The more I use this, the more I like it! Hitching up the trailer takes seconds, not minutes. But a while back I ran into a small problem.

When I unpacked the hitch, the upper dust caps were dented. The dents didn’t affect the functionality of the hitch, and was really just a cosmetic issue. However, they caps really should have fitted a little more snug.

Eventually one fell off, lost in the wind while traveling.

You may be thinking that the product could have / should have been packaged better. Considering the weight of the product, and the fact it was indeed well packed, it is just one of those things that happened when shipping large packages via ground freight.

So… I needed a new cap.

FIRST STEP

I sent an email to ProPride, but didn’t hear back — that was surprising since the customer service had been great in the past, but who knows what happens when you send electrons across the universe. Besides, I’m the kind of person who likes a spare when it comes to these kinds of things.

If you wanted a grease cap for your car, you could go online and enter your Year, Make, and Model and it would be easy to locate one. But a trailer hitch cannot be searched this way. So it was time to measure the diameter and height of the cap and then search for a replacement.

The proper tool for measuring something like this is a caliper, which I just happen to have. You could also use a micrometer, but that takes longer and is not as good.

STEP 2: LOCATING AND ORDERING CAPS

I have bought things from eTrailer.com and have been happy with their products and service. So I clicked on over to the site and did a “grease cap” search with diameter measurement and found several option and then found the exact height I needed.

Many companies charge too much money for shipping and handling for inexpensive items, the shipping is often more than the cost of the item, which is why I try to buy from Amazon Prime. eTrailer is not one of these companies that overcharge. The caps came in pairs, so I purchased 2 pair (4 caps) and the total price was $10.89 including shipping and handling.

STEP 3: DOES IT FIT?

I knew the caps would be a tiny bit too large in diameter, but often that is a good thing ensuring a snug fit. Nope, I couldn’t install them — just a tad too wide. So I cut two small slots in each cap (as was how the original caps were installed) with a hacksaw, then cleaned up the shavings.

The installation was a bit tight, but a brass drift and a hammer got them installed snuggly without any damage. These are not going to fall off! And they are not going to come off with channel locks or pliers. But as you might have already guessed, I have the proper tool for that: a grease cap removal tool.

STEP 4: STAND BACK AND ADMIRE YOUR WORK