Since I've dropped my tranny out of my Iroc more times than I care to remember, one of the times I must have used the wrong bolt and I crossed the threads. Well the bolt held good while the threads were crossed, but the trannys been out a few times after that and now the nut doesn't have any threads left in it. Since it's way up in the frame, how can I fix this? It's on the passenger side closest to the front. Any body have any ideas?? I have to drop the tranny again this weekend, so it would be the right time to fix this problem.
Stripped a tranny x-member nut, what to do?
- Thread starter Roc87
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It has been about a year since I had mine out so I am not sure I recall exactly what the area where the cross member attaches looks like. I am thinking a nt of some type welded to the inside of the "frame" formed by the floor pans.
I would think 3 things. Figure out if you can get at it from the top side, go that route and weld in a new nut. If you can not cut out the "frame" section and fab a new one with a new nut. Before going through all of that I wouild drill it and HeliCoil it.
Brent
I would think 3 things. Figure out if you can get at it from the top side, go that route and weld in a new nut. If you can not cut out the "frame" section and fab a new one with a new nut. Before going through all of that I wouild drill it and HeliCoil it.
Brent
It doesn't really seem like GM figured this would happen because it doesn't appear that there is any way to get to the thing from the top. So, once I get it back in, I'll take it to a shop and have my friend helicoil it. Thanks for the suggestion!
If you want to try and HeliCoil it yourself it is not all that hard. When I do it I go to all of the trouble to dig up a REAL HeliCoil kit. I, however, have seen a competing product offered by PepBoys I am going to try next time I need a new size. The kits are not in the nice plastic box that HeliCoil uses, they are in a long plastic sleeve. Other than that they look to be very much the same.
It is rather easy to do. Drill the hole to the required size. The HeliCoil kits have a bit with them, not sure about the PepBoys kits, I can not recall. Just take your time and drill it straight. Use the supplied tap and retap the hole. The only secret here is, again, take your time. Keep oil on the tap to make the cutting process easier. I cut with a 1/4 turn in, 1/2 out pattern. Cut for a 1/4 turn (in) then back out 1/2 turn to clear the debris. Run the coil in with the supplied tool.
If you think about it buying the kit, even an actual HeliCoil kit, should work out to be less thatn paying someone to do it. You also end not having to deal with the shop and you have a stack of coils left over so that if you have a bolt hole of that srip again you can fix it.
Brent
It is rather easy to do. Drill the hole to the required size. The HeliCoil kits have a bit with them, not sure about the PepBoys kits, I can not recall. Just take your time and drill it straight. Use the supplied tap and retap the hole. The only secret here is, again, take your time. Keep oil on the tap to make the cutting process easier. I cut with a 1/4 turn in, 1/2 out pattern. Cut for a 1/4 turn (in) then back out 1/2 turn to clear the debris. Run the coil in with the supplied tool.
If you think about it buying the kit, even an actual HeliCoil kit, should work out to be less thatn paying someone to do it. You also end not having to deal with the shop and you have a stack of coils left over so that if you have a bolt hole of that srip again you can fix it.
Brent
If you can, try to drill the nut out to the next larger size. You may find that an American sized bolt (3/8 or 7/16) will fit with minimal drilling. This happened to my car before I owned it and the idiot that fixed it cut the stamping (can you say structural???) that the nuts are in. What a dumb sh@#. It took a lot of work, but I was able to weld in a new nut, and fix the frame rail. Good luck. turbota
. Thanks for the help. Going to pepboys and see how much that helicoil kit is tonight. 
