Opinions on Helicoils

[JasonRR]

I managed to booger the threads on an aluminum caliper re-locating bracket on one of my motorcycles and am thinking about using a helicoil to fix it. I would just tap it to the next bigger thread size, but the fastener needs to go through a mounting point on the brake caliper before threading into this bracket, so I'd have to drill out the caliper body too, and I don't wanna do that.

So I can get a new bracket for about $60 shipped, which isn't awful, or I can try a helicoil. I've never used one before, but it can't be too hard. There are kit's that are supposed to come with all of the hardware you need (drill bit, tap, helicoil, install tool), but I'm not even sure where to go to buy one locally (8mm x 1.25). The cheapest ones I see online are in the $25+shipping range, so I'm wondering if it's even worth fucking with.

Any opinions? New bracket, or fix this one? I'd really like to get back to riding this bike ASAP, and that's the main reason I haven't just ordered a bracket (7-10 day lead time).

Thanks.

[bonnie&clyde]

Autozone carries them, I helicoiled my flexplate on my mustang and it has held up fine

[slow84lx]

I prefer time-serts for thread repairs but have used heli-coil in the past. I would not use a heli-coil in any situation where that part will see high stress.

[Grape]

don't waste your time with a heli-coil. time sert from grainger, they have kits in stock

[JasonRR]

Thanks guys...I'm hard on my front brakes, and this is a bolt that holds the caliper onto the fork leg,essentially, so it's going to see a fair amound of load.

Heading off to Grainger now to check out time-serts.

Appreciate it.

- Jason

[Captain Crawfish]

motorcycle brakes helicoil no thx. buy a new one or have somebody weld it and re machine the threads

[JC316]

Another for time serts. I have time serted the block on a northstar Cadillac and it held for over 80K miles when I sold it.

[dsrtuckteezy]

i stripped the oil drain plug hole on my bike and put a time sert in..hasnt leaked since.

[mk5.0]

Hell we use helicoils on jet engines ,

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Timesert > Helicoil

I used time serts on a MR2 turbo a few years back and it held up great.

[JasonRR]

So is Grainger open to the public? Or does anyone else sell time serts? The nearest Grainger is about 25min away, which isn't too bad, but I'm just wondering where else you would buy them.

Thanks.

[mustangguy289]

Going to have to look up these time serts. I have never heard of them. I have heli coiled things in the past but I would not do that on brakes.

[JasonRR]

Going to have to look up these time serts. I have never heard of them. I have heli coiled things in the past but I would not do that on brakes.

I'd never heard of them either, so I checked them out.

[JasonRR]

The bracket that I'm trying to repair is threaded all the way through (the caliper bolt passes through the caliper and threads into it) and is only 7/16" thick. Most of the videos I'm seeing are for cylinder head repairs where they've got a lot more material to work with. I sent a question to time sert via their website, but I'm wondering if they make one that is only 7/16" deep?

[helosailor]

Heli-coils are good, time sert is better. For what it sounds like you're doing, I'd probably go ahead and get the new bracket, expedited if possible.