Thieves -- Aargh!!!

[mike84z28]

Then you should know that tack welding the nut to the hitch will not penetrate through to the threads, which would compromise the strength of the nut. Similarly, tack welding the ball to the hitch will also not penetrate through to the shank.

Unless you are the god of welding and can tack a full pen weld, I think you are over-complicating things and getting out of your depth.

Welding the ball to the hitch will not compromise it, so tack welding it will definitely not. Been hauling 10k-12k for 30 years and I slept at a holiday inn express last night !

 

[DAVE_M]

Welding the ball to the hitch will not compromise it, so tack welding it will definitely not. Been hauling 10k-12k for 30 years and I slept at a holiday inn express last night !

I agree. To compromise the strenth of the ball and shank, you would need to make multiple passes for hours to ruin the temper. Even then, the weld will be stronger than the ball.

Point being, if you so choose to weld so deep that you end up welding the threads on the shank or nut, the heat treat will be the last thing you need to worry about lol

 

[Whitebread]

I agree. To compromise the strenth of the ball and shank, you would need to make multiple passes for hours to ruin the temper. Even then, the weld will be stronger than the ball.

Point being, if you so choose to weld so deep that you end up welding the threads on the shank or nut, the heat treat will be the last thing you need to worry about lol

Hey y'all can do what you want. Those tac welds will always be cold joints and you wound be better off with green loctite. If you get it hot enough to make a good weld your ruined the temper. If you don't get it hot, there are much better options.

 

[DAVE_M]

Hey y'all can do what you want. Those tac welds will always be cold joints and you wound be better off with green loctite. If you get it hot enough to make a good weld your ruined the temper. If you don't get it hot, there are much better options.

You would have to heat the ball up with a torch for an extended period of time to ruin the temper.

Without trying to sound overly offensive, I'll just say that you are out of your depth.

 

[Whitebread]

Welding on personal stuff does not make you a welder. Bring a few of those projects to a lab for inspection and get a reality check.

I've never taken my stuff to a lab but I am a firm believer in occasionally cutting open a weld and and inspecting it. It is as you call it a reality check and anyone who is a hobbist should do so if they are doing anything of a critical nature. I have learned a lesson or two like that.

 

[Whitebread]

You would have to heat the ball up with a torch for an extended period of time to ruin the temper.

Without trying to sound overly offensive, I'll just say that you are out of your depth.

And without responding defensively. There are better options. I will admit to likely being over paranoid when it relates to my hitches, but I don't think that is really a bad thing.

 

[RustyHammer]

I had it happen once, been using a lock pin ever since.

... this!

 

[whbonney26]

I had to run some errands this morning: quick breakfast stop for coffee and a biscuit, Home Depot for some project materials, Walmart for some baking stuff for wife, then home. A few minutes after I got home I walked behind my truck and noticed the hitch ball mount and pin were gone! I used my utility trailer yesterday to pickup my lawn tractor from the repair shop. Usually I will pull the ball mount out of the receiver as soon as I drop the trailer, for some reason just neglected to do so this time. I'm almost sure the ball was there when I came out of Home Depot, so probably some Walmart-shopper ripped me off!

Had that same thing happen to me at one of those parking places in New Orleans a few years back. I now have a locking hitch.

 

[bjeepin2]

just put a few buggers on the shank just below the ball so it will not come off ez and they will wall by and leave it alone and a lock pin for sure.

 

[general mills]

After you work out how you want to secure your trailer hitch, try not shopping at Wal-Mart and notice how much better you feel about life.

 

[DAVE_M]

After you work out how you want to secure your trailer hitch, try not shopping at Wal-Mart and notice how much better you feel about life.

Lest we forget the walmart anthem:

 

[Whitebread]

After you work out how you want to secure your trailer hitch, try not shopping at Wal-Mart and notice how much better you feel about life.

Beats all the advice given in this thread.