Anybody lose their hitch ball? (hitch problem)

[sequoiasoon]

My trailer came loose 2 weeks ago and slammed into the bumper of my Sequoia. Luckily I was almost stopped when it happened! Only damage is the bumper cover. 4" cut straight through. $800 if I want to fix it, a nice metal bumper probably would only have a small ding. Oh well, it could have been worse, could have bunced up and hit the tailgate or popped off while I was doing 60+ mph on the expressway. Safety chains or not, big potential for taking out other peoples cars.

How it happened........
My nut unscrewed from the ball (yeah go ahead insert jokes here). I've been towing trailers on my own for 18+ years, as well as all the family camping trips when I was young, NEVER have I seen one of these unscrew. The new one is now on with locktite also.

I tell my neighbor about this "freak" thing so he checks his and it was also loose almost ready to fall off! Maybe it's the stainless steel but I know it never happened with those crappy chrome rusting ones I used to have. Mine happened with just my couple hundred pound utility trailer, he has a 23' 5,000 lb fishing boat. Picture that getting loose. Now I haul this trailer at least 2 times per month since I bought my Sequoia in May '03. Why would it come loose after more than a year? Not that I've checked the actual torque, but I know I look at it every time I put the draw bar into the receiver and it was always tight with the lock washer being totaly flat and was this time also

[xedge]

Glad to hear that you got away with little damage. It coulda better much worse

Two friends on two different occasions have had this happen to them. One watched his trailer and his snowmobile go flying past him into a ditch. Broke the safety chains like their weren't even there. Luckily no one was coming in the opposite lane. Trailer and sled were toast. Last year following a bud back from our trip in ME, I noticed his trailer strangely swaying so when we stopped for gas it was discovered his trailer ball was hanging by its last thread. Not good! Mine I took to a trailer place and had pneumatically put on. I now have incorporated doing this periodically as part of my pre-tow checklist.

I notice now at WalMart that the Reese hitchballs have a hexagon base and the ballmounts are recessed in a similiar shape to fit snugly. Maybe this helps prevent vibration?

[LGL002]

I had this problem some years back and solved it by drilling a hole through the threaded shaft below the nut and inserted a stainless steel roll pin. Drilling through the nut and shaft doesn't work well because if you ever remove the nut they're a bugger to line back up. An easier way might be to double nut it if there's enough threaded shaft length or use one of those hairpin type clips that are made to hold a pin in place. Some of the Lock Tite compounds don't always work where they're exposed to the weather and the clearances between the threads on the shaft and nut are pretty loose.

Larry

[DJ]

When I bought the tongue and ball for my Tundra back in '00, the ball called for 250 ft-lbs of torque on the nut. How much torque did yours have?

[H2O_MAN]

I had that happen on Florida Hwy 41.
I was towing a Hovercraft to Gasparilla Island
for a TV spot... the trailer and craft passed me at about 50 mph

Luckily it settled in the median and I was able to clean the dirt and grass off, hookup and continue my trip.

I was new to towing and did not check the connection before I
left the plant in Miami - someone else hooked up the trailer.
I learned my lesson - DIY and allways check everything before you start the vehicle.

[ricqik]

After I tighten the nut down I put acouple of weld spots on the threads and nut to keep it from undoing. Works like a charm.

[matttom]

Originally Posted by 7.62mm

I had that happen on Florida Hwy 41.
I was towing a Hovercraft to Gasparilla Island
for a TV spot... the trailer and craft passed me at about 50 mph

Luckily it settled in the median and I was able to clean the dirt and grass off, hookup and continue my trip.

I was new to towing and did not check the connection before I
left the plant in Miami - someone else hooked up the trailer.
I learned my lesson - DIY and allways check everything before you start the vehicle.

That reminds me of a similar story

I went to the maintanace yard to pick up one our boats. When I got there one of the workers hooked up the trailer for me. So I looked at the conection before I left. It was one of those screw on type hitches, and I had never used one before , so I asked the worker if he was sure it was on right. Of course he said it was fine.... On the first right turn I made a 20' Boston Whaler came through the rear glass of the Expedition I was driving

Needless to say I don't let that worker touch anything I use any more!!!

[KLS]

Originally Posted by DJ

When I bought the tongue and ball for my Tundra back in '00, the ball called for 250 ft-lbs of torque on the nut. How much torque did yours have?

To get 250 ft-lbs, someone would need a torque multiplier or a 3' or 4' cheater bar on a wrench. It can't be done with the usual inch & a-quarter combination wrench, socket & flex bar, or many impact wrenches.


Ken

[DJ]

Originally Posted by KLS

To get 250 ft-lbs, someone would need a torque multiplier or a 3' or 4' cheater bar on a wrench. It can't be done with the usual inch & a-quarter combination wrench, socket & flex bar, or many impact wrenches.


Ken

It's easy.

I weigh 200 lbs.

250 ft - lbs / 200 lbs = 1.25 ft = 15 inches

I used a 3/4" breaker bar and a socket. The bar was about 24" long.

