Winterhoff Hitches

[MagsAlan]

Morning All.
We recently replaced our old Elddis with a new(er) one and this one has one of the more modern hitch stabilisers. ( we used a stabiliser bar on the old van) When we collected it, the dealers put a shiny new towball on the car because of course the old one was thick with grease. What we forgot to ask was how do we treat the new ball. I have read on here previoully that there is to be no grit or grease on the ball so does that involve sanding ( i remember reading of using wet and dry sandpaper I think) the ball before each time we hitch up or only every so often.
Sorry to sound a bit gormless but I thought it better to ask than do the wrong thing.

 

[John_374564913]

Mags
I have the Alko tow ball with the Alko stabaliser when the tow ball was new 12 months ago it was painted black.

I sanded down all the black paint so it was only shinney silver metal showing. ( I forgot to mention it is detachable)

I remove it every time I return home before fitting to the car each time we go away I check that there is no rust on the ball it is clean and not contaminated with grease or anything else. (if it is just a quick sand to remove anything and away we go)
After thousands of miles of towing never had any problems to date (neither any of the dreaded noise that is made when a tow ball is either rusty or greasy)

Hope this helps

John

 

[SteveP]

Mags, i have a Winterhoff, i like John sand the ball down, but only once a year, but clean the ball with brake cleaner every trip, no noises here either

 

[MagsAlan]

Thank you both. The ball the dealers fitted was all bright shiny silver coloured so they must buy them in like that ..........or get the apprentices to sand them down as part of their training

Better get a supply of brake cleaner in then.

Thanks again.

 

[Lutz]

Sounds as though they've fitted a chromium plated towball.