Adjusting a ball hitch?

Fergienewbee · Jul 31, 2014

My splitter is set up for a 2" ball. It doesn't come off the ball very easily once it is on. Is there a way to adjust the catch? I see a nut on the bolt but I don't know if it can be backed off to be a little more loose.

Larry

Mark - IN. · Jul 31, 2014

Grease is the only thing that comes to mind. To my knowledge, and I could be wrong, I've never seen an adjustment for that. Two inches should recieve two inches. Take a close look. Is it possible that the reciever is somehow damaged, bent, pushed in that's making it tight? Maybe thick rust or paint up inside there? I can't think of an easy way to expand one, because I assume that at its bottom edge is a lip to prevent it from expanding. Only thing that comes to mind, good grease and plenty of it. Maybe, take a set of calipers and measure the ball, then go measure news ones and maybe get lucky on one that's a hair smaller and buy it.

Good luck.

Mark

Lakeguy · Jul 31, 2014

I have found that the angle of your hookup can make it very difficult to hook and unhook . BOTH NEED TO BE HORIZONTAL.

Russ from MN · Jul 31, 2014

On mine there is a spring above the adjusting nut, the nut tightens the spring. It only adjusts latching tension, won't change the ball size. I had one jump off once many years ago and I tightened it a little and it was fine after that. I oil mine frequently, they should latch firm but smooth.

bill mart · Jul 31, 2014

loosen the nut a little at a time until it works freely. Bill

Charles in Aus. · Jul 31, 2014

The adjustable hitch was common here some years ago but has all but disappeared . The bolt is an adjuster , loosen the lock nut , back the bolt off a little , tighten the lock nut up again and try .

D beatty · Aug 1, 2014

I haven't seen an adjustable hitch in years. Dad had one at one time that had a knob on top of hitch that ratched and you tightened it down by hand. On the new ones today I grease the ball every time I use it and I clean ball and coupler every time before use it and put new grease on it.

JRSutton · Aug 1, 2014

I use grease too. Makes a big difference.

I also grease the whole hitch - the square part that slides into the receiver. Those are no fun when the get rusted solid.

Gets a little messy when you have to remove it, but - I always seem to be pretty messy anyways if I'm doing something that involves removing a trailer hitch.

Russ from MN · Aug 1, 2014

When I wear out an old pair of pants I cut the lower legs off and use that to store my ball hitches in, works great. When they get too dirty I throw them away and get another.

Fergienewbee · Aug 1, 2014

I took everyone's advice and backed the nut off a bit. Works great now. Thanks for the help.

Larry

flembo · Aug 1, 2014

I don't know if it is right but it works for me. with the hitch removed from the receiver I put the ball in the coupler and lock the lever down and adjust the nut underneith until you can feel a slight resistance when moving the square tube around. Then remove it and recouple a few times to be sure the lever works smoothly and releases as it should and yes I do use grease.

Charles in Aus. · Aug 1, 2014

(quoted from post at 14:13:50 08/01/14) When I wear out an old pair of pants I cut the lower legs off and use that to store my ball hitches in, works great. When they get too dirty I throw them away and get another.

I just wear my pants continuously until they are worn out and too dirty , then I throw them away and put on a new pair

Russ from MN · Aug 1, 2014

I think I saw you the other day!

JMOR · Aug 2, 2014

(quoted from post at 18:43:20 07/31/14) My splitter is set up for a 2" ball. It doesn't come off the ball very easily once it is on. Is there a way to adjust the catch? I see a nut on the bolt but I don't know if it can be backed off to be a little more loose.

Larry

ith a BullDog hitch, there is no guessing, is it too tight, too loose, will it slip off, is it latched, etc. No adjustments, they just work.

dpendzic · Aug 2, 2014

the nut adjusts the height of the lower clamp which gets closer to the ball as it moves up--so if too high it won't open up to the 2 inches needed to get over the ball---too low and it will pop off

flembo · Aug 2, 2014

I ran into another service tech. while I was on the road on a job, He said he wears his clothes until they get discustingly dirty then wears the next set until the first set looks good again. LOL.

GordoSD · Aug 3, 2014

One of my Grandad's 7 brothers had a great sense of humor and loved to play the fool/ One of his gigs was to have two sets of bib overalls. He said you wear them both until the inside pair begins to stink. Then switch them to the outside to let the rain and wind and sun "wash" them. Then switch again. Same for shirts. The women would all fall for the story again and again.

Adjusting a ball hitch?

Fergienewbee

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Mark - IN.

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Lakeguy

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Russ from MN

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bill mart

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Charles in Aus.

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D beatty

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JRSutton

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Russ from MN

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Fergienewbee

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flembo

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Charles in Aus.

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Russ from MN

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JMOR

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dpendzic

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flembo

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GordoSD

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