Receiver Hitch Bolts

[Davis]

Hey Ya`ll,
I just to throw out a reminder for some of the people with older tow vehicles like my 94 dually that you may want to check the bolt torque for your receiver hitch. I just replaced mine today because the hitch pin hole had wallowed or became oblong and when I began to remove the factory hitch there was one bolt on each side that was finger tight. Made me stop and be thankful that I had not had a catastrophe. Happy Travels. Davis

[Loren]

Good point, Davis.

I recently re-installed my Pull-Rite hitch to eliminate some clunking and found that I had not gotten a bracket tightly against the truck frame when I first installed it.

I used grade 8 bolts with grade 8 nuts and lockwashers. I read the article in FourWheeler magazine (I think it's the July or August issue) regarding LocTite vs. split-spring lock washers. That discussion prompted me to remove the lock washers and install LocTite.

I think that the LocTite will hold at least as well as the spring lock washers, plus it provides the additional benefit of preventing rust between the threads. Now, if I need to remove those bolts in the future, they won't be rusted tight. I intend to use "Liquid Locker" (LocTite) much more in the future.

Loren

[B25guy]

I'll second that suggestion to use Loc-Tite.

I've used my hitch for both weight only and W/D and found (luckily before A/S ever got hooked up!) that the rear bolts with spring washers had backed off some allowing only the two others on each side to hold the weight.

The consequence of this was that there was enough flexing in the frame rail that it cracked the bottom of the C-channel truck frame.

I've since welded the cracks, bought a new HD receiver hitch and use grade 8 hardware with Loc-Tite.

I now check that area several times a season.

It's Friday!!