Using Fish Wire, part # 80101-1 to Install Hitch on 2004 Honda Odyssey With Broken Weld Nut

Question:

I just bought and received product 87479 Class III Hitch - Honda Odyssey to intall on my 04 Odyssey. I watched your video and it seemed easy enough. I have a huge problem though. None of the bolts will go into the nuts welded onto the frame. In fact after I sprayed the first nut with wd40 and tried to work the bolt into it, the weld broke on the nut. So now I have a bolt attached to a loose nut inside my car frame. How do I do this?

asked by: jon

Expert Reply:

The weld nuts can present a challenge. You need to make sure that they are cleaner than clean before attempting to install the bolts. Spray them well with the WD-40, then scrub them thoroughly with a wire brush to remove all road grime and corrosion. Our installers use a wire brush designed to clean battery terminals, which works very well.
With the broken weld nut, you will have to cut the bolt off, and use a 1/2 inch grade 5 or better carriage bolt to replace the bolt you have cut. You will need to use a fish wire, part # 80101-1 to fish the bolt and block washer through the hole so that the threaded portion is pointing downward. You can then put the hitch in place and tighten the nut. What you are essentially doing is installing the bolt upside-down from its original orientation.

expert reply by: Mike L