hitch installation...bolts wont screw in

[Seks]

This is on a 4 yr old car.

I was test fitting the mounting bolts that come with the hitch. 4 predrilled holes r already on the underside of the car. Only 1 bolt would screw in. Cant even get the other 3 to screw in even 1 rotation.

Suggestions?

[spike98]

If you know for a fact the bolts are the right size for the holes then chase them with a tap.

[Graham_A_M]

Yeah, find the right tap for the holes (check what size the bolt is, that did fit, I assume likely 3/8- 1/2" then you can buy a tap for it, tap out the holes then try again. Yeah if the holes are drilled and taped, and not treated they'll start to rust immediately.

[firebane]

Bolts should either fit or not fit. If they don't thread in either the threads are messed up, coarse vs fine thread, or the wrong bolt size altogether.

[top_speed]

^^not going in because of rust. just zapp them in, cross tread better then no tread lol

[Graham_A_M]

^Uh, yeah, dont ever cross thread a bolt, especially when its for a hitch thats pulling a trailer. :nut:
No, perhaps take a pic of the bolt that works in question, we can tell you what thread pitch it is, what size, and I can find you the right tap for it. My biggest question is, whats the alignment issue with the others that aren't fitting?
Is the alignment good, but their just not screwing in at all? are they catching at least?

[Seks]

The installation sheet that came with the hitch says

M10x1X25x30 CL8.8

[Seks]

Come to think of it, only 1 screwed in about 1/3 of the way

The other 3 wouldn't even catch at the initial part of threading

[Seks]

Another pic..hopefully shows up this time

[93VR6]

What kind of a car is this going on? I had the same problem putting the hitch on my 07 Xterra.

I just used a tap to clean out the hole basically and it slid in a lot better.

[ianmcc]

If I am seeing things correctly the problem is the bolts-there are no threads on it.

[Graham_A_M]

So thats 100% a metric bolt, it'll have very different threads then an imperial/UNC bolt. The name, M10, (metric 10) should be your first clue.
(want to know a tip on how you can tell? Metric bolts will always have numbers like the one you took a pic of. Imperial/UNC bolts will always have this on the bolt heads.
http://www.nachi.org/images10-2/48_ansi_bolt_grading_chart.jpg
note the lines pointing towards the center? that'll ALWAYS be on imperial/UNC bolts. Metric bolts will never have that, usually just letters and numbers.

So I'd use a 3/8" bolt, then a 1/2" bolt, and see if they'll fit the (nut) threads that they'd need to feed into. Sounds like you're trying to feed a metric bolt into a UNC hole, which will never work, and you'll either damage the nut threads, or at least the bolt threads.

Their 100% not compatible, so dont force it, or you'll wreck one, or both
Are those the bolts your hitch kit came with? I assume not, if so, did you buy it used? VERY odd they'd include metric bolts for a UNC hitch package.

[Seks]

If I am seeing things correctly the problem is the bolts-there are no threads on it.

There are threads...let me take a better pic...


Their 100% not compatible, so dont force it, or you'll wreck one, or both

Well the thing is...these are the bolts that came with the Hidden Hitch 87440 and supposedly specific to my 2010 crv. So you're saying wrong size bolts were included with the kit? :confused:

[Graham_A_M]

^ If its going on a CRV, it'll very likely have Metric bolts all over it (since Japan is fully metric, a lot more so then we are, since we have some idiot amurican's as neighbors). So I find all this quite odd, since you have metric bolts that came in that kit. If the first one screwed in 1/3 the way, then thats the right bolt for it, likely there is just rust or contaminants in the nut end of the threads, so that'll need to be tapped out. If you were trying to put a UNC bolt into a metric nut, it would catch, and do perhaps 1 or so turns before it pulls tight, and started to become cross threaded. 1/3 the way is quite far, so you have the right bolts in question, Im really leaning on the idea that your threads are just badly contaminated and need to be taped at this point, I think your bolt selection is just fine.

[Seks]

OK..so I guess I just need to get an M10-1.25 tap then and go from there

[Graham_A_M]

^ yes exactly. Id call a place like home depot, or KMS tools (etc) before driving all the way over there.

you'll want to mention these numbers as well, since these state what the thread pitch is.
M10X1X25x30 CL8.8

[firebane]

You guys are driving me nuts its M10x1.25x30 :P

1.25 is a common thread pitch but the M10 is a fairly large tap and I find a lot of places don't carry that big.

