The Included Bolts Will Not Fit in the Weldnuts on Trailer Hitch 75128 on a 2002 Jeep Liberty

Question:

The 12mm 1.75 bolts are much to large for the exiting welded nuts on my 2002 Jeep liberty. Is this a know problem. What is the recommended bolts size, how does that affect the strength of the hitch?

asked by: Sean G

Expert Reply:

We have had this question before on a 2002 Jeep Liberty. Basically, there could be some dirt and grime gumming up the works and getting stuck in the weld nuts. This would make them hard to insert the bolts into. You can try cleaning them out real well using a spray lubricant like WD-40 or PB Blaster.

Let it soak for a while and then dive in with a wire brush, like the Battery Post and Terminal Cleaner - Wire Brush, # DW00254, and some elbow grease to clean out the weldnuts. Once clean, you should be able to get the bolts in. I have included a link to the instructions for the hitch, a video installation, and a video on cleaning weldnuts, below.

If the cleaning does not work, you can chase the weld nuts with a M12X1.75 tap.

expert reply by: Michael H