Hitch rattle

I find mine rattles a little till we hit the dirt, then the dust fills the gaps and stops it rattling:)

haven't tried it but some thin heat shrink like is used for battery packs might take up the play.

The locking bolt under the hitch should only be used when unloaded to stop the rattle. If you use it loaded the bolt would be 'mushroomed' by the 'riveting action' making it impossible to remove.

Obviously I meant a "mr hitches anti rattle locking hitch pin" - sorry

Mine stops rattling when it gets full of dust.

Suitcase,
Have you worked out if the rattle is from the towbar hole and tongue hole are too, big allowing rattle, OR is it the tongue s slapping sideways a little causing rattle OR, it is the front end of the tongue in the receiver flapping up and down near it's inner edge, rotating on the pin, which is causing the rattle? I cannot see how a pin design of any type will stop any of those sources.

The pin and receiver horizontal holes should be a close fit to prevent and rattle but it will allow rotation of the tongue to slop the inner edge up and down. If the holes are flogged bigger then repair may be the answer or drilling and using a large dia pin. Near the front edge, forward most edge, of the receiver at the bottom, I drilled a hole and tapped it 8mm. Most times the tongue is up at the front edge and so the bolt screwed in there simply holds it up all the time, = No noise. Side slop can also make a noise but the angle bolt idea with welded nut should stop that.

I bought a rubber stretchy hold down, about 500mm long and placed across the top of the square tube of the tongue and pulled it down either side and hooked into the back of the tube. Stopped the rattle instantly. They come with a stainless hook either end. Bunnings about $6.00.

I dont use ball hitches any more ....but in a past life with both caravan and box trailer...a plastic shopping bag folded up to 4 thicknesses and put onto ball before hooking up worked pretty well...plus it had a by use of being a bit of a lubricant as well
Maybe worth a try ....just bung it on and make sure ball adjustment is good.....then trim around it leaving about 4 inches of excess all around the ball.
Cheers Keith

Hi Suitcase
I have had a rattling hitch. The tongue is held in place by a hard metal pin, the receiver (towbar) fabricated from 10mm steel and the tongue is made from RHS of a lighter gauge and it fits slightly loose in the towbar.
As time goes on the the hole in the RHS get enlarged from pounding on the pin and results in a rattle.
This has fixed mine.

Hi Suitcase,

As RMD stated, unless you know exactly where the rattle is coming from, it is hard to suggest what might stop or reduce the rattle. From what I have read, the most common cause of “tow bar” rattle is from the tongue being slightly smaller than the receiver. Generally, once the tongue is “loaded” up with the hitch on the van/trailer, it tends to disappear. If this does not solve the issue, particularly on rough roads, I have seen a lot of people using a shim of some kind, quite often fashioned from an aluminium drink can or similar to stop the rattle. When not towing, you could just remove the tongue.

If the rattle is from the socket on the trailer hitch being loose on the ball, have you got the correct size hitch for the ball, or conversely the wrong size ball for the hitch?

Macca.

The rattle of which I speak would be the same as that experienced (and solved) by Pinko's clamp. Hayman Reese and Mr Hitches sell a hitch pin that is designed to eliminate this "movement". Those that would remember the Secure-a-hitch (same mob that make Rock Tamers - but not made anymore) - it did the same thing. It probably is the movement of the tongue up and down inside the receiver - pivoting on the pin.
Just wondered what people did - seems "dust" is the most popular packing material used.
I might stick to my old hitch.
cheers

I used a Hayman Reese 55038 - Silent Hitch Pin, on my Dmax.

Had no problems with the length and it works well to stop the rattle. May differ on the Prado.

It also feels like it has improved stability when towing my caravan (seat of the pants measurement)