Excessive hitch wear

[Viajante]

I don’t have a wdh, but in Defenestrators photo in Post 37, there appear to be cracks forming on the “wings” of the hitch. Is that a concern?

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Viajante

I don’t have a wdh, but in Defenestrators photo in Post 37, there appear to be cracks forming on the “wings” of the hitch. Is that a concern?

I think what looks like a crack might just be the edge where a layer of paint has peeled, but the OP would know for sure.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

If it is indeed a WDH, then when under tow, the metal to metal contact pressure is on the bottom of the ball lifting up, is it not? Lifting the rear of the tow vehicle by upward pressure on the ball?

WDH's don't lift up on the ball. They "lift" the back of the tug by prying up on the ball mount / hitch head with the spring bars. Traditional WDH's (meaning everything except the Andersen No-Sway) add force down on the ball (typically hundreds of pounds), which could be part of the wear problem.

In Defenestrator's photo the ball appears to be rated for 7500 pounds. That's total trailer weight, and the vertical load rating might be (if typical) 750 pounds. The total of the trailer's tongue weight plus what the WDH is adding is likely over 750 pounds. The SAE standard for hitch component rating requires everything to withstand vertical force of 50% of the trailer weight (so 3750 lb in this case), but that's a breakage level, not a level that can be handled without excessive wear.

[War Eagle]

My bad. I knew I should have paid more attention in that Physics class. So from a functional standpoint, if the issue is excessive pressure from a WDH causing premature wear on the ball, then it seems the solution is liberal lubrication to slow wearing and expect more frequent ball replacement when wear eventually does becomes excessive. Is that it? Other solutions? I guess, depending on hardness of materials, one might anticipate eventually having to replace a worn coupler, too.

[Defenestrator]

Originally Posted by Viajante

I don’t have a wdh, but in Defenestrators photo in Post 37, there appear to be cracks forming on the “wings” of the hitch. Is that a concern?

Definitely looks like it in the photo and I'll double-check tomorrow, but I think it's just the paint crazing plus some spatters of rainwater left on the hitch.

[Defenestrator]

I haven't weighed my setup, but I'd guess it's somewhere in the vicinity of 3500-4000Lbs and probably 400-450Lbs of hitch weight. Definitely way below 7500/750.

I kind of suspect the problem isn't pressure but galling. It's a stainless steel ball, and the initial galling probably created uneven spots when it broke loose (which I've partially remediated via dremel).

Good point on the groaning possibly being from the weight distribution bars. I'll have to figure out a way to not make a mess when I remove and store them, though. Maybe plastic bags of some sort wrapped around the ends.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I leave my spring bars on the WDH, and remove the whole thing as an assembly from the reciever. its a heavy and awkward beast to duckwalk a few feet, for sure.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

I haven't weighed my setup, but I'd guess it's somewhere in the vicinity of 3500-4000Lbs and probably 400-450Lbs of hitch weight. Definitely way below 7500/750.

But when you apply tension to the WDH chains, the spring bars pull down on the trailer frame; this adds downward load to the trailer axle (as intended), but a side effect is much more downward load added to the coupler. The WDH alone is probably adding more than 750 pounds to the ball, regardless of the tongue weight.

The 7500 pound ball rating is fine for the Escape, but low for a ball used with a WD system. Even for lighter trailers than this, 2-5/16" balls are usually used for trailers that need WDH with typical tow vehicles.

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

I kind of suspect the problem isn't pressure but galling. It's a stainless steel ball...

Even galling starts with inadequate lubrication, or perhaps lubrication which is inadequate for the contact pressure. I like the idea of stainless steel to avoid corrosion, and the peeling problems of chrome-plated balls, but it might be soft enough for galling to be a concern.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

Good point on the groaning possibly being from the weight distribution bars. I'll have to figure out a way to not make a mess when I remove and store them, though. Maybe plastic bags of some sort wrapped around the ends.

I just use a couple of shop towels. One on the bottom and one on the top, with the bar heads in between. Isolates their dirty little heads from everything else. I then clean and apply new grease as needed. That grumpy little groan is a subtle reminder.......

[CharlesPou]

My routine is to grease the ball and trunnions each time I assemble to tow, and clean the old grease off each time I disassemble. A lot of work but I'm retired and generally need something to do to keep me active. I use paper towels because easy to toss in the trash after using.

As I understand it, the trunnions transfer force from the back of the tow towards the front of the tow with the lower trunnion pulling up and back against the hitch, and the upper trunnion pushing forward and down. I think the top of the ball has some extra weight put on it by this action, but not sure? I originally thought the WDH actually transferred some weight from the trailer to the tow, but others have said it doesn't, I don't know, but seems like it does?

The trunnions transfer force from the trailer to the tow and rotate in the mount as the tow and trailer turn, so definitely need to be greased alone with the ball IMO. I have never heard any noise coming from my WDH, always lubed it with something, but just use grease now.

This is my 1st WDH, and I never experienced the ball wearing before. So, I think some extra wear on the ball is maybe normal compared to towing without a WDH.

[padlin]

Don't know what kind of hitches we are talking about but back when I had an Equal-I-zer hitch I was told not to lube the contact point between the bars and the "L" brackets that you rest the weight distribution bars on on the trailer. Grease or whatever would defeat the sway function.

For the Equal-I-zer you can buy thick rubber pads that go between the bars and the L brackets, they cut about 50% of the grown. Looks like they would work on the E2's also.

I lightly greased the ball too, you eventually learn to not touch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QWoxuE5Ioo

[gbaglo]

Noises from the hitch assure me that the trailer is still connected. Not a problem.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Noises from the hitch assure me that the trailer is still connected. Not a problem.

The ‘popping’ sound in my knees is also reassuring

[War Eagle]

I have always used a rubberish hitch ball cover to keeps grease from rubbing off the ball onto places where it shouldn't be. Keeps rain and sunlight off the ball, too. Less than $5.00 at places like Walmart, Tractor Supply, etc.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ll-cover?rfk=1

[Oldtimer]

An old tennis ball works great too