Jim Wilkins wrote:
wrote in message
...
Jim Wilkins wrote:
...
Secure the ball from rotating with Vise-Grips, jack up on the screw and
turn
the nut.

Could be. That compressed lock washer is probably
providing a lot of force axially so I figure if the
nut was going to engage and unthread, it would have
done it by now. The nut just turns and turns with
no movement along the stud axis.

--Winston

I suspect the stripped threads have released enough of the pressure. If you
can't get a jack under the screw, hook up the trailer and lift its tongue.
You may be able to tighten the hitch latch nut enough to keep the ball from
turning.

The ball itself doesn't turn while I'm rotating the nut.

Because I'm curious what happened to the threads (and if
it was indeed the nut that failed), I think I will slice
the nut off and pop the ball out of the bumper.

--Winston