To grease or not to grease (hitch ball)?

[les45]

I have an older Atwood style coupler on my pop-up project and it is hard to get on or off the ball unless it is lined up perfectly. The coupler is in excellent condition with no rust and I have lubed all the moving parts and sprayed the inside of the ball area with graphite. The locking collar is smooth with no roughness that would cause it to snag on the ball. Apparently there are two schools of thought on greasing the ball itself (yea and nay). I think the nays are mostly concerned with dirt collecting on the ball and causing wear on the ball when towing. I don't use the hitch that often and the receiver stays on a shelf unless I am actually towing. The ball is like new with the chrome still smooth and shiny. Anyone have any experience with this style of coupler and is it just the "nature of the beast" to be a little difficult in getting on and off?

[steve cowan]

I smear a little grease on mine before hooking up but wipe it off after unhitching.

[greygoos]

Is there an adjustment nut inside the hitch?

[les45]

Is there an adjustment nut inside the hitch?

There is no adjustment on this older style. The pivot arm on the top simply swings the locking collar forward to wrap around the ball and then the arm drops down with two teeth that drop into slots to keep the release mechanism from operating until it is lifted again. This type also has a hole to install a lock to keep the pivot arm from being accidentally disengaged very similar to the new style couplers.

[Bill n Robi]

I put some lithium on mine. Carry some cheap plastic bags to cover it once I am on site and setting up so I don't mess up the clothes. If staying for a few days, I wipe it off and recoat it. They sell a ball cover that pushes on but every review says they are crap.

[rkanz]

This stuffs works really well. Lithium grease with Teflon.

https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Prem ... B01G5VFCEQ


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[Andrew Herrick]

Either grease the ball ... or shell out for a stainless steel one

[swoody126]

rather than play the WHAT IF GAME try it both ways on your next outing and decide for yourself

if a film of litheum grease makes you happy just figure out how you will avoid the residue(cover/wipe off)

sw