I have used many thousands of heli coils when I was in the Air Force. From #6 up to 1 inch. Heli coils are stronger than the original metal in most cases on aircraft. Good job Adam.
Im a mechanic in a food plant and i started to use helicoil in all my alluminium parts. the strenght of the threads are way better. Repairs in this video is more than enough. Good job Adam!
I've learned a lot from a lot of people. Some are good teachers, some, not so good. Adam, I sincerely appreciate the way you explain everything. Thank you.
I always start off saying I won't watch the full length of your videos and every time I end up watching to the end. I enjoy watching a true artisan of his craft work and explain what and why he is doing. Thanks! Keep up the great videos.
I was a jet engine mechanic in the NAVY and we had to use Helicoils on fighter jets from time to time, and I used them on my Harley-Davidson engines without one problem!!! Correct tools, correct equipment, correct preparation, correct instillation, they will never fail!!! If you’re laying on your back in the dirt, and you’re free handing, you might run into problems, that’s it!
When installing the new insert, I always clean out the hole with brake cleaner to get rid of all the tapping lubricant because I use red Loctite to hold the insert more rigid in durable
Ive been a mechanic , bodyman , home shop machineist 50+ years. But everyone knows more and nobody wants to pay but they still come around. Because they read it I DO IT. THANKS ADAM.
You have done the job 100% correctly ! I was working on ZF Ecomat HP600s in 1986, and their brand new transmission casings had every single tapped hole M6 or larger, fitted with Helicoils.. from the factory.! Adam, you did the job right, and you thoughts about lubricating the mounting fasteners, before refitting the calipers, are valid as well. Those broken bolts occurred because one technician had installed the previous fasteners dry. The extreme heat cycles and hostile environment that the calipers are subjected to, had caused the dry-fitted fasteners to corrode at the alloy/steel interface. [Dissimilar materials corrosion] Even medium strength (blue) Loctite would have minimized corrosion at the tapped aluminium alloy/steel bolt thread interface. Thank you for your wonderful variety of videos involving machining.
I've watched the channel for a while now but I never stop being impressed by this stuff. As someone who works on his own cars and has drilled a few off center holes through bolts, to see you go down that last bolt hole with the end mill and wind up absolutely dead center so you can see the old threads on the side...it's very impressive. For an experienced machinist with the right tools it's a fixable problem but for me at home it's mount Everest. Really cool man. Love the videos, you do great work.
Great repair Adam, your right, Helicoils are used in all types of industry all over the country a lot. If done right, they are a good repair! Thanks for sharing.
Adam, I realize that a dedication to precision is the hallmark of your profession, and more importantly it’s in your DNA from your father and grandfather, but after many years of watching you, I’m still in awe. Being a farmer, I’ve messed with all manner of broken bolts and helicoils for 60 years but I can’t honestly say I’ve ever drilled one absolutely on center or perfectly straight. Your devotion to perfection is a thing of beauty. If I lived closer to The Panhandle I’m sure I’d be one of your best customers. But as it is, I’ll try to live up to your standard but I suspect I’ll have to learn to live with my wobbly holes.
Love you man! Screw the critics on your channel, I'll bet none of them even come close to your years of experience! You're a true tradesman. A professional. You know what you know from doing, not making assumptions. Love your channel, love the sincerity and honesty you put in and honestly, you inspire me to be a better person, and hobby machinist, every single day! I've learned a ton watching you and listening to your explanations on why you do things a certain way. Thanks Adam! Roger from Calgary. BTW, I'm a Master Electrician in Calgary Alberta. I've been a Journeyman for over 30 years. I know criticism, and I also know how to do something correct. Water off a ducks back my friend. Your critics don't have the balls to start a channel and show their way, so until they do, and teach us all something new, you're the master! Keep it up my friend.
Excellent repair and I will agree with you to add never seize on the bolt or nuts to keep them from galling up !! And yes I have heard a lot of controversy about using heli-coils for repairs.
I've installed helicoils myself on a few occasions and they have always worked out great. Seems to me that helicoils being used on those aluminum brake calipers have to be much stronger than they were originally with just aluminum threads.
These last videos I noticed how good your camera work has become over the years. I already commented on the braising video about the incredible closeups Abby took. And here, always the most interesting angle and scope. Bravo and thank you. These details are so important, especially if done so seamless. When it looks effortless, it probably is not!
Haters hate man. Mostly jealousy. Your a machinist. The haters are hammer mechanics. They tried that repair one time and it failed. Not because the product failed but because the installation failed. So now they hate. You keep doing you and showing us the correct way these things are done.
ppl also lie in the comments, like a lot, and when questioned (a waste of time) they come up w/ even more ridiculous stories... imo it's the same dudes that love to comment 'you're ugly and not funny' on each female comedian video there is... i've been working on the interwebs for a few decades and honestly the level of bs i've seen in the last few yrs needs to be studied at an academic level :)
Yeah, it's true. Internet is full of “experts” telling you how to do things but most of them don't have a clue. The best thing is to let them be and ignore.
