Squeaky Andersen hitch

[J Mac]

Why not: when using ball grease, place a plastic shopping bag over ball after de-coupling, then store your hitch.
Reverse order when needed.

[Parker]

I've used commercial plastic ball covers in the past, which I keep in a ziploc when not in use. I'm afraid the plastic bag would fly off while driving around between tows. The whole thing is a messy business if grease is involved. I'm hoping the dryer sheet idea works.

It's about time for Alf to chime in again about his nice clean nylon hitch plate.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Parker

I've used commercial plastic ball covers in the past, which I keep in a ziploc when not in use. I'm afraid the plastic bag would fly off while driving around between tows. The whole thing is a messy business if grease is involved. I'm hoping the dryer sheet idea works.

It's about time for Alf to chime in again about his nice clean nylon hitch plate.

Hi: Parker... Ding dong... LoL. Just another plus for the 5.0TA. No grease required!!!
Will we see you at Niagara Wine Escape in Sept? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Just another plus for the 5.0TA. No grease required!!!

I understand that you avoid grease on the plate itself by using a plastic disk, but what about the pin (on the trailer) and the jaw mechanism (in the hitch) that engages the pin: don't they need grease? All of the pulling force is applied between that pin and those jaws.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Will we see you at Niagara Wine Escape in Sept? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

We're planning on a trip to Maine this fall if all goes well and hope to break ground on a new house around 1 September. We had a great time last year, and it would be fun to renew friendships, but we may have to miss this year. Or, be willing to show up at the last minute if we find we can get away.

[Brian B-P]

Why dryer sheets?

According to Wikipedia, dryer sheets likely do contain a lubricant:

Fabric softeners work by coating the surface of the cloth fibers with a thin layer of chemicals; these chemicals have lubricant properties and are electrically conductive, thus making the fibers feel smoother and preventing buildup of static electricity.

I don't know what the lubricant might be, since the Bounce MSDS lists only the stearic acid, which is likely included as the cationic softener but may be the only lubricant as well. Whatever the lube might be, it's unlikely to be optimal for a bearing surface. I suppose the fibers (polyester according to HowStuffWorks) helps hold the lube in place, but my guess is that (as Parker suggested) any relative solid wax will work as well and will stay in place.

Personally, I would not want a sheet getting ground up in my coupler and leaving its fibers behind. Even if this works okay in a conventional setup, the high force on the ball when used with an Andersen No-Sway seems likely to destroy the sheet at least in the area where it is needed.

I don't know if Pennzoil makes Door-Ease anymore, but AGS does (as Door-Ease® Stick Lubricant) and there is also a range of stick lubricants used with metal-cutting tools in machine shops.


Anyone will to clean their ball and coupler, run an unlubricated test, clean them again, run a dryer sheet test, clean them again, and run a test with a stick lubricant?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I understand that you avoid grease on the plate itself by using a plastic disk, but what about the pin (on the trailer) and the jaw mechanism (in the hitch) that engages the pin: don't they need grease? All of the pulling force is applied between that pin and those jaws.

Hi: I use a light coating of liquid DuraLube on the pin/mechanism more as a rust protection coating than anything. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[sturski]

I would think that you'd want some friction between the ball and the hitch. Isn't that how the Anderson controls sway?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by escape artist

I use a light coating of liquid DuraLube on the pin/mechanism more as a rust protection coating than anything

Thanks Alf.
Just as many people run ball-and-socket couplings without lube, the very lightly loaded (compared to its capacity) fifth-wheel hitch could probably run unlubricated as well... but some grease (there are various DuraLube products but I assume this is a grease) makes sense to me (in both cases).

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by sturski

I would think that you'd want some friction between the ball and the hitch. Isn't that how the Anderson controls sway?

The deliberate friction in an Andersen No-Sway is between the cone and a socket lined with friction material like a brake uses. The ball is made in one piece with the cone, but friction between the ball and the coupler is not part of the Andersen sway control design.

It is common in Europe to use couplers which have friction pads which clamp onto the ball for sway control - perhaps they inspired the Andersen design - but they are not used here. They would tend to loosen our stud-mounted conventional balls.

