Hitch Bolt Will Not Tighten with Thule Doubletrack Loaded in 2015 Subaru Forester Trailer Hitch

Published 07/23/2015

Question:

I have the snug tight hitch lock and thule double track bike carrier that I purchased in 2010. I used the system perfectly with a 2008 Subaru forester. I went to install it on my new 2015 forester and I cannot get the bolt to tighten. I put on the two washers and the bolt just spins. Unfortunately I had to leave the bike rack home on a trip because I did not know what to do to secure the pin. The locking mechanism still works fine. What do you think happened? Both vehicles had the trailer hitch installed by the same dealership and its 1 1/4 inch.

asked by: Jan

Expert Reply:

Does the Thule Snug Tite lock # THSTL2 thread into and tighten up on your bike rack just fine? If so then it is possible that the threaded part of the bolt isn't long enough. Removing the washers will allow you to get a few extra threads which could be enough to get a bite and tighten the bolt. If the hitch receiver is wider or the wall thickness is greater than normal that could be the reason.

If the bolt does not tighten in just the bike rack (not installed in the hitch) then the probable cause is the threaded part inside the bike rack shank has been stripped or broken loose.

expert reply by: Michael H