Hitch Ball Threads?

Diggin It · Nov 7, 2018

You're supposed to be able to find anything on the web right? So why can't I find the thread count on hitch balls, even on sites dealing with hitches like Reese or Curt?

On a 1 7/8" ball, shanks come in 3/4" or 1". If you lose the nut (we never lose things, do we?), what nut would we order if we didn't have any other reason to go to town to stand in a hardware aisle and try one after another? I have spares from older hitch balls, but they are coarse thread and the new ones are fine thread. Or would they even be available in a hardware store and not limited to trailer supplies?

Zebrafive · Nov 7, 2018

Just look up a "fine" thread chart 3/4-16. 7/8-14. 1-14. 1 1/8-12. 1 1/4-12

The only coarse thread trailer balls I remember had internal threads in the ball and were 3/4-10

Diggin It · Nov 7, 2018

That's sort of the question ... are they standard fine threads or are they something special to hitch systems?

I saw 1-14 mentioned on one site, but it didn't specify if that was the thread or something else.

4get gto · Nov 7, 2018

I would think they're standard thread.
The thread you were referring to. Could it have been 1" dia x 14 threads per inch...?

TheFarmerInAdell · Nov 7, 2018

From what I can tell they seem to be extra fine thread. Good luck finding the nut in a hardware store. Fastenal might have one special order. I'll take my thread pitch gage to the ones I have later and I can give you the exact thread count. I believe all of mine are 1" shank. I'm guessing it's 1"-20.

WranglerX · Nov 7, 2018

The only one I have immediate access to check is 1inch X 14tpi....

or...

https://www.amazon.com/Hex-Nuts-1-1...1,p_n_feature_fourteen_browse-bin:11433998011

1 inch NF is 12tpi by any chart I can find...

Best "local" place to find replacement nut is probably local "U-Haul" or any place that is dealing in towing and trailer supplies.... Maybe local farm and ranch supplier in "hitches" section...

Dale