Hitch care

Been there, done that.  After the first couple strikes, I was told to turn them the opposite direction, made zero difference.  Yes, these were auto deer whistles.  Funny thing, this is really a Ford tough truck, although my front bumper kinda looks like a twisted pretzel, I have never had it in to a body shop, even after 31 kills.  The worst damage I incurred was when I had just gotten the truck (company truck) and had it for 3 days.  It was during the rut and about 25-35 yards ahead of me I counted over 20 deer crossing the road, so I came to a complete stop.  During that time a deer came out of a cornfield on my left (traveling the opposite direction of the deer in front of me) and ran full tilt into the truck, just behind my door, made a pretty good size dent in the side.  It was laying down on the pavement, moving around in circles, I thought for sure it broke its neck.  As I got out of the truck, the doe proceeded to get up and limp off into the cornfield, as far as I know it lived.  I took the truck to the owners and showed them the damage, they shuddered as they hadn't put insurance on it yet.  I still am reminded of that hit today, as it never was fixed.  I have hit mostly all does, only a few were bucks.  Maybe I should try to get a few pics of this fine old truck and post it for you all to see.  It is in pretty rough shape but still runs fine after 307,000 miles with a 5.0 L V-8 and manual stick shift.

Oh boy you bring up a sore subject on deer whistles.  After my 4th deer kill with my '94 F-150 I was told by some locals, put on a pair of deer whistles, that will prevent you from killing all our deer (I had 4 deer kills in 3 years).  So I purchase and install them on the front bumper as per the instructions.  I truly believe (and the guys who sold me on this idea are now convinced) that it only exasperated the problem.  Like a trooper I continued to put on deer whistles on the front bumper after the previous deer kill would take them off.  Long story short, with deer whistles I was able to kill an additional 7 deer in 3 years and was out the money to keep replacing them.  So now here I sit with my '94 F-150 with 31 notches (deer kills) in the 18 years I have owned the truck.  I travel between 30-35 mph on my way to work (at 5:05 - 5:15 am) and only travel 5 miles to get to work, yet with 1 exception all the deer hit have been in the morning on this 5 mile jaunt.  And I'm not counting the ones I have hit and they limp/scamper/walk away.  Yes, I have killed more with my truck than with my rifle, kind of embarrassing.  At my place of employment the truck is appropriately called "deer slayer."  AND . . . . no more deer whistles.

There should be a sufficient ground through the Bargman but I seem to recall a million years ago, trailer connections relied on the hitch for the ground, but no way I can document that now.  I figure it can only help though.  Dielectric grease is good but I don't know that it really matters.  Maybe it does.   How's that for helpful?

TT

Good point, TheBum, will adjust:)

I did find "greaseless" hitch balls at etrailer, that have replaceable nylon caps on the ball, they were for the "Rapid Hitches".