Seized Ifor Williams/ Knott braked trailer hitch

[Antoin]

Have an ifor williams trailer here with a seized braked hitch. ie it doesnt compress when the car is braking, therefore no trailer brakes.
A combination of neglect, lack of rubber boot, seaside weather and a lack of grease have seized it up good and solid.
Is there anything to look out for before I take the sledge to it to free it up?

Thanks,
Anton

 

[swansty]

i have a workshop manual for it if you pm me an email address

 

[Apis]

I'd try reversing it into a wall. Carefully.

 

[FM155]

I've rescued one before by cleaning the exposed section up with a twist knot brush on the angle grinder and forcing oil in through the grease nipple by filling a grease gun with light oil.

 

[JayT]

I've serviced many of these where are you based? If not to far I might be able to help

 

[Antoin]

I'd try reversing it into a wall. Carefully.

The thought had crossed my mind but I've just fixed the rear lights for about the tenth time!

I've serviced many of these where are you based? If not to far I might be able to help

Portstewart. If you can even tell me if brute force/heat etc is all I need that would be enough. I just don't want to damage any internals.

 

[Joe 90]

Soak it in diesel. Then beat it out.

 

[Antoin]

Right, update time;
Got the hitch off the trailer and dismantled the components.
Took the gas damper out so any heat used wouldn't blow it up.

It was badly seized. 20t on the press, diesel in round it, as much heat as I could get out of the plumbers torch.
It eventually let go with an almighty bang. Think I jumped a foot in the air!
The press must have been low on oil as I couldn't get finished this evening. Il have to top it up tomorrow and continue with it.

Not sure if the shaft is salvageable. If it's that seized in it'll be hard to get it to work well again.

 

[John_MK5]

You can get them going again but takes a bit of work. I’m based outside garvagh and work on them every day if you need anything in future

 

[Antoin]

You can get them going again but takes a bit of work. I’m based outside garvagh and work on them every day if you need anything in future

Cheers John, might still need you lol

 

[Antoin]

Free at last;

 

[Joe 90]

I'd say when you clean it all up you'll wonder how it every got so tight.

 

[Antoin]

It's like butter now that it's been cleaned and greased. Falls out when you tip it up lol

 

[Daviddunlop83]

You can get them going again but takes a bit of work. I’m based outside garvagh and work on them every day if you need anything in future

How often should you grease them and how much grease? I know you can see it come out the back but without removing the front rubber boot you can’t see it.

 

[John_MK5]

How often should you grease them and how much grease? I know you can see it come out the back but without removing the front rubber boot you can’t see it.

That back will only take maybe 2 pumps of a grease gun before it drops out. It’s the front grease nipple is the important one. How often depends on the use the trailer gets. If using a standard grease gun 8/10 pumps should be enough.

without sounding cheeky just use common sense when greasing them. I’ve seen hitches ruined beyond repair for people not greasing them or fitting a new hitch boot when it gets torn