Hitch Mounting Bolts Wont Start on Curt Class III 13555 on 2007 Honda CR-V

Question:

the 4 bolts that attach the hitch to the frame. the ones that came with the hitch seem to big. Is there more than the 10 mm bolts included? Please advise, Thanks

asked by: Brian D

Helpful Expert Reply:

The mounting bolts that attach the hitch into the nuts welded into the frame members should be 10mm.

I can make a pretty good guess about what you have going on. Vehicles that are more than a couple of years old can get road grunge and corrosion built up into those nuts welded on the frame. If you live in a climate where ice and snow melting chemicals are used in the winter, this problem is more common. Needless to say, this makes it difficult if not impossible to get those bolts started. If the corrosion isn't too severe, douse those threads with a spray lubricant like WD-40 and give them a good scrub with a wire brush like what's on a battery terminal cleaner such as # DW00254. If the corrosion is severe, you'll need a thread tap to open those threads back up. Be sure to use lots of spray lubricant and be sure the tap goes in straight so the nuts don't get cross-threaded.

expert reply by: Mike L