How do you tighten a stripped nut/bolt?
 

So I installed my after-market front bumper today. The bumper had 3 bolts coming out on each side of the mounts, and one nut for you to put the bolt through (I hope you understand). Anyway, I was tightening all the nuts and bolts. On one of the 2 bolts, I started screwing in sideways. Stupid me tried to tighten it with a wrench and ended up stripping the bolt inside of the bumper. All other 7 all perfect though. How shall I put on the bolt? I was thinking about hammering a little :sad2: Or should I just let my bumper alone on 7 bolts?

I cant even understand what I wrote! BOTTOM LINE, how do you tighten a bolt into a stripped nut!

Oh and it was the thread that stripped...

You dont. You pull that bolt out, take it to ACE or somewhere else that sells grade 8 hardware, and you buy a replacement.

x2

Take it out while you still can and replace it. Don't force stripped hardware in.

Are they bolts or studs?

If it is a bolt just replace it. If it is a stud you may need to chase the threads with a die and get a new nut.

If the nut is captured inside the bumper then you need a new bolt and a tap to chase the threads on the nut.

Make sense?

X3 get a new bolt

The bolt is fine. It's the nut inside the bumper whose thread stripped. It's welded on.

look up HELI COIL insert they prob have them at your hardware store if not you can order online.

The nut is prob only tacked on.. I would try to use a chisel or air hammer with chisel bit and knock that bad nut off and replace it with another. U could try a thread restorer, or a tap to fix it, but if it's really gone best bet is try and replace it. Helicoil won't really work on a nut. It's more for threaded holes in say an engine block...