Stiff 3PT Lift Arm Sockets?

[Mayhem]

For lack of a better description the implement end of my 3PT hitch arms where the balls are. They move very hard and make mounting equipment very difficult.Has anyone got an idea on how to free these up? I have tried lube with a ton of ELBOW grease, but they just won't free up. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[44trxfun]

I haven't tried it myself, but I wonder if some dry graphite would help???

 

[RickNC]

Just be patient. They will eventually free up. Just keep them lubed with light oil, and keep a piece of pipe around to rotate them into position. The oil will attract dust and dirt and create a little play in the balls eventually. Also, there may be some paint on the balls that are causing them to be difficult to move.

Best of luck.

 

[MarkLeininger]

Every time I grease I splooge a little on those balls and wiggle them around. Now that the grease is worked in it keeps the water and ice out so the rust thing doesn't bind it up. At first I used WD40 on them because mine were stuck too. The WD40 worked to get them loose.

 

[btolle]

I have started using silicone lubricant for a lot of things. It doesn't seem to attract as much dust as WD40 and it is very slick. Perhaps some silicone to get them freed up a bit and then a light coat of grease now and then to keep them loose.

Bill Tolle

 

[Stef]

I removed the paint with a grinder equiped with a cotton pad and I put some grease on the balls. Now the balls rotate freely and it's a child play to connect implements. It took me about 15 minutes to do the job and now it works very well.

 

[Mayhem]

Man I've lubricated and wiggled till the cows came home and they just won't loosen. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif The balls are clean and shiney,not sure what the inside of the arm looks like.I'm going to keep lubricating them and working them around,but boy it makes it hard puting equipment on and off.
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[jhbusa]

Mayhem,

Mine were new and stiff too. I got mine loose by spraying a ton of wd40 then inserting one end of a strong, long metal rod. A contractors stake that holds carpenter string works great. Hold one end of the rod (3ft or more) and move in a figure 8 pattern. They loosen up quick. The paint comes off with the friction and the WD40. Of course the balls / arms must be secured to something. I used this with other implement / ball attachements including the hydralic cylinder balls with great success.

 

[ges]

sent you a PM

 

[stevenf]

Mayhem, mine were very stiff to the point I could barely shift them with a loose cat2 pin. Somebody suggested PB Blaster and it sure has worked well for me. So well in fact that now when I put my cat 1 bushings in to hook up smaller implements I have a tough time keeping them from rotating and dropping my freshly cleaned ready to go bushings in the dirt. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Steve

 

[HomeBrew2]

There's a thread on this forum somewhere from a guy that had the only "real" answer for me. I have no time to wait for dirt to do it's work but had considered being patient ... NOT!
The attached pic is obviousy on a wood floor ... you need to do this "attitude adjustment" on a concrete floor or an anvil or other substantial base. ... Literally beat the living shinola out of it ... mine were so "frozen" that each ball joint requried HARD pounding about each 20° (after removing all oversprayed paint and using extreme-pressure graphite) . ... I know it sounds hard to believe but, the guy whose post I read was exactly right and it worked perfectly for me. Hope it helps man.
Cheers!

 

[lww05]

Mine were stiff as all getout too when I bought my used BX last year. I chucked up a short piece of 1/2" all-thread in to a 1/2 inch drill. I sandwiched the stiff ball between two flat washers and two nuts. While spraying with WD40, I ran the drill motor and moved it around in a circle pattern - like wollowing it out. After it freed up some, I firmly applied sandpaper to them while running the drill motor. I kept this up stopping to clean and apply new oil and/or WD 40. This worked for me.

 

[milkman]

Easiest fix, three words. Pats Easy Change.

 

[Mayhem]

Thanks HomeBrew2 and Ges I really think you guys have the solution. These arms are past the point of lube, the balls are clean and when you do lubricate are work them around there is NO signs of rust coming out of the arm area.All the paint is long gone also, so I feel that this was a problem since new(Before I owned it) This week I will take them off and try this out.Thanks everyone else for the different lube ideas, but I think they will come in handy after I loosen the sockets up a little.