| JIMBOK04Pilot |
| Anyone now how to resolve this: 2004 Hitch attachment has now become complex. The One Anchor Bolt of trailor hitch broke the welded nut.... It is Stuck in hole-- Once I find a way to cut the bolt off--- How do I use it to bolt on the hitch in that same hole? (Without a nut)-- ~Jimbo:( |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by JIMBOK04Pilot
Anyone now how to resolve this: 2004 Hitch attachment has now become complex. The One Anchor Bolt of trailor hitch broke the welded nut.... It is Stuck in hole-- Once I find a way to cut the bolt off--- How do I use it to bolt on the hitch in that same hole? (Without a nut)-- ~Jimbo:(
Was it the first bolt you were putting on or the last?
Many have found that if the car is not new, the threads must be cleaned with a tap of they will break loose.
Some have just left of one bad bolt, others have found a way to get and hold a new nut in the frame rail. |
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| JIMBOK04Pilot |
| Thanks N-Jay--- Actually I was testing the bolts (alone) 1st-- It was the first bolt. So, until I cut it off--- and Tap the others I am at a standstill. I will be off to the Auto -Parts store. |
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| JIMBOK04Pilot |
Thanks VP-- I had a good evening-- 30 Minutes with a Dremmel & Goggles and I cut that bolt---- Got lucky using a magnet clipped to the end of a hacksaw blade thru the 1/2" hole to extract the nut & piece of bolt (no rattle at every turn!)- Also bought a Tap Wrench... cleared other two holes successfully. I have the Hitch attached with 5 out of 6 bolts!!.. I may look for a way to Tap the one remaining hole and use a larger bolt with no nut. (Tapping those holes should be a primary instruction for those hitches.) IF anyone knows of a professional bolt for that "Nutless" hole I am listening.
I appreciate the guidance! |
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| N_Jay |
Taping the sheet meal will give you almost no strength.
Fishing a bolt up and finding a way to hold it while you get a nut on, or fishing a nut up and finding a way to hold it while you get a bolt on, is the right fix.
Factory hitch uses 4 bolts on each side, one missing is probably no big deal. I might be concerned with only 2.
IMO the hitch kit is designed to be installed by the dealer on a new vehicle and therefore rust in the bolts is not an issue. |
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| smutvillain |
hmmm, this isn't the same thing as "bust a nut" is it?
:D :D :D
(sorry for the low brow) |
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| Paul.V |
Had the same thing happen to my 04 pilot.... I re-tapped every hole one size larger to 1/2" after chasing the 12mm threads & they stripped.
You cannot tap the 'frame'. You can though 'fish' a piece of wire (i used cable) up through the hole to a bigger hole further up the frame...tape it( electrical tape works well) to a BOLT with a wide shoulder or as big a washer as will fit through the hole. Now pull your wire back untill the bolt drops down through the frame and hitch. You can hold the bolt in place with some side pressure with a screwdriver to get your nut (with washer)started. Thread the nut as far as you can then wrench tighten. I was lucky , my bolt did not spin....if yours does, grab the end exposed through the nut with some vice grips and your all set....
You should use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to spec.
Paul |
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| JIMBOK04Pilot |
| Paul-- That is a perfect description---- I will see if my novice skills can make it happen-- Thank you for taking the time to share your fix! |
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