Creaking, groaning hitch
Good morning all
I was leaving Cirencester this morning when I heard a creaking, groaning, grinding noise coming from the hitch.
Long story short ... it went when I disengaged the stabiliser, returned when I engaged. MAYDAY came out, the bloke had me driving up and down as he located the noise, slapped a load of grease on the tow ball, noise went, he went and we are soon going.
However a lingering doubt remains in my mind that the action of greasing the tow ball is to reduce the effectiveness on the stabiliser. It is an AKS 2004 fitted to an Eriba triton.
What does the team think? Yes, I know I'm daft and stupid but moving on from the obvious .......
Comments
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I’m no expert, but I think you’re right to be concerned. Normally one would clean the tow ball with brake cleaner because it’s grease free. No doubt someone with much more technical knowledge will be along soon with some good advice. Good luck.
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Oh no! Grease and Alko hitches are a big mismatch.😦
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Hi OnlyJen...Yes, I know I'm daft and stupid but moving on from the obvious .......
why would, OnlyJen Motorowner have a towball, do you tow your eriba behind your motor home, sorry it is raining stuck in doors so probably being a bit silly 
but def no grease on ball0 -
Are you sure it was grease? There should never be any grease, oil or similar on the ball or in the hitch cup on that type of set-up. (There should also be a special long neck ball in use, but that's a different thread.)
The stabiliser works because there are small friction pads inside the cup that rub on the surface of the ball. The noise you heard is quite common when the pads need replacing. Usually a simple job but if it is now filled with grease then a complete nightmare.
I suggest you get someone with trusted technical knowlege to have a look. Meanwhile, look up how you make a claim on Mayday for negligence. Also, don't tow any other (modern) trailer until you get the grease removed from the tow ball, or tow your caravan with another vehicle until it is cleaned out - otherwise the grease just spreads.
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As has been said, grease should NEVER be applied to the tow ball or stabiliser. Check to see if there is grease on them; if so, clean the tow ball with grease remover/break cleaner until it is completely grease free and shiny; if there is grease on the stabiliser pads they need to be removed and cleaned but probably replaced. If you find that the Mayday mechanic used grease when all he needed to do was clean with Brake Cleaner you should complain insisting that they meet any costs or come to you to sort it out immediately.
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Thank you. It was definitely grease and dirty grease at that,
Fortunately I did not travel far, just back to the pitch I was leaving having decided to stop another night. I am now fresh back from a garage with degreasing fluid, cleaning the tow ball and stabiliser friction pads.
A very nice neighbour opposite is coming over to check all is well. As usual most folks on a caravan site are only too pleased to help. Quite lovely.
This man suggested it may have ben a bit of rust from the tow ball that had contaminated the friction pads causing a grinding noise. Nothing that a good clean of hitch Coupling and tow ball can't sort.
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Thank you.
All is now being cleaned. The friction pads are virtually new, The suggestion is, from a very helpful neighbouring caravanner, is some form of contaminant, probably rust from the tow ball, that was causing the noise and a good clean should sort, something he has Kindly offered to help us with.
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Thank you for that good advice.
I know he shoved a load of grease on the ball because he proudly showed me it, including explaining how he lifted it from some part of his recovery vehicle
Fortunately I now have half the world's supply of degreaser with me and a very helpful neighbour.
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We need a sense of humour with this caravanning lark!
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Here is a tip for quick - and possibly therefore frequent - cleaning of the coupling.
There is a red ball available for inserting into an empty coupling as a slight deterrent against theft of the trailer. Wrap a thin cloth around it and squirt on the brake cleaner, stick it in, and give it a twist about. Should remove stray contaminent.
The ball is easier to get at with same cloth and cleaner, and to keep it dry and safe, well 2/3rd of a tennis ball! Nice bright yellow also helps a little with keeping one's kneecap away from it.
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I'd be complaining to Green Flag/MayDay. For an out fit that's supposedly caravan friendly, it's unacceptable for one of their drivers to not know that you don't grease friction pads of a stabiliser. It's no different from lub'ing brake pads if they squeak.
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I had the misfortune to breakdown twice this year and both times the driver who towed us up did not know anything about AKS hitches. And as we were going to be towed about 65 miles on the 2nd tow I suggested that the stabiliser be used, he didn't know anything about it! Although he did use brake cleaner on the towball before connecting up.
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In the old days greasing of the hitch was required and there are still some oldies out there that suggest it is necessary - I have had a few doubtful looks when I say NO! I suspect greasing may still happen in Farming and Horse trailing.
The tow ball gets mucky from the stuff on the road too - sand paper and the spray are in my tool kit.0 -
Hooks and stabilisers get dirty from time to time with road grime etc. All the advice about regular cleaning is sound and you seem to have solved the problem? An anecdote. Many, many years ago (1981 I think) we had one of those bulldog stabilisers with a spring like bar which linked to a fitting by the tow hook on the car. We were returning from Venice and near Cortina in the Alps when this grating sound came from the rear when we went round corners. Thinking it was the tow bar loosening I took it apart and refitted it (we often fitted our own tow bars in those days!), grating sound remained. So removed the stabiliser and it went! So took stabiliser apart, cleaned it and refitted - all OK
. So linking to your current problem, 99% (no 100%) sure that cleaning the pads and ball will have cured your problem.0 -
Last year when in France we noticed horrible sounds from the hitch. They started when we had driven over a newly resurfaced road and some tar or some other foreign material had found its way onto the ball and/or the alko hitch. Cleaned both with degreasant and problem solved.
Moral of story.....always keep your balls clean!
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There are still quite a few old style hook ups on the older vans that do need grease. Those with friction pads don’t.
When I first discovered the problem someone in the know, in the Lake Garda area, advised white spirit, but all I had was Aramis after shave, but it worked!
After that I always kept a bottle of white spirit in the car to clean both tow bar and pads regularly.
BillC
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