From memory the removable bar on our old Yeti came with a plastic insert that went into the the receiver when the towball was removed, hence protecting the cavity from road grime ingress. Are such things not available for the usual suspect towbars?
Ours indeed has a plastic insert for use when the removable tow hook is not there.
How much real protection it gives is decidedly questionable, it will not stop dampness then rusting with steel alloys prone to rusting.
As said, I use oil on our towbar, a light hydraulic fluid I happen to need to use elsewhere, so that oil gets transferred onto all the mating surfaces of the receiver. The plastic insert is similarly oily on its contact faces.
The steels used in our case seem quite "noble" and not prone to rusting, though all the mating surfaces also must benefit from being oily.
Mine has a removable plastic insert to put in when the towball is removed. But it’s not 100% weatherproof and my socket has started to show signs of slight corrosion p, hence why I give it a smear of ACF 50.
Mine has the plastic insert, certainly not road dust proof, it's a wander it stays in place.
As it is now I wash it out with brake cleaner and give it a good scrubbing with a bottle brush before fitting the tow ball.
Will put a bit of copper slip on the tow ball locking mechanism, after all that is stored in a bag, when not in use.
As it is now I wash it out with brake cleaner and give it a good scrubbing with a bottle brush before fitting the tow ball.
Will put a bit of copper slip on the tow ball locking mechanism, after all that is stored in a bag, when not in use.
John,
In as simple terms as I can presently muster; because greases have a "thickness", [a "false" viscosity, as they are light oils held in wax like matrix] that in the short term resists the two surfaces coming together and longer term tends to end up with a thicker film than a true low viscous oil would.
[ their "wax" matrix is what makes them a grease rather than oil].
Plus, in the case of things like copper filled greases, there are in that particles of copper that again bolsters the film, at least initially till this super soft metal yields.
That is great for where they are going to tend to scuff together as it helps them avoid self welding, galling where one or both metals "pick up".
With my detachable I just want the tapers to seat as firmly as they can right away, not develop any slack as the loading keeps coming and going, and where there is not supposed to be any movement against each other that would gall.
Hope I did not over complicate it, but greases are complicated! John TQ
In as simple terms as I can presently muster; because greases have a "thickness", [a "false" viscosity, as they are light oils held in wax like matrix] that in the short term resists the two surfaces coming together and longer term tends to end up with a thicker film than a true low viscous oil would.
[ their "wax" matrix is what makes them a grease rather than oil].
Plus, in the case of things like copper filled greases, there are in that particles of copper that again bolsters the film, at least initially till this super soft metal yields.
That is great for where they are going to tend to scuff together as it helps them avoid self welding, galling where one or both metals "pick up".
With my detachable I just want the tapers to seat as firmly as they can right away, not develop any slack as the loading keeps coming and going, and where there is not supposed to be any movement against each other that would gall.
Hope I did not over complicate it, but greases are complicated! John TQ
Thanks, fully understand. Mine does not use a taper. It's a square tube going into a square hole. There is even a very slight play when fitted.
Don’t know the make, doubt Volvo make it themselves.
Just had a look at it, the shaft is a crude fit which could stand a bit of corrosion. But there is a latch inside. I decided to use thin oil down the latch. And just clean the shaft.
My plastic cover also covers the 13 pin plug which I like.
It seems clear from the responses provided that care and maintenance is generally poorly provided. My instructions say how to insert, lock and remove. In many languages. That's all.
John
It seems to be one of the earlier Brink similar to this LINK ?
If so, now I believe a Thule owned company.
The weight, lift etc appears carried on the trunnions, and the pull by the front end hook.
I assume the hook is jammed up by a wedge shaped cam on the retractable pin running longitudinally through the shank?
A design that is as well suited to be greased on the hook and trunnions but I would oil the retractable pin parts, which I recall you have said you did.
If so, now I believe a Thule owned company.
The weight, lift etc appears carried on the trunnions, and the pull by the front end hook.
I assume the hook is jammed up by a wedge shaped cam on the retractable pin running longitudinally through the shank?
A design that is as well suited to be greased on the hook and trunnions but I would oil the retractable pin parts, which I recall you have said you did.
I find all this very confusing. No where in my Westfalia instructions does it say remove /refit/ lubricate etc. Fact is the whole unit has not been removed for nearly three years. It has tugged a heavy TA thousands of miles. So unless I have missed something it will remain intact
Westfalia and Witter are the same company and my “ generic” instructions are for both makes, and it does say remove when not in use. So I removed mine today a first since May 2021. Came off very easily for what thats worth. Just cleaned it with a damp cloth and then refitted it. Again installed no problem.
Is there any science to this?
I suspect the makers are worried that if not removed it may become a seized permanent fixture 😜
All this grease and oil speculation on the towbars reminds me of when during an inspection of a Boeing 707 aircraft for Monarch Airlines, the attachment bolts
During an inspection of the wing attachment bolts on a Boeing 707, The maintenance manual stated , " refit the bolts, using the best salt free butter" , maybe thats what to use. ??? On the towbars
The argument put to me and I know others following the "clonking" of one of the Brink designs relates to the endless and thus developing fretting the locking device of an unloaded hook suffers from rattling about. Leading to a mandated recall check/replacement.
This fretting develops on the surface of the locking pin which results in relaxing the fit within the load carrying tapers. Which means when used, the hook is not firmly held, that in turn allows further damaging loaded movement.
I have no reason to think they were mistaken, certainly the wedge on my locking pin showed considerable wear which perfectly fits with the research findings.
So yes, there is science backing the introduction, there retrospectively, that the hook should not be left installed when not in use. Advice I have adopted with the new vehicle.
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I think that you are probably right, as road dirt, vibration etc may make it more difficult to unlock and remove. I came across one Westfalia recommendation to only use resin free grease or light oil. Cannot say that I have ever knowingly purchased a resin free grease. The only application of such that I’ve known is for greasing the parts of a gun. Otherwise it has been lithium, Teflon, silicone or whatever a component maker has recommended.
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