Tongue Maintenance Travel Trailer

[w2drfg]

I am ready to kill some rust on the tongue of a travel trailer and would like info on the hitch itself. What needs to be done for maintenance on the tongue, grease it, rust preservative, how to tell when to replace the tongue itself because of wear or age etc. this is a welded part and it is rusty where the ball will fit. the rest looks ok to me.

[NHRA225]

A steel welded tongue is a tongue.
On my Trailer (enclosed) I sanded and sprayed the entire tongue with Rust Oleum spray on Truck bed Coating. Simple project and looks great, has lasted quite a few years now. Keep the Ball nose well lubed I use grease.

[NFlcamper]

It should not need replacing unless EXCESSIVE rust has eaten a good part of it. Surface rust can be knocked off with a drill and wire wheel. Wear safety glasses using them. My father once got rust in his eye and it was a painful recovery.


The mechanism that locks the trailer to the ball is fairly simple and stout and can be wire wheeled too. If it is operable and a visual inspection doesn't show deeply pitted rust spots, a light coating of a spray oil or grease, should keep it rust free in the future. If you are in the rust belt clean the salt off it anytime it accumulates and grease it to protect it. I clean the old grease off mine in Florida once a year with brake cleaner and re-grease because of dirt/sand getting into the grease from the roads.