1972 Shasta compact with this tongue: The tongue is rusty, the ball is new. What can we put on the tongue to make is slip on and off easier? The whole front "sleeve" has to be forced up and held there, we raise the tongue with the crank and them have to use a crowbar to pop it loose. It is a pain.

I'd try this: Coat the mechanism with penetrating oil then scrape off as much rust as you can from the jaws and any other moving parts. Always be sure you lube the ball before use. Any lube will be better than nothing but I use a Reese ball grease which is simply a "white lithium' grease. It can be purchased at most any auto parts store and many other places. After the season is over OR after driving through a bery dusty/dirty area clean the coupler and ball with a degrease agent but wouldn't bother until it's working smoothly again.

I had a pound of leftover disk brake grease with a high temperature rating, and it will not run off quickly in the rain. It was also fairly cheap, only about $10 for the pound can. I put a little grease on the top of the ball when towing. You may need to remove as much rust as possible, then coat the insides with thick grease (only a thin layer, but grease thick enough to not drip off like thin motor oil might). Anything that moves should have grease coating it. Have fun camping!Fred.

Is the tongue of the Shasta for a 2" ball? Could it be you have a 2-5/16" ball on your hitch?Many of the lighter TT's of that vintage used 2" balls.

Your ball socket may be slightly bent if the size checks out and the grease doesn't do much good. Two years ago I had a small utility trailer which came unhitched from the RV bouncing up and down on the frost heaves up in Canada. Got it welded in a remote village, but the welder wasn't too careful and go weld metal part way into the ball socket on the trailer hitch. We had fun everytime we wanted to take the trailer off the hitch, had to bounce it up and down to jar it loose from the RV, so bought a file and did some work on it to make the socket a little easier to remove from the hitch ball. Ended up buying a new trailer tongue hitch coupler at Canadian Tire which solved my problems, so carefully check your hitch coupler for any bends, new ones don't cost much.

This ball is new, bought for our new teardrop last winter. It is the right size. The ball was greased and is now working much better. Another RV person stopped by and worked it up and down and said next time to just pull the van forward a tad to get it to release. But thanks to everyone.

Tongue of 1972 Shasta very difficult to get off ball.

drsolo
Nomad
Jan 25, 2015
It is now working very well. The grease really did the trick.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Jan 25, 2015
eHoefler wrote:
Believe it or not, this coupler is not adjustable.

Many are not.
eHoefler
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2015
Believe it or not, this coupler is not adjustable.
CarlGeo
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
mpierce wrote:
Most, if not a lll, are adjustable. Look up under the coupler. There is probably a nut on a threaded rod. Loosen it just a touch, and try again. Keep trying, until it is free. DO NOT over loosen, as it can be loosened to the point it will not latch!

Check when done, by locking on the ball, and raising the rear of the TV, to be sure it does not come off.

X2 Here is your problem. The hitch is not properly adjusted for the ball size. Make sure it is secure when latched and with enough lateral movement to release when the latch is activated.
eHoefler
Explorer II
Jan 11, 2015
Before raising the tongue, lift up the latch and the ring that goes around the front of the hitch, then slide the ring back. If there is any weight against the hasp on the back of the ball, it will be difficult if not impossible to slide the ring back. Always block the wheels and release any tension that may be on the ball, preferably put a little of pulling tension on the ball after the wheels of the trailer have been blocked. Beating or prying on it can and will deform the ring and only make it more difficult to open. Lube and removing any forward load/tension from the trailer to the tow vehicle will work every time.
et2
Explorer
Jan 11, 2015
As the other poster said, pull the vehicle up very slightly ( with it chocked)
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jan 11, 2015
drsolo wrote:
The whole front "sleeve" has to be forced up and held there, we raise the tongue with the crank and them have to use a crowbar to pop it loose. It is a pain.

If this is what you are doing then it will come off hard. I think you may have explained it wrong though. Pull up the latch first, then raise the tongue. and yes a small bit of grease on the ball will help.
mpierce
Explorer
Jan 11, 2015
Most, if not a lll, are adjustable. Look up under the coupler. There is probably a nut on a threaded rod. Loosen it just a touch, and try again. Keep trying, until it is free. DO NOT over loosen, as it can be loosened to the point it will not latch!

Check when done, by locking on the ball, and raising the rear of the TV, to be sure it does not come off.
Raften
Explorer
Jan 10, 2015
Small point, it called a coupler instead of tongue. Now that I have proved myself to be a dweeb let me offer more positive input. I have two of those couplers and they are a bear to release if there is any pressure against the clasp. While I have never needed to, isn't there a nut up under there that adjusts clasp grip? I am sure clasp in the wrong term but works for me.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Jan 10, 2015
I had an old Shasta TT and had to do just that - had to move the TV just slightly to get the ball to release. Everything was in good working order, but it just needed that extra step to release.

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Tongue of 1972 Shasta very difficult to get off ball.

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