Safety check

[Miriam C.]

It is also I am moving it and if the gentleman can email admin and explain he will be back.

[Shadow Catcher]

I do plan on using screw pin anchor shackle or a quick link on the safety chains rather than a S hook. I would think the ultimate for the ball/nut would be to use a castle nut and cotter pin. I just have a major problem with anything I can't easily take apart.

[afreegreek]

+1
...on keeping big brother outta my business...

Well spoken afreegeek.

thanks bud.. but it looks like I broke the rules a bit by saying so since my reply to the guy is gone.

[Miriam C.]

+1
...on keeping big brother outta my business...

Well spoken afreegeek.

thanks bud.. but it looks like I broke the rules a bit by saying so since my reply to the guy is gone.

If you read my post above you will see that he was removed as a spammer. 3 posts and 2 about his company. Sorry you thought it was you. I just removed his advertisement where it was quoted.

Your input is valued and I agree with the sentiment.

[canned o minimum]

The thing bout safety is...you cannot be too safe. as a truck driver for 21 years, it is jus routine to go thru a "check list" every time before hittin the road. Lotsa great advise here... a reasonably prudent person would certainly do well to heed all this advise...

[Bromleymark]

Hardware stores with old-style inventories (nuts and bolts in bins, no bubble-packs) are a good place to get self-locking nuts. The top of the nut has a neoprene ring that very effectively keeps that nut where you leave it. Use a long-handled wrench and torque that nut hard. It will never come off.

And then, as you say, check it anyway, before every trip.

[frank_a]

I keep a big channel lock pliers and an open/closed end wrench that fits the nut for any ball I'm using at the time. I check them religiously. I also periodically check the bolts attaching the hitch, just to be sure. I've been towing stuff a long, long time. Better safe than sorry!

Frank

[Shadow Catcher]

200 ft pounds is the ASTM torque value for a 3/4" common steel bolt, 300 for a 1"shank. I had to use values for the lowest grade steel because I have no clue what is actually in most trailer balls.
HF has a two foot end wrench for trailer ball nuts that should be sufficient.
When I took my 2" trailer ball off for the first time in a bunch of year (which means realistically that I can't room or when I took off last) I found a good bit of corrosion in the threads that would correspond with where the not ended up tightening the ball.
This as far as I'm concerned is sudden death and the ball will be replaced with a stainless steel one

[frank_a]

Just be cautious. Stainless doesn't have the same hardness, flex, and and other characteristics that steel does.

Frank

[Shadow Catcher]

1" 18-8 8 threads SS is 286 ft pound unlubricated.
The chrome, that which makes it stainless does make it more brittle but trailer ball is rated 6,000 lbs capacity. And yes I did think about it and investigate. Given a metalergical choice I would go with forged 4140 (what crane hooks and fork lift forks are made of) but this is way past stronger than the attachment to the car

[Morgan]

Thank you for the advice. I think that many times we get careless with things. We do them so many times we just assume we have done the job properly and don't do a final check. I will make it a point to double check this whenever we are using a trailer. I am sure that even if we do everything right, something can still go wrong.

[bobhenry]

No where ,yet, have lug nuts and air pressure checks been mentioned. These have been my two gremins on the road.

[Breytie]

Check all externally mounted spare wheels as well!
I once had one launched at me from under a utility trailer 15 meters /yards ahead of me as I was coming up behind him to overtake. Fortunately the trailer was empty otherwise I would have had a lot more than just one wayward wheel to avoid!
The trailer also bounced quite a few feet in the air in the process. I think it was as much fun for the driver of the TV as it was for me!

[Martiangod]

Also, never trust the professional, at least double check him.
Had someone pull into shop with brand new tent trailer, guy was white as a ghost, said it was all over the road and put him into oncoming lane 3 times.
Everything installed by a huge reputable ??? Dealer.
Upon inspection they used a ball with 1" diameter shank on a draw bar with 1 1/4 d shank drill, insted of using approved spacer, guess they didn't have one in stock, the wrapped the ball shank with electrical tape and sent him down the road. Always check check and recheck

[8ball_99]

My guess is it was never torqued down tight enough. If the ball is put on right it shouldn't losen up. 300 ft pounds is much more then you think using a wrench.