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Hitch longevity

Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Another post got me to thinking about this one.

What sort of lifespan can one expect out of a hitch? 10 years old here. About 150 nights per year on the road. At least 60 hitching cycles per year. 12,000-15,000 miles per year. Never damaged. A bit of WD40 every so often. 18,000# hitch with 13,000# loaded trailer. Well under limits. No complaints about it.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter

2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel

Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995
29 REPLIES 29

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
ford truck guy wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
I think most donโ€™t know there is a ZERK under the head.


just like MOST didn't/don't know there are 9 zerks on the Tri-Glide...


EXACTLY!!!

Maybe mine has lasted full timing hauling 23-25k for nearly 4 years cuz I grease ALL 9.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I think most donโ€™t know there is a ZERK under the head.


just like MOST didn't/don't know there are 9 zerks on the Tri-Glide...
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

RobWNY
Explorer
Explorer
You're probably right.
2020 Silverado 2500HD LT, CC, 4X4 6.6 Duramax
2021 Grand Design Reflection 311BHS

I asked him to do one thing and he didn't do any of them.

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
I think most donโ€™t know there is a ZERK under the head.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

RobWNY
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins12V98 wrote:
For fun remove the shaft from the head on the B&W. If you do so you will see it needs to be greased more often than not!!!

Because you got me thinking I should lube it more often, I did that today. It took 6 grease gun "squeezes" before grease came out on the end at the nut. So thank you! It can't hurt to grease more than I need to but it sure can cause problems by not greasing enough! In my case, I was ok but I did add more than I thought it would take. For what it's worth, I talked with a B&W tech about the grease they use when manufacturing their hitches. He told me they use a Mobil Blue Lithium grease at the factory. I wanted to make sure my Red n Tacky Lithium was compatible before putting it in. I wonder how many people use a non compatible grease because they either don't know you shouldn't do that or they don't know what kind of grease the manufacturer used and they just wing it.
2020 Silverado 2500HD LT, CC, 4X4 6.6 Duramax
2021 Grand Design Reflection 311BHS

I asked him to do one thing and he didn't do any of them.

laknox
Nomad
Nomad
The only issue I've seen with a B&W hitch was one where the owner left it in is truck, for years, without the head in place. The poly pads on the side pieces were just rounded knobs because they'd been sun-rotted so badly. I can't think how long that must've taken. Sad...

Lyle
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 64 Year Member

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
For fun remove the shaft from the head on the B&W. If you do so you will see it needs to be greased more often than not!!!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

valhalla360
Nomad
Nomad
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Sure wish they'd come up with a "lube tube" for king pins; d@mn grease gets messy."



Not sure it's that big of a deal...you don't need a ton of grease on the pin itself and really only on the wear surface. If you have globules of grease hanging off the bottom, that's more than you need.

Honestly, seems to do more to keep rust away than out of any significant lubrication need.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Explorer II
My class 8 truck had over a million miles on it when sold. Just kept hitch clean and lubed well.
Eddie
03 Fleetwood Pride, 36-5L
04 Ford F-250 Superduty
15K Pullrite Superglide
Old coach 04 Pace Arrow 37C with brakes sometimes.
Owner- The Toy Shop-
Auto Restoration and Customs 32 years. Retired by a stroke!
We love 56 T-Birds

RobWNY
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins12V98 wrote:
RobWNY wrote:
I don't know if my choices of lubricants are right or wrong but I use Blaster White Lithium Grease on the jaws and pivot points before each use and I have a grease zerk fitting on the underside of my B&W that gets some Red N Tacky grease once a season. On the pin I use a Lube Plate. It keeps things from getting messy because I don't have to grease the plate itself


Overkill on the pivot points and under kill on the supporting shaft with the grease ZERK.

To clarify...I only grease the support shaft zerk once a year because B&W recommends once every six months for the amount of use my hitch gets. Here in the Northeast, 6 months is all we get for camping so it is a once a year deal for me. I lube the polyurethane bushings every time because they are always dry when I check them. You're probably right about the jaws though. I just spray the lithium grease because it's already in my hand after doing the bushings.
2020 Silverado 2500HD LT, CC, 4X4 6.6 Duramax
2021 Grand Design Reflection 311BHS

I asked him to do one thing and he didn't do any of them.

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
laknox wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Sure wish they'd come up with a "lube tube" for king pins; d@mn grease gets messy."

Not sure what you mean?


OK. You can buy a "lube plate" for the pin box to rest on on top of the hitch head. I'd like to see a teflon tube that would wrap the king pin itself, to "lube" it in he hitch jaws. Impractical, though, as it'd have to be so thin it'd likely wear out after only a couple thousand miles.

Lyle


Got it!

I have a 1/8" lube plate from Hensley that works well with the B&W. It stays on the bottom of the pin box plate and is snug to the kingpins shoulder so it does not fall off.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

laknox
Nomad
Nomad
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Sure wish they'd come up with a "lube tube" for king pins; d@mn grease gets messy."

Not sure what you mean?


OK. You can buy a "lube plate" for the pin box to rest on on top of the hitch head. I'd like to see a teflon tube that would wrap the king pin itself, to "lube" it in he hitch jaws. Impractical, though, as it'd have to be so thin it'd likely wear out after only a couple thousand miles.

Lyle
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 64 Year Member

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
Get in the habit of using grease. You could replace you hitch balls if they have been used a lot without grease. If you are really careful you could weld on a new coupler.

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
"Sure wish they'd come up with a "lube tube" for king pins; d@mn grease gets messy."

Not sure what you mean?
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD