Short instruction video on installing thread repair coils, also known as HeliCoils. Paypal Donation: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... Support though Patreon: / abom79 Abom79 t-shirts: www.storefrontier.com/store/a...
One thing that is cool that not a lot of people know is that you can get distorted thread heicoils to prevent fasteners from backing out. They have a thread or two that is almost square shaped, locking your screw. They are used frequently in parts going into space where a threadlocker won’t work due to off-gasing. I thought that was super cool!
I bet they are not cheap.. They make exhaust manifold nuts that are the same way, single use only. Exhaust manifolds are notoriously bad for losing fasteners due to the heat destroying thread lockers and taking the temper out of spring based retention systems, as well as heat cycle dimensional changes stretching studs. These type of distorted thread nuts are one of the better ways to keep stuff in place.
The first time I ever came across Helicoil was at age 16 when the sparkplug stripped out of the head on my 50cc Yamaha FS1E. I got a kit and followed the instructions and got my little bike back on the road. My dad was impressed I had found a solution to the problem and got on a fixed it by myself.
I have installed literally thousands of those things mostly 8-32 , 10-32 , qnd 4-40 sizes in the servo valve bodies we build at work. We use primarily Heli Coil brand. We installed so many we converted a broke arm tapping station to install them. The tangs are a real pain in the 4-40 inserts to get out. We use tang "poppers" air and magnetic small diameter tools to remove them.
Years ago working on an aluminium job for a car company, they insisted all tapped holes be helicoiled. Since then I always use them for any threads in aluminium. Makes more sense than just waiting for them to strip out.
Man ill never stop loving your videos. You know what makes you happy, creating quality, feel good content just doing whatever honest work means to you. Love that, and I think that if everyone in this world was able to find something that truly makes them happy and content day to day like machining and sharing your craft with the world does for you the world would be an even greater place. keep on truckin my man
In the 'old' days I've used many HeliCoils to repair stripped out spark plug threads on motorcycles, snowmobiles & various other aluminum engine heads. Thanks for the video, as always, you are a great presenter.
Thank you for the video, im in south Africa we use matric ISO units but the way you explain makes it easy to understand.. I enjoy your videos they are very informative.
I think these how-to videos are going to be a great addition to your channel Adam. Viewers definitely learn a lot watching your videos, but this takes it to the next level. Very good stuff sir.
I can’t believe I’m 57 and have done a good bit of DIY repair and only now becoming aware of these little lifesavers. This could have made life so much easier many times. I have a 2006 Honda Goldwing which seems to love to strip threads on the hundreds of body connection points. The “Dodge” setup would be a life saver for the many metal screw into plastic threads. Thanks for the demo!
This is for those of you who have used Heli-coils and then had problems breaking off the tang once you had finished inserting the Heli -coil. Using a punch to break the tang often results in dislocating the last few turns of the Heli-coil. That makes the Heil-coil useless; leaving the tang in place results in the same problem. If the bolt bottoms out on the tang and you continue to turn it, then it pushes the last few turns of the Heli-coil out of place. For all practical purposes, this makes the Heli-coil useless. So, dealing with the tang is a must do thing and not an option. The OEM tang breakoff tools are a ridiculously expensive solution to the dilemma. I spent less than $2 to replace a tool that cost much more and works perfectly every time that I have used it. For those of us who don't have a money tree in their backyard, I have a solution. Go to Harbor Freight and buy a cheap Phillips (or flat blade) screwdriver whose shaft OD is a nice slip fit in the Heli-coil you will be using. For 5/16” Heil-coils, that’s about 1/4” diameter. Take the screwdriver and cut the screwdriver tip off of it using a cutoff grinder with a thin wheel abrasive disk. Use the same disk and center it up as best you can on the now bare screwdriver shaft. Then cut a slot in the screwdriver shaft about 5/16” to 3/8” deep. Now that you have your finished tool, simply stick it in the driven Heli-coil and gently turn it until it seats on the tang. Now it is muscle time: turn the homemade extraction tool counterclockwise. The tang will break off and fall to the bottom of the hole. Now the bolt will screw all the way into the Heli-coil and not bottom out in it or push the last turn or two of the Heli-coil out of place. If the Heli-coil was installed in an open-ended hole in some place that has moving machinery, you need to retrieve the broken tang. Since the Heli-coil is non-magnetic stainless steel, that may be problematic. Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy solution for that problem… ☹
These are a great series of how-to’s. Easy to search and find and while I love the longer format videos where these tasks are in context these shorter ones are super helpful for specific tasks/skills/tips. Great idea Adam. Keep ‘em comin’!
awesome tutorial, I knew pretty quick you're an experienced machinist. I've never installed one of these before (was always the next guy's job) and I wanted to make sure I did it right. Repairing a 28 year old motorcycle carburetor is interesting to say the least. "I'll just unscrew this and check the o-rings..." *M4x0.7 screw snaps halfway down, nightmare begins* "Damn, guess I'll use a screw extractor then..." *screw extractor snaps because 28 year old loctite is not moving* "WOW, ok, how about a bigger screw extractor for the broken screw extractor?" *second screw extractor snaps because it was cheap* Lots of swearing and laughter later, I ended up drilling that whole mess out with carbide tools, one of which also snapped. LOL
Hi Adam, One thing that I picked up on with Heli-Coil kits in aluminum...For maximum longevity of the inserts, install with Loctite 262 and then grease the bolts and inside the hole with black Moly grease (to keep the Loctite from grabbing the first bolt in). It also helps to not have totally blind holes, in effect giving a 'vent' so the bolts do not generate compression of air on install, or, vacuum on removal. Great videos! Kudos to you for making the leap of faith! Best regards & Luck. Ken
Im glad that you have time to make these short informative videos now Adam. You will have a much bigger chance of expanding your amount of viewers. When they come over to your shop to learn how to install a heli-coil and not only learn how to but see whats going on in the background they might just check out some machining videos that they would not normally watch. I think it will be great for the growth of the channel. Well done. Ryan
Love you man. Congratulations on your big-time subs - you deserve it. Been watching for quite awhile. Big ball kudos for breaking out on your own. Thanks for the great content.
