Hitch install - nutstrip vs square washers

[winkosmosis]

BTW, do you have to cut the left side metal flashing that protects the fuel pump (I think)? I know the hitch should sit flat against the uniframe rail, but the rail has different layers of steel so it's not all the same level anyway.

Same question goes for the heat shield on the right side--- seems to only fit on top of the hitch.

 

[scavengerj]

Wink,
Replied to your post on the other forum. I had no problems getting my HH on. I had no trimming to do to anything. I used new nut strips on both sides. Stealership was one being closed so all parts were 20%. Good deal to say the least.

But anyway, I too noticed that the gas tank heatshield on the passenger side left a small gap between the hitch and the frame rail towards the front. I just basically took a piece of aluminum of the thickness needed and cut it to length and width and installed it to fill in the gap. So yes, I left the heatshield on top of the hitch between the frame and hitch.

If it eventually rust out Ill just take it out and tighten the hitch nuts up more.

One more thing, I also sanded, prepped the frame, and used a couple of coats of Rustoleum on the frame where the hitch mounted to help prevent any possible rust forming between the hitch and frame. No gaurantee, but thought it may help slow any rust formation.

 

[winkosmosis]

I bent the hitch arm out and got it installed. It's actually slightly bent, but the arm on the other side is also bent in the same direction, so they are parallel. Because of that, the crossbar is at a very slight angle. You can tell with the bumper off, but with the bumper on no one will notice.


I coated all the interfaces between parts with 200 weight radio control car shock oil (it's silicone oil). Also got a nice anti-seize crayon at Ace to treat all the bolts

I replaced all the bolts I could too.
Here is what I needed:

8x bumper bracket bolts M10x1.5x30mm
8x small washers

2x M10x1.5 nuts for the the top of the bumper
2x big washers

2x M10x1.5x25mm or 30mm or whatever bolts for the bottom of the bumper
2x M10x1.5 nuts for the bottom of the bumper
4x small washers

 

[Emerscape]

hey guys hoping to bring this thread back as I tried to install my hidden hitch this weekend and ultimately failed. Couldn't get the bumper bolts off as they were too rusted, had a air rachet but my buddy seemed to have lost his 10mm deep socket..

So I held my hidden hitch up to the frame rails and noticed that the center piece which bolts up behind the gas tank didn't fit quite right. It seemed like it was too far away from the rail that goes across the back (with the 2 holes in it) and that the bolts would rub against the gas tank. If I tried to move the hitch forward it would rub up against the bottom of the back bumper. Am I amiss here? did you guys have to adjust your bumper or maybe my jeep had been rear ended at some point? Wish I could have taken pictures...

 

[Blaine B.]

The last hole really isnt necessary, some hitches are short and only use 3 bolts too.

Somehow I was lucky and was able to remove my 13 year old hitch without destroying the stock nutstrips. The hitch was so nasty that I could bend the left and right brackets by hand! I installed a new hitch and then about a year and a half later took it all back off and installed a fuel tank skid along with my newer hitch.

The OEM nut strips are beefy. I thought for sure I was going to break the welds holding the nuts to the strip but they all survived! Excelt the last 2 which are on the outside of the crossmember. I just used regular bolts with nuts and washers there since you can easily access the nut.

 

[Emerscape]

hmm. that's weird. I think my hidden hitch has only 2 holes per side and then has a plate to mount that is behind the receiver. I believe mine is a class IV... It says it fits a cherokee.. any ideas?

 

[dagr8tim]

Not to drag up an old thread, but I'm getting ready to order some new nut strips, and I'm torn between OEM and Aftermarket.

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-skid-plates/cherokee-skidplates.htm

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2...OD&Product_Code=XJNTSTRP&Category_Code=XJMISC

I want to go with the aftermarket, but I'm worried about it not having that hump and the last nut that attaches to the rear bumper. Does anyone have any experience with the JC Offroad nut strips?

 

[joe_peters]

Not to drag up an old thread, but I'm getting ready to order some new nut strips, and I'm torn between OEM and Aftermarket.

