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05-06-2022, 10:58 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Lancaster, Virginia
Trailer: 2022 Escape 21C
Posts: 118
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What lube?
What do folks use to lubricate the ball on the drawbar?
Ed
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05-07-2022, 06:41 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
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White lithium grease spray can from Walmart.
__________________
Carl,
"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
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05-07-2022, 06:52 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Ocean Park, Maine
Trailer: 21NE picked up in May 2022
Posts: 205
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I use some stuff called T9 bike lube on the hitch ball. I think it was about $10.
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05-07-2022, 09:01 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,154
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Buy an Andersen Greaseless Hardball and you'll never have to grease your ball again, nor put up with the mess. I used electrical contact cleaner to clean the receiver.
Enjoy,
Perry
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05-07-2022, 11:24 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New Mexico, New Mexico
Trailer: 2017 E19
Posts: 610
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Interesting; had to seen this before. Is the cap a coating to the steel ball; i.e., is it a wear point?
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05-07-2022, 12:08 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: East of Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2021 Escape 5.0 / 2022 F150 SuperCab
Posts: 2,866
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
Interesting; had to seen this before. Is the cap a coating to the steel ball; i.e., is it a wear point?
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It's not a coating, it's a thick (structural) plastic piece in lieu of the metal upper-half of the ball where most of the friction occurs between the ball and the coupler.
Will it wear enough to require more frequent replacement than metal in 'normal use'? I suspect it's very robust, but YMMV. I suppose worth it for folks averse to grease maintenance.
Personally I've always used whatever bearing grease is handy to lightly coat the steel ball when towing, wipe it off to prevent accidental grease smudges in case of contact between trips. I've never seen a need to replace a hitch ball, have some that have been in service for decades on multiple vehicles, Again, YMMV.
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05-07-2022, 01:16 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 21
Posts: 174
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We use the wd40 specialist white lithium grease spray.
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05-07-2022, 01:58 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 73
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I use a little squeeze of Lubriplate grease. Doesn’t seem to get to messy, a little goes a long way.
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05-07-2022, 03:07 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
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I've used white lithium spray grease, and I've used green waterproof marine ball bearing grease. key is, just a thin coat, or it gets everywhere and attracts dirt. I always remove my ball mount as soon as I'm unhitched because otherwise I end up banging my shins into it and thats painful. if the ball is greasy it picks up all kinda abrasive dirt if it touches the ground.
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05-07-2022, 06:41 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Lancaster, Virginia
Trailer: 2022 Escape 21C
Posts: 118
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Thanks for the responses. I particularly like the greaseless options
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05-08-2022, 06:36 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
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If we are unhooking I remove the weight distribution hitch and snap it into the trailer and lock it in. Keeps the ball clean and removes the shin bumper from the truck. Can still bang shins at the trailer. Turning the WDH sideways minimizes shin banging.
__________________
Carl,
"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
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05-08-2022, 07:54 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Trailer: 2020 21NE
Posts: 86
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05-08-2022, 11:06 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Philomath, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 16
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We cut an x on an old tennis ball and slide it over the lubed ball when we unhitch. Keeps you from a greasy contact unloading stuff from the back of the truck.
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