Years ago I saw a fix for this where the guy took a Dremel tool and cut
a slot in the vertical frame wall beside the stripped weldnut. A few
pops with a chisel and the weldnut was lost forever inside the frame.
Anyway, he sized the slot so a flat washer and a new 5/16 nut would just
fix thru. He held them in place with surgical forceps until the bolt
was threaded in from the outside. Luckily, the nut & bolt threads were
very clean such that the nut didn't have to be wrenched when tightening.
He then found some sort of oval-ish rubber grommet to fill the slot.
Hey, it worked and didn't look too bad either.
Jack
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-healeys@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-healeys@Autox.Team.Net]
On Behalf Of Michael Salter
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:49 AM
To: 'Healey Mail Group'
Subject: RE: Anti-sway bar mounting
Hi Bruce,
The thread for the anti roll bar brackets is in a "weldnut" which is
installed on the inside of the frame. If you could get a helicoil in it
would probably hold fine as the loads on the bolt are not really that
high
however, in my experience, the 3 little spot welds which hold the
weldnut in
place will usually break free as you try to run the helicoil tap into
it.
I usually end up cutting the entire rectangular plate out of the frame
and
installing a new one with a 1/4" thick 1" x3" drilled and tapped thread
plate welded inside it after which you have to repaint the area etc
etc....
Michael Salter
http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-healeys@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-healeys@autox.team.net]
On
Behalf Of Healey Bruce
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:53 AM
To: Healey Mail Group
Subject: Anti-sway bar mounting
OK, I would like some thoughts and/or other opinions as to a solution to
this problem. While replacing the anti-sway bar bushings, I discovered
that
the rear bolt on the left side frame bushing strap was backed out of its
hole about half way. I then discovered that the threads on the bolt
were
rounded off. I retapped the hole (5/16 24) and proceeded to bolt it all
back up (new bolt, of course) when, just as that back bolt was about
snug--ZIP--out it popped. I ran the tap up the hole again, but 5/16 is
not
going to hold. So, I can see two options: (a) drill out 21/64 and
re-tap
using 3/8 24, or (b) drill up through the top of the frame rail, and use
a
long bolt w/ a fender washer and nut. Thoughts? Other options? Given
the
stresses on the bolt, I'm reluctant to use a heli-coil.
Bruce Steele
1960 BN7
Brea, CA
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