Fixing a problem with a few strands of copper wire! I can't even tell you how much I appreciate this tip. I was looking at every option I could think of between drilling tapping helicoils ... All which would have costed way more than it was worth for something I'd probably use once or twice in my lifetime. This fixed costed me somewhere between nothing and one penny. Thanks again!
You're the only other person than myself that I've seen do this method. I will was stuck in the middle of no where and needed to make a similar fix and was thinking of the principles of what held the bolt in the threads and as a hail Mary, stuffed some copper wire strands in the hole and Bob's your uncle. :) Thanks for showing this trick, I'm sure someone will find it the life saver I did.
Hell yeah. I have done the wire/shim trick in the past but it didn't even occur to me for this weeks newest dilemma... a stripped Briggs & Stratton head bolt thread. 'till I saw this video. Teamwork baby!
I replaced the head gasket in my 2000 Civic and one of the valve cover bolt holes stripped. I couldn't find a Helicoil kit in my small town, so I bought AutoZone's equivalent. Then another bolt hole stripped and there weren't enough inserts, so I ordered the actual Helicoil kit. I spent about $60 total for the AutoZone kit, the Helicoil kit, and extra inserts. How much does copper wire cost? :) Also, I am positive that it is available in my town! :D
Did you mention that was the connection to your steering wheel.. call me crazy but that's not something I would rig unless I absolutely had to in an emergency situation I don't work on cars
sixtyfiveford , Was mounting a new 100 watt Led Flood on a 20 ft.mast, in a snow storm, the threads failed on the one side of a very shallow threaded aluminum . Rushed into the house ,saw the video, the Copper wire Fix worked great, Thanks you saved the Day !
I cannot thank you enough for this video. My engine builder shop stripped the oil pan threads that go into my block that caused an oil leak and thought I was doomed . I expected to have to go a week or longer without my car to order a bunch of thread repair stuff. I couldn't put oil in my car because 3 bolts were missing and the oil leak would be insane. All I needed was enough tension to push the oil pan into the block so that it seals properly, and the copper wire did the trick. Such a genius idea. Thank you so much
Awesome tip my studs on my car were very loose and I could not get the nuts to grab so I crammed a little wire in there and it's holding excellent now for 2 days. my wife is very happy I fixed her car. My kids told me I'm there hero 🤗
My father was a mechanic and he taught me this trick. He was a true mechanic from the older days before parts replacement to fix these type of repairs. This method does work wonders
Thank you so much for sharing this! I stripped a stud hole for the exhaust manifold, causing an exhaust leak. It was in a tight space, I wasn't confident to use a right angled drill to helicoil it. Tried this trick and It's more than enough to hold the stud. Problem solved and no more leak. Thank you!
Just about to helicoil and saw this video. You are the man! I have a small repair needed on a motorcycle bracket to hold a small plastic panel. I am 57 years old and former military aircraft mechanic. Never too old to learn something!! New subby!
Watched 2 of your vids and really saved me. Thanks man. My 30 year old project truck has turned into my daily and these videos have saved me some money on oopsies while keeping her going.
I know this is a few years old, but still great advice. Re your experience with aluminum foil, I agree it's just too thin and fragile. Instead of foil, I've use thin strips cut from coke cans, with good results.
Fantastic, didn't know wire worked for threads. You likely already know that copper wire will allow you to use any nail to hold tight in concrete, brick and stone? Pre-drill your appropriate hole set a couple pieces of 14 ga copper or similar sticking out and bent over the side, then drive in your nail. I guarantee your back will give before the nail and it's a hell-a-lot cheaper than tap cons and lead shields, faster and convenient because you don't need to worry about a precise hole that went sideways due to a stone etc. Thanks again.
im so glad i found your video. one of my motorcycle side mirror bolt hole got stripped and i use your method. thanks for saving my life buddy! no need to drill larger hole, no need buying epoxy. you got a sub my man! zero money spend, thanks again!!! OMG i cant stop smiling!!!
My dad taught me pretty much the same trick for using on wood by using matchsticks or toothpicks . Love this method. Trying it today on my bobcat where I wrung off the tension-er pulley bolt and had to drill it back out. its in a weird place and I do not want to take the motor block all the way out. . Thanks for this.
Great for a non critical part,you can also use copper wire for a oil plug seal or any copper ring seal by wrapping a few loops of wire around the bolts/drain plug
That is a really good idea and no doubt will come in handy. I would like to add that, as regards Loctite products, one might like to look at Loctite 660, intended for mounting bearings in worn housings. It is specifically intended to fill up space where metal should be to make a tight fit.
I just used this simple, quick, ingenious method on a motorcycle's engine case bolt that had been allowing a small but very annoying oil leak, and in mere minutes ... TA-DAAA! No more freakin' damn leak! I'm so stoked! And now I can return $85 worth of Heli-coil parts back to Fastenal. Woo! I really appreciated finding this post. Many thanks!
I'm not used to needing to fix mechanical problems and I've been looking all day for a replacement part for this floor lamp pole.. this is going to fix it perfectly... I can't believe it. nothing like a tip from someone who actually works or has a hobby
This is a freekin great little trick, I had put my valve cover on every bolt tightening except of course one stripped out on me, I had been working on this engine a lot and really was not looking forward to pulling the cover off, so I tried this trick, and wow it worked, put the wires in the hole with the cover on and it torque out perfectly, I don't know about these other applications, but for me it worked great, thanks for the tip.