I've seen more than one one manufacturer of aftermarket aluminum automotive parts put helicoils in when they were made to prevent problems later. A helicoil in aluminum is stronger than the same thread in aluminum. Excellent repair! Only thing I would have done different would be to helicoil the last two.
Saved some expensive brake calipers tonight! You are welcome for my assistance...Thanks Adam, nice to see a true Craftsman at work...Thanks for the video
Rusted /corroded and broken bolts has always been my nemesis! It's what turns a 1 hour job into a entire weekend project 🥴😡🤬. Love watching a successful save ! Great job , Adam !
I have been a mechanic for over 30+ years (recently retired). I can not count the times I have used Heli-Coils to repear stuff, but just like anything else. They have there time and place. For these calipers. It is the right fit. For engine block such as head bolt holes. Then I will use a key locking insert. Other holes on the block I will use Time-Sert on. On sheet metals I will use a Thread-sert. BUT!!!! This is just the way I do it. At the end of the day. If the repair works. It works. Throughout my whole career. I have never had one fail or any other issues after installing them.
Torque Test Channel did a whole thing on stretch and failure strength of various thread inserts. The takeaway? Almost any brand or style is stronger than a grade 8 bolt is. I would feel confident using them in any situation whatsoever.
I had an automotive machine shop for 30+ years. I did hundreds of caliper repairs and literally installed thousands of Helicoils with no failures. The early aluminum cylinder blocks came from the factory with Hilicoil inserts for the head bolts. The only time that I used the solid inserts was when a customer tried to drill the bolt out themself and drilled it too far off center to use a coil insert. The solid insert was just enough larger in diameter to repair some of the off-center holes.
I've been a channel subscriber for over 12 years, Adam, and if I've learned one thing, it's that if someone criticizes your methods, I feel confident in ignoring their criticisms. 🙂
Auto manufacturers/dealer service centers use Helicoils for spark plug thread repair in aluminum heads. Have done for years. They work and last just fine. Never seen one "pull out" if they are done right. Love the channel.
engineering wise, helicoils are stronger due to the larger thread. Corrosion possibility are reduced because the steel bolt is not in contact with the aluminum. Your experience supports your opinion. Great job.
In my opinion you can ignore the hate. You are my go to channel when I have a new job I haven't done before. You have a great channel, very well done, never have steered me wrong. Thank you again for the great content!
That was impressive, what a great job. Your attention to detail is mezmerising. Adam and Abby, you rock, exellent video. Thankyou for sharing. Have a great 2025 both.
Two things I love about this episode. While I have seen Adam remove a lot of broken bolts and / or repairing threads, I've been watching a long time. Great to see it again for new viewers. Some things at the machine shop are just common jobs. Second, as soon as I saw that OD Green on the planer jack, I knew it was a Lufkin. They made good machines tools back in the day.
Love your work Adam, very professional. Well executed repair and saving the integrity of the calipers, helicoils saved my equipment from being rendered useless, still working today. I've got to get me one of those vises.
I wish manufacturers would put inserts into threaded aluminum holes right from the start. It wouldn't prevent stuck and broken bolts but it would certainly reduce the number of times it happened.
Some do and they charge accordingly. For example some high end electronics manufacturers (HP, IBM, Tektronix to name a few) have steel or brass inserts installed at the factory. I have seen some brake calipers, Porsche for example, that have thick steel inserts permanently installed on the alloy calipers. Some use unthreaded holes and have a steel bracket with threaded holes in the steel bracket.
Nicely done sir. Interesting to see all the "experts" who obviously never used nor understand how Helicoils work calling inferior repairs stronger and better. 😆 But inserts are great if the threaded hole is too big for a helicoil. I use both inserts and helicoils depending on what is demanded by the repair job.
I’m an aircraft mechanic. Every single spark plug hole, on every single piston aircraft engine ever made (100’s of 1,000’s of them) has a thread insert of some type in them as the cylinder’s are all aluminum. Yes there is a steel sleeve inside where the piston runs, but not where the spark plugs are. So heli-coil nay sayers…take a Prozac 😊
Adam I really don't see anything wrong with it, what if you maybe would have been better if you would have lock tight in them. The repair is 100% good, I wouldn't worry what other people say. In my option you know what your doing. Keep up the good work.
Great job Adam. I suspect when a helicoil is installed by a professional they last. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks! PS! Love the slinky - now that is precision work right there.
I have great luck with helicoil. I've been w professional motorcycle mechanic for 30 years and have been fixing motorcycles and vehicles all my life. I do loctite them in where I deem nessary. I once helicoiled a big block 454 head bolt hole in a boat that ran on nitrous and made 600hp. It never failed.
When I was in the FAB shop at the Air Guard in Balto. MD, the unit was still flying the F-86 H Saber jet. We had a Heli Coil set in a metal box like I have never seen before or since. It had just about every American thread known and it included the taps, inserts and Go No Go gauges. I bet that was extra expensive due to it being a military purchase. Granted, it did not have sizes used on bridges but it did cover every bolt used in aircraft or darn close to it. I agree with you that a Heli-Coil is a great repair. I have installed many and had trouble with one due to my not knowing how to properly install them. If the thing winds out or in, I would bet anything that the end of the thread was not a full thread in or there was some dirt or metal or some other contaminant involved. When done right, they will not cause you any issues. It they were as bad as some say, airplanes would be falling out of the sky.
