Help, tilted drivers seat now one of the bolts won’t screw back in.

6724 Views 33 Replies 13 Participants Last post by RKBerta, Aug 12, 2019

Juan Camilo Roldan

Discussion Starter · Aug 9, 2019

I tilted my drivers seat and now one of the the screws that bolts to the tub won't screw back in. It screws for about a couple of turns, then gets really tight. I also lubricated the bolt and tried it on another hole it goes in just fine. I don't want to force it in too hard and strip the threads, but I don't want to drive around with only three bolts holding my seat either. What should I do?

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Juan Camilo Roldan

Discussion Starter · #21 · Aug 9, 2019

Docron said:
Yup, you’re right... sorry, misread it.

There is a post somewhere in the forum about this specific issue, those inserts are commonly factory crossthreaded. 2 of mine were when i did seat swap.

Best solution is to retap insert. I want to say it is the same size but dont quote me on it, it is a common problem so much that it has its own section in the TechAuthority Service Manual. I had to retap my inserts. Do NOT force torque them! You dont want to snap off head off bolt while the bolt is in the tub insert. OR strip the bolt head!

Like i said, there is a specific tread in this forum about it somewhere. I posted screenshots of the tub insert from the manual.

Thanks DOCRON and yes, its for the bolts that screw to the tub. Would they able to give me the correct size tap and die if I take the bolt to a hardware store?

Docron

· #22 · Aug 9, 2019

Juan Camilo Roldan said:
Thanks DOCRON and yes, its for the bolts that screw to the tub. Would they able to give me the correct size tap and die if I take the bolt to a hardware store?

Yes.... also if you go to Lowes or Home Depot hardware aisle where all the nuts and bolts drawers are, they have guides to screw in and size the bolt you are looking at. Take the bolt to confirm size and then go to tool section and they should have the taps on the end cap. Make sure you get a small bottle of cutting oil too.

Docron

· #23 · Aug 9, 2019 (Edited)

Edited for accuracy

Tap needed to order is M10 - 1.25 thread pitch

4Canada

· #24 · Aug 9, 2019

Juan Camilo Roldan said:
Thanks DOCRON and yes, its for the bolts that screw to the tub. Would they able to give me the correct size tap and die if I take the bolt to a hardware store?

Still looking for Docron's old post, but found this:

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4Canada

· #25 · Aug 9, 2019

Sorry, @Docron - I posted at the same time.

Racer Z's saying M10, and yours says M11. Hmmm.

Docron

· #26 · Aug 9, 2019

Does anyone have the tech authority service manual? I know its in there.... its been awhile

Reactions: 1

Docron

· #27 · Aug 9, 2019

2

Thanks for double checking!

So i just removed one my bolts out of my tub insert...

It is M10- 1.25 thread pitch

So sorry for this.... again its been awhile.

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Docron

· #28 · Aug 9, 2019

3

Another thing i would recommend is that get the tap tool on the bottom. The one on the top is standard in budget tap & die sets and if if bought individually, is cheaper than the bottom tool.

Main reason: you will be close to the door side tub edge when tapping the tub insert. If you get the top tool, you will not be able to spin it unless you reset the tool with every quarter turn because of no tool arm clearance. The bottom tool can move the arms left and right allowing clearance to spin tool.

Second reason is that the bottom tool can lock the tap bit tight. The top tool is so easy for the tap bit to fall out. You dont want to be cutting (progressing in and out a little bit at a time) and the bit slip out of axis.

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4Canada

· #29 · Aug 9, 2019

Docron said:
Thanks for double checking!

So i just removed one my bolts out of my tub insert...

It is M10- 1.25 thread pitch

So sorry for this.... again its been awhile.

The things that @Docron does for this forum. Pulls a bolt out and measures it for us!
I suspect that he had better things to do. Like, almost anything else.
Thanks very much.

Reactions: 1

Juan Camilo Roldan

Discussion Starter · #30 · Aug 10, 2019

Docron said:
Thanks for double checking!

So i just removed one my bolts out of my tub insert...

It is M10- 1.25 thread pitch

So sorry for this.... again its been awhile.

Thanks a lot DOCRON for going out of your way to check this out for me. I really appreciate it. Makes things a lot easier knowing all this info.

Reactions: 1

Antithos

· #31 · Aug 10, 2019

I tried that but rattled and seat was not completely secure.

Juan Camilo Roldan said:
May end up trying just that. By the way, did you try just screwing the seat with only 3 bolts? Would it hold?

JoeCab

· #32 · Aug 11, 2019

If you need a tap to re-thread a hole like this, a regular tap won't work very well, what you want is called a "bottoming tap". The difference is a regular tap is designed to cut threads in an unthreaded hole or a hole where the tap can go all the way through, while a bottoming tap is designed to clean up threads in a blind hole as in our CF tubs.

I bought a metric bottoming tap set from Snap-On years ago and they have gotten me out of many jams like this.

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Docron

· #33 · Aug 11, 2019

Like Joe said, bottoming tap is the one to get. Thanks Joe!

RKBerta

· #34 · Aug 12, 2019

Docron said:
Like Joe said, bottoming tap is the one to get. Thanks Joe!

Have to disagree here with DocRon.....if the threads are cross threaded it is better to start with either of the two other taps first to try to catch and clean out the old threads. But once you have it threaded as far as you can go (the thread doesn't go all the way through) switch to the bottoming tap and than finish thread to bottom. If you have used a tap before fine...if not....lube the tap and turn in a bit until starts getting a bit tighter, back out to break the piece of thread you are cutting off and than go forward some more gradually threading entire lug. Since it is a blind hole it is also a good idea to remove the tap a couple of times when threading to clean out all the metal shavings and at the end do a VERY good job of cleaning out the lug before putting the bolt back in (also lubed).

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