Receiver hitch help

My truck didn't come with a hitch so I added a class III Curt hitch over the weekend. Factory style that just bolts to the crossmember and up through the bumper. So I only have a 150 ft/lb tq wrench. I did the back two to the specified 110. The main bolt in the front calls for 380 ft/lb. I maxed mine to 150 and figured I'd ask the shop or delearship to do it when I'm there next time.

Two questions though. I went to mess with it a day after installing and I could neither tighten or loosen that bolt even with a breaker bar. Any suggestions on breaking it loose? Also, it is irking me that I can't get the little plastic cap back on the bumper to hide that bolt. If I get it tq to 380 should that get the the clearance to get that cap back on? Gotta look clean don't you know.


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Don't know about clearance with the bolt, but as for the 380ftlb spec, I'd just get on it with a half inch breaker bar or a piece of cheater pipe with a good half inch ratchet and pull it down as tight as you can and call it good. If you get it that tight, I'm sure it's not going anywhere. Good luck

I put a new Reese hitch on my 02 cause rust got to it just like everything else but was never able to get the caps back on either of them. I wouldn't worry about it, just spray it black and it looks clean enough.

GsRAM said:

Don't know about clearance with the bolt, but as for the 380ftlb spec, I'd just get on it with a half inch breaker bar or a piece of cheater pipe with a good half inch ratchet and pull it down as tight as you can and call it good. If you get it that tight, I'm sure it's not going anywhere. Good luck

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I did mine with a impact and then grabbed a cheater and pulled as tight as I could when I put one on my 06 never worried about it.

I did the same. Put a 1/2" breaker bar on it and a 4 foot pipe and pulled as hard as I could. It's not coming loose. As far as putting the cover back on, mine had enough room to snap back on. My hitch is the Curt also. So not sure if you have a different style bolt head or what's going on there.


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Does your main bolt look like this or is it a normal hex head bolt?


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It is like the one pictured there. Had to go to harbor freight to get a 3/4" hex head socket for it.

I've not messed with it anymore yet. I've got a 2ft 1/2" breaker bar and couldn't get it to budge either way. I don't have any pipe to extend my leverage. It's like it's wedged in somehow.


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14hemiexpress said:

I did mine with a impact and then grabbed a cheater and pulled as tight as I could when I put one on my 06 never worried about it.

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Exactly. I wouldn't either. That's the PA Dutchy "good-un-tight" method. On items like that, it's what i do.

Mudder said:

It is like the one pictured there. Had to go to harbor freight to get a 3/4" hex head socket for it.

I've not messed with it anymore yet. I've got a 2ft 1/2" breaker bar and couldn't get it to budge either way. I don't have any pipe to extend my leverage. It's like it's wedged in somehow.


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Well that could be an issue then if you have it cocked in the hole or something. I don't like Allen head bolts like that. Too easy to strip out if you have to get on them hard