Trailer Hitch Bolts Will Not Thread Into Factory Weld Nuts

Question:

I have Honda Odyssey touring 2012. The hitch arrived today, 75270 Class III Hitch, and getting ready to install the bolts did not screw in as easy the video demonstrates. Please advice. Thanks!

asked by: Emilio

Helpful Expert Reply:

The problem you are having is common. What happens is over the years the factory weld nuts in the vehicle frame can get packed with crud and corrosion making it difficult to thread in hitch hardware. Some people thing that the bolts are too large when the issue can actually be resolved by giving the weld nuts a good cleaning.

Use a spray lubricant such as PB Blaster and soak the weld nut threads for about 15 minutes. Then scrub them out using a wire brush such as # 814113 or a battery terminal cleaner like # DW00254. You may have to repeat this process depending on how packed the weld nuts are.

I have included links to our help article and a video on cleaning weld nuts for you to check out.

expert reply by: Michael H