2013 F-150 hitch fastener replace

465 Views | 3 Replies | Last: 6 days ago by Charismatic Megafauna
GreasenUSA
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AG
Discovered I've lost my rearmost fasteners on both sides of my receiver hitch, resulting in a couple inches of vertical sway.

I assume I need bolts, washers, and flange nuts.

Can someone tell me what size/quality of each I need, and any other concerns I need to think about?



agnerd
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AG
Grade 8 hardware, and get the biggest bolts that will fit in the existing hole. Bolts should probably be about 1/16" smaller than the holes. And put some locktite on the new bolts.

Edit: also see if you can find the installation manual or one online and check the torque specs for the bolts. Critical stuff like this should be torqued correctly.
Last, that hitch doesn't look beefy enough for a F350. Make sure the hitch is rated at or above the truck, or reduce the weight you tow to match the hitch. Ignore that. Thought you said F350, not f150.
Roger350
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AG
Probably should inspect the remaining bolts at all other attach points too. Depending how they are oriented, they may have been seeing more load and perhaps loading in a direction or manner they were not designed to take because the AFT section was free to move up and down. If they look fine, retorque and go. If anything looks off, or if you see signs of movement I might replace them at the same time as a safety precaution.
Charismatic Megafauna
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AG
Biggest bolt that will fit through the holes (5/8 maybe?), flat washer on each side, lock washer on the nut side. Crank them down hard, don't overthink it. I wouldn't bother with grade 8, the bolts that came with the hitch were probably grade 5 if they were even graded. Also, grade 8 are more likely to snap than stretch or bend, while grade 5 or lower are more likely to distort than fail suddenly
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