Excellent video, thank you. I have used these many times. However, always for thread repair/replacement. Also, I never knew about breaking off the bottom tab.
Nice Job Adam ! A Very Well done Job and Explanation . Thank You , I have Used Tap and Dies Before , But I Hadn't Used A Helicoil Set Yet . You Never Know When You Might Need This . Mismatched Metals is A Great Time to Use This.
I like to 'stake' my helicoils. I install them 1/2-3/4 turn below flush and then I pop a center punch mark into the side of the hole, closing up the top thread, preventing the helicoil from backing out.
Notso Fresh Helicoils are designed to not back out because they expand against the walls of the thread. I’ve never had one back out (working in aerospace) unless the constituent material fails, like a plastic
Belt and suspenders.. Aerospace ≠ Farming.... In aerospace you work cleanly to exact tolerances only use the correct tools. In farming you wipe it on yer pants to clean it, tolerance is "Looks like its good" and the correct tool for anything is either a hammer, a crescent wrench or fencing pliers. You coil a hole and spin in a dirty bolt in the field in the dark, and then when you take it back out, the grit locks the bolt to the coil and the coil comes out. A little center punch pop stops this.
Tyler akerfeldt: The coil is slightly too large for the hole and is a spring so when you wind it in, the spring pressure outward created friction locking it into the hole. It will stay in as long as the friction between the bolt and the coil is lower than the friction between the coil and hole. In most situations this is fine. However if someone in the future inserts a dirty bolt, or uses locktite on the bolt, the friction may get too high and the insert comes out instead. Technically this is mis-use but it happens all the time.
Ngl, i have been designing mechanical parts digitally on a computer, with helicoil inserts in them for past 4 years, but never knew how it is installed 😂, thanks for the detailed explanation 🙏🏼
Nice vid, Adam. Short and sweet, right down to it. Of note should be that smaller Helicoil kits also include a threaded sleeve that precompresses the insert as so it does not bind up as you start to run it down into the tapped hole.
I really wanted to watch how u cut the heli coil. I remember my first time using one being taught by who I considered a master mechanic. He was very humble. Don’t get me wrong this whole process was amazing. So was the day I first installed one. I had a lot less perfect work conditions on a big work peace. I think it was a ram x dirt compactor but Kwel stuff. Silly part I wanted to see
I generally prefer a full insert for high use applications like the Weld jig, but you can't argue the economics of helicoil. I have had good success using a light coat of loctite 242 to help keep them from walking. Thanks for sharing
Hey Adam, the short how-to's are great! I remember you also used Keenserts on a job at Motion, a short video on using them might be a good companion to this one.
Thanks man!!.. I was trying to understand how deep to tap for the helicoil and you said tap it all the way to the bottom but when you set the helicoil you got it to where the first thread just caught and it occurred to me if I wasn't deep enough I probably couldn't back the helicoil out so I made sure I was deep enough
I made that company quite a bit of dough during my years as a Harley tech. Seems like bikers are more heavy handed with their wrenches than other folks, and there is so much aluminum on the trans and motors. Even had my share of repairing Helicoils that were installed incorrectly by the owners of the bikes, other dealerships and backyard mechanics. When people first start using them they have a tendency to stretch the insert and jump threads. Correct pressure is a MUST!
I remember my dad going over this with me back in highschool 25+ years ago when I stripped a bolt out changing brakes on my car. Seems like he knew how to fix anything.
This is a great video, thx! I am trying to research if I can do this in a tight-fitting space to get my serpentine pulley belt tensioner in my Honda Odyssey... yikes! The OEM bolt is supposed to be a Metric 12 x 1.25 mm but someone must have rethreaded it to a larger Standard 1/2-20 to get the old part in for some reason.... The new OEM part comes with a 12 x 1.25 mm bolt so yeah... considering a helicoil to get that to fit again.....
Nice job Adam. We use those in the UK too. Only difference is pronouncing the name ‘helicoil’ similar to the ‘heli’ part of helicopter’, rather than Heel-i-coil. Good mini series anyway.
Well done how to. The helicoil may not be the perfect tool for every job, but they do work fine in their application. The biggest one I ever installed was a 50 MM in a hydraulic hammer main body bolt hole. It wasn't a repair though, it was replacing the original that came out. My guess is that less than ten percent of the time, the helicoil came out, but I was taught that an impact gun wasn't to loosen the stud, just to remove it. Loosening was done by hand or with a hydraulic wrench. As for strength, the highest torque on the nut I ever did was somewhere around 2500 lb-ft. and in operation, the hammer is constantly trying to break itself. Of course, these weren't off-the-shelf Helicoil, they were built by/for the manufacturer.
You should make a t-shirt that says "commence the tapping!!" I would buy it! I like putting some locktite green retaining compound on helicoils when I install them.
The last step shown is the most important. Failure to knock off the tang will lead to the coil being pealed out or binding from the bottom. Having the punch size closely fit the inside of the coil helps hold the last coil turn in place as the tang is knocked off.
