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...

retap it if its welded on, otherwise if ya can get to the nut with a grinder, grind the nut off and either reweld a nut on or buy a locking nut and use red thread locker on it. hope that helps.

You'll be good with the 7. Fuggit

Imma chisel the other one off tomorrow!

Boo. I just saw that the nut is inaccessible. I'll try helicoil.

Retap the nut for a bigger size bolt

Thats what I was just thinking too. What bumper are you working with here?

Sure will. It's an xrc bumper.

First off if you cant retap the nut to the same size and make it work replace it. In essence your chaseing the threads. Retapping a nut to the next larger size will not work. Look at your amount of metal that you are taking away.
A Helicoil is not designed to work on a nut and it will be ineffective for a clamping force, it will fail over time. There is a speciaty nut that uses helicoil designs for high temp applications. Still you need to replace the nut for this. I use this equipment in the course of my job. If i ever suggested that i would be the butt of many jokes for years to come.

I agree with RHD. Unless your like me and it has to be fixed.

yea this is most likely the answer. In my last car I did the same thing with one of the 8 bolts on the strut bar. The solution was to retap the hole to a larger size since I messed up the threads on the top of the hole. I never got around to doing that though and never had any noticeable problem

Something happened to another young fella on the board when he was installing his smittybilt stinger bumper. :spy:

cutting wheel on nut. replace with bolt and nut and some washers and a lock washer.

if you can get the bolt out take it to autozone/ advanced auto and rent a tap and die set they should help you figure out witch one to use on the bolt. the nut will be the same thread size put the bolt in vice or vice grips and run the die over the bolt that will fix your threads on that if not get a new one. next use the tap and run that through the nut slow and straight you can use oil/wd40 to help and clean the shavings that will come out than spray the nut again with wd40 or equivalent to clean the nut. you will be good to go dont buy a new bolt and try running it in there it will be more of a problem later.

the kit looks some thing like this.
http://www.harborfreight.com/40-piec...set-39391.html

x2

or duct tape always works.:rotflmao2:

If you couldn't get the bolt in right the first time, you probably don't want to bother trying to thread or tap a new hole. What you should do first, is go down to AAA and invest in some road side assistance, just in case you get a flat tire, because that involves numerous bolts with nuts that will need to be taken off, and could potentially be well worth the money if that gets screwed up.

Second, get yourself a hack saw and cut the bolt from the nut, so just the head of the nut is there, then go down to the store and get some super glue and glue the head of the bolt where it should be. This will make it look as if there is nothing wrong and no one will ever know the difference.

6...7...8...10 I don't really know if one will make a difference.

Third, grab a beer and sit back admiring your jeep.

I'd bore the nut welded on the bumper and get a longer bolt but same width as the OE provided bolt. Slip the new longer bolt through the bored out nut. Buy a locking nut and torque it down. :thumbsup:

Next to my answer, this is my favorite so far. Brilliant idea!

I actually like your answer better. Something about grab the :beer: sounds reallll goood....