Bumper Bracket - Help!

[roadrunnerh]

Hey guys, I need some help. The front threaded captured nut welded inside the front frame rail is stripped. :brickwall: One of the two bolts that the bumper bracket bolts to the car. Anybody have a good fix for this?

 

[ACME A12]

Unless you're open to the idea of cutting that one out and welding another one in I think you're gonna have to put a heli-coil in it or just tap new larger diameter threads into the existing captive nut and go with a larger bolt.

Maybe someone else will have a brainstorm...

 

[69hemibeep]

Unless you're open to the idea of cutting that one out and welding another one in I think you're gonna have to put a heli-coil in it or just tap new larger diameter threads into the existing captive nut and go with a larger bolt.

Maybe someone else will have a brainstorm...

Beat me to it :yesnod:

 

[Basketcase]

my Charger had one like that. IIRC, I was able to get a nut on it thru one of the factory holes.

 

[roadrunnerh]

Thanks for the lightening quick responses fellas!

Dave, are you a magician? How did you do that?

Any suggestions on a Helicoil kit to buy?
Risking sounding dumb here, but if I go the Helicoil route, can't I use the same bolt? Wouldn't the Helicoil fill the space after I drilled it out?

 

[A31PKG]

The thing about Heli-coils is that they need to have a stop or shoulder to prevent them from turning when the bolt is installed. It would not be all that difficult if you could somehow mount a drill press onto your car, as the depth and angle would have to be precise....In this case, I think tapping to the next larger size is your best bet. You are lucky that the captive nut did not break off inside the frame!

 

[glhcarl]

Thanks for the lightening quick responses fellas!

Dave, are you a magician? How did you do that?

Any suggestions on a Helicoil kit to buy?
Risking sounding dumb here, but if I go the Helicoil route, can't I use the same bolt? Wouldn't the Helicoil fill the space after I drilled it out?

To install a Helicoil you first re-tap the hole to a larger size.

Then you thread in the helicoil. The outside threads of the helicoil are larger than the inside threads.

So you can use the same (original) bolt.

 

[sixgunrunner68]

I've used countless heli-coils on through holes, it won't spin out. There's tension on the coil when it's installed, just remember to break the installation tang off after it's in. Also the coil should sit at least one to two threads beneath the top and bottom surface of the hole. Do this and it will work forever..

 

[69hemibeep]

Thanks for the lightening quick responses fellas!

Dave, are you a magician? How did you do that?

Any suggestions on a Helicoil kit to buy?
Risking sounding dumb here, but if I go the Helicoil route, can't I use the same bolt? Wouldn't the Helicoil fill the space after I drilled it out?

Take your bolt to a good parts store and they should be able to fix you up. They come with the coils a install tool, tap and drill bit.

 

[moparchris]

A Nut-sert will work best. You drill the hole out larger and then thread in the Nut-sert and it has a very thin shoulder that will seat on the frame rail and keep it from moving. It works awesome in this situation. If you use the Heli-coil then put a very small dab of loc-tite on the heli coil and that will lock it into place, be sure you let the loctite dry before you install the original bumper bolt. I have done that many times and it works well too. On another note, drilling out the existing hole will be easy to keep straight since you already have a pilot hole from the original bolt hole.

 

[roadrunnerh]

Ok, what's the difference between a "nut-sert" and "Heli-coil"?

 

[69hemibeep]

I had to gooogle it up, I never heard of them.http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=nutsert

 

[roadrunnerh]

So the bolts that mount the bumper brackets to the frame are 1/2" 13.
I purchased a Heli coil kit from NAPA, but of course they didn't have the 17/32 drill bit I need.
Neither did (in this order) Sears, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight. :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:

 

[69hemibeep]

So the bolts that mount the bumper brackets to the frame are 1/2" 13.
I purchased a Heli coil kit from NAPA, but of course they didn't have the 17/32 drill bit I need.
Neither did (in this order) Sears, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight. :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:

Sounds like your in my world :yesnod:

 

[moparchris]

They make another version. I had the two mixed up its a time sert.

http://www.timesert.com/

 

[sixgunrunner68]

So the bolts that mount the bumper brackets to the frame are 1/2" 13.
I purchased a Heli coil kit from NAPA, but of course they didn't have the 17/32 drill bit I need.
Neither did (in this order) Sears, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight. :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:

I'm surprised the kit didn't come with the bit. If you want a single you may have to mail order it, not a typical size outside of buying a full fractional set. McMaster Carr, MSC, Grainger they'll all have it.

 

[A31PKG]

Maybe I should have worded my last entry differently... I too have installed countless heli-coils, but in this situation, I felt the best approach was to go up a size with a re-tap. Not knowing the condition or integrity of the captive nut (corrosion, thickness, etc) combined with the fact that the bolt will probablly have be loosened and tightend a few times to achieve correct bumper alignment, is what caused me to lean away from a heli-coil... to each his own... The nut-sert or riv-nut idea is probably better, but you need to be sure to get one that extends beyond what's left of the existing captive bolt. I have included the page from McMaster-Carr that has specs and illustrations. I get most of my hard-to-find items from them - great company.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/117/3269/=csbo2q

 

[roadrunnerh]

A31PKG, I just ordered a 17/32 drill bit from McMaster-Carr, thanks guys for recommending.

Anybody out there have four 1/2-13 hex head bolts with captive washers? Man, some of this stuff is hard to find. RTSpecialties "just ran out of them" , Mr G's doesn't even stock 'em.

 

[BBillyC]

Well I had the same bummer broken bolt scenario on the front bumper bracket. So I decided helicoil, so I try to drill it out (took ages) and then tried to tap it.....the tap broke off while about half way through, now I was really screwed. Was able to get the tap out and purchase another one and finish the tapping..got it in eventually.

 

[roadrunnerh]

WooHoo, Done!
[attachment=2:296fr2es]Drill.jpg[/attachment:296fr2es]
[attachment=1:296fr2es]Helicoil 1.jpg[/attachment:296fr2es]
[attachment=0:296fr2es]Helicoil 2.jpg[/attachment:296fr2es]