How to Select a Trailer Hitch
Match hitch class to the door sticker and the live card before you shop a heavier trailer than the vehicle can honestly tow.
Watch on YouTubeTrailer Coupler Grease Fitting Tips (Canada)
Some trailer couplers have a grease fitting, often called a zerk, so you can pump a little chassis grease into the ball socket. Wipe grit before you pump. A thin film beats a messy glob. Keep grease away from electrical plugs, four-flat pins, and seven-way terminals. Match the ball size to the coupler stamp, close the latch, and torque the ball nut to the value on the hardware card. No invented legal cutoffs. Canada orders often ship free on qualifying baskets, so confirm the cart note before you check out.
Parts-counter shortcut.
Wipe grit, grease the wear faces lightly, skip the electrical plugs, then confirm latch and ball-nut torque.
Related Canada help already covers
coupler grease tips,
coupler latch pin tips, and
ball nut torque tips.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Watch these CURT videos first
All four videos are from the official CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Use them for class selection, install habits, wiring basics, and ball-mount height before you dig into the product cards below.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card. Focus on clean grease habits, latch safety, and ball-nut torque rather than inventing legal cutoffs.
Trailer Hitch Installation Techniques
Confirm the live card still lists your year and configuration. Shared sheets are easy to mix up when sibling badges sit nearby.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Connect a Trailer Wiring Harness
Plan lights after the hitch. A four-flat or seven-way still needs a clean ground before the first night tow.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Choose a Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
Match shank size to the live tube, then level the trailer with rise versus drop once the hitch is on.
Watch on YouTubeWhat a zerk fitting is doing on a coupler
Some trailer couplers include a grease fitting, often called a zerk, on the coupler body or latch area. That fitting lets you pump a little chassis grease into the wear surfaces that rub the trailer ball. Not every coupler has one. If you do not see a fitting, do not drill one in. Wipe the ball and socket, use a thin film of grease where metal rubs metal, and keep moving.
The goal is simple: cut squeal and wear without packing grit into the joint. Grease that looks black and sandy is already full of road dust. Wipe it out before you add more.
CURT 40003 two inch ball
In-stock two inch trailer ball for everyday bumper-pull couplers. Confirm shank size and rating on the live card before you torque the nut.
Open live 40003 product →Parts-counter note. Grease the ball and coupler socket lightly after you wipe grit. Keep grease away from electrical plugs. Torque the ball nut to the value on the hardware card, then recheck after the first trips.
How to grease without making a mess
Step 1Wipe grit first
Clean the ball and coupler socket. Old grease mixed with sand acts like lapping compound.
Step 2Find the zerk if you have one
Some couplers have a grease fitting. Pump a little chassis grease until you see a light purge, then stop.
Step 3Thin film if there is no zerk
Wipe a thin coat on the ball and inside the socket. More grease is not better.
Step 4Keep plugs clean
Do not grease electrical plugs, four-flat pins, or seven-way terminals. Grease there traps dirt and kills contact.
Zerk habit
Pump, then wipe
A short pump is enough when the fitting takes grease cleanly.
- Wipe purge grease so it does not collect grit
- Stop if the fitting will not take grease
- Never force a dry or clogged zerk with junk oil
No fitting
Socket wipe still helps
Many couplers never had a zerk and still last when kept clean.
- Thin film on the ball and socket
- Re-wipe after dusty or salty trips
- Inspect the latch and pin while you are there
What not to grease
Keep electricity dry
Grease belongs on metal wear faces, not on plugs.
- No grease in four-flat or seven-way pins
- No grease on breakaway switch plugs
- Use dielectric grease only where the plug maker says so
Balls, latches, and torque that belong in the same conversation
A greased coupler still needs the right ball size, a latch that closes fully, and a ball nut that stays tight. Match one and seven-eighths, two inch, or two and five-sixteenths balls to the coupler stamp. Pin or lock the latch. Torque the ball nut to the value printed with the ball hardware, then recheck after the first highway miles. We do not invent legal cutoffs here. Follow the live product card and the coupler maker notes.
Two inch ballCURT 40003Two inch trailer ball for everyday couplers. Confirm shank and rating on the live card.
One and seven-eighths ballCURT 40016One and seven-eighths trailer ball for lighter couplers that stamp that size.
LatchCURT 25194Replacement two inch Posi-Lock coupler latch for listed straight-tongue couplers.
Coupler lockCURT 23520Barbell-style coupler lock for storage days when the trailer sits unhitched.
| Topic | What we tell shoppers |
|---|---|
| Wipe first | Gritty grease scrapes the ball. Clean, then add a thin film or a short zerk pump. |
| Zerk optional | Some couplers have a fitting. Many do not. Do not invent a hole. |
| No plug grease | Keep grease out of electrical connectors. Lights need clean metal contact. |
| Latch and pin | Close the latch fully and use a pin or lock. See coupler latch pin tips. |
| Ball nut torque | Torque to the hardware card, then recheck. See ball nut torque tips. |
Related guides worth opening next
Coupler grease tipsBroader Canada coupler grease habits and wipe-down routines.
Coupler latch pin tipsLatch close, pin, and lock habits before you roll.
Ball nut torque tipsKeep the ball from spinning loose on the mount.
Towing guides hubFull Canada hitch index without stuffing the mega menu.
Parts-counter summary: wipe grit before you grease, use the zerk only when the coupler has one, keep grease out of electrical plugs, match ball size to the coupler stamp, close and pin the latch, torque the ball nut to the hardware card, and open the linked tip pages when you want the deeper latch or torque walkthrough.
