Damaged Ball

GordonThree wrote:

Me Again wrote:
I guess some of you are to young to understand that a couple and/or ball can crystallize and fail without grease. Go forth and enjoy your bliss!

I love my ignorant bliss - so few things to worry about, I end up just having a good time.

If my hitch ball should turn to crystal some day, I'll come back here so the old-timers can tell me "I told you so!"

I couldn't find anything in the first few pages of google looking for papers regarding metallurgical failure of a hitch ball due to friction heating.

X2

Ignorance can be very peaceful. It's like before I got hearing aids and discovered how much noise of all types there is out there in the world that I don't need to or want to listen to.

Bill

Me Again wrote:
I guess some of you are to young to understand that a couple and/or ball can crystallize and fail without grease. Go forth and enjoy your bliss!

I love my ignorant bliss - so few things to worry about, I end up just having a good time.

If my hitch ball should turn to crystal some day, I'll come back here so the old-timers can tell me "I told you so!"

I couldn't find anything in the first few pages of google looking for papers regarding metallurgical failure of a hitch ball due to friction heating.

Me Again wrote:
Is that ball crystallized from lack of grease? Chris

No such phenomenom.

Looking at the picture the ball looks to be blue near the bottom of the ball, personally I would just replace the ball.
I just don't understand those that feel it is fine to run without :S

Ozlander wrote:
Put a lot of grease on it. Then the dirt and dust that collects inside the coupler will keep the ball nice and shiny.

Sorta like rubbing compound :S

Put a lot of grease on it. Then the dirt and dust that collects inside the coupler will keep the ball nice and shiny.

Maybe some of you better take your Ball joints apart in your cars/trucks and remove the grease!!!

Me Again wrote:
I guess some of you are to young to understand that a couple and/or ball can crystallize and fail without grease. Go forth and enjoy your bliss!

Can you please post a link to reference this phenomenon? My Google-foo is failing me.

I can see the lack of grease causing noise and accelerated wear, but can't wrap my head around it crystallizing the metal.

I'm a greaser, BTW. (In the non-derogatory use of the word.)

I guess some of you are to young to understand that a couple and/or ball can crystallize and fail without grease. Go forth and enjoy your bliss!

BTW that is what old tennis balls are for! One can actually put a little grease in the ball and each time you cover your ball with it you apply a little grease! I use to have a commercial cover that had a recess in the top to hold grease. Funny the people that made it understood the need for grease!

http://www.amazon.com/Reese-Towpower-58117-Hitch-Ball/dp/B0008F67JU/ref=pd_sim_263_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GFWJA47K88W0XWWZ7F9

ChopperBill wrote:
It ain't the space shuttle. I spray the lock down latch and give the ball a shot of WD40 as needed. That may happen once a year. How Far does it move, maybe 1/4 turn going around a corner. I bet someone will chime in that they put the temp laser to it every stop. look

Thumbs up. Rv'ing isn't rocket surgery despite our best efforts to treat it as such.