[mr2mike]

Pretty sure HD won't have that tap. They have next to nothing for metric taps or die's.

Best off princess auto or canadian tire, it'll be in a whole set, not individually.

Calling Canadian tire with this question.... have fun with that.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by mr2mike
Pretty sure HD won't have that tap. They have next to nothing for metric taps or die's.

Best off princess auto or canadian tire, it'll be in a whole set, not individually.

Calling Canadian tire with this question.... have fun with that.

Cambodian Tire is garbage, don't support that kind of business, they need to fail soon and people buying stuff from them doesn't help that.

Lordco either has them or can order them for you.

[codetrap]

Originally posted by GTS4tw
Cambodian Tire is garbage, don't support that kind of business, they need to fail soon and people buying stuff from them doesn't help that.

Lordco either has them or can order them for you. "That kind of business"? What kind is that kind of business?

I have this set (http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-tap-and-die-set-76-pc-0587184p.html#.U5i2dbGjSaQ) that I picked up for $30 on sale. It's been great, and saved the day quite a few times now.

[raceman6135]

Princess Auto set that includes M10 x 1.25:

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Thread-Repair/39-pc-Metric-Tungsten-Alloy-Tap-And-Die-Set/8039972.p

$46.99

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by GTS4tw

Lordco either has them or can order them for you.

You know Lordco is strictly B.C. right?

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


You know Lordco is strictly B.C. right?

Oh shite!! Sorry! No I did not know that. Poor Alberta. :thumbsdow My next suggestion is Acklands then.... you do have those right?

[Seks]

Went to CT to check this one out

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-maximum-tap-and-die-set-46-pc-0587200p.html#.U5tGdJ3nYkU

Didn't see an M10x1.25 in the set.

I guess I can just get an individual one from snapon or mactools?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=652151&group_ID=683025&store=&dir=catalog

http://www.mactools.com/shoponline/product/tabid/120/p-321901-10-mm-x-125-mm-rethreading-tap.aspx

Guess I have to get a tap wrench too huh

[slammedfc]

macdougalls tools on 19th st ne gets me all my unusual taps.. fairly cheap aswell

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by Seks
Went to CT to check this one out

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-maximum-tap-and-die-set-46-pc-0587200p.html#.U5tGdJ3nYkU

Didn't see an M10x1.25 in the set.

I guess I can just get an individual one from snapon or mactools?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=652151&group_ID=683025&store=&dir=catalog

http://www.mactools.com/shoponline/product/tabid/120/p-321901-10-mm-x-125-mm-rethreading-tap.aspx

Guess I have to get a tap wrench too huh

What I sometimes would do, is find a wrench with a 16 point ratcheting end on it, such as one of these.

https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AGIPortalWeb/WebSource/ProductDisplay/globalProductDetailDisplay.do?item_code=WSW1LCR6&cm_mmc=PPC:%20Google%20PLA-_-PLA%20Campaign-_-PLA%20Ad%20Group-_-PLA&ef_id=U2A7nwAAAeTZeAhQ:20140613193122:s
(I dont know what size you'll specifically need for your tap in question though)
Then just use that. I hold the tap with one hand perfectly at 90 degrees, then tighten it using that. So Ive never had to buy tap holders that size.

Id recommend getting the snap on or Mac one, LONG before you do the mastercraft kit. My few mastercraft taps have lasted me a long time, but thats because I bought them as singles, not as a value pack. The quality of mastercraft taps and power tools have always been shit for the most part, Id avoid it completely, the reviews of the one you pasted on here, tell me much the same.

[mikestypes]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M

Id recommend getting the snap on or Mac one, LONG before you do the mastercraft kit. My few mastercraft taps have lasted me a long time, but thats because I bought them as singles, not as a value pack. The quality of mastercraft taps and power tools have always been shit for the most part, Id avoid it completely, the reviews of the one you pasted on here, tell me much the same.

My Mastercraft tap and die set works perfectly everytime I need it. It isn't like I run a machine shop and use it every day, so why would I spend huge dollars on professional stuff?

[Unknown303]

My Mastercraft set which I stole from my dad is a good 10 years only now with regular use, and he used if extensively for his line of work before I nabbed it off of him.