U-Haul Hitch

[jp1]

I took some time this weekend and did a bunch of work on the KJ...replaced all 4 rotors and pads, replaced a lugnut, replaced the blower motor resistor pack, cleaned the battery terminals, and gave her a bath. So, I was feeling lucky and decided to get a hitch from U-Haul. Went down to the local store, picked up the hitch for it and went to do the install. However, the bolts are the wrong size and the holes in the hitch only line up with 2 of the holes in the frame on each side. There are 3 holes on either side of the hitch that are supposed to line up with 3 holes on each side of the frame and then the bolts they gave me are too big.

Anyone have any experience with installing a U-Haul hitch? Could they have possibly just given me the wrong one? The paperwork in it said it was for the '02 thru '07 model.

 

[Dave]

Sounds like they gave you the wrong hitch if the bolt holes don't line up and the bolts are the wrong size. I havn't had any experience with u-haul hitches as mine is OEM. But the bolts could feel tight because tha threaded bolt holes are a little cruddy if there was no hitch and bolts in there before.


Dave

 

[Jeepin05]

I believe someone else on here had a U-Haul hitch installed and seemed quite satisfied. Anybody recall that thread?

The question is whether U-Haul installed that hitch, or if the liberty owner installed it themselves. Maybe their brand of hitch fits differently, but personally I wouldn't feel comfortable installing it unless it was a direct fit.

 

[Corwyyn]

I bought and installed a U-haul class III hitch and it fit just fine - all the holes lined up and the hardware was the proper size/thread. They could have written the number down wrong when they went to the storeroom to get it, the guy could be dyslexic, or it could have been labeled wrong. I'd take it back and see if they have the proper one in stock, or see if there is another store nearby that does.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I'd take it back and make sure you get the right one. And then we'll know if it was just that hitch, or all of them.

 

[jp1]

I bought and installed a U-haul class III hitch and it fit just fine - all the holes lined up and the hardware was the proper size/thread. They could have written the number down wrong when they went to the storeroom to get it, the guy could be dyslexic, or it could have been labeled wrong. I'd take it back and see if they have the proper one in stock, or see if there is another store nearby that does.

If yours is a class III then I probably (or should've) got the same one.

I'm heading back to the store tonight after work and see if I can't get the correct one this time.

 

[moparman]

How far off are the bolt holes? The hitch probably got tweaked in shipping. I had a similiar deal with a minivan hitch. The Hidden Hitch for my KJ worked just fine.

 

[kb0nly]

I have the Curt brand hitch, holes lined up perfect, bolts were right, etc..

A few tips though.. If your KJ didn't have the skid plate over the gas tank then the bolt holes were empty like mine, get a wire brush or a tap if you have access to one and clean them out. I ran a plumbers brush, for cleaning copper pipe fittings, up through the bolt holes with some liquid wrench to clean and lubricate them. Then i took one bolt and ran it in and out of each hole, after all that prep work it was easy to bolt up except for the front passenger side bolt. On my 03' Sport 3.7L the exhaust crosses directly under that bolt hole and its a real pain to get to. I finally got it from the wheel well but was about to pull the right rear wheel off to get more room to work on it.

 

[04Liberty]

I took some time this weekend and did a bunch of work on the KJ...replaced all 4 rotors and pads, replaced a lugnut, replaced the blower motor resistor pack, cleaned the battery terminals, and gave her a bath. So, I was feeling lucky and decided to get a hitch from U-Haul. Went down to the local store, picked up the hitch for it and went to do the install. However, the bolts are the wrong size and the holes in the hitch only line up with 2 of the holes in the frame on each side. There are 3 holes on either side of the hitch that are supposed to line up with 3 holes on each side of the frame and then the bolts they gave me are too big.

Anyone have any experience with installing a U-Haul hitch? Could they have possibly just given me the wrong one? The paperwork in it said it was for the '02 thru '07 model.

I bought and installed a U-haul class III hitch and it fit just fine - all the holes lined up and the hardware was the proper size/thread. They could have written the number down wrong when they went to the storeroom to get it, the guy could be dyslexic, or it could have been labeled wrong. I'd take it back and see if they have the proper one in stock, or see if there is another store nearby that does.

Yeah me too, no problem install, especially with no skid plate in the way (hafta change that...).

 

[Luke]

I bought and installed a U-haul class III hitch and it fit just fine - all the holes lined up and the hardware was the proper size/thread. They could have written the number down wrong when they went to the storeroom to get it, the guy could be dyslexic, or it could have been labeled wrong. I'd take it back and see if they have the proper one in stock, or see if there is another store nearby that does.

x2 ... mine was a perfect fit, it is a Curt as well (from Uhaul) and I love it, it's completely hidden except the receiver.

 

[jp1]

Well...I took the U-Haul one back last night and ordered a Curt from eTrailer. It should be here in a couple days and will give me something to do over the 4th of July holiday.

The thing about the U-Haul one that bugged me was that the bolts weren't even close to being the right size. I don't have the skid plate on my KJ and I didn't clean the bolt holes first, but no amount of cleaning would've made them bolts fit.

 

[kb0nly]

The Curt hitch from eTrailer will go smooth, that's where i got mine from. Just make sure you clean out those holes first! Mine were rusty as heck.

I don't know why they don't just put some short bolts in those holes from the factory if they aren't installing the tow package or the skid plate, would keep the holes clean at least.

Check and see if you have the problem with the exhaust interfering with the front right hole, if you do take the time to pull off the right rear wheel and put it on a jackstand, that would have saved me nearly an hour. The other five bolts took me like fifteen minutes.

 

[Luke]

I don't know why they don't just put some short bolts in those holes from the factory if they aren't installing the tow package or the skid plate, would keep the holes clean at least.

LOL .. no kidding ... but that extra 42 cents would have killed there profit margin and the could have gone bankrupt! .... Wait a minute

 

[kb0nly]

LOL .. no kidding ... but that extra 42 cents would have killed there profit margin and the could have gone bankrupt! .... Wait a minute

LMAO!!

 

[jp1]

LOL .. no kidding ... but that extra 42 cents would have killed there profit margin and the could have gone bankrupt! .... Wait a minute

That's funny right there.

 

[Dave]

LOL .. no kidding ... but that extra 42 cents would have killed there profit margin and the could have gone bankrupt! .... Wait a minute

Yeah.....LOL.....

 

[jp1]

Check and see if you have the problem with the exhaust interfering with the front right hole, if you do take the time to pull off the right rear wheel and put it on a jackstand, that would have saved me nearly an hour. The other five bolts took me like fifteen minutes.

The hitch from Curt is on now. I wish I would've remembered to pull the wheel off like you suggested. I got the first 5 bolts without any problems...after a whole bunch of WD40 and a pipe cleaner brush. My brother-in-law came over to help and said, "Why don't we take off the tire?" Once we did that it was a piece o' cake for that last bolt.

 

[kb0nly]

LMAO... I don't normally get a chance to say it, so... I told ya so!!

Yeah that last bolt is a serious pain.

 

[Luke]

The hitch from Curt is on now. I wish I would've remembered to pull the wheel off like you suggested. I got the first 5 bolts without any problems...after a whole bunch of WD40 and a pipe cleaner brush. My brother-in-law came over to help and said, "Why don't we take off the tire?" Once we did that it was a piece o' cake for that last bolt.

Glad you got it all figured out. Peace