hitch mounting problem

yodejt02 · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 8:45 pm

just bought a reese hitch for my 06 renny everything hitch wise went together very smoothy, but when I went to mount it onto the jeep I noticed that the nuts that are welded on the sub frame on the passanger side were a different size than on the drivers side. Has anyone else had this problem. The hitch instructions say that all 4 mounting points on the sub frame take the same size bolt.

yodejt02 · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:03 pm

by the way cleaned out the holes in the sub frame and was still having problems with the fit

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:09 pm

All 6 holes,yep there is 6 holes that need to be filled by bolts to get the rated towing capacity on a KJ,should be M12x1.75,use only 10.9 or 12.9 hardness bolts only.Never seen or heard of each side being different,may need to clean the holes better or use a M12x1.75 tap to clean the holes.

yodejt02 · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:40 pm

yeah after looking at the hitch it only bolts 4 spots which was a concern of mine so I am returning it, as far as the subframe nuts I think I will retap them just to make sure the next hitch i get will fit right

TAHOE · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:42 pm

I had to retap all 6 of mine on our 05 Libby. They were so corroded, you would have thought I was tapping new holes, not just cleaning them out.
12x1.75 tap

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 10:20 pm

I just went through this mounting the OEM hitch. I think if you've had any weather exposure at all, the holes get a bit funky. In the end, I was unable to get my bolts (all 6 of them) turned more than a few turns. Well, to be honest, it was 5... I couldn't even get the stinker under the muffler started. Drove it about 1/2 mile down the road to my nearby mechanic and got them to torque them all in.
I don't think these silly things are easily do-able with 'homeowner' ratchets.
Of couse, living in the salt and rust belt probably doesn't help (I'm just outside of Boston).

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 2:12 am

i had trouble gettin the middle one on the exhaust side in too without droppin the exaust down

now, some of those hitches have 4 regular bolt holes with 2 larger holes in the middle of each side that you have to use an oblong washer kind of deal for the bolts on that hole

if your hitch is used and ya didn't get the oblong thick washer things, you can probably get them from northern tool or improvise

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 2:46 am

I just used a crow bar to move the muffler over. Had to flex those rubber hangers a bit.

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:13 am

I got my hitch about a month after purchasing my 03 KJ in 04 and it had not been off-road with the prior owner...however it was from the suburbs of Philly so it saw plenty of snow and slat. I got 4 of the 6 in with no trouble...the two closets to the muffler were no cooperating...soked them down multiple times over the course of a few days and wire brushed them repeatedly. THen after like fourth or fith cousre of that treatment they went in all the way.

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:25 pm

I have seen the 4 bolt Hitch at work it's a Class 2. I didn't like the look of it. Seemed as if it would hang lower. I have a Curt hitch Part# 13244. Actually a 13244-01 because I wanted it too be Red (Curt offers Powder Coated color Match hitches). It's way up by the stock bumper. You would smash the Gas tank clean off before it would drag.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:57 pm

I had a heck of a time getting mine in when I first put it on. That was years ago and my jeep was only around a year old but they were still a bear. At the time I didnt have a tap, just a 1/2in ratchet.

After that I took them back out to put the skid on, they came right out and went right back in. Made sure they had anti-seize on them.

yodejt02 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 10:14 pm

the reese hitch I bought was listed as class 3 but it should be class 2 or something cause it only uses 4 bolts to mount the hitch to the subframe. seemed alittle fishy to me. took it back and am looking at getting a used uhaul hitch. collage kid on a budget

Sean · **Posted:** Thu May 07, 2009 9:07 am

yodejt02 wrote:

the reese hitch I bought was listed as class 3 but it should be class 2 or something cause it only uses 4 bolts to mount the hitch to the subframe. seemed alittle fishy to me. took it back and am looking at getting a used uhaul hitch. collage kid on a budget

I think I have the same hitch, reese class 3 with a 2" receiver and only uses 4 bolts from the subframe - I have pulled plenty with it and have had no issues...

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu May 07, 2009 10:34 am

It may be ok to tow light loads but you cannot use a weight distributing setup at all.

hitch mounting problem

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