As instructed I used copper strands from an old pair of jumper cables (R.I.P.) to refasten the center exhaust manifold bolt into an AL head. The copper stands are much less invasive than any coil replacement set and a more logical first option for areas where you can't fit a drill. Thank you!
Some people are all talk, and some people actually fix shit. This is guy is the real deal, and it looks like he's been fixin' stuff his whole life. ---- subscribed. ---
My transmission was leaking from front pump bolt hole. When I say leaking a steady stream. Did this with a little bit of silicone and been driving it for a month now. Excellent video!!!! You’re the man! Thankyou! Oh didn’t wanna take it apart to weld it or insert hella coil.
I've used a few other tricks. You can trim the head of the bolt down and cut a slot in the top for a flat-head screwdriver. You can use a center punch and punch around the perimeter of the hold to work metal into the hole. You can just use a coarser thread bolt or a metric one that's slightly larger instead of going to the next larger imperial diameter.
RyeOnHam Yeah, I've jammed an imperial in the place of a metric a few times. I would have just used a metric in this situation but it was slightly smaller. So I could have swapped an imperial in the place of a stripped metric. The Center punch is a good idea and will definitely get you out of a bind.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Trying to remove the steering wheel from my Pinto one of the bolt holes stripped out. Of course no way to drill and tap. I thought I had heard something similar to this before. Just glad to have seen this in practice. Once I get my Pinto back from upholstery shop I can remove the stock wheel and replace it with a GT wheel that came on my parts car. Thanks again for verifying this fix.
Was going to say the same thing. You can even use regular wood screws as tapcons, by dropping a small piece of wire (with the insulation on it works best) into the hole. Works fine for light duty uses, and thanks to the sparkies, there are always lots of small clippings of wire laying around on a job site
Great trick! Used it for the 2nd time to repair a stripped aluminum caster on an office chair. Found this many months ago and couldn't remember how I fixed the first caster :-P Glad I was able to hunt you down again. Thanks so much!
Just tried the copper wire trick and wow! Used it on a 3mm bolt hole behind my steering wheel for the CIM module and it's perfect and saved me so much hassle and money! Thank you!
Yeah I'll go ahead and sub. you a genius and I'm not being sarcastic. great advice! I would never have thought of using copper wire. I always reach for the tap and die set.
Thank you!!!!! The copper wire strands did the trick. I broke the extractor off half way down the hole. Couldnt drill it out to put in the helicoil. I was looking a whole new part, saved me 230$!
Loving it. I was able to fix a pretty crucial thread temporarily with the copper wire trick. Thank you man, thank you a lot for sharing this. You just got a new subscriber!
Thank you, SIR ! I just managed to save a hi-hat stand (AND an important recording session) with your "copper-wire trick" ! Eternally grateful! CHEERS, PimpadeusXVII
I realize this is old, but this video is helping me today. Just thought I'd mention to be mindful of solder wire in applications around heat or it may just drip out.
Awesome tip, just saved me from having to replace a stripped faucet handle that wouldn't bite when I put it back in. I don't intend to take that piece off again so a little wire and it tightened right up. You're the man!
Found this video after watching Todd @ Project Farm show the copper wire trick. It didn’t fare well in testing, but for an application like this it seems like a good solution. I like how you showed this trick in more detail.
I have had great success with Lock Tite's Form a Thread. A two part epoxy and a release agent. You mix the compounds and fill the hole, put release agent on the bolt, screw it in and let it set. Then remove the bolt. Permatex also makes Thread repair, which is probably the same stuff..
Absolutely brilliant. I have a motorized bicycle with stripped motor mount holes. I have been going bonkers trying to come up with a cheap solution due to the fact that I don't have a drill at the moment. I'm going to try this, I'll let you know how it works.
Just wanted to let you know I used the copper wire trick. You just saved me $1,200 for new crank arms on my bicycle. Now I dont have to tell my wife I broke it... so you also saved me 2 weeks in the dog house. THANKS!!!!
Just watched your copper wire fix for stripped engine block threads and applied it to my Chinese scooter. Marvelous fix! Yep, I liked and subscribed immediately! Thanks!
Parlusk, sixtyfiveford, I couldn't begin to tell you both how many times I've used toothpicks and some Titebond to fix a stripped hinge or door strike screw. Nearly everytime I install a new door or hardware on an old door jam I have to use this little trick. Always works and never fails. Oh and the use of a tappered end spring loaded centering bit to pilot the new hole helps the new screws track properly.
+Rob Jones, old golf tees, perfect and I'm on my to a customer's home right now who's an avid golfer. In fact the house backs up to a large 2x18,1x9 holes golf course. I'm sure he'll have some unwanted tees to spare. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that myself. Wow, serious brain fart on my part. Thank you for the advice. Truly appreciate it.
Great idea, I've been doing something similar for wood screws for years. I fill the stripped out hole with wood toothpicks or chopsticks. Break them off at the top then reinsert your wood screw. Works every time.
Btw, had another idea for the galvanic corrosion issue some folks are talking about. They make aluminum wire too. Could get a small spool of fine thread theoretically and use that for your application rather than copper. I just might do that for a cylinder head I'm not looking forward to taking back apart because I know two of the bolt threads are real buggered.
I pulled the threads out of an aluminum engine by overtightening the exhaust. I simply cleaned the aluminum off the stud, covered the stud with JB weld, and put it back in. Three years later and it's still fine, and the stud isn't even stuck in place; I upgraded the stud a couple years ago - out and back in with no problems. JB Weld is amazing, you just have to mix it as close to 50/50 as possible.
