Correct Hitch Mounting Bolt Size for 2006 Kia Sedona

Updated 04/29/2021 | Published 04/28/2021

Products Featured in This Question

Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

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$253.26

Battery Post and Terminal Cleaner - Wire Brush

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$5.02

Question:

My kia seems to be smaller than m12... Is their another size for 2006 kia sedona?

asked by: Kelly

Expert Reply:

The hitch for the Sedona does use M12 x 1.25 bolts.

What you describe is a very common issue. Once a vehicle is more than a couple years old, road grime and corrosion can build up on the nuts welded into the frame which makes it difficult to get the mounting bolts for the # C13345 started, making you think you have the wrong installation hardware. This is especially common in the Midwest and North where ice melting chemicals are commonly used on roads in the winter.

I'd recommend using a spray lubricant like WD-40 and giving each mounting hole a good soaking, followed up by a good scrubbing using a wire brush like what's used on a battery terminal cleaner like # DW00254. You might need to repeat this several times. In the worst case scenario, you'll need to chase the threads using a thread tap for an M12x1.25 bolt to remove the corrosion. If you've never used a thread tap before, you might want to have a mechanic handle it, because it's easy to mess up the threads if you don't run the tap through the threads so it's perfectly straight.

I've linked to an install video for the hitch, plus a demonstration video where my buddy Shane shows how to use a thread tap. The tap in the video is an M10, but the procedure shown would be the same.

expert reply by: Mike L