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03-30-2012, 04:39 PM
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#1
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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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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Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
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03-30-2012, 04:57 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Rutland, VT
Posts: 343
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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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2016 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax LTZ Z71 Extended Cab, Long bed
2012 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi (with K&N Air Intake) (traded)
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03-30-2012, 04:58 PM
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#3
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnguy
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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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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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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03-30-2012, 05:24 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Lakeside mountains, Calif
Posts: 755
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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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03-30-2012, 05:38 PM
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#5
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Bob,
What is the torque setting you are targeting with that?
Lou
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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03-30-2012, 05:51 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 397
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I brought mine to a local RV dealer and they installed and torqued it for free.
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03-30-2012, 05:57 PM
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#7
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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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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Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
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03-30-2012, 06:26 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lodi CA
Posts: 1,211
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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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2001 Ford F-350 DRW 7.3
2011 25 RL Wildcat
former fiver 1976 Fourwinds had for 35 years
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03-30-2012, 06:29 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Outside Boston Mass
Posts: 59
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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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2007 Cardinal 362bhle 5er
2006 f350 Diesel CC LB 4x4 4.10 locker lariat
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2009 Mazda 6 (wife's ride)
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03-30-2012, 06:34 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Central NY
Posts: 145
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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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2012 Jayco 33 RLDS
2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
2007 TBSS AWD
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03-30-2012, 06:43 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 397
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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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03-30-2012, 06:51 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Outside Boston Mass
Posts: 59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hybrid21SS
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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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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2007 Cardinal 362bhle 5er
2006 f350 Diesel CC LB 4x4 4.10 locker lariat
1966 Mustang coupe...under construction
2004 Explorer 4.6 awd (16 year old daughters car)
2009 Mazda 6 (wife's ride)
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03-30-2012, 06:54 PM
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#13
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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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...
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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03-30-2012, 08:11 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Brampton ontario
Posts: 127
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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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Mark And Libby
2011 F-350 4X4 Super Crew
2015 Cedar Creek 38FB2
Brampton ON.
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03-30-2012, 08:16 PM
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#16
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rest and Relax
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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Most hitch manufacturers prohibit impact guns and require accurate torque wrenches for final torques of all bolts (including the ball).
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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03-30-2012, 09:03 PM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Outside Boston Mass
Posts: 59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
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...
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Mine was 2 1/4 in socket
__________________
2007 Cardinal 362bhle 5er
2006 f350 Diesel CC LB 4x4 4.10 locker lariat
1966 Mustang coupe...under construction
2004 Explorer 4.6 awd (16 year old daughters car)
2009 Mazda 6 (wife's ride)
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03-30-2012, 09:13 PM
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#18
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
That is a LONG cheater...
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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.
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
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03-30-2012, 10:01 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 297
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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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03-30-2012, 10:42 PM
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#20
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunkfamily
Mine was 2 1/4 in socket
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Oops. Thought we were talking about the Equalizer Hitch Ball.
My Bad...
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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