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timecert vs helicoil

d10shun

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Az
I have a threaded bolt in my d35. I guess a standard bolt in a metric hole is a no go... :dunce: How should I go about fixing it? Timecert or helicoil? What are the benefits/disadvantages to each? I hear that a timecert is better but I can't find a place that sells them.
 
Never heard of a Timecert. What is it?

Have you tried retapping the hole to the thread it should be, or is it too badly messed up for that to work?
 
I used a helicoil just recently to fix a stripped caliper bolt hole.
Those things work great.
Simply drill the hole slightly larger (instructions tell you what size drill bit to use) Re-tap it with the thread tap provided in the kit.
Install the new thread coils with the plastic diamond shaped tool provided. And re-install the original bolt.
Easy as that.
They hold tighter and better then new.
 
Timecerts apparently are countersunk and threaded posts that are inserted into a drilled out hole. They have thread on the inside and outside and supposedly work better than helicoils. The only problem is I can't find a place that sells timecerts.

I took off the diff cover and tried to screw in the original bolt. The bolt goes in crooked then stops spinning. Will rethreading work in this situation?
 
d10shun: Check hole for leftover RTV and then try a tap. If you can, find a plug or starting tap and start by hand(no tap handle), checking carefully for alignment. Use oil to help with cutting(with handle) and be real carefull. Treat the tap like glass. If this won't work, definately go with the HELICOIL, but use their tap and the right size drill. Good luck, waxworm53
 
d10shun:

I think the reason you can't find "timecerts" is that the name for what you described is "thread sert." JC Whitney sells both those and Riv-Nuts, which are similar but designed to crush like a pop rivit.

For the application you have in mind, I agree that the helicoil would be better, but I also agree that before doing that you should try cleaning out the hole and retapping it. The repaired threads will be weaker than they were originally, so be careful you don't over-torque the fastener.
 
If it´s a cover bolt, I wouldn´t sweat it too much. Like suggested clean out the hole with a tap. If it´s questionable, you can try what I did. I rethreaded, cleaned it up good and put a stud in with a good epoxy glue. I have two studs in there, makes lining up the bolt holes with the cover smeared up with RTV an snap. Don´t have to slide the cover around looking for the holes.
Put a coat of RTV on the cover (after cleaning up the sealing surfaces real good with a solvent). Tighten the bolts finger tight (or just snug) wait a few hours or even overnight, torque the cover bolts lightly. All the bolts can fall out and the cover still won´t leak.
Loc Tite, Permatex and others make a high temp. Epoxy metal mender, that works well. Probably won´t hold without some threads to help, but will increase the chances of questionable threads holding. I only use this methode in places with little stress on the bolts, mostly for covers and cases. You can actually, lightly coat the bolt with car wax and get it back out of there, if necessary.
Blind holes are hard to tap, the tap is cone shaped, difficult to get it in the hole deep enough on occasion. Possible to have the same problem with a heli coil, tap won´t go in deep enough. There are special taps, with less of a cone shape on the end, something to keep in mind.
 
There is a special tap for blind holes called a plug tap. If hole is stripped go with the helicoil but buy a kit because the helicoil kit has a special tap that will only work with the kit. Timecerts are actually called nutcerts and are a threaded rivet used to hold two pieces of metal together.
 
If there is enough material arround the dammaged threaded hole, I would drill it out and tap it for a larger bolt if I was not able to clean up the damaged threads. If the is not enough material in the area, then I would use a heli coil. I have also heard of a two part product used to repair stripped holes, its possibly a loctite product.


Who needs nuts and bolts when you have duct tape? :)
 
Eagle said:
d10shun:

I think the reason you can't find "timecerts" is that the name for what you described is "thread sert."

Actually it's cause he's not using the correct name. The app is called Time-Serts and personally I think they work better than helicoils. Stronger. Use the things on bikes.

http://www.timesert.com/

Sarge
 
Good call, Sarge. That's a new one on me. Almost the same as a thread sert, except thread certs don't have the external thread.

However ... thread sert, helicoil, or Time Sert, all require drilling the hole out to a larger diameter to accomodate the insert. If retapping to the correct size doesn't work, it should still be possible to retap to a slightly larger size with less material removed than any of the insert repairs would require. The inserts are good when it's critical to use the same size bolt, but on a diff cover that's not very important.
 
Mountain Man said:
If there is enough material arround the dammaged threaded hole, I would drill it out and tap it for a larger bolt if I was not able to clean up the damaged threads. If the is not enough material in the area, then I would use a heli coil. I have also heard of a two part product used to repair stripped holes, its possibly a loctite product.


Who needs nuts and bolts when you have duct tape? :)
bad plan,
heli coils are the way to go, dont drill it out bigger

if you do need a helicoil, make sure you drill straight and true. any deviation, and when you go to tap it, it will be to wide and the helicoil wont grab the way it should...


maybe this is god's way of saying "upgrade to a D44, 8.8, or Portal"

best of luck to ya!
 
XJ_ranger said:
bad plan,
heli coils are the way to go, dont drill it out bigger
What are you trying to saY?

In order to use a helicoil that will accept the original size bolt, you MUST drill out the hole to a specified oversize and retap it with a special helicoil oversize tap to prepare the hole for accepting the insert. The only way to not drill it larger would be to use a helicoil for a smaller bolt ... which IMHO would be a very bad plan.
 
Have done many of these. Here's what you do. Pull the bolt out of the diff,measure the diameter and pitch,go to the parts store and buy the correct Helicoil kit which comes with a special helicoil tap,follow instructions on the package the reassemble using the origional bolt. Go to the nutcert,timecert website and it will become very obvious why tthey will not work for a dif bolt.
 
Whoops! A time cert and a helicoil are the same. A nut cert is a threaded rivit and will not work.
 
rws said:
Whoops! A time cert and a helicoil are the same. A nut cert is a threaded rivit and will not work.

Not quite. Helicoil's major product is
heli1.gif
See http://12.130.38.20/products/helicoil.html for more info. I thought that Helicoil made threaded inserts like Time Sert, but I can't find the info on the site.

Helicoils, Time Serts and threaded rivets are 3 different beasties, and all used for different applications.
 
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