To answer the second part of your question, about how to service the latch mechanism on the hitch. As previously pointed out, they do need to be cleaned and lubed occasionally, and it is easy. What I do is:
o Make sure the front of the trailer is solidly supported on the body jacks, not just the tongue jack.
o Lie down under the hitch and look straight up into the latch mechanism, where the ball would go.
o Work the latch lever a few times so you understand where the moving parts are.
o Wipe out the socket and latch mechanism with a paper towel.
o Put a daub of grease between the sliding surfaces, and work the lever several times to spread it.
o Stand up and stretch.
o From the top of the latch, put a healthy dose of a spray lube into all the sliding surfaces. Again, work the latch to spread it around. It should work smoothly. A lot of folks use silicone spray for this. I prefer a Teflon spray (Lowes has a good one), but either way, the important thing is to lube it.
Also, be sure to spread a daub of grease on the hitch ball each time you hook up. Use a paper towel to wipe the old grease off the ball - yes, it is grubby - squeeze a daub of new grease onto the top of the ball, and spread it all over the ball with your finger.
Bill
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