White lithium grease for the hitch?
What do you think about using white lithium spray grease for the hitch ball and the spring bars? I've got the spray handy and don't want to open a whole tube of grease for this small job. Thanks.
Forum Discussion
- I bought an old second hand trailer from the early 70's and the coupler got so thin it wore through and I had to build it up with my welder to close the hole. So I do think lubricant of some type is necessary.
And equalizer bars definitely need lubrication. When I sold our previous trailer with it's Draw Tight hitch the bars has pretty significant wear top and bottom where the leverage was applied. And that was with me greasing them.
No one likes grease on pant legs, but the first thing I do after unhitching is pull the hitch out of the receiver and store it along with the equalizer bars.
All the best, Hans Huntindog wrote:
What I have noticed is that as my TTs have gotten heavier over the years, is that grease becomes more necessary. A 14K ball isn't all that cheap, so I grease it. I use wheel bearing grease and a disposable rubber glove. Works well.
You are right, the heavy duty balls aren't cheap. Ruining a welded on coupler is even more expensive. Heavy loads without grease will gall the ball and the coupler. I use Reese grease, but I'm sure there are many other grease alternatives that will work fine.- The Reese grease in a tube sounds convenient to keep in the TT tool box. I'll look for some.
If I don't keep the weight bars lubed they squeak and groan and are generally annoying. - I use a little silicon grease once a year and it seems to last all year. I just happen to have a tube is why I started using it instead of something else. I also pull my receiver when ever I a hook the trailer and then put a plastic bag over the end and drop it in a denim bag for storage behind the seat.
- I used white lithium for thousands of miles when I had my tt's. Worked fine for me.
- What I have noticed is that as my TTs have gotten heavier over the years, is that grease becomes more necessary. A 14K ball isn't all that cheap, so I grease it. I use wheel bearing grease and a disposable rubber glove. Works well.
- I've read a number of items to address ball gall. Some use waxed paper, others use a lithium grease. Still others just don't bother.
Pretty much any lubricant that is tenacious should do the job. Lynnmor wrote:
Robby9 wrote:
What do you think about using white lithium spray grease for the hitch ball and the spring bars? I've got the spray handy and don't want to open a whole tube of grease for this small job. Thanks.
It should be fine. An EP (extreme pressure) grease would be be best, but any grease is better than nothing.
Apparently Reese sells an EP product with Teflon. Comes in a toothpaste tube. Over time is saturates the metal so less is required each use. I'm going to get some for the ball/coupler and spring bar pressure points.
I use Fluid Film for everything else.- I too have never put anything on my ball.
You could put it in the ball but I would not put it on the bars. That stuff gets like glue when it dries out. I learn the hard way when I used it on my tool box slides. Robby9 wrote:
What do you think about using white lithium spray grease for the hitch ball and the spring bars? I've got the spray handy and don't want to open a whole tube of grease for this small job. Thanks.
It should be fine. An EP (extreme pressure) grease would be be best, but any grease is better than nothing.
