Bolt-on Hitch install Help

Attempting to install a bolt-on Reese class 3 hitch onto my girls ford escape. It's secured to the frame with 6 carriage bolts. Each bolt has a small metal spacer block, which catches inside the frame and allows the bolt to remain in place while the nut gets tightened. Got 5 bolts on there just fine and torqued to the proper specs. Ran into trouble with the 6th bolt.

It's like the block is either rounded out and the square piece of the carriage bolt just spins, or the block itself is not big enough to catch inside the frame. When attempting to loosen or tighten, the bolt and block just spins inside the frame.

So basically, the bolt just spins and I can't get the nut off or to tighten down properly, and there's like no space to cut it off with a wheel. Also seems like the nut is seized on the bolt threads.

Any ideas? Pic below is not mine but gives u an idea of what I'm dealing with. If I could just get the nut off I could get the block out of the frame and inspect it. I have a replacement carriage bolt and nut. It's always somethin!

 

Bump

 

Impact gun.
Done.

 

I tried that. No luck

 

Cross threaded?

Can you get vice grips up on the 'block' ? The would spin until wedged against the frame, then you should be able to work the nut.

I'd start by removing the nut, and checking out the threads. If buggered, get a new bolt.

 

The block is inside the frame, so no, but I can probably get vice grips on the end of the bolt. I might mess up the threads on the end of the bolt but at least I'd open up some more space to just cut the bolt off...

 

I would grab the tip of the bolt with vice grips and try to tighten the nut with an open end wrench. If it works, your done. If not, loosen the nut till it pushes the vice grips off, then hopefully that will give you enough room to cut it off.

 

Yeah gonna give this another attempt. Thanks guys

 

Oh crap.

Good ideas above.
Also.
If the spacer block is spinning, drill a hole 1/2 inch away from the bolt through the frame. Shove a screwdriver through and lock the plate.

 

Not a bad idea either. I dicked around with it down a while this afternoon and decided that I'm gonna take the cutting wheel to it tomorrow at work. My patience is gone

 

Once you get to that point you can do more harm than good.
Stepping away helps in the long run.
I'm sure you will get it.

 

You're right. I'll take another stab at it tomorrow night