Good fix. Be aware that Copper + Aluminium + sweaty fingers + humidity = corrosion. Use a pair of scissors to cut thin strips of Aluminium (not steel) from a soda-can. works a treat!
Correct, due to galvanic or electrolysis reactive corrosion. The reaction is due to dissimilar metals at the molecular level that is exacerbated by any moisture including atmospheric humidity and or acid including the moisture and fatty acids from a human touch. using aluminum foil will also convert to aluminum dust when exposed to moisture including atmospheric humidity.
Thanks for the tip on the copper wire. I stripped some threads in an aluminum covered the TRD supercharger and was thinking like a carpenter...wood shim in a wood hole, and saw this...GOLD!!
Great video on how to fix stripped threads. Ive used these methods before and they work well. Mustie1 would really like that VW grave yard at the end... lol Thumbs up! 👍🏻
Thanks brother, your video is a minefield of ideas. I tried Aluminum on my range hood fan thread which gave up after removing for cleaning. This did the trick. I wanted to try copper but since I had some aluminum foil at home, thought why not try it. Thanks a ton.
Drill and tap to a larger bolt size. Loctite a new bolt in it, then cut it off flush. Then drill and tap to the original bolt size and put the original bolt back in.
I.e. make your own helicoil. (and helicoils aren't that expensive. a full kit with tap and tools, sure, but the "spring" is cheap and you can buy just those.)
Wow!!!, I'm 51, and IVE NEVER CRooS THREADED A BOLT, till last night removing my brother's 2020 tacoma passenger seat making an amp rack for his car( bolts to hold seat into frame). I have plenty of ofc wire, 4&0 gauge to try this later- THANX for the video
same especially on a guitar where the screws go in and out a lot if a person makes mods to their guitar. Although I must admit I never thought of doing it with copper wire into aluminum.
not possible in this case, but you can also drill a 1cm deep hole on the other side of the hole slightly bigger than the threads and press a nut into the hole and then screw into the nut rather than the aluminium
your a life saver. I stripped the bolt hole on my 2017 mustang gt putting on an irs brace and I stripped the hole. The copper wire and lock tight rocks. You the man brother. I had to subscribe to you and like the video. Cheers
thanks I bought a used mountain bike fork the brake calipher mount bolt hole has a small amount of thread left inside even for a long bolt, no wonder the guy sold it cheap. thanks a lot for giving my fork new life.
I grew up pretty poor, so you either fixed it or went without it. Hell I would have probably tried to use paper/thin cardboard since it's what I use to shim anything else(It works, but I doubt it's as strong as your method.), I imagine tin from a pop can is probably a bit too thick. I like that you go through a list of possible solutions and go through the pros and cons of each one and possible situations where they would be a good option. That's probably how you got to your idea in the first place exhausting those options and figuring out the most important part, getting it done and having it stay that way for as close to free as possible. I mean there's a reason I am subscribed, I love this kind of stuff. Keep on keeping on.
This is brilliant! I had a Microphone mount for a Blue Yeti mic that stripped. There was no way to get any parts or anything. I stripped some speaker wire, and this trick worked perfectly! Thanks!
I do this too! I don't recall if I was shown it, but I am pretty sure I came upon this myself, as I am always trying alternative solutions by necessity. May need to replace it or add to it in the future but I can validate that this does work and works well in any instance I came across. :). Yep it's genius. Haha,
Had a problem with the coil bolts on a Briggs. One stripped out. Watched this, got some copper wire, all fixed now. I already was a subscriber, this was very helpful. Thank you.
Mate, thank you. I had a push lawn mower with broken off exhaust bolts. I drilled them out and managed to keep some of the thread. The copper wire trick worked really well. If I had to use heli coils etc it would have sent the mower to the crusher.
Nice! good man, I thought I was the only one that used that trick haha! I have used a variation of it when the bolt hole is extremely hard to get to or is upside down and strands will just fall out by salvaging some very fine copper wire and wrapping the bolt threads with it first then inserting it. Keep up the good fixes man!
These shade tree mechanic hacks are good for getting yourself out of a bind, but they aren't a repair. How would you like to be the guy who buys this old truck and it's held together with crappy old tricks like this? JB Weld, copper jammed in threads, peened water jacket cracks and the like are for emergency repair only. By all means get yourself out of the woods or off the interstate and then fix it properly later. In this case, a HeliCoil is a good, permanent fix.
In aluminum and cast iron, properly installed Helicoils hold more torque than brand new threads. Just like a ladder manufacturer, Emhart knows how to cover itself in a sue-happy world. That doesn't mean it's not a superior repair- in fact many racing engine machinists install Helicoils on high pressure components since they are superior to tapped threads. And for the sake of argument, these bolts do not connect the steering wheel to the steering components anyway, it's the horn ring.
Janet, I'll guarantee you that I have more experience than 99% of mechanics you will ever meet. My credentials are ASE Master, LNG Master Fitter, Limited Mechanical Electrician and Certified Millwright. Multiple Associate degrees come with these certifications. Among many other projects in 40 years of custom fabrication I have hand built several complete steering assemblies on offroad trucks and buggies. When someone tries to tell me they know better I just have to shrug at them and ask if they are better trained or more experienced than I am. Very few are. I have dealt with literally hundreds of damaged thread situations.
