Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
OT-Bolt Removal
Tom Norton
I am in need of advice from this austere brain trust!
I need to replace the receiver hitch on my wife's car. It is bolted in 4 places. When I installed it 10 years ago it came with a wire and spring to fish the bolts into place. So I need to reverse the process. But alas I no longer have the fishing pieces!..
This is where I could use some advice.
No the hitch is not salvageable as it was torched open to extract a bike rack.
So let the advice begin!!
Thanks!!
Re: OT-Bolt Removal
John Foster
If your receiver is like mine, the fishing tool was only helpful to drop the carriage head bolts into the right place for tightening. I don't think the tool will be of any use to you.
An angle grinder with a cutting disc, safety glasses and a nearby fire extinguisher would be my best advice.
Re: OT-Bolt Removal
GolfSteve in Calgary
I searched google for: hitch bolts wire and spring fish and home depot (plus others) came up:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/CURT-Fish-Wire-for-1-2-Diameter-Bolts-58400/205632755
If you need it, maybe it's available in your area.
Re: OT-Bolt Removal
Tom Norton
John,
I was planning on the angle grinder or dremel. I just don't want the old bits bouncing around in the frame.
Maybe I can braze a wire on the bolt before I cut the nut?
Re: OT-Bolt Removal
Ralph Lipeles
If you don't have such a grinder I suggest that you drill it away. Start with a center punch on the siide of each bolt so that you can drill into the nut. It's easiest to start with a small drill, say 3/16" and increase until there isn't that much left of the nut. Then grab it with a pair of pliers and pull it off.
Grade 8 bolts
Mike L
most likely so unless you have really good drill bits, that would be a last resort.
I did the same install on a truck a few years ago. The fishing wire as stated is only to get the bolt into place, so even if you still had it most likely it would not work.
Are there bigger holes in front of or behind them? If so I would cut them as stated before with a grinder. Punch them into the frame and fish them out with those long squeeze finger clamps.
Or place a rear earth magnet on it and punch it into the frame, and forget about it.
Re: Grade 8 bolts
Tom Dunlap
Is your frame tube open on one end? How would you fish the pieces out?
IF so, getting a rare earth magnet epoxied to stiff wire will fish out the pieces.
Uhaul has a good reputation for installing hitches I'll be they can remove too.
Drilling out four half inch bolts upside down is an ugly thought.
Using an angle grinder with a thin cutoff wheel or diamond edged cut off might be easier
CUtting torch is quick too if you have one and can contain the sparks.
Re: Grade 8 bolts
Tom Norton
Neat idea of using the rare earth magnets!
Re: OT-Bolt Removal
Sam Force
A sawsall would be the easiest way to cut the nuts off
Some jobs are worth paying for...
Jim Matthews
My local trailer and cap purveyor mounted my hitch receiver.
They have a lift, own all the required tools and have done it before.
Lying on my back, with sparks falling on my face, in the cold is worth a Benjamin or two.
It usually costs more if I "fix it" first.
Great Advice!!!!
Bill Howatt
When you get older and hopefully wiser, the various aches, pains, poor vision, difficulty getting up and down and slower healing make this advice very sensible.
Bill
I'm just older...
Jim Matthews
None the wiser, yet.
I agree with Jim..
David Weaver
..a friend brought a class III hitch over to my house as I'd just put one on my own car.
He had a honda van - 3 years old. Something was awry with the threads and we tried to finish install and one of the bolt heads snapped off partially done.
I felt bad, but the service charge was non refundable ($0!).
He took the car to our mechanic (who doesn't seem to like money that much) and you can never discount how good an older mechanic is at getting broken bolts out or fixing threads. They've seen it all. Whatever the mechanic charged, it was almost nothing and done in a couple of minutes vs. our "quite some time" on the ground eating rust and trying to light the work area with cell phone flashlights.