# opinion: helicoil or re-tap for larger

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329>\
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\
**Created:** [December 7, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329 "2006-12-07T16:00:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![redrum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redrum/32/7398_2.png) [@redrum](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/redrum)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/1 "2006-12-07T16:00:56Z")

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One of the holes in my steering knuckle for the caliper bolts is stripped, because whoever worked on my car before I bought it cross-threaded it somehow.

Would you drill it out and re-tap it for a one size larger bolt, or use a helicoil? I’ve never had to helicoil anything before and am looking for the least amount of pain in the ass since its in a somewhat ackward position to work on, and its cold out.

:tspry:

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**Author:** ![ly555is](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3bc359/32.png) [@ly555is](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ly555is)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/2 "2006-12-07T16:01:41Z")

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cough.

sticky this.

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**Author:** ![943kgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/4bbf92/32.png) [@943kgt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/943kgt)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/3 "2006-12-07T16:02:41Z")

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helicoli

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**Author:** ![choko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/choko/32/7240_2.png) [@choko](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/choko)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/4 "2006-12-07T16:39:12Z")

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re tap larger. if you have never helicoiled anything/

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**Author:** ![woz](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/woz/32/7605_2.png) [@woz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/woz)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/5 "2006-12-07T16:48:12Z")

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yea id retap, im not a fan of helicoils at all

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**Author:** ![Xander](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xander/32/7597_2.png) [@Xander](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Xander)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/6 "2006-12-07T17:13:06Z")

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Re-tap it, it’s totally worth it.

X…

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**Author:** ![ezfd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ezfd/32/7334_2.png) [@ezfd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ezfd)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/7 "2006-12-07T17:21:44Z")

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Re-tap that ass!!

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**Author:** ![Devioustsi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/devioustsi/32/7406_2.png) [@Devioustsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Devioustsi)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/8 "2006-12-07T17:34:44Z")

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Get a helicoil kit and follow the instructions…then realize you are just retapping the hole for another size and then putting an adaptor in the hole so you can reuse the original size.

Either way you are retapping the hole…do you want to use the old bolt or a new one?

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**Author:** ![brent\_strong](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/brent_strong/32/7203_2.png) [@brent\_strong](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/brent_strong)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/9 "2006-12-07T17:58:32Z")

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I would helicoil so you can use the same hardware. I also would always helicoil anything in aluminum that strips out (but that’s not the case here).

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**Author:** ![nitroinsane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@nitroinsane](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nitroinsane)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/10 "2006-12-07T19:53:50Z")

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heli coils are bitch to put in a spindle i would retap bigger or get a new knuckle.

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**Author:** ![redrum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redrum/32/7398_2.png) [@redrum](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/redrum)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/opinion-helicoil-or-re-tap-for-larger/21329/11 "2006-12-07T20:33:08Z")

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lol Saab parts are retardedly expensive, a new steering knuckle would probably be $500 for just the part, plus a wheel bearing for $60, plus labor as the bearings are pressed into the knuckle and hub. fffffff that.

I will just re-tap it larger. I dont care about re-using the original hardware, no one will see it and since I just put new brakes on, I won’t be changing them again in the time I own the car anyway. I wasn’t sure how much of a bitch helicoils were but it sounds like I will pass on that.