Help, Please....

[tjkj2002]

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

Got a fastenal around? They can order them in.Or better yet get the OEM ones from the dealership,there not that much(same bolts for the gas tank skid).Heck scope out a KJ with a gas tank skid or hitch in a junkyard and grap those.

I wouldn't want to "see what happens",that could wind up with you in jail and someone dead.

 

[mag03kj]

Got a fastenal around? They can order them in.Or better yet get the OEM ones from the dealership,there not that much(same bolts for the gas tank skid).Heck scope out a KJ with a gas tank skid or hitch in a junkyard and grap those.

I wouldn't want to "see what happens",that could wind up with you in jail and someone dead.

Yupp but ya we got a fastenal and i would go to the junk yard but aint none of them around here with KJ's...but do you think you know about how much at the dealer?

 

[kb0nly]

The bolts is all technical ************, if you overload the hitch it doesn't matter what grade bolts you have....

First of all you shouldn't be pulling 5k on a KJ unless your really set up for it, heavy duty cooling system, and even some aftermarket trans cooling to be safe. Not to mention your at the load rating of your hitch as well!!

I have seen 5k Class III hitches fail before the bolts holding the thing to the frame. Usually the welds holding the receiver tube, yes it does happen, i have seen that twice in my life, the first time was a guy that overloaded a trailer and had about 8k on his Class III, and the other was when we pulled out a truck with a 4wd tractor on the farm, pulled it right off. The rest of the hitch including the bolts were intact.

If your only pulling like 2-3k on average i wouldn't loose any sleep over the bolts that came with the hitch. Think of it this way, has there been any major recalls on them by any of the manufacturers, has there been any widespread reports of bolt failures on these hitches sold by eTrailer and elsewhere??

I read in a brochure once that Curt and Reese did testing to rate their hitches and this involved bolting the receiver to a fixed structure using the included hardware and loading them with dead weight until they fail. Once they know the dead weight rating they calculate a safe working weight rating. Its a lot different than dead weight in a towing situation, the trailer hopping like tjkj mentioned is a killer. I have broken the ball hitch on a utility trailer going over washboard roads with a load, usually the bolt that holds the piece that clamps against the ball fails in them, its not uncommon, i know a local boat dealer that says he repairs or replaces three or four per season for customers who overloaded or overstressed them on a bumpy gravel road. Ever wonder why safety chains are there? Take it from someone that experienced it first hand, thank goodness they are there! I had to hold the hitch onto the ball with a couple ratchet straps to get home.... Not fun!

 

[ptsb5a]

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.

And a flat hood and something that can't be ordered. Cool. Not an option, just a state of being that sadly for you only the Renegade has. And boy does it have it.

 

[J-Thompson]

to the OP
when 1 side is lined up and the bolts are in can you even see the holes on the other side?
if so then you MAY be able to get it on with the help of a friend and a wreck bar
a wreck bar is a basic iron working tool
it has a point on 1 end and comes in varying lengths ,24" should do it
#1 line up 1 side and get the bolts started
#2 put the point of the wreck bar through the holes of the hitch and into the hole under the Jeep ,yes the holes with threads in them
#3 make it fit ,a good 30" wreck bar can hold up 1000's of pounds so this will be no challenge
2 bolts will go in easy the 3 will be hard as some of the threads will have some damage but 99% of the time some white grease and a good wrench will get them in

 

[JeepJeepster]

And a flat hood and something that can't be ordered. Cool. Not an option, just a state of being that sadly for you only the Renegade has. And boy does it have it.

Sorry for the confusion.. I was referring to the 02-04 kj.. The real kj..

 

[ridenby]

02 ftw !!!!

 

[Midgear]

02 ftw !!!!

woot!

 

[Marlon_JB2]

'04 ftw!

 

[ptsb5a]

'02 WTF??? '05 FTW Someone back me up here. Oh, and the bolts that came with my Mopar gas tank skid are 10.9s. Just sayin'.

 

[Ima90sJezus]

OK, so I got it to go. It was a MAJOR PIA, and I'm pretty sure my neighbors are not very fond of my mouth at this point. I had to get the rear-end up on blocks and use a pry-bar to "stretch" the Hitch over about an inch. Not sure if my Hitch was "off" a little or like someone said earilier that it may have got tweaked in shipping. Either way, its on now. Also had to pull the rear passenger wheel to tighten the one bolt just because the exhaust wouldnt give way enough for the tools that I had.

Thanx for the advise

-Ima

 

[kb0nly]

OK, so I got it to go. It was a MAJOR PIA, and I'm pretty sure my neighbors are not very fond of my mouth at this point. I had to get the rear-end up on blocks and use a pry-bar to "stretch" the Hitch over about an inch. Not sure if my Hitch was "off" a little or like someone said earilier that it may have got tweaked in shipping. Either way, its on now. Also had to pull the rear passenger wheel to tighten the one bolt just because the exhaust wouldnt give way enough for the tools that I had.

Thanx for the advise

-Ima

Good to hear!! And yep i had to fight that one bolt on my 03' too, it was the worst part of the whole install for me.