Why does my trailer hitch make noise

Clean dirt and road grit from all friction surfaces regularly. All nuts and bolts should be checked before each towing day and be tightened or replaced if necessary.

Pay special attention to the angle set bolt. There is a break-in period for each hitch and towing configuration. This period is not the same for every towing configuration. With use, the spacer washers and rivet may compact slightly leaving a small gap between the angle set bolt and the shank.

The bolt should be checked carefully through the break-in period and re-tightened as explained in Step 9. You will notice that over time the need to re-tighten the angle set bolt will decrease, but you should still check it regularly before each towing day as part of your hook-up routine.

Store your hitch out of the weather when not in use. Keep it clean and free from rust. From time to time, use a good quality rust inhibiting spray paint to touch up the finish and keep it looking good. Do not paint over the warning stickers. If the warning stickers become worn or unreadable, contact Progress Mfg. Noise is a normal occurrence when towing a trailer and using any weight distribution or sway control hitch. The majority of hitch noise can be eliminated by lubricating the friction surfaces of the head as shown in Figure In some cases the friction on the L-brackets can generate noise.

Lubricating this joint is not recommended. They quiet the ride and reduce wear without the mess of using a lubricant. If at any time you need customer support and are unable to reach a dealership, please call our toll free customer support line at or contact us here.

There is a plastic slide that can be added to the L brackets to reduce the noise from the metal to metal contact, I use them and my E4 works quietly. Of all the things I've lost in Life I miss my mind the most.

Someone on the Heartland forum also mentioned this. I'm going to try and talk to you the weight distribution company. Thanks for all your input! Always use a dry lube like a silicone or wax based product. Oil and grease based products will attract grit and make it worse. Not to mention handling and storing greasy bars and other parts. Originally Posted by IC2.

Originally Posted by hohenwald Unless that sliding metal contact surface is what provides the inherent sway control assistance designed into the hitch.

Placing grease on the bars where they pass over the top of the L brackets on the trailer tongue will eliminate the sound. It will also eliminate the sway control provided by that metal to metal friction contact point. Get used to the sound. It just means it's working as designed.

Weight distribution hitches are all designed different. What's good for one may not be good for others. Clean and grease your hitch as recommended. Following this process should eliminate most of the noise coming from the hitch. If after lubricating the hitch you still experience some noise do not be alarmed. This is generally caused by the friction between the spring arms and L-brackets, which means that your e2 hitch is working as it should to help control sway.

As I said above, I would grease those points - I dislike that hitch noise - but if necessary, would add an exterior Curt or other sway control device or two as I have done when we hat bumper hitch RVs. Did I say I strongly dislike WD hitch noises? Different hitches have different requirements for grease. My Equalizer 4 point has many surfaces on the hitch head that need grease and it will get noisy when it has not been done for awhile.

It always is very quiet as long as it has been greased. Just from memory I think there are 12 points on the hitch head that need greasing. I have never greased the L brackets and my hitch stays silent. You may also like:. Stop and give the trailer a push, pushing it toward your vehicle. You are then ready to attempt to lift the trailer using the handle on the tongue.

Do trailer couplers wear out? The tongue should now be right up under the bottom side of the ball and not touching the ball. Through continuous use the coupler will wear out and need to be replaced. You will see it start to wear through the top on the outside of the coupler. How do you release a trailer coupler? You can try moving the tow vehicle and trailer forward or backward to release the tension between the ball and coupler. Binding can occur if the trailer and tow vehicle are not on level ground or when the tow vehicle is level and the trailer is not or the other way around.

This is an independent, unofficial site. I recently October purchased a travel trailer. During PDI, I asked the tech how to lube the hitch and he waved his hand and said "put some grease here and there".

He indicated greasing the friction points on the sway control as well NO! I already knew at least that part. The hitch is a Fastway E2. This hitch has integrated sway control accomplished using L-brackets attached to the tongue of the trailer and round bars that distribute weight and use the friction against the brackets for sway control.

Anyway, so I've been towing with it unlubricated except for the ball and finally got tired of listening to it and bothering the neighbors. So I got some marine grease because that's what I had from our old boat and went to work. I put some fresh grease on the hitch ball, and the part of the bars that go into the hitch head. I didn't use a lot, just enough for a nice thin layer, applied with my fingers.

Now here's the cool part: I had read somewhere that if you wanted to quiet down a friction sway WDH, use Vaseline. I thought "seriously, Vaseline?

The answer is YES! What a difference! Between the grease and the "lube" my entire hitch barely makes a sound now. The Vaseline doesn't add any significant lubrication at least not enough to overcome the friction of the sway control but it sure does quiet those bars down! AND it makes them a little easier to pry into place. Now get out there and lube your stuff! You won't be sorry! No noise equals less friction which equals much less effective sway control.

Originally Posted by David I do not lube L-brackets but I do lube all pivot points at the hitch head. The popping noises I hear are an indication that I have sway control.