Tow ball/hitch grease

[RobKnapp2]

Hi,
Possibly a very novice question here...but...how much grease is supposed to be in the hitch?
I have a standard non Al-Ko/Winterhoff hitch on our van, and im not sure if the tow ball looks 'dry' after the van has been hitched to it?
Im presuming that it is possible for it to have too much in? If it needs regreasing whats the best way to go about doing this?
Thanks
Rob

 

[Steve L]

Hi Rob.
You can use any plain non graphite grease. What you have to consider is her majesty's best frock. You can guarantee one of you will get grease on thieir sunday best.

Solution to this is to use vaseline. it is sufficient to lubricate the ball hitch, but is easily washed off most clothes. The trick is to clean thoroughly both towball and hitch cup using electrical contact cleaner (maplins). Then use vaseline once the electrical cleaner has dried.

Finally, fit a new towball cover. The old one, no matter how well you clean it, will hold grime and contaminate the towball. Thus rendering you efforts futile.

The cleaning and smearing of vaseline can be deployed to aalco towballs too. it elieaviates that wire wool cleaning and/or excess wear of a rusty ball on the stabiliser pads. Obviously (well for some), you clean the towball as above to remove the vaseline.

One tip here would be to use an alternative clean towball cover between hookups while on holiday to save extra cleaning.

The logic behind this is simlar to brake disc technology, where there is more surface grip gained by a smooth shiny surface.

 

[Lutz]

Apart from perhaps providing some sort of corrosion protection when not towing, vaseline is unsuitable as a lubricant because it's just not made for that type of application. The loads that the towball are subjected to are similar to those of wheel bearings so the only grease that is going to provide any lubricating qualities for the joint between towbar and caravan is wheel bearing grease or something very similar.

 

[Steve L]

Apart from perhaps providing some sort of corrosion protection when not towing, vaseline is unsuitable as a lubricant because it's just not made for that type of application. The loads that the towball are subjected to are similar to those of wheel bearings so the only grease that is going to provide any lubricating qualities for the joint between towbar and caravan is wheel bearing grease or something very similar.

Sorry Lutz but the load upon a hitch is not simlar to wheel bearings. Wheel bearing grease has to cope with high speed rotational forces and also heat build up which can get close to 100deg C. I would be very concerned indeed if my standard non-stabilised hitch got too hot to touch

.
While I agree vaseline has a low melting point, as it is known as petrolium jelly within chemical industries, it is oil based and as such will have lubrication properties. What we have to remember is that, one need's a lubricant that does basic lubrication, and at the same time is easily washed off trouser legs and skirts.

Or kilt's.
As the hitch is likely only to rotate to 45 deg occassionaly while turning out of junctions and a small movement up and down, there is little chance of heat build up. Also the design of the hitch cup is such that it spread's the load of towing over most of the surface of the towball. Wheel bearings run using hardened rollers running in hardened race's having around 20 contact points.

Being practical, a small jar of a household product is cheaper and readily available. Graphite grease and LM grease are a ****** to get off clothes

 

[Lutz]

You're right in saying that the temperatures encountered in wheel bearings are probably lower than what the towball experiences, but I was thinking more about lubrication properties at ambient temperatures. The surface loads between towball and hitch are quite considerable even if they don't get that hot. A grease with better high pressure lubricating characteristics than vaseline is therefore required.

 

[RobKnapp2]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I have a pot of LM grease, well, I say that 'I' do, my brother in law does! I think it would be prudent for me to give the tow ball a clean, and put a smear on next time we tow, it does seem dry and contaminated.
With regards to the tow hitch itself, in the short time I have owned the van and the bar, I have personally learned that those vinyl gloves that I keep in the boot are really worth what I paid for them, and both the Wife and I have enough bruises on our shins to subconsciously give the tow ball a wide berth. The 2.5 year old however seems absolutely fascinated by it and, I quote, "da a tow car carabam on back dads car!!!"
I do have another new cover, so will put that on once its done too.
Although Im counting the days till our first 'test-outing' there is some nerves, just hope everything goes ok!
Thanks for all your help, its really appreciated.
Regards
Rob