Janet Merner Allow me to explain why you are incorrect. Threads cut into aluminum or similar soft metal have 'X' holding power. This is less than an identically sized thread in mild steel. Significantly less than threads cut into a higher quality steel alloy such as stainless. In order to insert a Heli-Coil, the part is drilled to a larger diameter, threaded to a larger, similar pitch, and the Heli-Coil is wound in with threadlocker such as Loctite red. Now, when the bolt is tightened, the stainless spring flutes are driven horizontally from the bolt thread into the base thread. This is a stronger connection because it is using two hard metals to wedge into a softer metal and there is now a flexible quality to the connection due to the wedge of the Coil into the base material. It is capable of significantly higher tightening torque. This is the reason that many racing components use Heli-coils for threaded connections rather than straight threads into soft metals such as aluminum and magnesium. Hopefully the physics of torque on a coiled insert make sense to you and you can now understand why it creates a superior threaded connection.
Janet Merner The part IS NOT the steering hub. It is the horn ring. The steering hub is part of the steering wheel which is held to the steering shaft by a large nut and taper fit. Are you beginning to understand why your continued argument is so ridiculous? Those three bolts have nothing at all to do with holding the steering wheel on.
those 3 bolts are the only thing that hold the wheel it is a grant steering wheel style adapter the center bolt in this case holds the adapter NOT the wheel
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I'm working on a small 1930's era motor and this hack worked GREAT!! Saved me soooo much time. Thanks again!
the copper is a lot like woodworking and shoving hardwood slivers in the hole for loose screws, but your first method of using a longer bolt never occurred to me. solid tips as usual Moe.
One time I stripped a camshaft bolt when the advice I was given was to tighten to 16lb, the correct setting was 8lb. With the work light I could see the threaded hole was much longer than the bolt. I cut the bolt, extended it and welded it back together. Worked a treat. That was a couple years ago now. Car is still going fine.
Love these Vids,being a 65 year old truck mechanic I learnt a new trick,,PS noticed the best vice money can buy made in Britain ,,Record vice,,very hard to come by this day and age.
Fixing a problem with a few strands of copper wire! I can't even tell you how much I appreciate this tip. I was looking at every option I could think of between drilling tapping helicoils ... All which would have costed way more than it was worth for something I'd probably use once or twice in my lifetime. This fixed costed me somewhere between nothing and one penny. Thanks again!
Yep saved me a couple days of agony myself.
Yes, +1 on the above comment. Thanks for sharing the knowledge and educating us.
I agree this copper wire trick fixed my minor issue; Thank You So Much!!!
You're the only other person than myself that I've seen do this method. I will was stuck in the middle of no where and
needed to make a similar fix and was thinking of the principles of what held the bolt in the threads and as a hail Mary,
stuffed some copper wire strands in the hole and Bob's your uncle. :)
Thanks for showing this trick, I'm sure someone will find it the life saver I did.
Awesome. It doesn't work for everything but has been a lifesaver a few times.
Brilliant tip with the copper wire...just saved me a half day off work about $80 on helicoils and a 40 mile drive to get it done! Thanks.
I'm glad it helped.
Hell yeah. I have done the wire/shim trick in the past but it didn't even occur to me for this weeks newest dilemma... a stripped Briggs & Stratton head bolt thread. 'till I saw this video.
Teamwork baby!
@@sixtyfiveford just helped me too! Thanks bud!
I replaced the head gasket in my 2000 Civic and one of the valve cover bolt holes stripped. I couldn't find a Helicoil kit in my small town, so I bought AutoZone's equivalent.
Then another bolt hole stripped and there weren't enough inserts, so I ordered the actual Helicoil kit.
I spent about $60 total for the AutoZone kit, the Helicoil kit, and extra inserts.
How much does copper wire cost? :)
Also, I am positive that it is available in my town! :D
Did you mention that was the connection to your steering wheel.. call me crazy but that's not something I would rig unless I absolutely had to in an emergency situation I don't work on cars
sixtyfiveford ,
Was mounting a new 100 watt Led Flood on a 20 ft.mast, in a snow storm, the threads failed on the one side of a very shallow threaded aluminum .
Rushed into the house ,saw the video, the Copper wire Fix worked great,
Thanks you saved the Day !
I cannot thank you enough for this video. My engine builder shop stripped the oil pan threads that go into my block that caused an oil leak and thought I was doomed . I expected to have to go a week or longer without my car to order a bunch of thread repair stuff. I couldn't put oil in my car because 3 bolts were missing and the oil leak would be insane. All I needed was enough tension to push the oil pan into the block so that it seals properly, and the copper wire did the trick. Such a genius idea. Thank you so much
That's awesome. I think I have 2 bolts on my oil pan that I did this to 15 year ago still holding strong.
Where and what copper wire do I get
RUclips is a gift from the gods. I fixed my tripod because of this but since it's a smaller bolt and but I used sewing thread. Definitely subscribed.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Awesome tip my studs on my car were very loose and I could not get the nuts to grab so I crammed a little wire in there and it's holding excellent now for 2 days. my wife is very happy I fixed her car. My kids told me I'm there hero 🤗
My father was a mechanic and he taught me this trick. He was a true mechanic from the older days before parts replacement to fix these type of repairs. This method does work wonders
Original mechanics knew how to fix stuff.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I stripped a stud hole for the exhaust manifold, causing an exhaust leak. It was in a tight space, I wasn't confident to use a right angled drill to helicoil it. Tried this trick and It's more than enough to hold the stud. Problem solved and no more leak. Thank you!
Just about to helicoil and saw this video. You are the man! I have a small repair needed on a motorcycle bracket to hold a small plastic panel. I am 57 years old and former military aircraft mechanic. Never too old to learn something!! New subby!
best stripped thread repair i have ever seen - working around cars for 52 years = thank you sir !
