Hitch Ball is Loose in Ball Mount

Published 09/22/2017

Products Featured in This Question

2" Hitch Ball - 1" Diameter x 2-1/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 7,500 lbs

(1348)

$13.63

Anti-Rattle Trailer Hitch Receiver Lock for 2" Hitches - 3-1/2" Span

(1677)

$43.19

Question:

I while ago, I thought you had a solution for the annoying noise that comes from the trailer hitch each time you hit even a small bump in other words the ball part that fits into the vehicle mount has just a bit of play.

asked by: Dick N

Expert Reply:

If your hitch ball is loose then you will want to check to see if there is a ft-lb torque rating located on it. For instance, the Tow Ready 2" Hitch Ball # 63845 has a torque rating on the nut for 250 ft-lbs.

If you cannot find a torque rating then the next best thing would be to torque it down so that the washer is flat. This can be a little difficult as the torque ratings for hitch balls can be fairly high - with good reason. You never want to have a loose hitch ball as that can cause some serious problems if it were to come loose.

You could either have someone help you or you could put something protective over the hitch ball, like a cloth, and then use a vice to assist you in torquing the hitch ball down.

If instead your ball mount is the problem then, if you have a 2" mount, you could use the Let's Go Aero Anti-Rattle Locking Hitch Pin which is designed to help fight that rattle with ball mounts that have a hollow shank. This would be for a 2" receiver # 63232.

expert reply by: Jon G