For my mechanically minded friends

[HeroHog]

Project Farm with the knowledge you need!

Best Damaged Thread Repair? Let’s Settle This! Heli Coil, TIME-SERT, E-Z LOK, JB Weld, HHIP, Loctite

Place yer vote in the poll above BEFORE ya watch his video, plz.

https://youtu.be/jknMrFOGMOQ

[Hawkmoon]

I vote for Heli-Coil.

Haven't watched the video yet. Maybe tomorrow (Monday).

[K Frame]

I vote for drilling it out and sleeving it.

[Lennyjoe]

Really depends on the load the fastener is supporting.  If it’s a high stress area, helicoil would be my preferred way.  Low stress, low load bearing then whatever you have to get er done

[griz]

I voted Helicoil because it was the one I had experience with.  I knew there were other brands that were pretty much solid threaded inserts but didn't know the names.  Looks as if all the steel insert versions were easily stronger than the cheap bolts.  I was surprised how well JB weld did.  Wonder if just epoxying the bolt in would have been much stronger?

[Boomhauer]

Caterpillar has amazing inserts if you have the meat around the hole to drill three sizes larger.

Otherwise Helicoil is serviceable for most things.


That’s real world experience, not YouTube experience

[Nick1911]

I'm with Lenny, kinda depends on what the part is and what it needs to accomplish.

I rarely use a thread repair product.
If I can get away with it, I might go one size larger.
Or I might weld or braze it in, and redrill and rethread.
I've also two or so sizes larger, flush plug the hole with a solid chunk of threaded whatever, and redrill and tap that.

The best bet is to try and avoid the situation all together, but that's not always in the cards.

[Kingcreek]

I voted helicoil. My only experience with them was when I built up a fiberglass jeep cj7 body and later when I blew plugs on my Ford 6.8L Triton V10.
I have used JB Weld for many things but wouldn't consider it for thread repair (although I did use it successfully to fill a crack that went into the threads in the cast base of a 20 ton bottle jack)

[Brad Johnson]

No DetCord option? Commie. 

Brad

[Tuco]

No vote.
The correct solution is dictated by the problem.

[zxcvbob]

I've used HeliCoil before.  I would not expect Locktite to do much if the threads are gone. 

For stripped-out wood screws, put a piece of wooden matchstick into the hole to give the screw something to bite again.  Coarse steel wool would probably also work.  I wonder if the "copper wire trick" is something similar

[HeroHog]

I've always sworn by HeliCoils for stripped out thread repair. On the Vegas we used to race, we would HeliCoil the head threads in the block and install studs to fight the dreaded Vega blown head gasket issues, weather they were stripped or not!

Cosworth Vega

[Jim147]

I've always sworn by HeliCoils for stripped out thread repair. On the Vegas we used to race, we would HeliCoil the head threads in the block and install studs to fight the dreaded Vega blown head gasket issues, weather they were stripped or not!

Cosworth Vega

I don't have a pic of mine but it had a 355 in it using parts from a wrecked Monza Spyder.

In the machine shop we did them three ways depending on what it was and how damaged it was. Helicoil, Keencert or weld it up and start over.

[Bogie]

I'd drill and hand-tap if there is room.

[dogmush]

Like a couple people said earlier, the "correct" answer depends on what the fastener is doing, and where it is doing it.

I've found Heli-coils to be a pretty solid middle ground for both ease of instal and holding strength.  There are stronger products out there (I've actually used the Cat product Boomhauer mentioned on a C7, and it's really nice), but they all tend to take more time, room, or disassembly to install.  If you don't need the strength or permanence,  there are faster and easier ways to keep a bolt in.

Like Heinlein said: (paraphrased) know all the techniques.  Specialization is for insects.

[K Frame]

"For stripped-out wood screws, put a piece of wooden matchstick into the hole to give the screw something to bite again. "

I've done that for years. My Dad taught me that trick. Comes in handy when you live in a 100+ year old house.

Only, he would coat the match or toothpicks or whatever piece of wood he was using in Elmer's Wood Glue, leave it dry a couple of hours, and then reinstall the screw.

[K Frame]

"Like a couple people said earlier, the "correct" answer depends on what the fastener is doing, and where it is doing it."

BS! Overkill is barely enough kill!

[brimic]

Heli coils for most repairs.
Timeserts are probably better for stuff where the fastener is going to be removed a lot- drain plugs

[Bogie]

Lube techs can break ANYTHING. I'm really surprised that the designers of modern engines have not developed a better, more idiot-proof, method.

[Jim147]

Lube techs can break ANYTHING. I'm really surprised that the designers of modern engines have not developed a better, more idiot-proof, method.

And some of the engines have plastic oil pans. That's why even when feeling bad I don't let anyone else touch anything of mine.

[JTHunter]

"For stripped-out wood screws, put a piece of wooden matchstick into the hole to give the screw something to bite again. "

I've done that for years. My Dad taught me that trick. Comes in handy when you live in a 100+ year old house.

Only, he would coat the match or toothpicks or whatever piece of wood he was using in Elmer's Wood Glue, leave it dry a couple of hours, and then reinstall the screw.

Using a similar procedure, I would screw it in while the glue was still wet and just barely snug it down.  A day later, I would check the tightness and maybe give the screw another 1/4 - 1/2 turn.

[robear]

The 'Torque Test Channel' also did a very similar type of test.    They used ARP head studs in cast iron billets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZItuPnU7lU

Incidentally, I voted for the Time-Serts.

[French G.]

Best damaged thread repair is to give it to someone who knows what they are doing before you try to cheat things into working five times. Having done hundreds of helicoil repair and thousands more inserts into virgin holes on stuff like plastic, that seldom happens. End users in all disciplines are basically apes with less finesse.

[RoadKingLarry]

Lube techs can break ANYTHING. I'm really surprised that the designers of modern engines have not developed a better, more idiot-proof, method.

Every time they do that along comes a "better" idiot.