Posted 2006-08-02 6:02 AM (#45860 - in reply to #45845) Subject: RE: Coupler maintenance????? Help?
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Since no one else responded ...
There is only one place where lubrication is critical. That's the surface inside the coupling where the ball goes. The easiest way to get grease up into the coupling is to grease the ball. A 1/2teaspoon of grease on top and another 1/2teaspoon of grease spread around the sides of the ball is generous.
Depending on how much dirt is blown and how often you uncouple (exposing the ball)... wipe the old grease out and grease again.
You'll be best served by an EP (Extreme Pressure) rated grease. The name to the grease will have "EP" as part of it.
A little bit of oil on the locking pin and the lock plate pivot will keep them easy to move.
Posted 2006-08-02 11:01 AM (#45891 - in reply to #45845) Subject: RE: Coupler maintenance????? Help?
Expert
Posts: 2689
Couplers vary, for example the Atwood is a bit different from the Bulldog.
Generally the sliding surfaces of the coupler mechanism need a light oil to keep them free and prevent rusting - WD-40 is good enough for this.
Weight (or FORCE) bearing surfaces need a high film strength oil or grease. Grease is easy to put where you want it to stay, oil is handy if you want it to run somewhere (-:
{don't confuse viscosity with film strength, grease isn't necessarily "stronger" than oil, 140 oil isn't necessarily "stronger" than 30 (-:}
I wipe off the ball and coupler when I unhook, it keeps sand and grit from accumulating, but leaves enough of an oil film to keep rust away. This is part of my POST trip maintenance - see other threads (-:
Just before I hook up I dribble some axle oil onto the ball, it distributes itself well by the time I've backed under the coupler.
Silicon spray is handy for safety chains, prevents rust, non-greasy, non-staining, etc.
Posted 2006-08-02 11:17 AM (#45892 - in reply to #45845) Subject: RE: Coupler maintenance????? Help?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
The trailer maintenance company that I use advocates white lithium grease. It comes in a spray and stays on better than W-D40. I also use it on my trailer door hinges, garage opener hinges, and other misc places.
Posted 2006-08-02 5:03 PM (#45915 - in reply to #45845) Subject: RE: Coupler maintenance????? Help?
Veteran
Posts: 201 Location: Lincoln, NE
Thanks to all for their replies. Much easier than I had anticipated to take care of this. I had imagined an expensive trip to the trailer dealer to have it "greased". I'm old enough to remember when cars were greased along with oil changes. Was thinking of grease gun and zircs. Guess I must be really old, huh? 57
Coupler maintenance????? Help?
