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01-21-2022, 12:34 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 186
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To Lube or Not To Lube, That is the Question
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
__________________
 "Gypsy Jelliefish"
2021 Forest River "Salem" FSX 177BH
2022 Ford F-150 XL 5.0 Liter V8, Tow Package, 400HP 410lbs Torque, 2WD, 3.31 Locking Rear End, Super Crew Cab, Vinyl Floors, Factory Steel Wheels, Iconic Silver
"Keep Calm and Take Them to the Train Station"
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01-21-2022, 12:39 PM
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#2
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HistoricMustang
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
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Even the simple 4 prong plug is for:
Ground
+12 volt (running lights)
LEFT AND BRAKE
RIGHT AND BRAKE.
Grounding through the hitch is wrong on so many levels.
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Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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01-21-2022, 12:45 PM
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#3
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Insert witty title here
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: About 30 miles west of Beantown.
Posts: 4,034
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Love me some lube.
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2021 Transcend Xplor 247BH
Husky WDH with Sway Control
2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT 6.6L V8 Duramax
Forever in my memory. Forever in my heart.
Laurie J. Wood 3/22/67 - 8/23/19
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01-21-2022, 01:07 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 387
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There are some hitches that recommend you do not lubricate the ball. Such as an Anderson weight distribution hitch.
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Rockwood Geo-Pro 15TB on order
2019 Ford Ranger
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01-21-2022, 01:14 PM
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#5
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RV There Yet?
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Winona, MN
Posts: 1,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HistoricMustang
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
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never heard this one before! you should never ground through the hitch. all trailer wiring has a ground wire included. grease will mostly conduct some amount of electricity anyway, except for dielectric grease, which would be terrible for a hitch lube
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2018 17RP
2009 Crew Cab King Ranch F150 "Goose"
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01-21-2022, 10:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Posts: 468
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HistoricMustang
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
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Simple answer is NO!
To echo what others have said, grounding through your hitch is wrong on so many levels!
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01-21-2022, 10:48 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,356
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HistoricMustang
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
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This "rumor" has come validity if you are referring to a U-Haul trailer that is being hooked up through tail light adapters.
All the U-haul trailers I ever rented in the past only had four wires but no ground. One pair for Left and one pair for Right with ground expected to be provided through the ball.
Today I'm sure they've "evolved" to making proper hookups on their rentals so the tail, tuirn, and brake lights actually worked right.
If your trailer relies on the ball for ground, time to wire it and the tow vehicle properly.
As for grease? Lots of ideas there and there will never be a consensus on weather to grease or not. I do and then am just careful to avoid hitting the greasy ball with my pants.
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"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change  )
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01-22-2022, 10:26 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,311
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I wipe the ball down then grease before each hookup on my car trailer and boat trailer. I use a non-friction pad on my Fifth Wheel. All grounding should be through the wiring,
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2003 Duramax
2017 Crusader 315
2016 Boston Whaler Montauk 150
Former Montana owner
Colorado Cruiser, Over the Pass and Down the Hill
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01-22-2022, 11:05 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Richmond VA
Posts: 4,560
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While you should not depend on the trailer ball as an electrical conductor you can't put a thick enough amount of grease to make any difference. Grease or not the truck and trailer frames are grounded to each other via the hitch and ball. Easy to verify with a $5 Harbor Freight multimeter.
I use and highly recommend dielectric grease on my trailer electrical connectors both on the truck and umbilical cord (just fill the holes with grease). Power works fine and the contacts are protected from weather and corrosion. Dielectric grease is not a conductor. Google it for details.
-- Chuck
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2006 Roo 23SS behind a 2017 Ford Expedition
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01-22-2022, 11:23 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Farmer
Posts: 4,988
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Some members do lubricate, some don't.
Clean or not to clean, are just some threads that have been on here. Friction or no friction are also topics.
Responses will vary, on this subject.
Personally, I do both clean and re-lubricate both the ball and electrical connection but, that's the way my grandpa taught me. Who practically raised me!
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2016 Coachmen Apex 250RLS Ultra Light 2023 Ram 2500 Big Horn Sport 3.73 
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01-22-2022, 01:14 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,749
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HistoricMustang
Any truth to a long standing "rumor" that applying lube to a hitch ball can interfere with "grounding", which in turn effects trailer lights, etc.....?
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50 years ago that may have been the case, but today's rigs use pin# 1 for ground on your 7 pin connector. As far as lube goes, metal against metal without lube is never a good thing. Your ball is hardened steel, your coupler is stamped steel. Guess which one will wear faster without lubrication?
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'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
2016 Salem 27RKSS
1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019)
"...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
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01-23-2022, 10:45 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 186
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Thanks to all..................
__________________
"Gypsy Jelliefish"
2021 Forest River "Salem" FSX 177BH
2022 Ford F-150 XL 5.0 Liter V8, Tow Package, 400HP 410lbs Torque, 2WD, 3.31 Locking Rear End, Super Crew Cab, Vinyl Floors, Factory Steel Wheels, Iconic Silver
"Keep Calm and Take Them to the Train Station"
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01-23-2022, 10:57 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,054
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i own a 1998 f150 pu. if trailer is not on ball , no trailer lights. came factory pre wired . 4 prong . not worth a crap. lights flicker .
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