Found the source of my clunking & thumping!!

[Tail_Gunner]

For a while now I've been experiencing a clunking or thumping noise from the back of the truck whenever I had the trailer in tow. At first I thought it was a worn coupler, so I replaced that. But the noises didn't go away. Next I thought it might be some slop between the square shank of the ball mount and the reciever. So I made some shims to insert to take the slop out. But again, nothing improved.

But 2 weekends ago, when unhooking the camper from the truck, I noticed a very slight gap between the base of the trailer ball and the top surface of the mount. When the trailer was off I looked at it closer, sure enough the BALL WAS LOOSE. I pulled out some tools and was able to apply another 1 1/2 turns to the nut.

When I got home, I pulled out the heavy stuff, my 4' breaker bar extension and my 3/4" socket set. I tried to tighten the ball nut, but it wouldn't tighten enought to where the ball wouldn't spin.
I took it off and the threads were beat up enough where the nut wouldn't turn beyond a certain point. Beyond that point is where it had to go to be TIGHT!! Apparently over time, the ball had somehow become loose and the clunking and thunking was the sound of the threads on the ball shaft getting beat up. I know when I initially installed that 2 5/16" ball, I had to have torqued it to over 200 ft/lbs. So how it came loose is beyond me

Lesson learned for everyone's benefit, CHECK YOUR BALLS!!! And wrench them good from time to time and make sure they're tight.

 

[_CH_]

Lesson learned for everyone's benefit, CHECK YOUR BALLS!!! And wrench them good from time to time and make sure their tight.

 

[CHPMustang]

Have Loctite will travel

Bill

 

[JohnBoyToo]

Yeah buddy !!!!!!!!!!
movement will chew up a trailer shank in a new york second

My little john deere tractor I use to move my utiltity trailer around in the back yard will even chew up the old trailer ball I drop in there...


but on the big car...lock washers and double nuts for me

EeeeWwwww - take THAT mental picture to the bank...

 

[BlueRidgeRunner]

I weld mine to the draw bar.

 

[RichieRich]

check this out..... trip to fla.

I weld mine to the draw bar.

I can top that..... -popcorn
I drove a brand new 2005 F250 v10 to florida in January (from AZ) along with 2 other drivers in that rig and 2 vans this was all work related. First off the truck was 1 day old and had 100 miles on it, they had a chevy astro van on a full uhaul trailer. the thing had so much tonge weight that there was only about 5 inches between the bottom of the hitch and ground. so off we went, 3 days later in orlando I am backing the van off of the trailer and the whole thing pops up in the air... not know what it was .. say maybe a tilt bed trailer, since I did not load it I had know idea I could not see it. the guys watching have no clue but said go on back it's okay, they were in front of the truck so they could not see what just happened until I got out of the van. Somwhere in our drive the Nut on the Ball came OFF .... yes OFF.
I guess it is a good thing we had so much tounge weight. I know check that little Item when I get gas, stop for food or anytime we stop.. as stated above you need to watch your balls. this could have been very nasty for us but it was not the right time.
Rich

 

[BlueRidgeRunner]

Rich

I weld the ball to the draw bar so no one can steal the trailer that is coupled to it. I often tow trailers with valuable cargo aboard. I use a locking pin, a welded on ball, and a Master locked trailer coupler.

 

[CHPMustang]

Somwhere in our drive the Nut on the Ball came OFF .... yes OFF.
I guess it is a good thing we had so much tounge weight. I know check that little Item when I get gas, stop for food or anytime we stop.. as stated above you need to watch your balls. this could have been very nasty for us but it was not the right time.
Rich

Back in '87 the ball nut on the back of my Jimmy came off while on the way back from the shore after a day of fishing in the bay next thing I see is the boat trailer off tracking from the truck talk about a near cardiac arrest at age 21!!

The back tailgate took a dent but no major damage done

 

[bonestroker]

I got one we was heading down one of the 3 sisters when i looked in the rearview mir just as my bros camper came off the ball on my truck talk about cream your jeans that was my . we got it shut down and come to find out it called for a 2 5/16 ball we had a 2'' on like they say check your BALLS