Underneath your vehicle, the frame is constantly exposed to dirt, grime, moisture and salt. This gunk can find its way into the open weld nuts, or bolt holes, in your vehicle frame and harden over time, causing rust and corrosion in the weld nuts on your vehicle.
Solution
With help from a wire brush and some spray lubricant, a few simple steps can be taken to make your weld nuts clean and grime free, ensuring an easier installation of your trailer hitch.
Watch a Quick Video
Or Follow Step-By-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Spray bolt hole with a lubricant like Blaster Lubricant or WD-40. Let the lubricant sit for a minute, allowing it to penetrate and soften the grime and corrosion.
Step 2: Scrub the lubricant-coated bolt hole with a wire brush to loosen corrosion and grime. Rigorously run the brush in and out of the bolt hole.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 multiple times or until the bolt can be twisted in a few threads deep.
Step 4: Use a ratcheting socket wrench to run the bolt in and out of the bolt hole.
This lets you use the bolt's threads to loosen the remaining corrosion embedded deeper within the weld nut
Ensure that the bolt hole remains lubricated while ratcheting the bolt in and out
Slowly, you will be able to work the bolt until you can thread it completely in and out of the weld nut
Once a bolt can be threaded into each of the weld nuts on your vehicle's frame, you can begin your hitch installation knowing that you will not encounter any resistance when bolting up the hitch.Updated By: Steven D. Last updated: 3/12/2021
Questions and Comments about this Article
Doug C.
This suggestion worked perfectly on my 2013 Kia Soul. Took a while, but I got it done. Thanks for the instructions.
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Reply from Les D.
@DougC Thanks for letting us know. 81194
Harry H.
My trucks weld nuts are completely no more. Need to clean scrap remove them if possible.
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Questions and Comments about this Article