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Watched 2 of your vids and really saved me. Thanks man. My 30 year old project truck has turned into my daily and these videos have saved me some money on oopsies while keeping her going.
I know this is a few years old, but still great advice. Re your experience with aluminum foil, I agree it's just too thin and fragile. Instead of foil, I've use thin strips cut from coke cans, with good results.
very clever and innovative . i've been a turbine machinist for 25 years. never too old to learn something new,thankyou.
Definitely not as good as new threads, but has its place.
Fantastic, didn't know wire worked for threads. You likely already know that copper wire will allow you to use any nail to hold tight in concrete, brick and stone? Pre-drill your appropriate hole set a couple pieces of 14 ga copper or similar sticking out and bent over the side, then drive in your nail. I guarantee your back will give before the nail and it's a hell-a-lot cheaper than tap cons and lead shields, faster and convenient because you don't need to worry about a precise hole that went sideways due to a stone etc. Thanks again.
im so glad i found your video. one of my motorcycle side mirror bolt hole got stripped and i use your method. thanks for saving my life buddy! no need to drill larger hole, no need buying epoxy. you got a sub my man! zero money spend, thanks again!!! OMG i cant stop smiling!!!
Awesome, I'm glad you tried it out.
My dad taught me pretty much the same trick for using on wood by using matchsticks or toothpicks . Love this method. Trying it today on my bobcat where I wrung off the tension-er pulley bolt and had to drill it back out. its in a weird place and I do not want to take the motor block all the way out. . Thanks for this.
This was one of the most helpful zero bullshit video on a diy repair ever.
Great for a non critical part,you can also use copper wire for a oil plug seal or any copper ring seal by wrapping a few loops of wire around the bolts/drain plug
I needed something to hold the metal stripped threads on my outdoor wind spinner, and the copper wires worked PERFECTLY!! Thank you! 😊
That is a really good idea and no doubt will come in handy. I would like to add that, as regards Loctite products, one might like to look at Loctite 660, intended for mounting bearings in worn housings. It is specifically intended to fill up space where metal should be to make a tight fit.
Been fixing stripped bolts with wire since I was a kid. I'm 67 now and still use this method
Awesome.
Good idea. Steel wool works good also. I seen this used on loose chair legs also. Thanks for the good tips.
bob Last Nice, never thought about steel wool.
Can you elaborate please? 😊
I just used this simple, quick, ingenious method on a motorcycle's engine case bolt that had been allowing a small but very annoying oil leak, and in mere minutes ... TA-DAAA! No more freakin' damn leak! I'm so stoked! And now I can return $85 worth of Heli-coil parts back to Fastenal. Woo!
I really appreciated finding this post. Many thanks!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Nice one. I shall remember this ! No shitty music and I can see the copper wire works!! Unlike 99.9% of RUclips tips
Sixtyfiveford is a freaking genius! Vote
Sixtyfiveford for next Presidential election.
Now that has to be the best RUclips tip of the year ! Great vid Moe , Thanks ..
ShawnMrFixit Lee haha... YOU'RE awesome.
I'm not used to needing to fix mechanical problems and I've been looking all day for a replacement part for this floor lamp pole.. this is going to fix it perfectly... I can't believe it. nothing like a tip from someone who actually works or has a hobby
This is a freekin great little trick, I had put my valve cover on every bolt tightening except of course one stripped out on me, I had been working on this engine a lot and really was not looking forward to pulling the cover off, so I tried this trick, and wow it worked, put the wires in the hole with the cover on and it torque out perfectly, I don't know about these other applications, but for me it worked great, thanks for the tip.
Awesome. It has saved my butt for little things just like this.
Unfortunately the holes were too badly stripped. But I will keep that in mind for future use.
Life saver. I have stripped bolts on my fuel rails on my 08 ram. Can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate you
As instructed I used copper strands from an old pair of jumper cables (R.I.P.) to refasten the center exhaust manifold bolt into an AL head. The copper stands are much less invasive than any coil replacement set and a more logical first option for areas where you can't fit a drill. Thank you!
Awesome.
Some people are all talk, and some people actually fix shit.
This is guy is the real deal, and it looks like he's been fixin' stuff his whole life. ---- subscribed. ---
I've been fixing stripped bolt hole's the hard way for a long time. This is a quick and easy fix. Thank you.
My transmission was leaking from front pump bolt hole. When I say leaking a steady stream. Did this with a little bit of silicone and been driving it for a month now. Excellent video!!!! You’re the man! Thankyou! Oh didn’t wanna take it apart to weld it or insert hella coil.
Nice work!
I've used a few other tricks. You can trim the head of the bolt down and cut a slot in the top for a flat-head screwdriver. You can use a center punch and punch around the perimeter of the hold to work metal into the hole. You can just use a coarser thread bolt or a metric one that's slightly larger instead of going to the next larger imperial diameter.
RyeOnHam Yeah, I've jammed an imperial in the place of a metric a few times. I would have just used a metric in this situation but it was slightly smaller. So I could have swapped an imperial in the place of a stripped metric. The Center punch is a good idea and will definitely get you out of a bind.
RyeOnHam Cut a relief at the end of the bolt like some self tappers have.
I have done this too. Rolled it against a belt sander to taper it and file relief cuts like on self-tapping screws.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Trying to remove the steering wheel from my Pinto one of the bolt holes stripped out. Of course no way to drill and tap. I thought I had heard something similar to this before. Just glad to have seen this in practice. Once I get my Pinto back from upholstery shop I can remove the stock wheel and replace it with a GT wheel that came on my parts car. Thanks again for verifying this fix.
