Bought a hitch & wiring harness

[tjkj2002]

Care to give details on that friend?

Are those bolts strong enough to use the tow hitch as a recovery point? I don't tow but I have a Reese tow hitch and I think it had 8.8 bolts.

Did you just take the exhaust off at the muffler?

My buddy installed a Reese hitch on his pickup with the supplied bolts(grade 5,same as 8.8 in metric),it was a class IV hitch and his pickup is rated for 10,000lbs('07 F-150) and the supplied bolts stretched and then broke while towing a 25' flat bed with his mud truck on it(total weight of about 8000lbs).The trailer hit another vehicle killing the driver and passenger,he was sent to prison(15 years) on 2 counts of manslaughter and 1 million in restitution since his insurance denied coverage due to incorrect bolts used to install the hitch(even though he used the supplied bolts).Tried to go after Reese but have that little liability waiver that protected them.


Well the torque setting for the OEM hitch bolts is like 80-100ft-lbs of torque and a 8.8 M12 bolt stretches at about 75ft-lbs of torque.


Yep have a 12" long muffler with a turn down,no tail pipe at all.

 

[tjkj2002]

FYI, the bolts holding the skid plates are NOT that heavy of a grade. There was a long drawn out discussion about those bolts on LOST, i did some searching, where a guy was wanting to install some skids he bought and asked about what type of bolts to use. One guy went and bought bolts from a dealer and they were LESS THAN grade 8 according to a hardness test.

That's funny since all of my MOPAR skids(had at one point before better option came out) came with metric grade 10.9's along with the hitch.

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

Wow. I am the last person to say (as a prison officer) this but he shouldn't be in prison for that. It is total ******** and Reese is still liable even with the waiver. It (Reese's liability waiver) shouldn't clear them of their negligence.

 

[tjkj2002]

Wow. I am the last person to say (as a prison officer) this but he shouldn't be in prison for that. It is total ******** and Reese is still liable even with the waiver. It (Reese's liability waiver) shouldn't clear them of their negligence.

It wasn't there negligence it was his since Ford only recommends 10.9 bolts for the hitch for towing.That's where they get you since right on the hitch it is stamped or on the label to follow the OEM recommendations for towing setup and such from the manufacturer.

 

[kb0nly]

My buddy installed a Reese hitch on his pickup with the supplied bolts(grade 5,same as 8.8 in metric),it was a class IV hitch and his pickup is rated for 10,000lbs('07 F-150) and the supplied bolts stretched and then broke while towing a 25' flat bed with his mud truck on it(total weight of about 8000lbs).The trailer hit another vehicle killing the driver and passenger,he was sent to prison(15 years) on 2 counts of manslaughter and 1 million in restitution since his insurance denied coverage due to incorrect bolts used to install the hitch(even though he used the supplied bolts).Tried to go after Reese but have that little liability waiver that protected them.


Well the torque setting for the OEM hitch bolts is like 80-100ft-lbs of torque and a 8.8 M12 bolt stretches at about 75ft-lbs of torque.


Yep have a 12" long muffler with a turn down,no tail pipe at all.

Uh yeah, a Class IV, we are not talking about a Class IV here, we are talking about a Class III. If he used 8.8 bolts in a Class IV then he deserved to get into trouble for it, thats negligence on his fault, don't want to be an ASS for saying it but he should have known better having a 10,000 LB rated hitch and using a lower grade bolt. I tow maybe 1500 LB's tops.. a Class III is overkill big time but it was about the same cost as anything else so i went with it over a II.

All i know about the skid bolts is what everyone has posted. I know a guy that can grade test steel, i will get a hold of a factory KJ skid plate bolt and have it tested, but i highly doubt its a 10.9 as i don't see them spending that kind of money for a bolt that holds a skid plate.

The FACTORY OEM hitch kit comes with different bolts and the installation instructions say you need to REMOVE AND DISCARD the skid plate bolts for SAFETY REASONS. That tells me the bolts included with the hitch are stronger than the skid bolts per the factory instructions.

