Trailer Tongue Coupler Wear?

[atrerice]

The other day I pulled the camper out of storage and drove a couple hours with it. After I parked it, I noticed some unusual wear on the ball. It could be due to a lack of grease. Looking up into the coupler, there is a line there and I'm not sure if it's cracked or if it's supposed to be like that. Does anybody know if that looks normal or not? Pictures attached. Thanks in advance!

Art

[dodge_guy]

I towed 3 different TT`s over 17 years with tongue weights ranging from 600lbs to 1300lbs. always greased and never any sign of wear. that ball is done. replace it and check the inside of the coupler for wear. maybe run some coarse sandpaper to clean it up then some fine. then use a bit of grease to coat the new ball. If you are using a WD hitch, make sure to lube the pivot points in the hitch head where the bars mount.

[Sjm9911]

Yea, the cut off and re weld isnt that much, depends on the area, and who you get to do it. And yea i recently sold my 30 year old camper. My coupler and ball looked nothing like that. And it was well used by me and the people i got it from. Dosen't matter what it costs , it dosen't look safe. Unfortunately thats what you get into with old stuff, you fix it to make it safe or you dont and maybe suffer the consequences. They cut off the coupler ,not the tounge on the camper. If thats not mess up, then nothing is.

[rbpru]

I can honestly say that I have gotten curious looks from people when I asked if the grease their trailer ball.

I do, yes it is messy and yes I have gotten grease on my pants and hands. At the start of the season I wipe off the old grease and slather on the new. Works for me.

To answer the OPs question, I would replace the ball. It seems to have serve him well and is ready to be replaced.

[kellem]

The split in the underside of coupler is not normal and due to severe lack of preventative maintenance......what's the rest of the trailer look like?

[Lynnmor]

A coupler can be purchased for about $60 and welded on in about an hour, not a big deal.

[Grit_dog]

Sjm9911 wrote:
Not something i have seen yet. Just replace them both and be done with it. Why take a chance.

But it’s a 30 year old camper. Having someone replace the tongue on the trailer could cost a significant % of what the trailer is worth.
Easy to say if it’s not your money.

But I agree, it’s worth some more inspection. Figure out if it’s messed up or not.

[Sjm9911]

Not something i have seen yet. Just replace them both and be done with it. Why take a chance.

[Fisherman]

Complete lack of basic maintenance on the ball and hitch.

[Grit_dog]

OP, I’d stick a new ball on that and use it.
But see how rough the inside of the coupler is, whether it will try to tear up a new ball or not. Idk which is harder steel. If either.

[Grit_dog]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I have a 32ft enclosed car trailer that since 1999 I have probably 200,000mi with the same ball on several different trucks and I never grease it. It shows some wear but nothing I am concerned about. Had a ball shear off once but thats a different story.

^This.
While I don’t track mileage on my trailers or any work trailers, even with old work trailers that certainly have far more use than most dedicated recreational uses, I’ve yet to see a ball or coupler “wear out .” Broken, smashed, rusted, yes.
Can’t say I’ve even recall seen that type of grinding as those pictures.

[ferndaleflyer]

I have a 32ft enclosed car trailer that since 1999 I have probably 200,000mi with the same ball on several different trucks and I never grease it. It shows some wear but nothing I am concerned about. Had a ball shear off once but thats a different story.

[atrerice]

This camper is 30 years old so there's no telling what hitches have been used over the years. We have had it for the past 3 years and are using the hitch the previous owner sold with it. I just happened to notice that line/crack - I have no idea how long it's been like that or even if it's supposed to be that way.

[Lynnmor]

Since there is wear in the top of the coupler and the ball has a large flat on it, there is no way that ball was the only one used. My thought is that someone towed using a 2" ball. Replace the coupler and the ball and do it right the next time using grease.

[Tvov]

That is not really "unusual" wear on the ball, it is what happens with a lot of use. Greasing it will help prevent that, as long as the grease doesn't get dirty - that can make it worse, as the grease will hold the dirt and grit against the ball.

My first thought is that crack / line is the hitch splitting apart, but then the outside picture doesn't show the crack?

Either way, with that amount of wear I would think about replacing the hitch and the hitch ball.