Cap screw hole stripped

[1bigdog]

I was test fitting the newly assembled nose wheel pants. I screwed in the cap screw on one side. Seemed to go in without issue. Coming out was a different story. Somehow it cross threaded. So I’ve mostly stripped out the thread on one side of the nose gear fork.

Not sure if its better to go one size larger and tap the hole a bit bigger or helicoil to retain the original size and cap screw.

Thanks.

 

[rocketman1988]

Issue

Steel threaded into aluminum can be an issue. Also, the fork isn’t that thick. I had tried the helicoil solution but the helicoil would tend to back out or thread in with the bolt.

 

[Taltruda]

You can shorten a Helicoil by taking it to the corner of a bench grinder. Tap the threads, count the number of threads, then shorten the “top” of the helicoil. Next condition inspection, get a talented TIG welder to weld it back up and you could rethread it, but I imagine the helicoiled hole would last indefinitely.

 

[rocketman1988]

You can shorten a Helicoil by taking it to the corner of a bench grinder. Tap the threads, count the number of threads, then shorten the “top” of the helicoil. Next condition inspection, get a talented TIG welder to weld it back up and you could rethread it, but I imagine the helicoiled hole would last indefinitely.

That’s part of the problem; the fork allows only a few threads.

 

[1bigdog]

trying helicoil

I'll report back when this is done.
I'm going to go with the helicoil option for now because going with a larger bolt has too many other problems since the tow bar won't match.
And if the helicoil actually does back out I can always try red thread locker on the helicoil alone.

I had not noticed earlier that several others had already done the same repair successfully.

Greatly appreciate the suggestions.