Stripped the thread on my front fork, would something like Helicoil work?

[MikeJD]

Hi all,
After recently trying to add an adapter for 160mm rotors onto my front hydraulic calliper, the top front fork thread has stripped.
Does it look like I'd be able to use something like a Helicoil M5 fit to fix this, is the area around the current thread large enough?
Thanks for the help.

 

[Gillstay]

You could just open out the hanger and put a slightly larger thread in the fork. Other than that I see no reason not to try a helicoil, but would get a practiced man to do it. .

 

[Big John]

Take it down to your LBS and see if they can drill the duff one out and replace with a rivnut. If you're handy then it's a very doable DIY job. There are vids on YouTube that show how to fit a rivnut without the proper tool because not many of us carry a spare rivnut tool in our tool box 😉

 

[Ajax Bay]

As this fastener is critical to maintaining an effective front brake and its failure would cause significant hazard, this is a task best done by a competent person (this might be the OP).

 

[gbb]

With care, a helicoil is quite easy to install.
A decent kit will come with exactly the right drill bit, oversize tap etc I loctite in any helicoils that are subject to stress.
Cost ?...a kit won't be cheap, a lbs may be cheaper for a one off.

 

[the snail]

Take it down to your LBS and see if they can drill the duff one out and replace with a rivnut. If you're handy then it's a very doable DIY job. There are vids on YouTube that show how to fit a rivnut without the proper tool because not many of us carry a spare rivnut tool in our tool box 😉

I wouldn't trust a rivnut for a safety-critical fastening like that.

 

[keithmac]

If fitted correctly a Helicoil will probably be stronger than what it came out of the factory with.

 

[DRM]

I wouldn't trust a rivnut for a safety-critical fastening like that.

You and me both, Helicoil seems to be the way to go here, rivnut Won’t work, they’re really for fitting in sheet metal as the end mushrooms over the rear surface, just sticking it in a bolt hole as in the fork won’t let this happen, so it’s just going to pull out, and you’ll probably break the rivnut tool as well trying to fit it

 

[keithmac]

If there is not enough meat left for a helicoil a Wurth Timesert would do the job (they are thicker, a threaded steel insert).

 

[Profpointy]

Including safety critical uses, a helicoil is a perfectly good fix providing there's enough meat left for the slightly bigger hole for the insert. That said if there's enough meat it may also be possibly to drill the hole a bit bigger and simply tap it for the next size up screw, though there also needs to be enough meat to drill out a sufficient clearance hole in whatever's being bolted on.