D/S rear knuckle thread for shock absorber stripped

[wise67]

The D/S rear knuckle thread where the shock absorber bolts to is stripped....Went to install my Raceland kit ( i know, but its better than stock) and the shock was just hanging. Should I buy a knew knuckle at the junkyard or try a heli-coil?

I wanna start putting all my goodies on it but its starting to act like a woman....

[tiFreak]

I'd try the helicoil before buying another trailing arm

[Bluebimma]

If youve already removed the bolt, just drill and retap.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by Bluebimma

If youve already removed the bolt, just drill and retap.

+1

Get a new bolt and a matching tap. If there's still threads in the hole on the trailing arm, chase them with the tap and see if the new bolt can still grip them. If not, figure out the next size up. Perhaps an SAE thread pitch might be slightly smaller than the next metric thread. Buy a bolt and matching tap, look up the drill bit size to use with that tap and carefully drill the hole. Then slowly run the tap through the hole. Use cutting oil when running the tap. Make sure it's straight and then MAKE SURE AGAIN. Turn it 1/4 turn, then back it out, continue threading and backing in 1/4 turn increments until the hole is completely tapped.

[chrisbec]

You may get lucky by cleaning the threads with a tap. Take a look in the hole and see how much deeper it goes. If there is some additional room\ incomplete threads in the base of the hole that is not stripped out you may get lucky. Buy a bottom tap (not a plug tap) (like this one) from MSC for example. Run the tap all the way until it bottoms out in the base of the hole - this will make complete threads out of the incomplete threads in the base of the hole + clean out the crap. Don't put too much force on it and use cutting oil. The last thing you want to do is break the tap off in the hole because then you will be really screwed then and you will never get it out.
Get a M12X1,5 bolt from the hardware store (of the same grade not sure if it is 8.8, 10.8 or 12.8) that is longer and see if you can catch some of the good threads that are now in the base of the hole. Since the stock bolt is 60mm in length, try a 70mm. Install the shock and tighten the bolt by hand and if it bottoms out and there is a gap under the head don't continue to crank the bolt because it will just strip out all of the threads. Remove the bolt and stack a washer or 2 and try again (you want to make up for the gap under the bolt head when the bolt was bottomed out). You may also want to use 10mm washers on the 12mm bolt (you may have to grind the ID slightly) to insure that you don't clamp on the shock or rubber bushing, but just the steel sleeve.

If that doesn't work then the next best thing for this would be a Helicoil. If you go to the next size SAE bolt it may not fit through the sleeve in the shock. You may want to double check that before you start drilling and tapping if you go that route.

[wise67]

Thanks guys ill try and clean it up....as soon as i get out of the hospital lol