How to Remove a Ball Mount Stuck in a Hitch Receiver
Square peg. Square hole. Rust. Commitment.
A ball mount left in the receiver for a season rusts into the tube. Once the pin is out, it needs penetrant all the way around the shank and a lot of shock.
Step by Step
- 1
Remove the pin
Pull the hitch pin and clip. If the pin is stuck too, soak it and drive it out with a punch.
- 2
Soak the gap on all four sides
Spray into the gap between shank and receiver all the way around, and through the pin hole.
- 3
Shock it
Hit the ball mount from the side and from below with a heavy hammer, then from the back toward the car, to crack the rust.
- 4
Work it out
Wiggle it up and down and side to side while pulling. Reapply penetrant as it moves.
- 5
Clean and grease
Wire-brush the shank and inside the receiver, then coat the shank with grease before reinstalling.
Heat on the receiver tube can help, but keep it away from wiring, the fuel tank, the bumper cover and the spare tire. Penetrant must be dry first.
- Wear eye protection. Hitting rusty steel throws scale.
- Do not tow with a damaged receiver or a deformed pin hole.
Which Penetrant, and Why
Amazon links are affiliate links. Disclosure.
Lucas White Lithium
Listed for trailer hitches. Coat the shank so it slides out next time.
Read our reviewCommon Mistakes
Leaving the ball mount in year-round with no grease.