Crossmember bolt repair

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Maintenance Restoration and Repair
1

Perfect example of the fun we have with these cars. A simple “just take the steering gear out for rebuild” turns into an oil pan and now a cross member repair! Kinda expecting things like this now that I have started opening untouched parts of the chassis.

Originally I went in to get the steering gear box off and sent out to be rebuilt. Once getting the steering dropped down I realize how easy it will be to swap the bent up oil pan while Im there since the previous owner liked to eat parking curbs! :unamused: Or so thats what I thought anyway. While taking off the lower frame cross member I discovered its been loose for quite some time which has damaged the threads on both the taper bolt and blind nut on the driver side. The blind nut is still in the frame but the threads look pretty jacked. I have yet to try and chase them with a tap or thread tool but not having high hopes of success with that. I know the bolts are easy to find but what methods have worked to replace that blind nut? Not really any access points in the frame to get in there. I could potentiality drill it and tap it for the next size up but that would not work with that tapered bolt.

thoughts and ideas?

2

I had one bad on my car and I used a nut insert from Fastenal
https://www.fastenal.com/product/fasteners/threaded-inserts-and-thread-repair/threaded-inserts/600189?query=thread%2520insert&categoryId=600189&level=3&aggregationSection=true&=&=&Internal+Thread+Size=1%2F2"-13&=&=&=&=&showAll=Internal+Thread+Size&selectedAggregation=Internal+Thread+Size
I think this is the size I used I can check for sure cuz they came in a two pack. re-tap the hole, thread the insert in, and put the bolt back in. Worked great!

3

The inserts above do work well. If you have the problem of there not being “enough meat” to drill and tap the larger thread required for the above inserts, look into “heli-coil” thread repair.

4

I didn’t think of the threaded inserts, that might be a good option.

A heli-coil did cross my mind but was not too sure how that would take in the blind nut, cant say I have every heli coiled a nut before!

5

I tried a heli coil first. Didn’t have success with it. Threaded insert worked good, and there was enough “meat” there to make it a success.

6

Wanted to update this for anyone searching in the future. I was able to run a tap in the hole a few times to clean it up and replace the bolts with new and made it work. The home ended up being less munched then I originally thought.

I don’t think a heli coil will work for a repair here tho, what would be left of that blind nut after the heli coil prep wouldn’t be enough to hold the heli coil so the nut insert like was mention would be the best thing to try I think.