Grease on Trailer Hitch Balls

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Does anyone still grease the ball of their trailer hitch? It seems every time I see a truck with a tow package, I look at the ball and it is dry as a bone with rust spots. This is on work trucks that I know are used to tow stuff. I know when I was a kid, my grandpa always used grease on his ball because for some reason I liked to play with the grease. I guess I was still a BITOGer at a very young age.
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Is it just not necessary?
 
Not necessary, I use my truck to tow on occasion (tools, moving, etc.) and I never greased it. No reason too, a little rust is visable but it isnt going to damage the balls ability too tow.
 
Tony always greased the ball on the trailer hitches. He used a cover on the hitches to keep from getting grease on our clothes. We towed boats, a travel trailer, utility trailer and power washer trailer.
 
I never grease the ones on either of my trucks, and tow literally, at least 5-6 days / week, everywhere I go. I've wondered if it may be a good idea to grease them, but I've never had one "bind up" or anything, and have never heard of it happening. I almost suspect that, although a minor concern, grease, in theory, could slightly increase the trailer's ability to come un-hitched. Although certainly this could only happen if there was something wrong with your hitch on the trailer itself, I would just rather not make that surface as slippery as possible, theoretically contributing to its easier self-removal. Again, a minor concern, but in my mind, I've had no trouble by not greasing it, and if you get tired of a rusty ball, a new one is $10-$15. Of course, mine stays covered up by the trailer 90% of the time, so I don't care if it's pink - no one will ever see it lol
 
i use wd-40 then immediately cover with a condom like rubber cover. never a rust spot.
 
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If your trailer has a lighting system it may not work if you put grease on the ball. I had a problem with a travel trailer using grease on the ball. I guess it prevents the ground from working between the two vehicles.
 
I always grease my balls...

A little Amsoil grease with my fingers then a cover to keep it neat and I am good to go!!!
 
If your trailer isn't grounded because you've greased your hitch ball then obviously you have a wiring problem. Your trailer should be grounded through the trailer harness to the vehicle harness.

I never grease my ball for my small sail boat, utility trailer, etc. I DO grease my ball on my travel trailer. The tounge weight is often in excess of 900 lbs. and the ball can wear significanly over time without grease. Another big reason is it can make it much easier to hitch and unhitch as well. Since the trailer is so heavy and the tounge jack doesn't have much side to side play it makes it easier for the ball to slide on and off. Perfect alignment is hard to achieve. I've heard of people with travel trailers struggle to get the trailer up off the ball at times.
 
Originally Posted By: WishIhadatruck
If your trailer isn't grounded because you've greased your hitch ball then obviously you have a wiring problem. Your trailer should be grounded through the trailer harness to the vehicle harness.


Yup. Can always spot those who ground through the ball, or safety chains.
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Flicker city.

They stop and get out to inspect, and everything's dandy.
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always grease the hitch ball. I you have ever driven a fully loaded semi with a dry 5th wheel plate you will know how much greasing the pivot helps the whole works.

I have wanted to upgrade the hitch ball on the rapid hitch on the back of my service truck to their 10K rated aluminum hitch balls. Supposedly the aluminum balls are self lubricating.
 
I used to grease the ball but got tired of messing up my clothes and hasseling with it. I only tow Jetskis, but none the less, I just grease it once at the beginning of the season real good, then hope that enough gets deposited up inside the tongue to last. I then wipe off the ball with WD40 and run it all year without more grease.

I would imagine that if I towed a heavier load that I'd begine greasing regularly again. But I have noticed that the 8yr old ball got rusty after 2 years of not greasing it every towing session...

Are you saying that just because the chrome is 25% worn off that I am okay??? Or do I need a new ball?
 
I drive for a rental company and have towed up to 14,000lbs on occasion.Usually only around 8,000 to 10,000 and I always grease my ball.I do clean it off and regrease every couple of months to remove any collected grit.By the way I had the ball wear throught one stamped steel hitch in about 2 years and that was with grease!!Before I started greasing I would notice metal filngs on the hitch and wear on the top of the ball,but that was my old trailer.I've been using the same 2 5/16 30,000lb capacity ball for about 3 years with grease and it still shows very little wear
Larry S.
 
My new boat has a 500 pound tounge weight. You bet I grease the ball. The ball might be hard steel but many couplers are mild steel. I grease not so much as to protect the ball as I do the coupler. Every once in a while I'll leave the hitch in the reciver and when I do, I might find fingerprints on the ball from where it looks like a 3 year old has grabbed the hitch ball. I just chuckle thinking how some parent out there is upset that they now have a greasy mess to clean up.
 
another thing to consider is that the higher rated hitch balls are a much stronger tougher metal. High carbon high strength. The trailer side of the equation is more likely to wear sooner with an ultra tough hitch ball.
 
I always greased, and used the plastic/rubber cover that costs 2$
once a year or 2 I'd clean it up real good and put fresh on.
 
AMSOIL makes a product called "Heavy Duty Metal Protector" it goes on wet and dries with a wax like coating. It protects well, allows some lubrication and won't get on your pant leg if you happen to brush up against it. It's good stuff.

Heavy Duty MP "Gary Allen's link"
 
you should grease it. It may be more prone to unhitch if dry, a bad coupler may more easily climb/screw itself off if dry.
And, you may also reduce some groaning sounds when driving.
Why would you want to keep this specific hi load joint on your rig dry? There is metal to metal contact if ungreased. Come on.
 
Originally Posted By: msparks
AMSOIL makes a product called "Heavy Duty Metal Protector" it goes on wet and dries with a wax like coating. It protects well, allows some lubrication and won't get on your pant leg if you happen to brush up against it. It's good stuff.

Heavy Duty MP "Gary Allen's link"




I can attest that this is a great product. I clean the ball and boat trailer hitch in the spring and apply Heavy Duty MP liberally and it will last all season and I have never seen any wear. And no dirty hands or pant legs!!
 
I'm new here. This site makes for some great reading. Thanks to everyone.
Take an old tennis ball and cut a large enough hole in the side so that your ball will press into the modified tennis ball. Keeps the grease in and the water out. No rust and no greasy clothes either. Tennis balls are not as easily damaged by the sun as some of the plastic cups that you can buy. A 6 year service life from a used tennis ball is not uncommon in Florida.
Just my two cents.....
 
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