, then wipe it off when you get home.

[joe w]

Originally Posted by Maizenbrew

Guess I read someplace that lubricating the sway bars reduces the friction thereby reducing the effectiveness of the sway control.

I only lubricate when the bars rest on the trailer frame L brackets not the pivot points where the bars connect to the hitch head.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by joe w

I only lubricate when the bars rest on the trailer frame L brackets not the pivot points where the bars connect to the hitch head.

Have you read the manufacturers instructions? My e2 Fastway (Equalizer) states no lube on the L brackets, a little lube on the pivot points on the hitch head.

I use a dab of Red n Tacky on the hitch ball, clean it off after use and inspect for wear and cracks.

[joe w]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

Have you read the manufacturers instructions? My e2 Fastway (Equalizer) states no lube on the L brackets, a little lube on the pivot points on the hitch head.

I use a dab of Red n Tacky on the hitch ball, clean it off after use and inspect for wear and cracks.

Yes I have, no lube at the hitch head pivot points as that is where the anti-sway effect takes place.

[jghflys]

https://www.amazon.com/3-IN-ONE-Trai.../dp/B081P1K3XV

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by joe w

Yes I have, no lube at the hitch head pivot points as that is where the anti-sway effect takes place.

This is copied from the Equalizer owners manual:

Lubrication

Applying lube to your Equal-i-zer hitch will extend the life of your hitch's sockets and keep it running smoothly.
On each hitch the friction surfaces of the head should be kept clean and well lubricated with a good quality multi-purpose or bearing grease. With the Equal-i-zer, these are the surfaces where the arm sockets rub against the top and bottom plates of the head. It is also a good idea to grease the hitch ball.
It is not necessary to apply grease to the L-brackets or spring bars on any hitch model.

On my e2 Fastway, which is made by Equalizer, there are only 2 anti-sway points, that being contact with the L brackets. To prevent noise and excessive wear I use these, made by Equalizer. I still have outstanding anti-sway with these installed.

I also use these snap pins instead of the pins that come with the L brackets.

https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-9...s%2C118&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-9...s%2C118&sr=8-3

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by jghflys

https://www.amazon.com/3-IN-ONE-Trai.../dp/B081P1K3XV

I bought a can of that stuff, used it twice and threw it away. Might work OK, but sure makes a mess. First time the over-spray got all over the tailgate, then it dripped all over my new cement pad. Second time wasn't much better, so I trashed it!

Currently I am use this and works very well. A little goes a long way. If it doesn't work I'll go back to my Red-Tacky #2.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07THD8GJR...dDbGljaz10cnVl

[joe w]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

This is copied from the Equalizer owners manual:

Lubrication

Applying lube to your Equal-i-zer hitch will extend the life of your hitch's sockets and keep it running smoothly.
On each hitch the friction surfaces of the head should be kept clean and well lubricated with a good quality multi-purpose or bearing grease. With the Equal-i-zer, these are the surfaces where the arm sockets rub against the top and bottom plates of the head. It is also a good idea to grease the hitch ball.
It is not necessary to apply grease to the L-brackets or spring bars on any hitch model.

On my e2 Fastway, which is made by Equalizer, there are only 2 anti-sway points, that being contact with the L brackets. To prevent noise and excessive wear I use these, made by Equalizer. I still have outstanding anti-sway with these installed.

I also use these snap pins instead of the pins that come with the L brackets.

https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-9...s%2C118&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-9...s%2C118&sr=8-3

Maybe for the equalizer but not for my centerline TS. My instruction manual states no lubrication on the head pivot points, only the ball and the L bracket contact surfaces.

[mrmom]

Originally Posted by Maizenbrew

Guess I read someplace that lubricating the sway bars reduces the friction thereby reducing the effectiveness of the sway control.

If you use some kind of grease, probably will reduce the sway control. That is why I use the WD40, knocks down the rust & gives a slight amount of lube. It also evaporates over time, so it doesn't leave as much of a messy residue. Seems to work fine, my rig has no sway on the road.

[mrmom]

While we are on the subject of the Fastway E2, this might be a good time to share a project I did with my rig. I wanted to make sure that the L-pins and clips never got lost (or walk off) while not in use. I also needed a place to store the hitch head while parked. One note: I have since moved the hitch mount to the top of the frame so I didn't have to bend over far.

I made up a couple of wire rope lanyards for the L-pins an the retaining pins. You can get the materials at any home improvement store. Just drill a 1/8" hole in each L-pin, thread the wire rope through it and clamp the loop closed with aluminum ferrules. To attach them to the trailer, I just made a couple of clips out of some aluminum sheet I had laying around. For the retaining pins, I use a couple of Lynch pins (the kind that have the ring on the end that snap over to lock them in place). Again, just loop the wire through the ring and crimp on the ferrules to close.

[ARoamer]

I never had a bumper pull rv but have pulled car haulers and snowmobile trailers and never lubed hitch balls.

What about the gooseneck users, do they use lube on their bed mounted balls?