# How to fix a stripped bolt hole in my shoe?



## william9092 (Jun 18, 2006)

Hi,

Can anyone provide some advice and tips on how to fix a stripped bolt hole in cycling shoes? 

I have a pair of Giro factor shoes, using Look grey cleats and have stripped the front bolt hole (yes, may have been my own fault! :mad2. I see that the hard layer below the inner sole has a perforated section that may be able to be removed, with a bit of force! 

Is it a case of replacing the bolt hole piece or attempting to make a thread again? 

thanks


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## Gimme Shoulder (Feb 10, 2004)

First, eliminate the simpler to fix issue, then go the more problematic. (An old concept from working on car engines). Make sure it's not the bolt that is stripped. If you're very lucky, you might just have to replace a bolt. (Usually, the bolts are harder materal than the nut material, so probably not. But worth confirming before you go to the more problematic).

Assuming it is not the bolt that's stripped...I had to replace the nut plate (a steel plate with 3 threaded holes) in a pair of Shimano shoes once. In that case, the instructions and parts were all readily available. I don't know the Giro, and couldn't find anything relevant on their website. The shoe may use a similar nut plate or individual nuts of some sort, located between the foot bed and the carbon sole. If so you may be able to access it/them through the foot bed from the inside of the shoe. It may even have a pre-cut or partially pre-cut access flap. Your shoes may have come with a product manual. If so, read through that, and see if there is anything about this. Otherwise, take your insert out and check for any sign of an access flap. If nothing obvious, talk to your LBS and see if they can help.

P.S. Once you get the nut plate or nut out, you'll have to order a new one probably through your LBS. And, by the way, I just checked my Sidi Genius 5s, and they have a partially pre cut access patch in the foot bed.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Like Gimme Shoulder said, what he calls the nut plates (good descriptive) and what I call the "T-nuts" in cycling shoes are replaceable. 

Remove the insole. Underneath will be what I'll call an inner sole or footbed. Often (usually, always??) it is made of a material that is either brown cardboard, or looks a lot like it.

Scribed into that footbed is an outline for an opening that can be removed to access the T nuts/nut plates. You might have to look very closely to see it, but it will be scribed or partially cut out. To remove it, you have to do some digging. A thin screwdriver that you can use to root out that little section usually works. The little section usually somes out very cleanly, or clean enough. Then, you can see and remove the stripped T nuts and replace them. These are generic parts generally available in any bike shop. You might take your shoe into a bike shop and have them provide the part, and they probalby will either put them in for you or help you figure it out.

Hope that makes sense. Bottom line: remove the insole and look for the little removable area right over where the T nuts sit within the sole.


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## william9092 (Jun 18, 2006)

Thanks for the reply, 
Unfortunately, it is definitely the bolt hole that is stripped. The metal seems very soft compared to the bolt itself! The Giro site is rather useless on this front as that is the first place I looked for a solution. 
The Giro's have a very similar access from inside the shoe to sidi genius 5s (i.e. my old shoes, that are now back in service until i resove this issue).


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

You'll have to finish cutting out the access panel inside the shoe. You can then replace the plate with the three threaded holes.
Use a very sharp blade to finish cutting the panel out.
.
.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

You can try using a heli-coil. Worked great for me. 

Heli-Coil | HeliCoil Inserts | Helicoils Screw Thread Inserts | Helicoils | Emhart Teknologies

Auto parts stores carry them. Its kind of an oddball size, but you should be able to find the right size, especially online.


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## tensioner (Nov 1, 2008)

I'm not familiar with Giro road shoes but just stripped a screw installing cleats on a new pair of Giro MTB shoes. Word to the wise, don't tighten them as much as SIDI's! 

Giro's call for 22 in pounds which isn't much and SIDI asks for 40. Universal Cycles has replacement plates for mtb shoes but I didn't look for road parts. It's to the hardware store for me in the morning so I'm sure the next thing I'll strip is the nut after I get hard screws.

If you run into trouble finding parts for the road shoes, you can make something or get a friend/machine shop to help if you don't do much of that sort of thing.


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