Copper wire also works when putting screws into masonry holes that wallow out due to oversized holes or crumbling.
Was going to say the same thing. You can even use regular wood screws as tapcons, by dropping a small piece of wire (with the insulation on it works best) into the hole. Works fine for light duty uses, and thanks to the sparkies, there are always lots of small clippings of wire laying around on a job site
@@danbell3827 Yep. You can always tell where the sparkies have been working. You must be an Aussie.
@@dsc0273 Lol... about as far away as you can get... Canadian :P
@@danbell3827 Ah. We call electricians sparkies as well.
Great trick! Used it for the 2nd time to repair a stripped aluminum caster on an office chair. Found this many months ago and couldn't remember how I fixed the first caster :-P Glad I was able to hunt you down again. Thanks so much!
Awesome
Thank you! I was about to blow a gasket trying to seat my valve cover gasket! You just saved me a week and ~$50!
Glad the video helped.
Same!!
Just tried the copper wire trick and wow! Used it on a 3mm bolt hole behind my steering wheel for the CIM module and it's perfect and saved me so much hassle and money! Thank you!
Thanks, I'm glad you tried it out. It's not a fix for every situation, but it works in a lot of them.
Holy moly.... This is the best tip I got so far, gonna try it today!
Copper wire - you are a scholar and a gentleman sir!
Yeah I'll go ahead and sub. you a genius and I'm not being sarcastic. great advice! I would never have thought of using copper wire. I always reach for the tap and die set.
Thanks for subscribing.
Thank you!!!!! The copper wire strands did the trick. I broke the extractor off half way down the hole. Couldnt drill it out to put in the helicoil. I was looking a whole new part, saved me 230$!
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful. It's not a fix for every situation but it has saved me quite a few times.
Loving it. I was able to fix a pretty crucial thread temporarily with the copper wire trick. Thank you man, thank you a lot for sharing this. You just got a new subscriber!
Awesome. It doesn't save every thread but has helped out a ton in various situations.
Thank you, SIR !
I just managed to save a hi-hat stand
(AND an important recording session)
with your "copper-wire trick" !
Eternally grateful!
CHEERS,
PimpadeusXVII
Great video and I've been using this little trick for years. Solder wire also works well and it's also good for hard plastics too.
Solder... Good tip.
I realize this is old, but this video is helping me today. Just thought I'd mention to be mindful of solder wire in applications around heat or it may just drip out.
We had the same issue last weekend. We used break cleaner to clean the hole, added JB weld and then we put a stud in it. Works like a charm! ;)
Awesome tip, just saved me from having to replace a stripped faucet handle that wouldn't bite when I put it back in. I don't intend to take that piece off again so a little wire and it tightened right up. You're the man!
Awesome
Found this video after watching Todd @ Project Farm show the copper wire trick. It didn’t fare well in testing, but for an application like this it seems like a good solution.
I like how you showed this trick in more detail.
Yo man this video saved me A LOT. I also used some electrical tape with the copper
I have had great success with Lock Tite's Form a Thread. A two part epoxy and a release agent. You mix the compounds and fill the hole, put release agent on the bolt, screw it in and let it set. Then remove the bolt. Permatex also makes Thread repair, which is probably the same stuff..
Absolutely brilliant. I have a motorized bicycle with stripped motor mount holes. I have been going bonkers trying to come up with a cheap solution due to the fact that I don't have a drill at the moment. I'm going to try this, I'll let you know how it works.
It doesn't work in all situations but it has saved my butt a few times.
Just wanted to let you know I used the copper wire trick. You just saved me $1,200 for new crank arms on my bicycle. Now I dont have to tell my wife I broke it... so you also saved me 2 weeks in the dog house.
THANKS!!!!
Mandi
Those crank arms better be made outta gold for that price
Wow, I've never seen this before, you might have saved me from buying a helicoil set.
Just watched your copper wire fix for stripped engine block threads and applied it to my Chinese scooter. Marvelous fix! Yep, I liked and subscribed immediately! Thanks!
Awesome. It has save my butt more than once.
awesome, learn something new everyday! I have used toothpicks in the same application when dealing with stripped wood holes.
KydexByParlusk Ooops! just saw your post.......great minds think alike!
KydexByParlusk Being a woodworker for a long time is where I think I adapted this technique for metal from.
Parlusk, sixtyfiveford, I couldn't begin to tell you both how many times I've used toothpicks and some Titebond to fix a stripped hinge or door strike screw. Nearly everytime I install a new door or hardware on an old door jam I have to use this little trick. Always works and never fails. Oh and the use of a tappered end spring loaded centering bit to pilot the new hole helps the new screws track properly.
Parlusk Use wooden golf tees, glue, hammer in the tee, then snap off the extra.
+Rob Jones, old golf tees, perfect and I'm on my to a customer's home right now who's an avid golfer. In fact the house backs up to a large 2x18,1x9 holes golf course. I'm sure he'll have some unwanted tees to spare. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that myself. Wow, serious brain fart on my part. Thank you for the advice. Truly appreciate it.
Great idea, I've been doing something similar for wood screws for years.
I fill the stripped out hole with wood toothpicks or chopsticks. Break them off at the top then reinsert your wood screw. Works every time.
Hey Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Btw, had another idea for the galvanic corrosion issue some folks are talking about. They make aluminum wire too. Could get a small spool of fine thread theoretically and use that for your application rather than copper. I just might do that for a cylinder head I'm not looking forward to taking back apart because I know two of the bolt threads are real buggered.
