Building New Things

Three Hundred Ninety Forth Post: Building New Things

I came across yet another building problem. I was putting together a bike rack that fits on the vehicle’s trailer hitch. I could not figure out why they didn’t give me a hitch bolt. The receiver on my truck was 5/8 inch and the hole in the rack’s bar was less than ½. After going to 2 different auto parts that confirmed my theory of shearing breaking the ½ bolt in the 5/8 hole, I decided to drill the holes the right size.

After a trip to the local hardware I always go to for my little projects, my Dad and I drilled the holes. That is after buying a $25, 5/8 drill bit. It was only after drilling the holes did I read the back of the instructions and see that they included a nonslip bolt. It was a stupid but easy mistake of not reading the instructions. That is when the instructions are actually complete and explain everything thoroughly. The funny thing is that I had keep thinking of such a bolt such as the nonslip bolt. I knew if I had a machine shop how I would build one, but I didn’t know they were common and I didn’t check the hardware thoroughly. The nonslip bolt is small enough to go through the hole and has a rim of 5/8 inch where it touches the receiver’s hole. I could see in my mind what I need, but seeing all 4 bolts that came with the rack, I did not make any connection.

There is many advantages of drilling the holes in the bike rack bigger. I have a stronger, standard size hitch bolt that locks. Also the bolt that was provided with the rack has to be unscrewed to remove it from the truck’s hitch receiver. Now all I have to do is unlock the hitch bolt and pull it out. As Bob Ross would say, “We have a happy accident.” Sometimes when building the work comes easy, and sometimes assembly takes hours. Go figure.

May the Creative Force be with You!