schmegeggie

Well, I was milling around under the hood tonight mainly to take a look at the alternator belt, since I noticed it was kind of flopping around last time I had it running. Sure enough, the belt was quite loose. So I loosened the bolt, moved the alternator, and began to tighten....uh-oh! That baby's stripped!
So, I backed out the bolt, looked into the hole on the alternator, and, whoa! It's stripped almost all the way through! It was obvious, the last person to tighten this knew it was stripped and tightened it gingerly.
What should I do?
Use a heli-coil to repair it?
Loctite Form-A-Thread?
Drill it out, and re-tap it?
Any suggestions....
It obviously is a spot that requires proper torque to keep the alternator snug, I'm thinking re-tap.

shafrs3

Heli-coil.

schmegeggie

I know it seems kind of elementry, but I am more interested in what everybody else would do.
I don't currently have a tap & die set, but getting one is no problem. I am familiar with the Loctite product, but that only restores the thread to 80% of original strength. The heli-coil seems like the most economical solution, since, if and when the alternator goes, it will be replaced anyway.

SmokinBBC

Here's what Bubba might do:

Longer bolt with lock washer and nut on the back.

spedaleden

It's sort of bubba but you can stick a smaller bolt through the original hole and put a lock washer with a nut. It's simple and works

shafrs3

I would use a heli-coil, it is by far the strongest solution, cheap and for your situation easy to utilize. You can get a small kit that includes the tap and correct size coils all in one package at any auto parts store.

Or you could do what was suggested above with a longer bolt and nut, I wouldn't consider that bubba'ed.

SmokinBBC

Me and you both met Bubba

Merlinhaggard

Buy another alt..

Big2Bird

Helicoil is how the rebuild shops repair them.

Rdavis

I guess my name is Bubba because that's exactly what I did with mine.

schmegeggie

Possible, but will it hold?
Maybe Bubba had my car already!
I'm going with the Heli-coil.

moosie982

Go to the auto parts store and get a heli-coil kit and repair it, they claim that the repair is stronger then the original, I've used them in other places as well and they are solid !! Peace,,,Moosie

sly vette

If its the pivot...Heli Coil
If it's the bolt that holds the alt in position...Nut and Bolt!!!

lars

Install a HeliCoil. That's the standard repair for stripped threads in aluminum, and it's stronger than the original.

markdtn

That's not Bubba. Nothing wrong with that solution. Or use a nylock nut.

spookytooth

I would not use a smaller bolt as one suggested. Use the same size bolt and thread it through and tighten the nut from the back side.
If you got the bolt length correct you could use an acorn nut and it would actually look real nice. If you are a correct type show guy, do the heli-coil.

lars

Yes, that's toedally Bubba. The reason that the alternator hole is threaded is so that you can pull the alternator tight with one hand, and then snug the bolt up with the other. If you put a nut on the other end of the bolt, you have to use both hands to tighten the adjustment bolt (one on the bolt and one on the nut). That means you have to have a second person tightening the alternator... The factory put threads there for a good reason, so fer chrissake, put a $2 HeliCoil in it instead of the 50-Cent bolt with the 25-Cent nut and the 5-Cent washer. Do you really need to save the $1.20 difference that bad?

BigBlockk

You can use a bolt and nut and still adjust it by yourself if'in ya use an impact.

Lars, if you ever find some Kentucky Vintage original sour mash bourbon, get it. Man this stuff is good.

BigBlockk

Later.....

lars

If'in ah use an impact? Sheezus, Ralph, you and me gotta' get together and do some wrenchin' and sippin'....! I'm sitting here with my Wild Turkey 101, but I'd like to share some of your sour mash, an' you can learn me how to talk like yew.

turtlevette

I hate to disagree with god.

but, you can tighten the nut and bolt a little, pull the alt tight and then finish tightening it.

Yea, its a $2 helicoil but you have to take the whole thing off and drill it straight (that ain't so easy..... for me anyway).

It won't go straight and you'll probably mess it up if its your first helicoil.

A novice will spend the better part of a day messing with this before throwing their hands up and going to get a new alt or just putting a nut and bolt on it.

Its a philosophy thing. Do you want to spend your life working on this car getting it perfect or do you want to spend that sunny afternoon driving it?