 

[kb0nly]

Something also tells me there is more to that story than we are getting?? I have seen cases where a boat or camper broke free, caused an accident, and someone was injured or even killed and the driver of the vehicle at fault didn't get the kind of punishment your buddy did. Some of the cases i could look up and quote were totally idiotic. I know of one where a guy hitched up his 20ft boat, didn't have safety chains attached and so the breakaway cable for the electric brakes was also inoperative, and forgot to latch the trailer coupler onto the ball, the only thing keeping it there was tongue weight. He hit a bump on an incline, the boat tipped up a bit and came off the ball, the wiring unplugged and the boat rolled backwards into a vehicle doing 60mph behind them. The driver survived but the passenger got a prop to the face and died on the scene. A friend of mine was one of the EMT's on the scene, and i have seen pictures, gruesome...

In the end what did he get?? He got charged with some improper towing statute. The family of the dead passenger of course sued, and won, but he never saw a day of jail time, just fines, license suspension, and he lost his boat and someone lost their life.

 

[kb0nly]

http://site.justforjeeps.com/guide/82207535.pdf

Factory Hitch Installation Instructions...

It clearly shows REMOVING and DISCARDING the skid plate bolts in favor of the stronger ones that come with the hitch.

 

[RageOfFury]

If two trailer/towing shops...one that has been around for 75yo...both tell me that grade 8.8 bolts are more than adequate for a class III hitch, then I believe them.

Listen if I could find 10.9 bolts I would use them...but I can't find any, anywhere. What do you want me to do, $hit some?

I will probably never tow more than 2500lbs, so I'll use the provide bolts.

 

[tjkj2002]

Uh yeah, a Class IV, we are not talking about a Class IV here, we are talking about a Class III. If he used 8.8 bolts in a Class IV then he deserved to get into trouble for it, thats negligence on his fault, don't want to be an ASS for saying it but he should have known better having a 10,000 LB rated hitch and using a lower grade bolt. I tow maybe 1500 LB's tops.. a Class III is overkill big time but it was about the same cost as anything else so i went with it over a II.

All i know about the skid bolts is what everyone has posted. I know a guy that can grade test steel, i will get a hold of a factory KJ skid plate bolt and have it tested, but i highly doubt its a 10.9 as i don't see them spending that kind of money for a bolt that holds a skid plate.

The FACTORY OEM hitch kit comes with different bolts and the installation instructions say you need to REMOVE AND DISCARD the skid plate bolts for SAFETY REASONS. That tells me the bolts included with the hitch are stronger than the skid bolts per the factory instructions.

The OEM hitch is a classIV hitch.When I opened both boxes for the OEM hitch and the OEM gas tank skid they both contained 6 M12x1.75x40mm grade 10.9 bolts.I actually got lucky and my KJ had all 6 bolts already installed in the holes,kinda weird since I niether had the towing package or a OEM skid when I bought it but the bolts where there.

 

[RedJolt]

Timeing is everything.

Hi All, This tread was just in time. I bought a hitch for my 2006 on Saturday morning. I had myself convinced that it came with the wrong size bolts. Then I decided to check on jeepkj and after reading this thread I relized the mount holes where filled with crud. I went out to Lowes bought 2 Plumbers spiral brushes, a can of WD-40. The M12*1.75*40mm fit like a glove. Thanks all.

 

[kb0nly]

Hi All, This tread was just in time. I bought a hitch for my 2006 on Saturday morning. I had myself convinced that it came with the wrong size bolts. Then I decided to check on jeepkj and after reading this thread I relized the mount holes where filled with crud. I went out to Lowes bought 2 Plumbers spiral brushes, a can of WD-40. The M12*1.75*40mm fit like a glove. Thanks all.

Yeah they can be a real ^$&%$&#

I went through the same thing on mine a couple months back.

 

[lbeothuckl]

What do you want me to do, $hit some?

lmao

 

[Ry' N Jen]

My buddy installed a Reese hitch on his pickup with the supplied bolts(grade 5,same as 8.8 in metric),it was a class IV hitch and his pickup is rated for 10,000lbs('07 F-150) and the supplied bolts stretched and then broke while towing a 25' flat bed with his mud truck on it(total weight of about 8000lbs).The trailer hit another vehicle killing the driver and passenger,he was sent to prison(15 years) on 2 counts of manslaughter and 1 million in restitution since his insurance denied coverage due to incorrect bolts used to install the hitch(even though he used the supplied bolts).Tried to go after Reese but have that little liability waiver that protected them.


