How to deal with grease on ball of receiver

First trip of the season, I make sure to buy a can of alphaghetti for lunch. Wash the can and it goes on the ball. I had a plastic one that cost me money and someone walked off with it, so I decided used tin cans were the answer.

Lynnmor wrote:
Curious about that 2-5/8” ball.
https://www.etrailer.com/question-7451.html

You should be. I mistyped and it should have been 2-5/16".

bob213 wrote:
I tie one of those (forbidden in CA) plastic grocery bags over mine.

I cover the ball with a plastic ball cover. Good enough.

Re: plastic bags. It's funny here, Safeway stopped using plastic bags for a while cause they were banned, but recently they have reappeared. I asked about it, and they said they are making them heavier duty now and calling them reusable to get around the ban. Still disposable, but now thicker material. Talk about unintended consequences lol.

I do the WalMart bag thing, they are good for something. ;)

The hitch that I have is the Reese Stedi Flex and the hitch is huge.. So it creates a problem because you are suppose to oil the hitch where the bars are attached. I think the bad is the only solution, but I could be wrong. Please keep the ideas coming. Ed

I just wipe it off with a paper towel. Or if I'm in a dusty area which I usually am, I tie a disposable grocery bag over the entire hitch head.

Small vegetable can over the top, or stuff a coffee cup on it. Can fits over a 5th wheel ball real nice also.

cavie wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
More seriously, you don't need to grease your balls. Never wore my balls or ball holders out in a lot of days trailering all kinds of trailers.

You've never seen a coupler worn thru? You've lead a sheltered life. LOL

You're right.

Bedlam wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
More seriously, you don't need to grease your balls. Never wore my balls or ball holders out in a lot of days trailering all kinds of trailers.

I tow about 10k miles a year and definitely see ball and coupler wear even when greased. I cannot image how much more I would see if it was dry metal on metal contact. The 2-5/8" ball I bought in 2005 was replaced due to wear in 2013 when I also replaced the hitch head. It had about 70,000 miles on it pulling 11,500 lbs and an additional 10,000 lbs pulling 7000 lbs. My current ball gets about the same mileage annually but only pulls 6000-8000 lbs, so it may last longer than eight years.

I wipe down the the large 2-5/8" ball if it is unhitched, but have rubber ball covers for multiple the 2" balls I own mounted on various receiver sizes and heights.

Curious about that 2-5/8” ball.
https://www.etrailer.com/question-7451.html

Grit dog wrote:
More seriously, you don't need to grease your balls. Never wore my balls or ball holders out in a lot of days trailering all kinds of trailers.

I tow about 10k miles a year and definitely see ball and coupler wear even when greased. I cannot image how much more I would see if it was dry metal on metal contact. The 2-5/16" ball I bought in 2005 was replaced due to wear in 2013 when I also replaced the hitch head. It had about 70,000 miles on it pulling 11,500 lbs and an additional 10,000 lbs pulling 7000 lbs. My current ball gets about the same mileage annually but only pulls 6000-8000 lbs, so it may last longer than eight years.

I wipe down the the large 2-5/16" ball if it is unhitched, but have rubber ball covers for multiple the 2" balls I own mounted on various receiver sizes and heights.

*Corrected ball size