Help, Please....

[Ima90sJezus]

Hi -

Just received my Draw-Tite Class III Trailer Hitch ( Part # 75128 ) from etrailer.com , unfortunatley it doesn't fit. I am not sure at this point on where to place the blame. Thats where you all come in for a little helping hand. I was hoping someone out there could go out to their Liberty and give me a measurment between the pre-drilled holes on the frame. I am looking for the measurement between the Drivers side rear hole and the Passengers side rear hole. I'd like to compare yours, to mine, to the Hitch itself. Here is an image showing you where you can find the holes.

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Thanks for you help.

-Ima

 

[JeepJeepster]

What is it about the hitch that doesnt fit?

If its the holes towards the front of the Jeep not lining up, just spread the hitch apart and put the bolts in. May also need to run a tap through those holes to clean the threads out in the frame. The hitch was too narrow for my holes but after pulling it apart, all was well. You can also notice there is a large hole in the frame that lines up with the hole in the hitch, you can use that to help you line everything up. Put a large screw driver in there to help you pry it over. An extra set of strong hands really helps getting everything to line up.

 

[ptsb5a]

Don't know what to tell you dude. Mine bolted right up to the holes on either side of the gas tank. Shares the holes with the gas tank skid. I didn't have any trouble at all. Sorry.

 

[Ima90sJezus]

I haven't tried "pulling apart" the hitch yet, but basically it appears that the Hitch is about 1 inch too narrow. I can get the screws in the holes on one side, but the other side just seems too narrow to "stretch." I will give it a try again with an extra pair of hands and see what happens.

 

[kb0nly]

Sounds typical for the Draw-Tite model, more than a few have mentioned that problem. The Curt model i bought from eTrailer was a perfect fit.

The old school rule goes here man, if it doesnt fit, make her fit!!!! Pry that sucker.

 

[candpliberty]

I got a Reese from them and popped right in. Did you check part numbers? Call ehitch and see what they say.

 

[kj924]

Yeah, I would just try and pry it over to get the front bolts in. Maybe it got tweaked during shipping??

And don't forget to tap out those threaded bolt holes in the frame...they get rusted/mud packed and need to be cleaned to make the install easy as you can.

 

[mag03kj]

ya you might of gotta the RENNY hitch...lol....you need to order from carparts.com.. i got my hidden hitch from them for around 100$

 

[RageOfFury]

ya you might of gotta the RENNY hitch...lol....you need to order from carparts.com.. i got my hidden hitch from them for around 100$

What are you talking about?

He got the right hitch and ordered from a very reputable website. Make sure the hitch they sent you is the same model # as the one on their website.

Like others say, you will need to clean out those 6 holes. Make sure you can thread a bolt in all 6 holes before trying to install the hitch.

I would also recommend you head out to a bolt store and pick up some 10.9 bolts to replace the 8.8 bolts that came with that hitch.

Don't forget to use loc-tite and to torque down the bolts with a torque wrench.

 

[mag03kj]

What are you talking about?

He got the right hitch and ordered from a very reputable website. Make sure the hitch they sent you is the same model # as the one on their website.

Like others say, you will need to clean out those 6 holes. Make sure you can thread a bolt in all 6 holes before trying to install the hitch.

I would also recommend you head out to a bolt store and pick up some 10.9 bolts to replace the 8.8 bolts that came with that hitch.

Don't forget to use loc-tite and to torque down the bolts with a torque wrench.

the renny hitch is diff....but the 8.8s are fine bc who ever made the hitch used the right bolts in mind...and the strong the bolt grade the harder the bolt which means there is no give in the bolt...so its easier to break..

 

[RageOfFury]

the renny hitch is diff....but the 8.8s are fine bc who ever made the hitch used the right bolts in mind...and the strong the bolt grade the harder the bolt which means there is no give in the bolt...so its easier to break..

Why is it different? Never heard of a "renny hitch".

I used etrailer.com "what fits my vehicle" thingy and it came with with a few hitches including the one that ima bought. Perhaps it was damaged during shipping?

 

[kb0nly]

I'm betting its the right one, doubt eTrailer would make a big mistake, besides others who bought the same hitch had the same problem!

Yeah clean those holes... When i did mine i didnt have a tap handy so i took a plumbers brush, you know the ones you use for cleaning out copper fittings for soldering, and used that and some PB Blaster to clean the holes good, then i run one of the bolts in and out of each hole. Oh and put the right rear on a jackstand and pull the wheel off... You will need the work room because the front passenger bolt ends up being above the exhaust, at least it did on my 03', and i had to go through the wheel well to put the last bolt in, about halfway with a wrench so i could get a socket and breaker bar on it. It was a pain but better than paying someone to do it!

 

[JeepJeepster]

I got the same exact hitch from etrailer and had the same exact problem. Its not the big a deal, just a small annoyance.

A renny should not have a different hitch. A renny is still a kj, it just has some lights on the roof.

 

[RageOfFury]

Yeah clean those holes...When i did mine i didnt have a tap handy so i took a plumbers brush, you know the ones you use for cleaning out copper fittings for soldering, and used that and some PB Blaster to clean the holes good, then i run one of the bolts in and out of each hole.

Yup that's what I did. Went through 3 plumbers brushes and a full can of PB blaster though. It was a major PITA, but I love doing stuff myself.

I then used a degreaser to clean out each hole to remove the PB Blaster stuff. I coated all 6 bolts with red loc-tite and installed the hitch. The bolt over the tailpipe is a pain, but I didn't remove the wheel. I got my dad to pull on the tailpipe while I torqued down that bolt. I torqued down each bolt to 80 ft lbs.

 

[tjkj2002]

the renny hitch is diff....but the 8.8s are fine bc who ever made the hitch used the right bolts in mind...and the strong the bolt grade the harder the bolt which means there is no give in the bolt...so its easier to break..

All KJ's,no matter what year,model,or engine,use the same hitch.


Oh and for the debate between 8.8 and 10.9 bolts................

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As you can see 10.9 bolts have the same proof load as the 8.8's max tensile strength.Big difference between the 2 grades.The 8.8 will break/shear at 120,000psi where the 10.9 will have no sign of failure.

 

[mag03kj]

When i ordered my hitch it said WILL NOT fit on RENNY...but the bolt thing the harded the bolt the less give it was when it comes to breaking and if you putting enough on that 8.8 that its going to brake then would the KJ hold up then??

 

[tjkj2002]

but the bolt thing the harded the bolt the less give it was when it comes to breaking and if you putting enough on that 8.8 that its going to brake then would the KJ hold up then??

A 8.8 bolt will break well before a 10.9 will even begin to show signs of fatigue.Point is the 10.9's are harder then a 8.8 but the 8.8's will fail well before a 10.9 will even show any signs of breaking.

 

[mag03kj]

well when that 8.8 was to brake..what kind of shit you have to be hooked to with the KJ and could the KJ even handle it? is what i want to know?

 

[tjkj2002]

well when that 8.8 was to brake..what kind of shit you have to be hooked to with the KJ and could the KJ even handle it? is what i want to know?

About a 5000lbs trailer on a wash boarded gravel road traveling about 30-40mph.They will stretch trying to recover another KJ stuck in mud to the centerline of the wheels,may break at that point also.

 

[mag03kj]

About a 5000lbs trailer on a wash boarded gravel road traveling about 30-40mph.They will stretch trying to recover another KJ stuck in mud to the centerline of the wheels,may break at that point also.

oh well i used the 8.8 but nobody here or around sells 10.9...so oh well w.e happens happens..lol