Working a night shift in Tulsa, I had a torque wrench slip on a critical engine mount bolt and strip the threads.

I had to drill it out and install a helicoil in the dark with a headlamp, so has anyone found a better way to handle stripped threads on a ramp in the middle of the night?

4 comments

4 Comments

willowc601mo agoMost Upvoted

Got a portable thread repair kit?

paige_martin2mo ago

Used to think tap kits were overkill until I stripped a caliper bolt. Now I keep a basic set in my truck.

elliot_lee2mo ago

That exact thing happened to me on a 2004 Silverado rear caliper bracket bolt. Spent three hours with vise grips and a torch before I gave up and drove to the store. Now my tap and die set has a permanent spot on the workbench, right next to my regret for not buying it sooner.

wesley_hart1mo ago

Been there with a brake line fitting on an old Ford. That feeling when you realize you're just making it worse is the worst. Paige_martin has the right idea keeping a basic set in the vehicle, saves a whole lot of trouble. A good tap set is cheaper than a tow and a shop bill, that's for sure. Once you burn up an afternoon on one bolt, you never make that mistake again.