Hi! New guy needs help!

[Xplorer]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum but have had my Vibe for a couple of years now. It's a silver 04 with moon roof, the 2 spoilers, LOL. Anyway... I've got a problem. I've done my homework too, so please don't think I would waste your time. Here's the deal. I bought a Reese hitch. I can't seem to get the bolts into the frame. It comes with 6 bolts. They are metric, 40mm long with a thread pitch of 1.25. I verified the bold dimensions with digital calipers. There is no rust in the threads on the frame. I cleaned the threads out because they were coated with a thick undercar spray (kind of a tar like consitancy). I can get the threads to catch but can't get the bolts all the way in.I was able to get them in about 2 or so turns. They are way too tight. I pulled the bolt out and could see the first couple of threads on the end of the bolt had started to round off. Obviously the weld nuts are not going to accept these bolts properly.Has anyone else experienced this? PLease help!

[kevera]

Did you try putting the bolts in before you tried to install it.Was the hitch new?Sounds like you need the proper bolts,which you don't have.

[Kamikaze]

Quote, originally posted by kevera »Did you try putting the bolts in before you tried to install it.Was the hitch new?Sounds like you need the proper bolts,which you don't have.ditto, It sounds like they are the wrong thread design.

[Xplorer]

Ya, I tried to get the bolts in before I positioned the hitch. The hitch and hardware is all brand new. It does indeed sound like I have the wrong bolts, so I check this forum and found a thread where someone had the wrong bolts supplied. The bolts he needed are the ones that are called out in the materials list for my hitch. Like I said, I checked my bolt dimensions with digital calipers and they are both 1. the ones called for in the materials list, and 2. the ones that helped the other guy in the thread I checked. The other guy's issue was his thread pitch. He was supplied with 1.5 pitch and he needed 1.25. He got the proper bolts and his problem was solved. My bolts are 100% positivley 1.25 pitch.It would appear that my car has the wrong weld nuts? That doesn't seem likely.I guess I'm looking for someone who has had this exact same problem. I don't want to turn away any advice, but like I said I've done my homework. I'm also a good trouble shooter and have tried all the obvious remedies. I guess my next step will be to go grad as many bolts as I can find and start threading....

[kevera]

Hit home depot or canadian tire,and try a few till one works.That's about the only way to do it now.

[chevelle_lover]

This may sound relitively simplistic so forgive me but did you get the undercoating from GM. When I put my hitch on the undercoating that was built up from the dealership had to be cleaned out to allow the bolts to be threaded correctly.

[joatmon]

I don't know metric bolts, the hitch ones are supposed to be M12 with 1.25 pitch. You know you got the 1.25 pitch, but are they M12's ?other than that it's probably rusted/crudded up. what I did is in http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=10402