Departure day is fast approaching and maintainance (Preventative) is planned. Unfortunately, nowhere can I find a definative answer on greasing towballs.
I have always put a light coating of grease on the towball. No matter what I tow. Can't be good to have it rubbing dry metal to metal surely but nowadays I use the Treg hitch on the Camper Trailer. So I don't have the problem.
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
Have you had a problem Brickies................any wear showing?? How long have you been doing that or more precisely, how many K's ?? I am with Justcruisin. You never see a turn-table on a semi not greased.
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
I have always put a light coating of grease on the towball. No matter what I tow. Can't be good to have it rubbing dry metal to metal surely but nowadays I use the Treg hitch on the Camper Trailer. So I don't have the problem.
Gues what !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the treg needs grease as well , the pins & bushes wear .
same deal . sorry.
-- Edited by justcruisin01 on Wednesday 18th of November 2009 08:26:01 PM
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No Disco i took no notice and use grease very lite on so it dosent get to messy , had a gut feeling best to grease.thank to Wombat for raising the subject
Hehe justcruisin............yes I do grease the pin on the Treg.............I meant I don't have to worry about wether or not to grease the tow ball. I grease everything!! No rude comments either you guys!!
Well done Brickies.................I can't see why someone would say that unless they were trying to sell more towballs :)
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
I'm another who believes that a light coat of lubricant is appropriate.
It doesn't seem to matter much what particular kind as long as it is cleaned off and reapplied each time in order to eliminate any accumulation of grit and dirt.
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Old age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm any day.......
I grease ball, and cover when parked up to avoid spreading the grease around. I believe any metal exposed to the elements of dust, mud or water should be coated with some lubricant to reduce friction and wear .. and rust of course.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
On the tow ball I used to use grease but now I use grease. In between using grease I tried Lanotec spray which wasn't too bad but seemed to dry out quite quickly. The grease I use is marine grade, with just the slightest smear, put it on the rubbing parts of the WDH as well.
Terro
-- Edited by Terro on Wednesday 18th of November 2009 10:06:37 PM
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Rosemary and Terry08 Patrol, Galaxy Odyssey Pop top He who laughs last is late getting the joke!!
Departure day is fast approaching and maintainance (Preventative) is planned. Unfortunately, nowhere can I find a definative answer on greasing towballs.
To grease or not to grease? Which is best.
Regards GOF and GOG
The only place in the world where grease could become a serious problem, is maybe on a railway track? Ooh-Err
-- Edited by Palebushman on Thursday 19th of November 2009 08:04:46 PM
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Hehe justcruisin............yes I do grease the pin on the Treg.............I meant I don't have to worry about wether or not to grease the tow ball. I grease everything!! No rude comments either you guys!!
Well done Brickies.................I can't see why someone would say that unless they were trying to sell more towballs :)
Thanks DD for the info...I was wondering about greasing the Treg pin too. I guess the main thing is to regularly clean the pin and bush before the combination of grease and dust turns into grinding paste.
I lightly greased the black towball....after few trips....shinny areas appeared..on the ball...I was told by the trailer maker of my CT not to grease it .....the coupling grip is comprimised..wheather it is or not....it sure shined a patch on the towball....that wasnt there the previous 2 years of use...
a very light coating on a towball is fine but wipe it off as soon as you get anywhere near the dirt, grease when placed unrestrained under pressure will invariably just be pushed away from where it is needed most, where the pressure is
the grease will only serve to hold particulates in position so as to "grind" all components away thus the "shiny ball" have a look up in the socket and you will find the same
if you feel you must use grease then put it on before a BITUMAN trip and wipe it off at the first oppurtunity and reapply a THIN film, to say it will take up any gaps is a very silly statement, grease unrestrained under pressure will simply flow to an area of less pressure
dont use it on the treg pin either, all these components are case hardened to withstand abuse such as metal to metal contact with no intropduced abrasives
if you can use some spray that would lubricate without attracting dust or dirt, maybe a graphite based spray then I would use that, or just leave it dry, they are after all built and designed to run "dry"
we have done many thousands of miles over the roughest country imagineable and yet to wear out a towball or receiver, I honestly think nothing is best!
The only place in the world where grease becomes a serious problem, is on a railway track.
Really?? but do you know why? & it's not the reason we would all think of.... It's because the grease from the points and curves where the flanges work hard eventually gets onto the brake shoes and they don't stop the train.....
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KIA Sorento CRDi EX ( Ebony black) with 5 hex chrome plated tire air valve covers, Coramal Sunsheild, Elcheapo GPS, First Aid Kit, full KIA toolkit & Yellow lenses on the Foglights......
Interesting discussion. I have an aerosol can of lithium grease that you can get from the $2 shops that I give a quick spray with. The problem is that if you don't use grease then you will find that the soft part would lap the hard part so a little grease would be OK.
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Don't take life too seriously.... No one gets out alive
KIA Sorento CRDi EX ( Ebony black) with 5 hex chrome plated tire air valve covers, Coramal Sunsheild, Elcheapo GPS, First Aid Kit, full KIA toolkit & Yellow lenses on the Foglights......
I would never have given that a thought about not having grease on train line Basil. You just naturally think that it is because it will slip. Thanks. Gotta think outside the square. I'm changing my signature to that!
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
Ha ha Murphy strikes again... I found a gadget which is basically a teflon washer that you sit on top of the towball and it lubricates and takes the weight of the Van. However Herr Murphy for some reason would not let me copy the site here....
I'll try again and again but I'll also make a teflon washer and try it all I have to do is find where I hid the 30mm teflon bar......
Therotically sounds a good idea as the teflon being softer than nylon would "mould" to the shape of the inside of the coupling....
More self funded research, I think it's about time you guys chipped in to help
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Don't take life too seriously.... No one gets out alive
KIA Sorento CRDi EX ( Ebony black) with 5 hex chrome plated tire air valve covers, Coramal Sunsheild, Elcheapo GPS, First Aid Kit, full KIA toolkit & Yellow lenses on the Foglights......
I sent a query off to noels caravans, a caravan manufacturing company here in adelaide, the response surprised me so I thought I would post it in here, and I quote...........
"Afternoon Dave
That's a hard question to answer. Some say grease some say no. If you decide to grease maybe a dry Lube Stick (Silicone) would be best. If you use grease then use it lightly and use a cover when not in use. Good Luck it is really your choice.
Regards
Rob" end quote
I also sent a query to a camper trailer manufacturing website and they said and I quote........
"Hi Dave
we would not reccomend applying grease under any circumstances to the ball or receiver this will increase wear and prematurely wear out both units, dry is best.
Frank" end quote
so there you be, grease or not, your choice!!!!!
I would have said no but even the experts cant agree!
Well DaveO.......if us lot can't agree then you can't expect the experts to any idea :)
I like the idea of the dry lube. That would probably work well on the Treg hitch and be a bit cleaner. Maybe I'll switch.
Basil......If I can't raise any money from this tight lot to help my poor sick goldfish......you'll have no hope raising money for something so insignificant as that. However I'm still sending the begging letters out and when some sucker..............errr I mean....... nice benevolent person sends some money.................I'll forward some on.
P.S I know I can trust you to keep it quiet, but the Goldfish died. Don't let on because Gary has promised some money and he would be heartbroken I'm sure.
Hmmm............maybe I should pm to you.??
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!