Well the torque setting for the OEM hitch bolts is like 80-100ft-lbs of torque and a 8.8 M12 bolt stretches at about 75ft-lbs of torque.


Yep have a 12" long muffler with a turn down,no tail pipe at all.

I don't buy it!

That's why vehicle owners have vehicle insurance!

To cover them in situations just like this!

Waivers of liability don't hold up in Court, especially if the parts supplied come directly from the manufacture who supplied the trailer hitch!

I'm going to call you on this one Troy! and would like to see actual Court Documentation of this Accident, Court proceedings, Media coverage, and all the other dirty laundry that goes with a case of this magnitude!

Other than that it sounds like a total crock!

Prove me wrong here and provide all the evidence in this case!

It sound like total Bull Cookies to me!

 

[RageOfFury]

Hi All, This tread was just in time. I bought a hitch for my 2006 on Saturday morning. I had myself convinced that it came with the wrong size bolts. Then I decided to check on jeepkj and after reading this thread I relized the mount holes where filled with crud. I went out to Lowes bought 2 Plumbers spiral brushes, a can of WD-40. The M12*1.75*40mm fit like a glove. Thanks all.

Yup I went through 2 plumbers brushes and 2 cans of WD-40 cleaning out those holes/threads. What a major PITA that was. Quite messy too. Still got the one under the tail pipe to do.#-o

 

[tjkj2002]

I don't buy it!

That's why vehicle owners have vehicle insurance!

To cover them in situations just like this!

Waivers of liability don't hold up in Court, especially if the parts supplied come directly from the manufacture who supplied the trailer hitch!

I'm going to call you on this one Troy! and would like to see actual Court Documentation of this Accident, Court proceedings, Media coverage, and all the other dirty laundry that goes with a case of this magnitude!

Other than that it sounds like a total crock!

Prove me wrong here and provide all the evidence in this case!

It sound like total Bull Cookies to me!

Your more then welcome to ask him yourself,he get's out in about 14 years.He did have insurance but they denied coverage due to improper bolts used then what was recommended.Plus most insurance policy's don't cover that amount anyway,the most common is about $50,000-$250,000.He also was not sued,couldn't give a s$%t anyways what anybody thinks,you weren't there and I wasn't there.

 

[Bikeflyer]

Yup I went through 2 plumbers brushes and 2 cans of WD-40 cleaning out those holes/threads. What a major PITA that was. Quite messy too. Still got the one under the tail pipe to do.#-o

I just used a 6 dollar tap of the right thread and was done with it. Stick it on a 12" or so socket extension and do it like a civilized person.

 

[RageOfFury]

I finally found a place that sold 10.9 bolts. However...they are 30mm long and not 40. Is that going to be a problem?

 

[kb0nly]

I finally found a place that sold 10.9 bolts. However...they are 30mm long and not 40. Is that going to be a problem?

That's less than a half inch difference, had to get my conversion chart out to go metric to standard and the decimal to fractional... LOL On mine those 40mm bolts were plenty long for the job. The 30mm might even make it easier for that one above the exhaust.. Hmm, never thought of that.

If your worried about it i would take a depth gauge, or even just a stick and put it up into the nut, use a flashlight if you need some more light and push that gauge stick up until it just clears the nut, mark the bottom of the frame with your finger and then pull it out and measure how far in the other side of the nut is, how much of your gauge is beyond your finger tip. Now add the thickness of the hitch bracket. As long as 30mm or more then the bolt will make it to the other side of the nut and your good to go!

Oil them suckers before putting it in, if you snap off a bolt that hard with the torque of wrenching them in your going to pay like hell to get it back out.

 

[Blue KJ in PA]

The bolts with the tank skid are not the same grade of bolt however...

I've been pondering this one for a while because I knew the skid plate bolts were higher grade than the ones you mentioned...then it hit me...duh...#-o...I bought my skid used from Moose1978...he worked at a dealership in Lebanon,PA and he had grabbed some higher grade bolts when he installed the plate on his KJ.

 

[RageOfFury]

Yeah I guess I'm going to have to go under the jeep and see if the 30mm bolts will do. God I hope so[-o<