Wheel Bolt Thread Repair Fixture
This fixture is made from a surplus piece of aluminum bar stock. The aluminum was cut into four pieces and welded together to form a square frame. A machine shop that has a CNC mill, milled out the pilot center and drilled the ten bolt holes. Four of the holes have stainless steel sleeves pressed into the fixture. These sleeves make durable guides for the tap drill and tap. Four bolts are used to hold the fixture in place. First two hub hole threads are drilled out to tap size. Then the fixture is removed and rotated one bolt hole. Then two more holes are drilled and the two previously drilled holes are tapped.
Next, the fixture is again removed and two stainless helicoil inserts are threaded in the newly tapped holes to match and replace the original bolt threads. This process is continued until all threads are replaced. This fixture cost less than $250.00 to make and I am pleased with the results.
So far I have replaced the threads in four wheel hubs with 3/4 UNF threads.
