Honda Car Forum

I have an '04 Pilot.

So I took the day off to install the trailer hitch. Read the
instructions over and it looks really simple. Removed tow point and
notice the hole position in relationship to the new hitch. Just
because I was going to be in an uncomfortable position, I decided to
run the large bolts thru the holes and out, just in case. On the
driver side, the hole closest to the driver (and slightly offset from
the other three) ,met with some resistance, so I applied WD-40,
waited, and with just a little effort, seated the bolt.

Not so lucky with the same hole on the passenger's side. Whatever in
the body that the bolt screws into, broke off. Lets call it an anchor
point

OK sez I, in an unusual fit of calmness, is there anyway to grip that
anchor point? I don't see anyway to get anything into that square
tubing. There is a 3/4" hole near by, but I don't see how that will
help. There doesn't seem to be a way to approach the anchorpoint from
top.

So, first thing I think of is cutting the bolt with my angle grinder;
second thought is "where is the gas tank?" Fortunately it's some
distance away. I try to position the angle grinder, but It looks like
I'd be cutting on the upward moving side of the blade.

Note to self: if you cut this bolt, be sure to secure the part
attached to the anchor point with a piece of wire, so you have a
chance to remove it via the 3/4" hole.

Is there a smarter way to do this job?
Is there a tool that will cut the bolt as opposed to using the angle
grinder?
Is a bolt cutter powerful enough?

Any suggestions are appreciated - Mike

In article <eena831lfd3jg2rve5lji9ptuk0skhkgn2@4ax.com>,
Michael Horowitz <mhorowit@cox.net> wrote:
>Any suggestions are appreciated - Mike

If I remember correctly, the "thing" that broke off is a nut that is welded to
the frame.

Do a search on http://hondapilot.org/ This has happened to other people.
You might want to get a tap to clean out the threads instead of using a bolt,
since the tap won't get stuck like the bolt did.



--
Mike Iglesias Email: iglesias@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine phone: 949-824-6926
Network & Academic Computing Services FAX: 949-824-2069

On 29 Jun 2007 21:42:43 GMT, iglesias@draco.nac.uci.edu (Mike
Iglesias) wrote:

>In article <eena831lfd3jg2rve5lji9ptuk0skhkgn2@4ax.com>,
>Michael Horowitz <mhorowit@cox.net> wrote:
>>Any suggestions are appreciated - Mike
>
>If I remember correctly, the "thing" that broke off is a nut that is welded to
>the frame.
>
>Do a search on http://hondapilot.org/ This has happened to other people.
>You might want to get a tap to clean out the threads instead of using a bolt,
>since the tap won't get stuck like the bolt did.


Thanks, they even had a solution for installing a new bolt; but they
didn't talk about how to unscrew the nut so I could take it out! -
Mike