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Old 03-30-2012, 04:39 PM   #1
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Tightening Hitch Ball

How the heck do y'all tighten your hitch balls without buggering up the neck or base with a set of vice-grips ?? I am installing a new hitch ball, and can't get that puppy to stop turning with the nut.
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Old 03-30-2012, 04:57 PM   #2
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The key is to have the proper size open end or adjustable wrenches. If you don't have, I bet you could go to a trailer place or something like U-Haul and they could tighten for a very nominal fee if not free.
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Old 03-30-2012, 04:58 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnguy View Post
How the heck do y'all tighten your hitch balls without buggering up the neck or base with a set of vice-grips ?? I am installing a new hitch ball, and can't get that puppy to stop turning with the nut.
Depends on the hitch. I have a Mongo sized Adjustable Crescent wrench from the early 1900s I used on the ball flats and I the correct thin wall socket (I had to buy from Equalizer) to hold the nut in place.

If you have an Equalizer hitch, I could loan you my socket (and heck the wrench too. It was 75 bucks for the socket so I would like it back.)

I will be in Gettysburg 12-15 April if you want to take a drive.
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:24 PM   #4
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and two cheater bars

a large Crescent wrench
a good size pipe wrench
and two cheater bars required for ((sure tight))
yes
the pipe wrench will fit just below the ball (narrow neck)
and
yes it may mark it up just a bit
but
these THINGS need to be pretty darn tight

installed prox 50 this way
even still with time
we need to check occasionally
making sure they are still tight
with even just a little movement there
is not a good THING
must be solid

I would never count on simple hand tools
to do a job such as this

note
two pipe wrenches with two cheaters will also work

MM
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:38 PM   #5
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Bob,

What is the torque setting you are targeting with that?
Lou
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:51 PM   #6
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I brought mine to a local RV dealer and they installed and torqued it for free.
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:57 PM   #7
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Apparently I didn't make my question very clear. I have a 1 7/8" socket for the nut, a breaker bar and a cheater bar. I have a union exactly 4' from the axis of the socket on the breaker bar, so I can calculate how much pressure to exert on that union nut to torque the ball nut to 450 lbs. 450 lbs. divided by 4 give me 112.5 lbs. that I need to exert at the 4' mark. By standing on a bathroom scale (thanks Palomino G210 ), I take 109 lbs off of the scale weight (the bar end weighs 3 lbs., and that should give me the proper torque.

But when turning the nut, the confounded ball keeps turning. I guess I am just going to have to bugger up that nice chrome with a pipe wrench or something.....unless I can get some better ideas here.

Some of the hitch balls that I have seen have a hexagon base....that should be standard on all of those puppies.
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:26 PM   #8
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I have used a piece of emery cloth cut out as a circle and a hole in the center put it under the ball then bring the nut up snug then torque it down emery holds from turning and helps it stay tite.
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:29 PM   #9
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put a piece of rubber as in conveyor, or I used rubber roofing under the stilson wrench to keep it from marring. Or hit it with an impact till its tight enough to stop turning, or tack weld the ball to the mount.
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:34 PM   #10
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Don't all the balls these days have the squared base that fits into the square notches in the draw bar? Both of mine do and it keeps the ball from rotating as you tighten it..
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:43 PM   #11
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A rag between the teeth of a pipe wrench and the base of the ball should keep it from getting marred but still give enough bite to get the job done.
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:51 PM   #12
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Don't all the balls these days have the squared base that fits into the square notches in the draw bar? Both of mine do and it keeps the ball from rotating as you tighten it..

i have never seen that on real beefy hitches. I have seen it on the home depot and walmart reece 5k hitches.
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Old 03-30-2012, 06:54 PM   #13
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Hitch balls require a 1-7/8” socket and a torque wrench capable of approximately 450 ft. lbs. torque for installation.

That is a LONG cheater...
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Equalizer Owners Manual 12000.pdf (1.96 MB, 250 views)
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Old 03-30-2012, 07:26 PM   #14
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The chrome will be wrecked after a few tows.
Get one of these if you like a pretty ball;
Stainless Steel Hitch Balls w/Lifetime Guarantee - Made in USA by QMC
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Old 03-30-2012, 08:11 PM   #15
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I think the best way to tighten these things up is to use an air impact gun like a mobile tire man would have.You won't even need to hold the ball it will tighten anyways.
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Old 03-30-2012, 08:16 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Rest and Relax View Post
I think the best way to tighten these things up is to use an air impact gun like a mobile tire man would have.You won't even need to hold the ball it will tighten anyways.
Most hitch manufacturers prohibit impact guns and require accurate torque wrenches for final torques of all bolts (including the ball).
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Old 03-30-2012, 09:03 PM   #17
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Hitch balls require a 1-7/8” socket and a torque wrench capable of approximately 450 ft. lbs. torque for installation.

That is a LONG cheater...
Mine was 2 1/4 in socket
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Old 03-30-2012, 09:13 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post

That is a LONG cheater...
I figure with my 4' cheater bar, and my almost 200 lbs. of weight, I should be able to get 800 ft/lbs. of torque if I even need it.

Fortunately, I only need 450 ft/lbs to tighten the ball.
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Old 03-30-2012, 10:01 PM   #19
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And the answer is....

Wait for it....

A strap wrench!!

Snap-on

BLPSTWR4, Wrench, Strap, 4"

Even a Snap On is only $15.
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Old 03-30-2012, 10:42 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunkfamily View Post
Mine was 2 1/4 in socket
Oops. Thought we were talking about the Equalizer Hitch Ball.
My Bad...
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