Help me get this out!

[tlevan03]

Factory goose ball is stuck and broken. It spins freely. The release broke and I punched out the rest thinking it would release. Thanks!

 

[jghflys]

The hitch has retention balls that hold it in place. The balls are probably rusted in place and will not retract. Liberally douse the hitch with penetrant and let it sit a while. If you can figure out how to connect a slide hammer to the hitch you may be able to pull it out that way. Or, hook up you goose neck and raise the jacks to put an upward load on the hitch ball and tap the hitch ball with a hammer. The retention balls have to slide in for the hitch ball to come out.

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[tlevan03]

Thank you. I was going to spray it down and smack it with a sledge hammer to see if that frees it up. It’s been in there awhile.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Thank you. I was going to spray it down and smack it with a sledge hammer to see if that frees it up. It’s been in there awhile.

I don't think hitting it down will help. The suggestion to hook up trailer and the try to pull it out makes a lot of sense.

 

[tlevan03]

I meant by smacking the side to see if the detent balls will fall out. I don’t have a gooseneck at the moment but I would agree that would probably be the best route. Thanks

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Does that hole at the top go all the way down to where the detent balls are? If so you can spray some penetrating oil down to try and free things up.

Also, the picture above says 1/4 turn release. Maybe the ball needs to be in a certain orientation to come out?

 

[tlevan03]

The 1/4 turn applies to the latch on top of the ball. I believe the detent is stuck. I’ll spray it down tonight. It’s got to come out one way or another.

 

[JR]

Since your release is broken can you drill down through the top? I'd size a bit just a touch under the diameter of the hole. Once the guts are gone there shouldn't be anything holding the detents out.

 

[TFucili]

Do you have a gantry, or a hoist you can use and put a choker around it?

 

[JR]

Just a guess based on only looking at a Curt ball once before, but I suspect it will take more than just force to remove it. The release lever is broken but the wedge that forces the detents out are not released. You can certainly try penetrating oil and force in the form of lifting, if that doesn't work I believe you are relegated to drilling the whole rig out to relieve the detents.

 

[AH64ID]

I found this on google and etrailer.

I spoke with my contact at Curt who told me that there is an access hole at the bottom of the OEM gooseneck hitch on your 2016 Ram.

You are going to look for an aluminum or plastic plug that once removed will allow you to retract the locking mechanism on the ball

 

[AH64ID]

Well I just went and looked at mine and didn't see a plug or any way into the grove where the retaining balls go...

But maybe he just means the opening at the bottom and they no longer have plugs? It's probably worth crawling under the truck and looking at it.

 

[tlevan03]

I found this on google and etrailer.

Well I just went and looked at mine and didn't see a plug or any way into the grove where the retaining balls go...

But maybe he just means the opening at the bottom and they no longer have plugs? It's probably worth crawling under the truck and looking at it.

I saw that as well and crawled under and didn’t see any plug. When I punched the locking cam out it just dropped.