To remove a ball from a ball mount, you typically need to loosen and remove the large nut located on the underside of the ball mount platform that secures the ball shank.
Removing a trailer ball from its ball mount is a straightforward process that requires the right tools to handle the high torque typically applied to the retaining nut. This allows you to replace a worn ball or change to a different size.
Here are the general steps involved:
- Secure the Ball Mount: Place the ball mount securely, often upside down, in a heavy-duty vise. This prevents it from moving while you apply significant force to the nut.
- Identify the Retaining Nut: Locate the large nut on the bottom of the ball mount, directly underneath the ball's threaded shank.
- Gather Necessary Tools: You will need a large wrench or socket that fits the nut. Ball nuts are often very large, sometimes requiring specialized wrenches. Using a breaker bar can provide extra leverage.
- Apply the Wrench: Fit the wrench or socket onto the nut.
- Loosen the Nut: Turn the wrench in the counter-clockwise direction (the standard direction for loosening most nuts). This action involves changing the direction of force applied to the nut relative to the ball mount's position, as hinted by the reference "Change it change the ball. Direction." You may need considerable force to break the nut free, especially if it has been in place for a long time or was torqued correctly during installation.
- Remove the Nut and Ball: Once the nut is loose, continue unscrewing it by hand or with the wrench until it comes off completely. You can then lift the ball out of the top of the ball mount.
Required Tools
- Heavy-Duty Vise: To secure the ball mount.
- Large Wrench or Socket: Sized correctly for the ball nut (sizes vary, commonly ranging from 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" or larger).
- Breaker Bar (Optional but Recommended): For added leverage to loosen tight nuts.
- Torque Wrench (for Reinstallation): Critical for properly tightening the new ball to the manufacturer's specifications during reassembly.
Remember that ball nuts are torqued to very high specifications to ensure safety while towing. Reinstalling a ball requires tightening the nut to the manufacturer's recommended torque value using a torque wrench.
