Helicoils or sliced bread???

[No_Twilight]

I just got back from the store where I bought some sliced bread. But on the way through the garage I asked my son if he wanted to help me find the oil leak on the lathe. It started about a month ago and had been bugging me but I'd been putting off fixing it, fearing that I'd have to drain the oil out of it and replace a seal...he said yes so we popped the large threading gear off and underneath it the leak was coming from a flanged bearing where the shaft penetrates the headstock to drive the threading linkage. I grabbed an allen wrench and found the threads stripped on one of three flange bolts. I used a 6mm x 1.0 helicoil kit and installed it in 5 minutes. Oil leak fixed. Now I'll go make some sandwiches for the kids. That'll take about 10 minutes. I use sliced bread more often but using helicoils to repair a thread is more satisfying.

 

Why did I post this? Those of you who may need a helicoil repair for a stripped valve cover bolt shouldn't be afraid. They are quick, easy and cheap. They are especially useful in aluminum (motorcycle heads) or cast iron (lathe headstocks).

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[Bob Palin]

Baking your own bread is to sliced bread what helicoiling is to going to the dealer. Both are so much more satisfying.

[No_Twilight]

I understand that some people get lots of satisfaction from both of these activities. Neigher does anything for me. Now when my Mom makes homemade bread...that's different. But I doubt I'd want her to work on my motorcycle.

[Pilgrim]

Shoot, doing helicoils is so much fun I keep a block of surplus Boeing aluminum stock around just so when I get the urge I can drill a hole and put one in. Yeah!

Pilgrim

[Tool Man]

Helicoils....mmmmmmm

 

If I had a nickle for every helicoil I've installed in my carreer I could retire.....mmmmmm helicoil to machinist is like dooouughnut to Bart Simpson.

 

Glad ya got yer oil leak fixed. Nothing like stepping on fresh way lube or gear oil whil'st bent over cut'n some threads eh'

[ChrisM]

Way back when (the early 60's) my brothers and I had a ski boat, with a screaming V4 outboard Evinrude engine. Dad was dead, and use and maintenance of the boat was a catch as catch can affair among the five brothers (our sister wasn't all that interested).

 

One day one of the younger brothers decided to replace the plugs. He was concerned that they not be loose, but loose they were, once he had pulled all the threads out of the aluminum heads.

 

Four helicoils saved the day. They've been around for a long time, and are a marvel.

[Softtail]

Ill take the bread, because I don't know what a "Helicoil" is. Where do you get Helicoils, and what do you do with one if you need it? Something else to worry about!! Do they make high-performance helicoils? <<<<<<Softtail>>>>>

[No_Twilight]

A helicoil is a thread repair tool used when you strip out threads. the most common application here is the valve cover bolts that are easy to strip out of the aluminum heads. You can buy the kits at most auto repair stores now or pick them up on ebay or www.mcmaster.com will get them to you next day in CA. --Jerry