Five stars, man! A longer bolt worked beautifully, saved me a ton of work.Thank you.
DUDE!!! It worked!!! Used some cooper wire to sinch down my carb on an aluminum intake!! PERFECT!! \m/
Awesome, I'm glad you tried it.
Jaime Mendiola I just had the same issue!
I pulled the threads out of an aluminum engine by overtightening the exhaust. I simply cleaned the aluminum off the stud, covered the stud with JB weld, and put it back in. Three years later and it's still fine, and the stud isn't even stuck in place; I upgraded the stud a couple years ago - out and back in with no problems. JB Weld is amazing, you just have to mix it as close to 50/50 as possible.
Good fix. Be aware that Copper + Aluminium + sweaty fingers + humidity = corrosion. Use a pair of scissors to cut thin strips of Aluminium (not steel) from a soda-can. works a treat!
Correct, due to galvanic or electrolysis reactive corrosion.
The reaction is due to dissimilar metals at the molecular level that is exacerbated by any moisture including atmospheric humidity and or acid including the moisture and fatty acids from a human touch.
using aluminum foil will also convert to aluminum dust when exposed to moisture including atmospheric humidity.
I'm confused, isn't the original bolt steel? or is it aluminum?
@@manthonychavez the bolt is made from steel but the part you screw the bolt into is made of aluminium
Thanks for the tip on the copper wire. I stripped some threads in an aluminum covered the TRD supercharger and was thinking like a carpenter...wood shim in a wood hole, and saw this...GOLD!!
Great video on how to fix stripped threads. Ive used these methods before and they work well.
Mustie1 would really like that VW grave yard at the end... lol
Thumbs up! 👍🏻
Thanks.
Thanks brother, your video is a minefield of ideas. I tried Aluminum on my range hood fan thread which gave up after removing for cleaning. This did the trick. I wanted to try copper but since I had some aluminum foil at home, thought why not try it.
Thanks a ton.
Drill and tap to a larger bolt size. Loctite a new bolt in it, then cut it off flush. Then drill and tap to the original bolt size and put the original bolt back in.
I.e. make your own helicoil. (and helicoils aren't that expensive. a full kit with tap and tools, sure, but the "spring" is cheap and you can buy just those.)
Horn wouldn't work then due to not being able to get the contact on. Those weird shoulders on the bolts are for the horn button contact
.
Wow!!!, I'm 51, and IVE NEVER CRooS THREADED A BOLT, till last night removing my brother's 2020 tacoma passenger seat making an amp rack for his car( bolts to hold seat into frame). I have plenty of ofc wire, 4&0 gauge to try this later- THANX for the video
I do this with toothpicks on wood.
same especially on a guitar where the screws go in and out a lot if a person makes mods to their guitar. Although I must admit I never thought of doing it with copper wire into aluminum.
This worked great for stripped thread on a floor lamp! No option there for a different bolt! Thanks so much
At the very end of the video is a random clip of derelict VW buses and bugs for your enjoyment!
sixtyfiveford that was cool. I want em
I wouldn't mind a collection myself.
sixtyfiveford dude, how do know all of this?
sixtyfiveford where are these VWs. I need an electric car project.
MUDDy
+sixtyfiveford pero que gran cochinada haces .
You saved my day! My hole was so close to the edge of the object that I couldn't drill it any bigger, but this worked perfect! Thank you!!
not possible in this case, but you can also drill a 1cm deep hole on the other side of the hole slightly bigger than the threads and press a nut into the hole and then screw into the nut rather than the aluminium
Linus TechTips I didnt know you were a car guy!
You may need a pilot hole from the front side to center the hole for the nut.
your a life saver. I stripped the bolt hole on my 2017 mustang gt putting on an irs brace and I stripped the hole. The copper wire and lock tight rocks. You the man brother. I had to subscribe to you and like the video. Cheers
Awesome, I'm glad you liked it. It doesn't work in all situations, but I've save a handful of random items with the trick.
One again, another great DIY tip! This is why I subscribed to you bro! Thanks for sharing. Take care!
armypipesmoker Thanks Bro
thanks I bought a used mountain bike fork the brake calipher mount bolt hole has a small amount of thread left inside even for a long bolt, no wonder the guy sold it cheap. thanks a lot for giving my fork new life.
thats my yard in 20 years,,,,
Hi Mustie
Holy fuck, that's a lot of shit
.my yard almost there... I have a set of chinese heli coils bunch of different sizes for $30
15 to go.......
I grew up pretty poor, so you either fixed it or went without it. Hell I would have probably tried to use paper/thin cardboard since it's what I use to shim anything else(It works, but I doubt it's as strong as your method.), I imagine tin from a pop can is probably a bit too thick.
I like that you go through a list of possible solutions and go through the pros and cons of each one and possible situations where they would be a good option. That's probably how you got to your idea in the first place exhausting those options and figuring out the most important part, getting it done and having it stay that way for as close to free as possible.
I mean there's a reason I am subscribed, I love this kind of stuff. Keep on keeping on.
***** Hey Thanks. Anytime you can fix something for nothing is a good day.
Brilliant. I could have used this in head bolts a few times. Thanks for the tip.
Me too
This is brilliant! I had a Microphone mount for a Blue Yeti mic that stripped. There was no way to get any parts or anything. I stripped some speaker wire, and this trick worked perfectly! Thanks!
Awesome I'm glad you tried it
This same technique works well in a wooden hole with toothpicks too..
Worn door hinge holes, yes sir!