[DonF]

Originally Posted by sturski

I would think that you'd want some friction between the ball and the hitch. Isn't that how the Anderson controls sway?

I thought the same and was initially hesitant to apply any lubricant to the ball. However, once I received the following from Anderson, I applied a light coat of lubricant on the visible wear areas of the ball when hooking up and had no more noise.
On Thursday, January 23, 2014, <customerservice@anderseninc.com> wrote:Some ball wear is expected from the coupler and clasp and some white lithium grease on the inside of your coupler especially the moving parts is recommended.

[Parker]

Here's the result of towing 275 miles with a dryer sheet on the Andersen hitch. It's cut right through, getting back to metal on metal. For the remainder of our trip I used the Pennzoil stick lubricant, and I think I'll go with that until I get a better idea. It's easy enough to wipe off when unhooking. I'm a little concerned with the rear edge of the flat on top of the ball. I wish the ball had been made round on top. The edge between the flat and curved surface seems to dig into the coupler on the Escape. I've knocked some of the sharpness off with a fine flat file; something Andersen probably wouldn't appreciate, but it seems better than having the edge concentrate the wear in one spot. I'm curious to know if others are seeing the same thing.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Parker

Here's the result of towing 275 miles with a dryer sheet on the Andersen hitch. It's cut right through, getting back to metal on metal.

Thanks for the test report!

Did either - or both - of the lubrication methods stop the squeaking?

[Parker]

I didn't notice any squeaking of what I would attribute to the hitch itself, but I do hear some squeaking. I suspect the elastomer springs as I go over bumps, but I have no way to verify that. I suppose that could also mean the chains are squeaking as they move through the square tubes as things flex. A touch of grease on the chains where they rub on the square tube, and a little talcum powder around the screw threads maybe?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Parker

I suppose that could also mean the chains are squeaking as they move through the square tubes as things flex. A touch of grease on the chains where they rub on the square tube, and a little talcum powder around the screw threads maybe?

I speculated at the beginning of this discussion that the chains might be a source of the squeaking; this (and the springs against the screws) seems likely if the sound is only over those bumps, and not associated with turns. In hindsight, the ball seems more likely... until you have lubricated the ball adequately.

Since the greatest relative motion of springs and screws would be at the forward end (far end from the nut), that would be the only area to address... anything that would make the nut more likely to loosen on the screw would be undesirable.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Since the greatest relative motion of springs and screws would be at the forward end (far end from the nut), that would be the only area to address... anything that would make the nut more likely to loosen on the screw would be undesirable.

Good point. However, when the elastomer springs are compressed, and then flexed when going over bumps, I wonder if the effective hole diameter decreases and causes squeaking as the threads work back and forth. Like you, I would be reluctant to add any lubricant to the threads. We need a volunteer to walk along the hitch with a stethoscope (or length of hose held to the ear) while someone drives slowly along over uneven terrain.....being careful that no-one is run over in the process.

Or, just add a little grease to the chain to see if that helps at all.

Wait.......these things squeak when tightening up the nuts. Where is that coming from? I'll be back in a few minutes.

[Parker]

Okay, the nuts squeak on the washers when tightening everything up, which is irrelevant. What is more interesting is that alternately loosening and tightening the nuts so the yoke rotates back and forth generates the the same sort of noise I hear when towing. I didn't want to unhitch in the dark to really grease up the ball to verify this, but I strongly suspect that rotation of the ball unit in the friction material is generating the noise. As we go over bumps and do anything that rocks the trailer (in addition to turning) the yoke has to work back and forth some. I think that's the culprit, in which case we'll have to learn to love it.

[Jrn56]

Adding a little grease only to the ball eliminated all the squeaking for me.

[DonF]

Originally Posted by Jrn56

Adding a little grease only to the ball eliminated all the squeaking for me.

Same here.
Don

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Seems only the squeaky hitch gets the grease!!! We are leaving for "Hitchstock" Bolerama @ Long Beach Conservation Area, south of Wainfleet Ontario.
Will be "Glassing" with about 100 other trailers, and busy running the nickle tours!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie