Grease on the ball?

[Steelhawk]

A friend we camp with always puts grease on his trailer ball. He says I should do it as well. Is this a good idea?

[dodge_guy]

Yes!

They don't put grease in ball joints for the fun of it!

[IBcarguy]

I lube mine frequently. Seems like every time I look, it seems to be dry. I don't know where that stuff goes...

[hprince]

I use Reese Teflon ball lube, I wipe it off when I unhook the trailer if I think of it at the time or just wipe it off with my jeans the next time I walk by. If you could still find It Brylcream would probably work good, that stuff was pretty greasy. But yes I do believe in lubing the ball and equalizer bars.

[Houston_Remodel]

I tow a small trailer pert near every day. Never thought to grease the ball.

Then we bought the 4800 pound TT and saw the ball getting obvious metal fatigue marks on a longer road trip. The ball was replaced and we've been using spray lube ever since.

[bpounds]

Definitely grease. Some have learned the hard way. I didn't use it, until I realized my trailer was loosening the ball a tiny bit with each turn. Grease put an end to that problem.

[petrel]

I guess it can't hurt. In 30 years, dozens of trailers (boat, utility, travel), and thousands of miles, I've never greased a trailer ball.

[Hannibal]

It's a ball joint. It needs a little lube.

[cgjt]

I have a can of silicone spray that I use to spray the ball and coupler. It allows the hitch some lubrication for hitching and towing. A black film is left but nothing like what is left from using grease.

[Strabo]

Why not it's just grease.

[time2roll]

I used grease back when I had a trailer. Rather messy. Today I would use Slip Plate dry graphite spray.

[ChooChooMan74]

Yup!! And keep one of these on it when not towing. I call it the Ball Condom.

[Alabama_Jim]

Yes, grease is the thing to use. I put a little and then bump into it to ruin my pants, but will keep doing it.

[Jerrybo66]

Think about it... Metal on metal with super brutal force. Do you think about some of the folks that they use wax paper or do you understand friction of mechanics? Yes.. Lube with a grease for shear properties.. IMO..
Jerry

[rbpru]

I am with the greasers but it still wore the chrome off the ball. After a couple of years of grease I switched to Vaseline; it washed out of clothes a bit easier.

[kennyd63]

Steelhawk wrote:
A friend we camp with always puts grease on his trailer ball. He says I should do it as well. Is this a good idea?

I always put some grease at the beginning of the season, that's it. 😉