I do this too! I don't recall if I was shown it, but I am pretty sure I came upon this myself, as I am always trying alternative solutions by necessity. May need to replace it or add to it in the future but I can validate that this does work and works well in any instance I came across. :). Yep it's genius. Haha,
Holy crap that's a lot of 6's! You just need six more for 66,666!
I'm glad that moment was short lived.
Same principle used for temporarily fixing stripped holes in door hinges using toothpicks, etc. Never thought to use it with copper. Awesome, thx!
+Feleni Siufanua Exactly..
Awesome copper wire trick! Zip~
Hey thanks.
Had a problem with the coil bolts on a Briggs. One stripped out. Watched this, got some copper wire, all fixed now. I already was a subscriber, this was very helpful. Thank you.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
@@sixtyfiveford heck yea! It saved my butt.
It's a FORD, what do ya expect...
lmfao I almost said the same thing.
That is a terrific tip. Stripped threads on my lawn tractor's Nikki carb bowl and thought I'd have to replace whole thing. Thanks.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
heli coil $10.00 max.
And?
Mate, thank you. I had a push lawn mower with broken off exhaust bolts. I drilled them out and managed to keep some of the thread. The copper wire trick worked really well. If I had to use heli coils etc it would have sent the mower to the crusher.
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful.
can you come help me fix my washing machine ;(
Nice! good man, I thought I was the only one that used that trick haha! I have used a variation of it when the bolt hole is extremely hard to get to or is upside down and strands will just fall out by salvaging some very fine copper wire and wrapping the bolt threads with it first then inserting it. Keep up the good fixes man!
Good tip.
These shade tree mechanic hacks are good for getting yourself out of a bind, but they aren't a repair. How would you like to be the guy who buys this old truck and it's held together with crappy old tricks like this? JB Weld, copper jammed in threads, peened water jacket cracks and the like are for emergency repair only. By all means get yourself out of the woods or off the interstate and then fix it properly later. In this case, a HeliCoil is a good, permanent fix.
In aluminum and cast iron, properly installed Helicoils hold more torque than brand new threads. Just like a ladder manufacturer, Emhart knows how to cover itself in a sue-happy world. That doesn't mean it's not a superior repair- in fact many racing engine machinists install Helicoils on high pressure components since they are superior to tapped threads. And for the sake of argument, these bolts do not connect the steering wheel to the steering components anyway, it's the horn ring.
Janet, I'll guarantee you that I have more experience than 99% of mechanics you will ever meet. My credentials are ASE Master, LNG Master Fitter, Limited Mechanical Electrician and Certified Millwright. Multiple Associate degrees come with these certifications. Among many other projects in 40 years of custom fabrication I have hand built several complete steering assemblies on offroad trucks and buggies. When someone tries to tell me they know better I just have to shrug at them and ask if they are better trained or more experienced than I am. Very few are. I have dealt with literally hundreds of damaged thread situations.
Janet Merner Allow me to explain why you are incorrect. Threads cut into aluminum or similar soft metal have 'X' holding power. This is less than an identically sized thread in mild steel. Significantly less than threads cut into a higher quality steel alloy such as stainless. In order to insert a Heli-Coil, the part is drilled to a larger diameter, threaded to a larger, similar pitch, and the Heli-Coil is wound in with threadlocker such as Loctite red. Now, when the bolt is tightened, the stainless spring flutes are driven horizontally from the bolt thread into the base thread. This is a stronger connection because it is using two hard metals to wedge into a softer metal and there is now a flexible quality to the connection due to the wedge of the Coil into the base material. It is capable of significantly higher tightening torque. This is the reason that many racing components use Heli-coils for threaded connections rather than straight threads into soft metals such as aluminum and magnesium. Hopefully the physics of torque on a coiled insert make sense to you and you can now understand why it creates a superior threaded connection.
Janet Merner The part IS NOT the steering hub. It is the horn ring. The steering hub is part of the steering wheel which is held to the steering shaft by a large nut and taper fit. Are you beginning to understand why your continued argument is so ridiculous? Those three bolts have nothing at all to do with holding the steering wheel on.
those 3 bolts are the only thing that hold the wheel it is a grant steering wheel style adapter the center bolt in this case holds the adapter NOT the wheel
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I'm working on a small 1930's era motor and this hack worked GREAT!! Saved me soooo much time. Thanks again!
That's a hillbilly leave it for the next guy repair.
the copper is a lot like woodworking and shoving hardwood slivers in the hole for loose screws, but your first method of using a longer bolt never occurred to me. solid tips as usual Moe.
Robb's Homemade Life Thanks Robb. Yeah, the wood trick is more than likely where I came up with the inspiration for this on metal 15 years ago.
One time I stripped a camshaft bolt when the advice I was given was to tighten to 16lb, the correct setting was 8lb. With the work light I could see the threaded hole was much longer than the bolt. I cut the bolt, extended it and welded it back together. Worked a treat. That was a couple years ago now. Car is still going fine.
This is the best tip I even seen it sure saved me a ton of fiddling around
I’m so lucky to found your idea thanks a million
Great idea! One of my valve cover screw get stripped then I searched RUclips and found your amazing fix. Thanks.
I've use this technique for just that purpose. I'm glad you found it useful.
Love these Vids,being a 65 year old truck mechanic I learnt a new trick,,PS noticed the best vice money can buy made in Britain ,,Record vice,,very hard to come by this day and age.
Hey Thanks.
I've done something simular but with a broken plastic gasket for a corner lamp. Great video. I call it ingenuity, high grade stuff!
Very cool!