Fab1 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Do you get a lot of banging and clanging at the coupling?I've tried everything with mine and if I adjust the grub screw just until the play is gone,I can't lift the handle to release the coupling from the ball.If I back it just enough to be able to lift the coupling off the ball,the banging and clanging is back. It would be nice if I can rectify this issue and short of maybe replacing the coupling and ball I'm at a loss. Note:The coupling and ball are 50mm. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 how old are the coupling and ball..metal on metal wears..also how much weight is on the ball...rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 Not very old at all.I put the towbar on but the coupling is 2011 and as you know I don't get out much really.60-70kg down weight ,can't remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Are you sure it's not the jockey wheel rattling about, try a bungy strap on the jockey wheel and see if you still get all the noise. By the way I have a standard towball and have done hundreds of hours of towing on it and only ever noticed the jockey wheel and wobble rollers making any noise. I use a little trolley jack to push my wobble rollers back up if they move a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I get noise from the actual hayman reese hitch moving in the towbar..nylon shims helped..rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 10 hours ago, JonD said: Are you sure it's not the jockey wheel rattling about, try a bungy strap on the jockey wheel and see if you still get all the noise. By the way I have a standard towball and have done hundreds of hours of towing on it and only ever noticed the jockey wheel and wobble rollers making any noise. I use a little trolley jack to push my wobble rollers back up if they move a little. It's a definate bang back and forth like when the coupling is loose but will tie it back and see. 10 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said: I get noise from the actual hayman reese hitch moving in the towbar..nylon shims helped..rick Yeah,those removable hitches are prone to it as they move about a lot if you don't shim them or tighten/fit the/a grub screw. Unfortunately this method won't fix my situation as I have a solid one piece std towbar. I will have a look again and check everything out and will buy a new coupling and ball if to no avail to see if it makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great_White Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) You might find that the Ball Coupling may have "elongated" over time ... Cheaper Steels / Alloys... etc ... against a hardened steel ball .. I grease mine up regularly, and still find every now and then I have to adjust the grub screw on the hitch... I also had my entire tow-bar replaced as part of a "Safety Recall" from JEEP ....( mine is a 1996 Grand Cherokee LTD ) still got recalled. They removed my aftermarket brand, and replaced with OEM JEEP ... that was about 2 years ago ..... Had her for 16 years. No Noise though .... not even before the recall, main noise is from my swing up jockey wheel ... Great_White Edited January 3, 2018 by Great_White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 Found something Intresting.The set screw on the couplings adjuster had lost it's threads and needs replacing.I had to cut and slot the screw again to unscrew it out of the coupling.The Screw photo is after I cut the top off and slotted it for removal.Never seen that happen before.Getting a spare screw is a pita too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
back cruncher Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Hi all...A treg hitch will solve all your problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 8, 2018 Author Share Posted January 8, 2018 On 06/01/2018 at 1:31 PM, back cruncher said: Hi all...A treg hitch will solve all your problems. Apparently they are pretty good from what I've read.They are probably overkill on a small boat trailer like mine. Went shopping for a new coupling,towball today armed with my vernier calipers and micrometer and guess what?Couplings and tow balls vary in size by as much as 0.7mm. I bought the best match up I could find,moved my axle back to give me my max ball weight of 75kg and the bloody thing is still banging under tow but not as much as before. Will have to live with it I guess but geez it's annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antonywardle Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 have you tried putting an old rag on the ball and then putting the trailer on top of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 6 hours ago, antonywardle said: have you tried putting an old rag on the ball and then putting the trailer on top of that? No,should I have too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 is it your coupling or the boat banging on the trailer..im guessing small tinnie...heavy weight springs..hitting potholes in road.????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 50 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said: is it your coupling or the boat banging on the trailer..im guessing small tinnie...heavy weight springs..hitting potholes in road.????? The coupling is loose on the towball and bangs back and forth when going over bumps.I,ve pretty much exhausted things to try the last being adjusting the set screw on the coupling as much as I could still allowing me to unhitch,moving the trailer axle back to achieve a ball weight of 75kg and it still bangs but not as much as previously. My boat is solid on the trailer and it has the correct springs for the load on it. I even took the swing up jockey wheel completely off to prove to myself it isn't that making the noise. In short it sounds and feels like the boat moving slightly back and forth on the ball banging and echoing through the chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 it sounds like your pulling your hair out on this one Fabian....is it a braked trailer..i don't think you need 75kg on the ball..i only have round 35/40 and have no probs..what sort of boat /trailer combo ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 5 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said: it sounds like your pulling your hair out on this one Fabian....is it a braked trailer..i don't think you need 75kg on the ball..i only have round 35/40 and have no probs..what sort of boat /trailer combo ?? I am pulling my hair out(What's left) and being a stubborn Bxxxxxxd I won't give up.It,s my little runabout on an unbraked trailer.Towed with my Kia.I have put the maximum ball weight to see if it made a difference,that's all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Turn the radio up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 2 minutes ago, raging said: Turn the radio up It was only a matter of time wasn't it? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 nice rig Fabian..i would say your right bout the banging being vibrated thru th chassis mate..we had an excel that did same...turn radio up loud.you know its not gunna fall off with all new ball n hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 bugger....someone beat me to the punchline...rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 1 minute ago, rickmarlin62 said: nice rig Fabian..i would say your right bout the banging being vibrated thru th chassis mate..we had an excel that did same...turn radio up loud.you know its not gunna fall off with all new ball n hitch Thanks,Yeah,I think I've done as much as I can(For now).I'm extremely happy how the little Kia tows her other than the noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 2 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said: bugger....someone beat me to the punchline...rick Type faster.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigma Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 What about trying a piece of some rigid rubber, like a piece of tube from a tyre. Maybe silicon it to the top of the ball as It might help cushion it and get rid of the noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 I was just thinking in hindsight I should have got a 40hp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab1 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Just now, Sigma said: What about trying a piece of some rigid rubber, like a piece of tube from a tyre. Maybe silicon it to the top of the ball as It might help cushion it and get rid of the noise. I did some research and on the caravan forums they reckon they use multiple layers of shopping bags on the ball then drop the coupling on.(yet to try) but your idea sounds good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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