Squeaky trailer hitch coupler...and very tight

[Further North]

When I bought my boat 4 years ago, I assumed that the tight hitch and the fact that it squeaked sometimes was due to the fact that it was virtually new.

 

By "tight" I mean that I have to stand on, or kick, the torque lock to get it to close.

 

Four years later, it still needs to be forced into place, and despite regular greasing, squeals like crazy when the joint turns.

 

I'm thinking there's a simple adjustment in there that'll fix this, but don't know enough about the hardware to just dive in and guess.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[A-Jay]

Here ya go ~ 

The fit between the ball hitch and the trailer coupler should be tight enough to prevent a disastrous decoupling while on the road, but not so snug that the trailer will have trouble making turns. Here's how to achieve the perfect fit in just a few minutes.

Step 1
Uncouple the trailer and insert a spare ball into the coupler (a). Close the coupler latch lever. If the fit is too loose, remove the ball, and tighten the spring-loaded nut (b) on the underside of the coupler.
**
Step 2**
Reinsert the ball and check the fit. Repeat the latter part of Step 1 until you get a fit that is snug but not so tight that you cannot move the ball by hand with reasonable effort. Rehitch the trailer.

 

https://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2012/04/fix-poorly-fitted-trailer-coupler-minutes#page-2

A-Jay

[Further North]

Thanks - That was the third link on the Google search I just did.