Thread restorer kit

[fourjeepin]

In the thread on which tools to buy before you need them, a couple of folks mentioned a thread restore kit. Can someone educate me on why I need this if I already have a tap and die?

And not just because I have a sickness and always need more tools. I got that already

 

[royesses]

A thread restorer irons out the damaged thread without removing metal. The tap and die can cut metal out thus further weakening the thread or loosening the fit. Most of the time a tap and die do just fine. I prefer the restorer though, as I don't like getting abrasive gunk on my cutting tools. When Sears puts the 48 piece thread restorer set on sale it is a great buy. Definitely worth it if you deal with many damaged threads.

 

[PoorOwner]

I reach for the restorer first as well, if the threads are crossed then you stick the tap in it may come out with some more threads on the floor. Thanks to wrench monkeys using air tools without threading things in usually it is pretty far gone.

actually, it should go in this order of despair
1) restorer
2) helicoil / new bolt
3) drill and use tap for a bigger bolt.

Restorer can go bad too, I had one go bad and seems to be messing up threads to give a cross threaded appearance, had to order another one from blue point which is about the same thing that comes in the craftsman kit.

 

[MDK22]

I have had them save my **** enough times now to be worth it. I usually go for them first. I say usually because unfortunately for me I am Big Rig tech and they do not like A2 Stainless Bolts or Nuts/holes. You will bust them trying to use them on that.

The are very useful especially the files for fixing studs. I have literally brought back bolts and studs where if I hadn't the truck would have been down for weeks.


Depending on whether you are a weekend warrior or an actual mechanic. I would recommend the Matco TDK51 51 PIECE RETHREADING TAP & DIE SET. If you are a weekend warrior I recommend the Kastar 971 48 piece. Mainly because that extra metric die and tap makes a huge difference as it is M8 x 1.5 we use them a lot on International Trucks. Kastar is who makes it for the tool truck brands but, it does not have a warranty that I am aware of.

 

[bobcatdan]

I use mine to mainly to clean bolts before reassembly. If the bolt is crusty, has old loctite on it or **** in the threads, I run a rethreader over it. If the thread is at all beat up, I'd run a die over it to clean it up.

 

[Sanny81]

I got the Craftsman 48 piece set when it was on sale a few months ago and it has saved me a few times since. It's the type of tool you tuck away in your box and forget about until those times when it does save your ***.

 

[mjoekingz28]

What do you hold the bolthead with when rethreading?

Does it come with something or do you need a vise?

Also, if working with studs, how would you hold them?

Maybe it is like a female end and you just insert the dirty screw into the restorer and turn it with whatever tool the head of the fastener is marked for (flat, philips, 7mm socket, etc).

And for the buggered female threads, is there a male restorer bolt that would insert into the female and 'chase'? Does it hold onto the grit in the threads or push it down? If it will not hold the grit, it seems it would cause problems like if chasing spark plug threads- getting dirt into the combustion chamber...or worse- having an end to the threads and just pack the dirt into there and when you go to tighten, it may strip or crack the mounting location since the dirt has nowhere to go, like hydrolocking a cylinder and bending hard parts...

 

[T45]

Hold the bolt with a nut driver, and then thread restorer just use your hand at first. The key is to make sure you break down the problem into component pieces. First, you should clean the thread with a solvent/wire brush. Then, wipe down. Then, oil lightly the thread and use hands to make sure the restored is not cross-threaded. The restorer has grooves like a tap and die to deal with any resicual oil/debris. In some cases, a short box end wrench or a ratcheting box end on the restorer will quicly spin it down if you have something like an m8 or m10 ro larger type bolt. Alot of m6 type stuff is just using the hand and the wire brush.

If you are familiar with shapening a knife, the thread restorer is like an hone vs a sharpener. You do touchups with an hone, and only very peiorically do you re-shape the edge. If you use a tap/die on good quality hardware you are just removing any surface treatment (like zinc plate) and then gapping-out the ISO tolerances, both of which technically weaken the unit. Whereas the thread restorer cleans the thread very effectively and re-shapes the thread if it is slighlt worn. If the thread is actually damaged--like its coming apart--then you need a tap/die and more likely a new piece of hardware or a timeset or something anyway.

edit: for female threads, there is a male companion restorer. again, same process as before. Clean then lube then thread by hand and use nut-driver. I'd perdonally avoid using something at a 90 degree angle like a ratchet, because you want to keep the restorer strait-in and not torque it off-axis. be aware that blind hole needs a little more care, as does something really soft like ALU.

 

[pepi]

I would suggest Heli-Coil and buy the individual set/kits as you need them. Kits generally are a big waste of money and drawer space.

Thread restorer might work ok, however if the thread material was damaged, and it will be. Then trying to restore/cut new threads, further material will be lost, producing a weaker thread. Restoring a thread is cutting away material, it is NOT ironed out as mentioned. Also drilling, tapping to install a larger size bolt not going to work 90% of the time.

The Heli-Coil is a real thread repair. Using the drill bit that comes in the Heli-Coil kit. One drills out the damaged thread, re-tap the hole with the tap provided. Screw in the Heli-Coil, and you'er done. At the end you will have a stronger thread, and be able to use the original size fixture.

A correct method of thread repair/restore, Heli-Coil kits have an aprox. range 7 - 30 bucks depends on the size, the kits also give the owner 8 -10 Heli-Coil inserts, along with the drill bit, tap and coil insert tool.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I would suggest Heli-Coil and buy the individual set/kits as you need them. Kits generally are a big waste of money and drawer space.

Thread restorer might work ok, however if the thread material was damaged, and it will be. Then trying to restore/cut new threads, further material will be lost, producing a weaker thread. Restoring a thread is cutting away material, it is NOT ironed out as mentioned. Also drilling, tapping to install a larger size bolt not going to work 90% of the time.

The Heli-Coil is a real thread repair. Using the drill bit that comes in the Heli-Coil kit. One drills out the damaged thread, re-tap the hole with the tap provided. Screw in the Heli-Coil, and you'er done. At the end you will have a stronger thread, and be able to use the original size fixture.

A correct method of thread repair/restore, Heli-Coil kits have an aprox. range 7 - 30 bucks depends on the size, the kits also give the owner 8 -10 Heli-Coil inserts, along with the drill bit, tap and coil insert tool.

Too much time in the professional world, as well as access. Sometimes you're not going to be able to get a drill in at the right angle to drill it out.

I used a thread restorer everyday and never had a bolt not tighten down normally. you're not cutting new threads, you're fixing what is already there.

If I had a bolt or nut to fix, I put one end in a wrench and use an impact on the other end after threading it on by hand. a Little dab of ant seize when using the rethreader usually helped.

 

[T45]

Just gonna add that a thread restore kit is really about preventive maintenance. A tap & die kit is to fix stuff that is broken. If you already have taps and dies, they can definitely be used to do touch ups, as opposed to full out repairs. But again, in the context of this thread, the restorer is really one of preventive maintenance. You can use restorers multiple times to keep bolts in good shape over their life --eg with proprietary or silly expensive or hard to replace sizes -- you cannot run a tap/die multiple times over the life like that without messing up the machine clearances. Similarly, when using loctite or similar you cannot always get it off with a brass brush, and the bits that are left can be a pita for various reasons. This ties back into the thread about why you might want these tools before you think you need them...they let you re-use stuff for longer, make cleaning faster, and keep you from messing up expensive special hardawares. You are really using them to de-bur stuff, not to cut new threads or fix "outright damage"--they don't restore a broke thread--they restore a tired, dirty, or dinged thread.

Hope this helps clarify for the OP.