Got my Hidden Hitch tuesday an proceeded to install it last night, all went well until the one most forward to the front of the truck bolts would not sink into the factory location.

BE SURE to test all the bolts and make sure they go into the holes before installing the hitch, it will save you a lot of headache! Both bolts crossthreaded on me, so now I have to re-tap the holes in the chassis, and find new bolts.

Maybe my mistake will help others on the install.

I'm not a newbie to mechancals as a build my engines for my honda racecars, but this simple task caught me off guard.. :rolleyes:

Does the HH come with metric bolts?

Does the HH come with metric bolts?

Yes, it did, all other 4 bolts that go in the same locations worked fine, same with the 2 in the rear.. What happened was very odd to me:confused:

This happened to my neighbor's Honda Odyssey tire bolts.

After he changed the tires, one of the bolts became cross threaded and got stuck. It would not go forward or backward.

I have never seen that before on any other car.

i put i reese hitch on its a nice hitch but the bolt holes are just little off real easy to cross thread

Honda's hitch went on no problem. Easiest mod I've done to a vehicle.

-ridgeln

Hidden Hitch went on no problem. Only took 15 minutes. Easiest assy. I,ve done. I'm sure if the holes were off a bit they would have replaced it. Somewhere down the line their will be a Honda hitch with the same problem but you wont here about it. Did you just start the bolts and leave them real loose till you had them all in place?


I also put on a Hidden hitch without any problems. However, I would not be surprised if they have more variation in the hole position than the Honda hitch.

Guys, don't turn this into a honda vs HH debate, it is NOT an issue with the actual hitch itself.. Its an issue with the welded nuts in the chassis that are VERY easy to crossthread or get grime in them.. I only had 1000 miles on my truck when I put the hitch on.

All the other bolts sank fine other than the frontmost 2, 1 on each side. If your going to install a hitch, just spray the chassis nuts with some WD40 first and run the bolts into the chassis nuts to make sure they are going to work well before you lift the heavy hitch and find out they dont..

I think its a potential issue with any hitch, my holes 'were off' till I laid the unit down and realized it bot tweaked in shipping. I straightened it and it went on without a snap?


To the guy above who's neighbors tire bolts got Xthreaded - did your neighbor use an impact gun for installation?

I expect my hitch to be delivered today, and I will install tonight after work.
In a former life I installed water softeners, and now I work on sewing machines when I am not at my regular job--key thing when installing any type bolt that has the posibility of cross threading, put the bolt in the hole and turn it backwards until you hear the threads line up (click) and then tightenit up. I am sure that it will be proper to start all bolts before tightening any of them
Bhicks
ridgeline owner (former Dodge diesel owner)

My neighbor was using a hand cross wrench supplied with the spare tire.

I guess he should have sprayed WD40 before threading. Probably a piece of sand or leave got inserted into the bolt hole. My guess.