Topic: Fixing Strip threads in Aluminum

[Grabcon]

Okay some of you may have already used these but this is a first time for me. I strip the exhaust stud hole in the head on my K4. I really dislike helicoils. I found this company called Time Sert.  http://www.timesert.com/

I did a little research and then called them and bought a kit that comes with the appropriate tools and the thread inserts. The kit is a little pricey but is reusable for many years, the only thing you need are the inserts. The down side is the kit is only good for one size of thread. These are permanent, I did all 8 hole with no power tools in about an hour. Two good tapping wrenches would be worth investing in as well.

These are dead simple to put in and for the 8 exhaust stud holes they were all done with the motor in the bike. The two tough ones are on cylinders 2 & 3 the holes nearest the inside of the frame. I had to use a small wrench once I started to tap the hole.

Now that I have used these a couple of tool kits for different sizes and extra inserts will be in the tool box.

[bryanj]

They are very good but need a lot of "Meat" around the hole to be able to use them

[MRieck]

Usually use them after a helicoil has pulled out. Keen sert are also good and they come in jumbo size if hole is really damaged

[SOHC Digger]

We use something similar at work from Gardsert:

http://www.gardspecialists.com/view.php?r=Gardserts_1-32.pdf&v=chptr

They work well and are easy to use, but like bryanj noted, they require a lot of meat around the hole to avoid further damaging the part you are repairing.

Heli-coils definitely have their disadvantages, but if you want to repair a hole without removing a lot of material, they are probably still the way to go.  I Heli-coiled all 8 of my cylinder head stud holes when I converted my 78F over to spigots.

[Grabcon]

The inserts that I used are a thin wall insert and require very little meat. So little meat that it is recommended to use a tapping wrench with the drill that comes with the kit. They also sell heavy wall for Helicoil replacement.

[Grabcon]

Here is a pic to show how little meat is needed to install a Time Sert Insert.

[SOHC Digger]

Definitely seems like this is an application where these inserts work well!