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-skid-plates/cherokee-skidplates.htm

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2...OD&Product_Code=XJNTSTRP&Category_Code=XJMISC

I want to go with the aftermarket, but I'm worried about it not having that hump and the last nut that attaches to the rear bumper. Does anyone have any experience with the JC Offroad nut strips?

NECRO-POSTER!!

I have the OEM, but I like the JCR. They are cheaper, include the bolts, the bolts are larger, and I think at .125" they are thicher.

The extra bend isn't necessary, and I'm not sure when you would need that extra mounting point.

 

[dagr8tim]

NECRO-POSTER!!

I have the OEM, but I like the JCR. They are cheaper, include the bolts, the bolts are larger, and I think at .125" they are thicher.

The extra bend isn't necessary, and I'm not sure when you would need that extra mounting point.

Thanks Joe. I'd rather be a necro-poster than somebody who doesn't know how to search.

Anyways, the extra bend and bolt hole attaches to the rear bumper, IIRC.

 

[jcroffroad]

The last nut we skip (furthest back) because most aftermarket bumpers (including our own) interfere. From the factory, the only think that uses that nut is the gas tank skid (well not much a skid). Some aftermarket hitches use this hole, but if you want to, you can easily hold a washer and nut from the top as it is outside of the frame rail.

 

[dagr8tim]

The last nut we skip (furthest back) because most aftermarket bumpers (including our own) interfere. From the factory, the only think that uses that nut is the gas tank skid (well not much a skid). Some aftermarket hitches use this hole, but if you want to, you can easily hold a washer and nut from the top as it is outside of the frame rail.

Thanks for the reply. In my situation, I have a factory 97+ XJ "skid" plate and a factory hitch. Being as the "skid" is going to be under the hitch, it should be secure.

Hope to order from you soon.

 

[COLOUXJ]

why are you wanting new nut strips?

 

[hubs97xj]

There's this strange phenomenon that some people call "rust"...

 

[kndrewa]

i didnt know jcr sold these.
thanks!
; )

 

[ILLXJ]

When I made a set I just ground off the sheet metal that the "hump" went over. Worked fine. JIM.

 

[jcroffroad]

i didnt know jcr sold these.
thanks!
; )

We sell a ton of these things. Probably move about 7 sets a week.

 

[dagr8tim]

There's this strange phenomenon that some people call "rust"...

Here's the reason I don't want to reuse mine:

When I figured the amount of time to straighten the on, clean the rust off, run a tap through the threads to clean them, and then match up some new bolts. It's just faster/easier/cheaper for me to replace them.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Here's the reason I don't want to reuse mine:

When I figured the amount of time to straighten the on, clean the rust off, run a tap through the threads to clean them, and then match up some new bolts. It's just faster/easier/cheaper for me to replace them.

If it weren't for the twisting, you'd probably still be OK, but they are hard to get straight. One suggestion, though, for those who have rusty ones, or even newer ones if you don't already have the metric bolts, is that you can easily tap the holes out to US threads (my memory is weak, but I think it's 7/16"), making it a bit easier to find bolts. The thread pitch is effectively the same and the diameter only a hair bigger, so it's a very easy job to retap.

 

[dagr8tim]

If it weren't for the twisting, you'd probably still be OK, but they are hard to get straight. One suggestion, though, for those who have rusty ones, or even newer ones if you don't already have the metric bolts, is that you can easily tap the holes out to US threads (my memory is weak, but I think it's 7/16"), making it a bit easier to find bolts. The thread pitch is effectively the same and the diameter only a hair bigger, so it's a very easy job to retap.

It may have been above in this thread or in another thread. A guy said his father took an old bolt for the nut strips and filed the end so it tapered a bit (like 3 threads deep). Then cut a grove down the length of the bolt for a clean out. When you run that through the nuts, it's supposed to clean everything out.

Personally, I still feel that they are not worth the hassle to clean up when they are fairly cheap.

 

[jcroffroad]

You would have to drill them larger then tap them to standard pitch. It's a goofy pitch metric and often hard to find. Most fastener shops sell them, but in bags of 25 or 50.