# Stripped bolt hole. Help!



## Wisbiker (Aug 5, 2004)

I was working a little too fast, too tired, and overtightened one of those tiny bolts on my bike's water bottle cage holder. Looks like I stripped the threads in one hole on the bike frame. Any suggestions on fixes?  Thanks!


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## pavedroad (May 3, 2004)

You could try a helicoil...



Wisbiker said:


> I was working a little too fast, too tired, and overtightened one of those tiny bolts on my bike's water bottle cage holder. Looks like I stripped the threads in one hole on the bike frame. Any suggestions on fixes?  Thanks!


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## purplepaul (Nov 21, 2002)

Depending on your frame material and build it may be that those threads are inserts. If so, you can just have it replaced.





Wisbiker said:


> I was working a little too fast, too tired, and overtightened one of those tiny bolts on my bike's water bottle cage holder. Looks like I stripped the threads in one hole on the bike frame. Any suggestions on fixes?  Thanks!


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## CoachRob (Sep 14, 2004)

*Maybe eliminate the bolts...*

Some people to save weight don't even USE the bolts. They simply GLUE the cage to the frame with a little crazy glue. When it comes time to remove it, a little acetone with the heat from a hair dryer and a little twisting, and it's off. Since the bolts usually screw into a metal sleeve inserted into the frame, gluing the cage to this metal sleeve doesn't damage the paint. 

Can't say I've ever done it, but it is done by a few racers I know who care about the 10 grams they save.


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

*Really?*



CoachRob said:


> Some people to save weight don't even USE the bolts. They simply GLUE the cage to the frame with a little crazy glue. When it comes time to remove it, a little acetone with the heat from a hair dryer and a little twisting, and it's off. Since the bolts usually screw into a metal sleeve inserted into the frame, gluing the cage to this metal sleeve doesn't damage the paint.
> 
> Can't say I've ever done it, but it is done by a few racers I know who care about the 10 grams they save.



Using glue instead of a screw for a watter bottle cage qualifies for the Weight Weenie Hall of Shame!

Getting back to the original question, if the frame uses crimped in inserts (Rivnets and their ilk), just replace the insert. Any deceint shop should be able to handle a job like that. If the inserts are brazed/welded in, consider moving up one screw size and have the hole drilled and taped. For example, 5mm is the most common screw size so in this instance you can move up to 6mm.

Good luck.

Ed


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## CoachRob (Sep 14, 2004)

*A strip tip...*

First, I agree that gluing a cage to save 10 grams is extreme, but it works. I wouldn't do it, but it is an option. It does belong in the Weight Weenie Hall of Shame, however.


Here’s a tip to prevent stripping the smaller bolts such as cable fixing bolts, bottle cage bolts, DR bolts, etc.

When using a loose Allen wrench (not one that is part of a multi-tool that swings out and has a big handle), they are L-shaped with a long arm and a short arm. If you insert the end of the LONG arm into the bolt, and turn it holding the SHORT arm only in your fingers (it’s too short to fit into your palm), it is VERY tough to generate nearly enough torque with just your fingers to strip any bolts. If you reverse that, and insert the short end and hold the long end and turn (the long end is just long enough that you can fit your whole palm around it, which means LOTS of force), you generate much more torque and stripping a small bolt gets VERY easy. You can generate enough torque to even strip a seat binder bolt.

Unfortunately, with water bottle cages, the latter method is often easier to do because when you insert the long end into the bolt, it sticks out so far (usually the long arm is around 4-6 inches) that it bumps into the cage, and is hard to turn. So, you naturally flip it and insert the short end, it’s late at night, you’re tired, and next thing you know, you’ve got a hold of that long end, apply too much torque, and pfffttt, it’s stripped! Yikes! It happened to me (although it wasn’t late at night, so I can’t use that excuse). Bummer!


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## MisterMo (May 31, 2004)

Wisbiker said:


> I was working a little too fast, too tired, and overtightened one of those tiny bolts on my bike's water bottle cage holder. Looks like I stripped the threads in one hole on the bike frame. Any suggestions on fixes?  Thanks!


Bummer...
I would first try retapping original size. Maybe, just maybe, there will be sufficient thread engagement.
Failing that I would drill & tap to next size up if there's enough metal to do that.
Depending on materials involved there may be other options.

If and only if all else fails you could probably use a hollow wall anchor of one sort or another. Not at all elegant but it would hold your bottle cage on.


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

*I stripped out the upper boss on an old frame.*

My solution was to turn a sheet metal screw into the stripped hole. I then drilled out the upper hole in the cage to fit snugly over the head of the screw. With the lower bolt tight and the cage pressed onto the head of the sheet metal screw to keep it from moving side to side I was able to make the cage stay in place. This would probably not work well on an mtb, but it held on the road bike.

Was I the only one to mis-read the title "Stripped butt hole"?


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## coonass (Feb 4, 2004)

*I've read other threads*



Wisbiker said:


> I was working a little too fast, too tired, and overtightened one of those tiny bolts on my bike's water bottle cage holder. Looks like I stripped the threads in one hole on the bike frame. Any suggestions on fixes?  Thanks!


that indicated it could easily be repaired by a good LBS. On the other hand, in the event you strip the threads in a female fitting (i.e. Aluminum stem w/female tap & S.S. screw), there is definitely a fix here. Permatex makes a product called "Stripped Thread Repair" and it works. It's about a 15 minute fix and the screw is removable as often as you need.

http://www.permatex.com/products/in...kers&product=Permatex, Stripped Thread Repair

I stripped my Murex stem a few years ago and used the "S.T.R." for repair and it's still just as stable as a brand new stem....


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