Stripped PM

[cornice6]

I just bought a brand new 29er suspension fork from a seller here and turns out the top mount brake thread is stripped. Screwing the bolt by hand, which I always do first, would not pass two turns and it goes in crooked. I want to ask if this can be tapped/re-threaded?

I guess I can take it to my LBS or buy a tapping tool but want to know if this or if I have any other options. Advice is greatly appreciated.

I messaged the seller and have not heard back but I'm sure he will. TIA!

[thirdgenbird]

Sounds cross threaded, not stripped.

Hopefully it's only buggered up at the beginning. A tap could make it nearly as good as new.

[pbarry]

Grease the bolt and then start threading from the inside of the plate. If it gets too hard to turn, (a little or medium resistance is OK), then re-tap.

[donevwil]

If you do resort to using a tap, be slow and careful. Cut only as far as needed, a tap will remove material even on the "good" part of the thread, especially in aluminum.

[lonoeightysix]

we talking a brake stud?

[cornice6]

Thanks all! I did grease the bolt to no avail. I will probably re-tap but will wait and see what the seller has to say.

[cornice6]

we talking a brake stud?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/echelon153/Craigslist/20140429_143241_zps8632c8b9.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/echelon153/media/Craigslist/20140429_143241_zps8632c8b9.jpg.html)

[dustyrider]

Bummer...looks like that's a NEW hardened bolt? There's a fix, there must be. It's just the first few threads buggered up, yeah? A tap should be enough...helicoil if all else fails. Bummer.

[alancw3]

based on the picture have you tried using the lower bolt to see if that also does not screw in smoothly? could be the threads on the bolt and not the fork in which case you could run a die down it. if not then looks like a perfect candidate for tapping or just cleaning the threads. possibly some locktite residue on threads. good luck, let us know the outcome.

[David Kirk]

Running a tap through there, with a bit of oil on it of course, should make you good to go. It looks like that is an M6 x 1 thread which is super common and any good hardware store should have the tap.

The hole is 'blind' meaning that it does not pass through to open space. So when you spin the tap in it will go in a good ways and then suddenly stop when it hits the bottom of the hole. It's important to not try to go any further with it at that point. Spin the tap back out, give the part a few good hits to knock out any chips left in the hole and then spin the bolt in by hand to check the quality of the threads.

It should be fine.

dave

[kramnnim]

What's the correct way to tap it if the first few turns are messed up and the tap wants to follow them and go in crooked?

[Anarchist]

A firm hand and the threading tap properly held in a chuck.

[buldogge]

Normal taps (not bottoming) are tapered at the tip to take care of this.

-Mark in St. Louis

What's the correct way to tap it if the first few turns are messed up and the tap wants to follow them and go in crooked?

[cornice6]

Thank you all for the help! It is now fixed! Three turns with the tap and she was good to go.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/echelon153/Craigslist/IMG_0048_zpsa57c7540.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/echelon153/media/Craigslist/IMG_0048_zpsa57c7540.jpg.html)

The bike before the Fox fork installed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/echelon153/Cycling/Triton29er/20140326_181457_zps4dc3d991.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/echelon153/media/Cycling/Triton29er/20140326_181457_zps4dc3d991.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/echelon153/Cycling/Triton29er/20140328_110714_zps7b7c5d35.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/echelon153/media/Cycling/Triton29er/20140328_110714_zps7b7c5d35.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/echelon153/Cycling/Triton29er/20140326_180220_zps9e20d7e7.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/echelon153/media/Cycling/Triton29er/20140326_180220_zps9e20d7e7.jpg.html)

[zmudshark]

I'd tap that:banana:

Sorry, someone had to say it, surprised no one did.