Noisy Bpw Hitch. ..

[Stillroaming]

Just looked through did not find a thread on this. Sorry if duplicated.

 

Hi suddenly the hitch sounds like it is ripping the back of the car off. It is emanating from the BPW friction pads. Someone suggested dropping a small amount of water over the hitch whilst still hitched, wow no noise for the rest of the journey. Visual check of the pads at the destination seems to be just a metal disk x2 that clamps the tow ball, one at front and one rear of the ball.

 

Any thoughts on why it would suddenly start? How do I know when the pads need changing please?

[Borussia 1900]

If its a 2016 model then they shouldn't need changing for many more years yet. Did you perhaps have anything contaminating your towball? If so, clean it and the pads with some brake cleaner from Halfords.

They all creak and groan (inc Al Ko), well they have on the many caravans I've towed, I overcome this buy turning up the Stereo

[chrisn7]

Just like the old Bulldog spring type stabilisers which also groaned, the friction pads generate dust. This gets compacted between the towball and remaining friction material. Remove this with a fine wire wool or emery. Don't use white spirit or similar as a final clean. You will of course need to do this again from time to time.

[ericfield]

Just looked through did not find a thread on this. Sorry if duplicated.

Hi suddenly the hitch sounds like it is ripping the back of the car off. It is emanating from the BPW friction pads. Someone suggested dropping a small amount of water over the hitch whilst still hitched, wow no noise for the rest of the journey. Visual check of the pads at the destination seems to be just a metal disk x2 that clamps the tow ball, one at front and one rear of the ball.

Any thoughts on why it would suddenly start? How do I know when the pads need changing please?

As already mentioned. ..dust from the frictionpads. I use a water wipe (not the ones with oil in them!) and wipe the ball and the inside of the hitch before moving between sites. We reserve the fine emery pad for the start of the season. The hitch has inbuilt indicators for when pads are getting low. ...green side disks shows red (on my hitch). Edited July 6, 2017 by ericfield

[Jaydug]

I have a Winterhoff hitch and I find that if I don't give my ball a spray with brake cleaner and a wipe with a rag, I'll be in for a noisy journey, especially the first couple of miles when there's loads of right & left hand bends to negotiate. The brake cleaner spray stays in the boot area of the car.

[CommanderDave]

As said the towball needs a clean .

 

 

 

Dave

[Paul_B]

Just looked through did not find a thread on this. Sorry if duplicated.

 

Hi suddenly the hitch sounds like it is ripping the back of the car off. It is emanating from the BPW friction pads. Someone suggested dropping a small amount of water over the hitch whilst still hitched, wow no noise for the rest of the journey. Visual check of the pads at the destination seems to be just a metal disk x2 that clamps the tow ball, one at front and one rear of the ball.

 

Any thoughts on why it would suddenly start? How do I know when the pads need changing please?

 

They should be metal cups with brake pad material inserts, if so give them a clean as mentioned earlier, if they don't have the inserts they need replacing.

I carry a scotchbrite pad and a brake cleaner aerosol and clean the ball and pads before every trip

 

[IanV8]

Mine were worn out showing red earlier this year, when I replaced them it was much harder to get the handle down and also noisy when turning but that cleared up after a couple of trips.

 

When I had an Alko chassis I used to change the pads every year.

 

Ian

[Stillroaming]

Thanks everyone brake cleaner here I come ? I should have guessed it would be that simple otherwise why would pouring a small amount of water on it cure it.

 

When we picked her up we did around 50 miles and it started to grown on tight bends for a few miles. Then stopped and not been heard since until the other day on every slight direction change and bump.

 

Again many thanks ?

 

Steve

[Jaydug]

How do I know when the pads need changing please?

There's an indicator on the top of the handle. (Marked with a white circle in the picture.) The pointer moves towards the shorter lines as the pads wear. ............but they last a long time. .. . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . My van was 10 years old when I got it and the pads were good. Now six years later and another 15000 miles, they're still showing OK.

[Stillroaming]

Thanks all. I am the proud owner of a tin of brake cleaner ? sad I know, but I now await the next move this coming weekend to use in anger so to speak.

 

My hitch is not exactly the same as that one, it also has two indicators one is the pads apparantly I know the other indicates it is locked on the ball, so all is good ? thank you for the input.

[chrisn7]

There's an indicator on the top of the handle. (Marked with a white circle in the picture.) The pointer moves towards the shorter lines as the pads wear. . . .. . .. . .. . .but they last a long time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My van was 10 years old when I got it and the pads were good. Now six years later and another 15000 miles, they're still showing OK.

Same here - mine is also at least 16 years old and still on the original pads and the indicator shows well within range.