Well nut disappeared..Now what!

[Hotfoot]

Installing a Class 1 trailer hitch on a Honda Accord to haul very small, light loads on my lightweight (230 pounds!) trailer...Well, 'Why Did I think This was Going to be Easy!' one of the well nuts decided to go hide inside the unibody version of a frame tube...Oh, what to do?

#1 Weld a stud to the hole, it will only be welded to the sheet metal rail...plus the weld will have be ground flat so the hitch fits flush, which would remove most of the weld (Bad Option).

#2 Cut a hole with a hole saw in the side of the rail to insert a nut...or simply re-attach the truant nut that is hiding in there (If I can find it)...Then weld a small plate over the access hole.

#3 Drill straight up through the access hole through the trunk floor, and insert a long bolt with a 1/8" plate down through the trunk floor and straight on through the rail.

#4 'Keyhole' by drilling a larger hole next to the hole the hole to allow a bolt to be slipped in a larger hole, then slid over to the smaller existing hole.

http://i36.tinypic.com/1zyd7qb.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/w02nmr.jpg

[Jim-Tx]

I think I'd do #2.

[TEK]

I agree with #2 also, but I'd slip a bolt in there if'n ya can...and I'm not sure I'd even worry 'bout the patch. Stress risers from a weld are worse than a round hole, IMHO....

[Hotfoot]

Oh, and just a note to those of you living in the Rust Belt...that first photo is the underside of a 14 year old Texas Car ...:D

[bandsawguy]

14 year old eh. Nice. I vote for #2 as well. I wouldn't bother coevering the hole afterward.

[AnotherDano]

Is that a removable plug at the left side of your picture?

If so, how about fishing one of those bolt-holding wires into the access hole and out the 'problem hole'?

Instead of running a bolt into the (now missing) nut, pull a bolt out of the hole and put a nut on the outside..

Just a thought....... Good luck.

[Rocky D]

I would cut the hole out to fit another nut, and weld it all around...square nuts work well for this, cuz there's more meat to weld to. To install the new nut, use a bolt in it to protect the thread and align the nut properly.

[Hotfoot]

I would cut the hole out to fit another nut, and weld it all around...square nuts work well for this, cuz there's more meat to weld to. To install the new nut, use a bolt in it to protect the thread and align the nut properly.

Hmmm, Rocky...didn't think of that one!...Hmmm...:rolleyes: I might try AnotherDano's Bolt Fishing first, seeing how it doesn't cut or weld anything. I'll bore the hole out a bit to clean the lip off that is left from the weldnut.

I did one like this on an F150 that had stripped out the bolt that holds the front sway bar mount, and on that one (the frame was 6 or 7inches deep), and, as I recall, I tacked a nut to a cheapie wrench, drilled a large hole, stuck the wrench in and 'found the bolt (turning), cut the part of the wrench off that was sticking out and left the front few inches the wrench in there after it got tightened down. Some day some mechanic will have a "Hey guys, come look at this!" moment with that one...but it worked!

I am also remembering another 'fix' I came up with that really works...I've used this one a few times....Drill hole in small 1/8" plate (I use 1" strap, about 3 or 4 inches long). Tack a nut to the "high" side, put Goop Glue generously on the bottom, which will glue to the inside of the frame rail. Insert plat through access hole (the rubber plug), pull down to alignment with some wir hooked through nut, snip wire, put bolt in (use waher), tighten down and allow glue to dry overnight. It will act like weldnut when bolt is taken out, then put in to mount whatever. The strap will keep the nut from rotating inside the frame...but the glue has always held to let me impact the nut to torque spec. Its messy, and lots of glue gts wiped off, but there is enough residue to do the rick..all it needs to do is hold the nut enough to get the bolt started.

[chevyman_de]

I would go for #5.:p
Just install a big steel rivet nut with a countersunk head which stays flush on the outside. That way there's no need for cutting or welding the frame. These nuts are quite capable. Land Rover uses four M10 sized units to mount recovery winches to the frames of their cars...

[Hotfoot]

Well, I went with #3, Drilling straight up through the bolt hole, and through the trunk (came out pretty far over to the side). Put a large, heavy washer on it, a 5" long 7/16" bolt, lock nut on the hitch end, and it went quick and simple. The loads will always be very light, so I feel pretty confident this will do. I worry more abut the auto tranny than the hitch.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice, guys!:)

[FWI]

As long as it works..

[Xoloski]

install a nutsert, AKA rivnut.
See this site: http://www.hansonrivet.com/w64.htm
for complete details.