Tow BALLS

[SWithrow]

Aluminum tow balls? Are they really strong enough to last?

 

[jelag]

The way aluminum can fracture and break there is no way I'd use one with a trailer over 4 or 5 K lbs.....

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

I think without greasing them they would gouge pretty easy.

 

[HOBrian]

I think without greasing them they would gouge pretty easy.

Making sure your balls are greased is very important.

 

[Grizzly]

Why take a chance. I wouldn't use one, unless I was towing a Radio Flyer Wagon.

 

[rbattelle]

I don't get the point of an aluminum hitch ball. Is it a weight savings thing?

Ryan

 

[SWithrow]

I don't get the point of an aluminum hitch ball. Is it a weight savings thing?

Ryan

Thats my point, I have seen a few trucks in town that are the HD and they tow trailers of all kinds with the aluminum balls. Oh and I noticed after I posted this that it was posted in the wrong spot.

 

[mcsinfl]

it always makes me laugh to see these truck owners with decked out/lifted trucks, and those cheesy aluminum drop hitches. it's obvious they either just like shiny things, or they have no clue what their doing. i sure wouldn't tow anything heavy with one.

 

[BGlidewell]

it always makes me laugh to see these truck owners with decked out/lifted trucks, and those cheesy aluminum drop hitches. it's obvious they either just like shiny things, or they have no clue what their doing. i sure wouldn't tow anything heavy with one.

My truck is stock but I use an aluminum drop hitch rated at 10K to haul 8K at times. I'd rather not heat up the two rear tires on my trailer. :-laf

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

 

[CumminsBu]

I see those aluminum drop hitches everywhere, but are the balls really aluminum? I thought they were steel. That is why I went with the B&W Tow and Stow.

 

[Garlic]

I haven't used an aluminum hitch ball, sort of scared of them. The trailers I build need steel ones, this is an 18" ball for a 175 ton capacity trailer (The empty trailer weighs 100,000 pounds). We build trailers that require a 22" ball as well.

 

[Scooby]

Holy crikies! A 22" ball?

 

[rbattelle]

The trailers I build need steel ones, this is an 18" ball for a 175 ton capacity trailer (The empty trailer weighs 100,000 pounds). We build trailers that require a 22" ball as well.

That's fascinating! I've always wondered how big trailers are hitched. Can you give us a ballpark what the breaking strength on one of these big balls is? I figure it's gotta be somewhere North of 800 tons.



Ryan

 

[DGamelin]

Lets see those big trailers.



_________________________

93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 271k

04. 5 3500 4wd qc dully 373 6speed 94k

 

[Garlic]

Breaking strength? Not real sure, but we had a 220 ton trailer flip and it took the truck (CAT 785D, a 200 ton dump truck) with it and the ball was still coupled in the socket. Here are a few photos to show a size relationship, The first 2 are of a 175 ton and the third one is a 220 ton model. . I will dig for some 220 pics.

 

[DGamelin]

Thats a lot bit bigger then the belly dumps I use to drive. What is the HP of the tractor? Is it mechanically or diesel-electric?

 

[Garlic]

The small one is powered by a C32 CAT V-12 Twin turbo (1959 cid) at 1016 HP and a 7 speed auto, the bigger truck is powered by a CAT 3512HD V-12 Quad turbo (3573 cid) 1450 HP backed by a 6 speed auto. These are mechanical drive trucks. You usually don't find the electric drive trucks until you get into the 350 ton class of truck. These are 100 and 200 ton, (777F and 785D)

 

[DGamelin]

Ugh ugh ugh!