| dgilfillen |
Hello,
I started to install the new hitch I bought this morning. It is a Reese #44589. The hitch itself was fine...
However, the install went South within about 5 minutes. There is a tow "hook" on the driver's side rear frame rail (three bolts in it) - and three empty holes in the passenger side rear frame rail.
I hit the driver's side bolts with my impact gun, and two came out just fine. The third one (farthest toward the front) was stubborn. So, I ran it in and out with the impact, until my compressor and impact gun could not budge it.
So, I reached for the 1/2" breaker bar. Figured I could break it loose no problem... well, I did... break something loose! The spotweld holding the nut in the frame rail! Thank God it was the one I could get to through the hole in the frame.
So, I grabbed all my tools I have in the arsenal. Nothing would hold onto that pesky nut in the frame rail.
So, I cut the bolt off. It is HARD! I went through three sawzall blades before I finally got HALF through the bolt and was able to break the head off.
Down came the tow hook, and I was over to the passenger side (I had already sprayed the passenger side nuts with PB Blaster, so I figured that would go smooth). Nope, not smooth! The nuts in the frame on that side were so rusted that I could not even get bolts to go into them.
So, I was off to find a 12mm tap. Have you ever tried to find a 12-1.25mm tap? Good luck. I hunted everywhere. Found one at Snap-On online for $10, but I did not want to wait. So, I went to a buddy's house and he happened to have one lying in his tool box.
So, ran the tap in the 6 holes, and hitch install went smooth after that!
I also lowered the spare tire and sprayed all the road salt off of it. I also greased the spare tire cable, just in case.
That's it!!! Let me know if you run into the same issue... I feel your pain!
dgilfillen |
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| jestmaty |
OUCH!!!
At least you did finally get the hitch on.
If if remember my '04 installation, it went much more smoothly. The Pilot was only about 9 months old when I tackled the installation.
Living down here in deep south Texas, we don't get road salt or grime that our friends like you from up north have to deal with.
What is the hitch for? Bikes or somethin' ? Or are you going to go with the wiring harness too? |
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| dgilfillen |
Yes... hitch is for bikes and/or a small utility trailer that I might use once per year (I pull the trailer with my 1998 Accord too).
I am going with the wiring adapter. I saw where it was today under the plastic trim piece at the tailgate. Very similar if not identical to my Accord. Should be simple, just need to connect it.
Later!
dgilfillen |
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| TomStromie |
dgilfillen,
You just described a 20 minute job becoming a 4 hour job. Not fun! I'm really glad I put the hitch on shortly after buying my Pilot. |
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| N_Jay |
Congratulation on knowing to use a tap.
Many here have just forced the blots in with the resulting broken welds. |
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| jarizzo |
Wow, quite a fiasco you had there! I don't suppose you were swearing at any time in there, right? How many cans of (insert your favorite beer here) were sacrificed in the process?
Nice work cleaning up a messy situation and thanks for the detail. You're lucky you have the tools and experience to fix all that stuff. Imagine how much all that would have cost if you took it to the dealership!
That will be a great feeling of accomplishment when you hook up the trailer for the first time. I can hear it already, "Take that, #&$%ing frame rail! Teach you to rust, won't it? How you like me now? Dgilfillen is your daddy biotch!"
Thanks for the post, congratulations, and a belated welcome to hondapilot.org forums...
Cheers!
John
:7: |
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| Blkblurr |
| Wow. that was some job. I put mine on in 2007 with 3 years and 75,000 miles on it and I live in ohio and I had no rust on it or any problems with the bolts. I wonder wihat the difference is??? |
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| dgilfillen |
The difference is that it looks like you live in Dayton, and this was a Cleveland vehicle. Much more salt/snow there :)
dgilfillen |
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| mmmmark |
I had the dealer install my hitch at the time of purchase.
When I inspected it after completion, I noticed that the bolt closest to the front on the driver's side was "loose". As it turned out, they had broken the weld on the nut just as you did.
They never told me and figured "it was good enough". I pointed this out to the service manager and he looked like he was about to fire someone!
They took the vehicle to a body shop to have it fixed. Not sure exactly HOW they did it, but they did fully undercoat that area when they were done, so they must have had to open up that piece of channel.
I wonder if they are smart enough to tap those holes now? Probably not. |
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| Blkblurr |
quote:
Originally posted by dgilfillen
The difference is that it looks like you live in Dayton, and this was a Cleveland vehicle. Much more salt/snow there :)
dgilfillen
That's must be it. I think it snows during the summer in Cleveland. Dayton does not get alot of snow as you said. |
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