OEM Hitch bolts

[thebrick]

question...if the bolts are metric...shouldn't they be grade 9.8 or 8.8? Not sure what is equivalent to SAE grade 5. I don't have a hitch but when I installed the gas skid plate, I used 8.8 grade bolts...

 

[TMXONR]

question...if the bolts are metric...shouldn't they be grade 9.8 or 8.8? Not sure what is equivalent to SAE grade 5. I don't have a hitch but when I installed the gas skid plate, I used 8.8 grade bolts...

I think mine said 9.8 on them

 

[FransWhiteXJ]

I just installed a Hidden Hitch on my 00 XJ this weekend. The metric bolts use an 18 mm socket. The replacement screws are 12 mm diameter x 40 mm long (screw pitch was not specified). They were metric grade 8.8. My XJ only had the nut strip on the PS. The 2 rearward nuts (unused) were so rusted, as being unusable. I cut this part off and used the supplied grade 5, 1/2" dia carriage bolts, spacers and flange nuts. The DS needed the carriage bolts (didn't have a nut strip). My XJ doesn't have a gas tank shield.

BTW, I purchased my hitch from etrailer and their website indicated a 40 minute install time (without shield). After removing the rear bumper (rusty bolts), nut strip (rivets, hacking & cutting), fitting, trial & error, it took over 4 hours to install. Their install time must be based on a brand new XJ that hasn't lived in New England and winter salty roads.

Fran

 

[badron]

Pay the 10~15 bucks and let the yardboys cut it off. If they are good guys they will cut yours off for 10 more.

 

[Ted Young]

I got a factory hitch w/ bolts from an '87 along with my D44. The bolts were 19mm (M12 1.75 x 50mm sized).

Don't forget to snatch the 'cage nut' strips that run inside the frame rails. You'll need these to mount the hitch unless your XJ has a factory gas tank skid (in which case you've already got these). The rear bumper needs to be removed to pull these cage nut strips out of the frame rails. There is also a reinforcing bracket on the 'tail panel' with three bolts through it where the top of the hitch mounts to the jeep. If its not there - you can always make one out of angle iron.

 

[Ted Young]

question...if the bolts are metric...shouldn't they be grade 9.8 or 8.8? Not sure what is equivalent to SAE grade 5. I don't have a hitch but when I installed the gas skid plate, I used 8.8 grade bolts...

Grade 8.8 is rated between SAE Grade 5 and 5.2
Grade 9.8 is comperable to SAE Grade 7
Grade 10.9 is comperable to SAE Grade 8

 

[TMXONR]

I went and checked earlier and the bolts on my hitch are 10.9 and not the 9.8 I thought I remembered seeing. So I guess 10.9 would be the way to go since thats what the factory bolts seem to have been.