Windstar hitch

[joe990]

How is the hitch bolted to the frame of a 98 Windstar? There seems to be no way to get the bolts inside the frame channel or to hold them after while tightening. Do you have to remove the back bumper or take up the floor mats? Or is fishing involved. What's the secret?
Thanks,
Joe

(my first message may have gone to some lost corner of one of the forums. Sorry. I think I am in the right room now.)

[PumpItUp]

I remember my Windstar hitch came with a wire to fish the bolt and nut into place thru the "H" frame. Which has predrilled holes for mounting most types of hitch hardware. May want to go online to ?? "Hoppy" Life Mate. and try to down load a instruction for installation.

[PumpItUp]

I looked it up under Reese/Draw tite.. Hidden Hitches.. and this site you just pick your year and gives you a picture in Acrobate Reader which can be printed off. And, it shows the fish wire that is a necessity for ease of install ..good luck http://www.hitchesonline.com/truck_hitch_selection.htm

[joe990]

Thanks PumpItUp. Your advice lead me to pictures on page two at http://www.hitchesonline.com/hidden_...nstall_tip.htm. Which says:

When installing the hitch, be careful not to push the fastener assembly into the frame. The best way to avoid this is to leave the bolt leader on the bolt, threading it through the holes in the hitch as it is raised into place. Once the hitch is clamped or bolted in place the bolt leaders can be removed and the nuts installed.

U-BOLTS

Another common method used to access an enclosed frame utilizes a square cornered U-bolt. Usually, the hitch assembly can be used as a template to drill the two holes required for the U-bolt. Ensure that the two nuts are drawn up evenly on the U-bolt during installation. If one nut is installed at a time, the U-bolt may bend and break.

of the bolt leaders (wires) that lead a bolt into a hidden part of the frame.