I turned the tongue sideways and stuck it in the receiver of the truck. Then I put the ball on it and snugged up the nut.

I tightened the nut by pushing down on the wrench at a point 15" from the center of the nut. When the nut wouldn't turn any more with all my weight at that point on the wrench, it was tightened with 250 ft lbs of torque.

Piece 'o cake.

[sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted by DJ

When I bought the tongue and ball for my Tundra back in '00, the ball called for 250 ft-lbs of torque on the nut. How much torque did yours have?

I don't know how much torque was on it originally because I didn't have a large enough socket or torque wrench. I used the same basic method you described but used an 18" pipe wrench with the hitch sideways in the receiver same as many other people do. Never had a problem before and it was ALWAYS a pain in the butt to get it loose if I had to change ball sizes. When I put the new ball on I went to Autozone and borrowed their torque wrench and a socket, covered the threads in loctite and torqued it to 250 ft lbs. Will a Cobalt drill bit be able to make it through 1" stainless steel? I'm not sure of all the metalurgy properties but the ball has a 1" shaft and is rated for 7,000 lbs. I think this might be next investment http://www.anythingtruck.com/Merchan...Code=602-31004 at least I wont need to worry about changing it for other sizes.

[DJ]

Originally Posted by sequoiasoon

I don't know how much torque was on it originally because I didn't have a large enough socket or torque wrench. I used the same basic method you described but used an 18" pipe wrench with the hitch sideways in the receiver same as many other people do. Never had a problem before and it was ALWAYS a pain in the butt to get it loose if I had to change ball sizes. When I put the new ball on I went to Autozone and borrowed their torque wrench and a socket, covered the threads in loctite and torqued it to 250 ft lbs. Will a Cobalt drill bit be able to make it through 1" stainless steel? I'm not sure of all the metalurgy properties but the ball has a 1" shaft and is rated for 7,000 lbs. I think this might be next investment http://www.anythingtruck.com/Merchan...Code=602-31004 at least I wont need to worry about changing it for other sizes.

You can drill it with a sharp, titanium coated bit. It would be wise to use a drill press instead of a hand drill.

For a while, I had a nice flat-bed trailer that used a 2 5/16" ball, and I have used other trailers with a 2" ball. I had a separate tongue and ball for each. It's only money.

[KLS]

Originally Posted by DJ

It's easy.

I weigh 200 lbs.

250 ft - lbs / 200 lbs = 1.25 ft = 15 inches

I used a 3/4" breaker bar and a socket. The bar was about 24" long.

I turned the tongue sideways and stuck it in the receiver of the truck. Then I put the ball on it and snugged up the nut.

I tightened the nut by pushing down on the wrench at a point 15" from the center of the nut. When the nut wouldn't turn any more with all my weight at that point on the wrench, it was tightened with 250 ft lbs of torque.

Piece 'o cake.

Piece 'o cake for you & me 'cuz we're engineers. Most folks don't know what you know nor have a 3/4" breaker bar. You know how some folks struggle with even a lug wrench when they could simply put it on the nut at about horizontal and step on it.

To drill stainless, one needs a properly sharpened drill bit, slow rotation speed, steady pressure, and cutting oil. Too much rotation speed or too light pressure will just dull the cutting edges. I agree, buy a ball mount for each size ball.


Ken

[romar]

Originally Posted by KLS

To drill stainless, one needs a properly sharpened drill bit, slow rotation speed, steady pressure, and cutting oil. Too much rotation speed or too light pressure will just dull the cutting edges. I agree, buy a ball mount for each size ball.

Don't ask me how or why 'cuz I don't know, maybe one of you engineers could explain. A trick some old timers showed me at work for drilling through stainless was to apply baking soda mixed w/ water into a thick paste to the surface to be drilled. Works like a charm every time.

The 2" ball I purchaced from U-haul came with a nylon compression washer. Directions were to crank down on the nut till the nylon popped out around the nut & hitch. Kind of like grease out of a u-joint.

[keith93611]

All, I have read the comments and have a few of my own.... lets start with I am not an engineer but I have been in the towing industry for about 20+ years.. Ball Torque is over looked on 95% of installs, a 3/4 in shank needs to be 150lbs, 1in shank needs to be 250lbs and a 1 1/4 in shank needs to be 325.lbs, so get out your pipe wrench, crescent wrench & your 3/4 in barker bar and set them aside they wont do the JOB, now find a torque wrench that will meet the specs needed, or take it to a pro that dose this for a living and have it done right.... most shops wont charge you a dime. this also covers you if anything goes wrong. I have seen a lot of court cases that went bad and insurance company's that didn't have to pay out a dime due to lack of the owners ignorance.

[keith93611]

sorry, last post mistake, I have fat fingers and a small keyboard the proper torque on a 1 1/4 in shank is 450lbs, just for the people who would like to know a 3in ball with a 2in shank will require 4550lbs yes your reading it right 4550 lbs of torque Try using a cheater bar and let me know how it works out for you....