I like the fact that Adam acknowledges the scrutiny he receives for some of his bolt removal methods. Being in the automotive machining industries for many years I can attest to the accuracy of his methods and techniques. I have friends that are tradesmen and craftsmen themselves. The subject of broken bolt removal seems to drive itself to a rigid set of standards more often than not. “Weld a nut to it! Works every time!” Hear that all the time. “ Heat that part up! Works every time!”Hear it all the time. That and a few others. They’ll bring these mindsets into the shop, yet they’re in the shop because those methods didn’t work out for them this time. Worst is when they snap off easy outs then try to hammer them down to the bottom of the hole. Ends up hurting carbide mills. What makes it worse is when they call and ask what to do and not to do and you explain it ahead of time. The “works every time” mindset tells them they’re right and they march forward with their stubbornness until a $50 bolt hole repair takes $300.00 worth of carbide end mills or EDM charges. I also agree about power tapping aluminum. Especially cast aluminum that’s exposed to high heat under normal operating conditions. Things happen not worth debating. Just hand tap the hole and use your sense of feel. I’ve found myself involved in some very strange machining predicaments way above my head. It’s the not knowing you’re in over your head part that hurts most. Not understanding just how easy titanium can catch fire in a lathe. Lesson learned. Not understanding valve guides float in Duesenberg heads by design. Not understanding how difficult work hardened cast aluminum can be to machine. Those are among the most troublesome moments in my years. All of them serving notice that thinking outside the box is necessary. Be patient and do not get too “dug in” on approach with methods. Out of those three major learning moments I obviously lived through them. Two of them were resolved at very little to no additional cost. The work hardened cast aluminum part proved very costly. Not only did I hurt tooling, I managed to damage a machine that we relied on hourly through our day to day operations. Taking two full work days to repair. It’s the not knowing.
G'day Adam. I've used Helicoils many times over the years, which have worked well, & saved many thousands of $$'s to clients as well as myself. Jobs well done, & a good Tutorial Video. Ted
Everyone has a trigger. Mine is not a helicoil. I am a diesel mechanic and use them all the time. Properly installed, they work! If you are a helicoil hater, you are neither a mechanic nor a machinist. Sure.....OEM is the goal. On a $4K combustion head with a stripped exhaust port hole, it gets a helicoil every time. So throw your hate my way. I have no feelings and will be ok. I, like Adam have never had a customer come back with a failure complaint.
There was a top fuel guy that did a test with timeserts and heli coils. The heli coil was stronger. Both are proper repairs. The only other way would be to weld them up then drill and tap new holes.
Excellent repair Adam. I would have done it the same way. This could be used as a training video on how to do it correctly. I have seen lots of Helicoils (and Keenset, Quicksert, etc) fail over the years but like Adam I have never seen or heard of one of the ones I install fail. I have never seen a factory installed one fail either. The most successful installs are ones where you have a solid setup with the correct tools. Unfortunately most mechanics and auto repair shops don't even have a drill press. The other problem is access to the hole that needs to be repaired on a vehicle. Most customers are unwilling to pay to have an engine or cylinder head or whatever removed in order to have a single spark plug hole, exhaust stud, etc... repaired. So the bolt or stud gets removed somehow and then a hand drill gets used in some awkward position and angle. Note the last hole where the hole was misaligned when they tried to drill it out and Adam had to use an endmill to clean it up. Fortunately they stopped there and set it Adam before they buggered up any more holes. So I believe that most fail because of improper installation. The mechanic wallows out a hole, taps it with the correct tap, but the hole is too large and therefore the insert isn't properly seated and the hole strips out and or the insert unscrews every time the fastener is removed. In this video Adam did it perfectly as evidenced by the snug fit of the go-nogo gage. In fact, that hole will be stronger than the original holes and more durable for subsequent use.
Great work, Abom79. I have to do this routinely on a smaller scale, like 1.5mm to 4mm holes on firearms and optic plates that folks use way too much torque on the screw! Though this particular problem is a bit different...steel bolts against aluminum threads in a high-torque application.
I thought I over torqued a 6mm thread on an expensive Holley Fuel Regulator! ... I had used blue Loctite, so i just left it (on my own vehicle ) ... and it didn't leak or loosen off!! :) ... 6 months ago now. That's the smallest ones, I have considered putting in .. the tiny ones must be pretty difficult!
Another great job. You have to have the tools but also the skill & experience. It is a fairly easy job but without the tools it could have gone bad!! You make it look easy!!
Where were you back in the 80's when I was in a GM dealership and had to rebuild all those Corvette calipers that were leaking. They finally came out with stainless steel sleeved calipers to replace the leaking ones. Okay yes I am retired and old. I have ran into those aluminum caliper mounting bolts that were seized. Good job. I think the heating up and cooling down that brakes do on a daily basis help cause more corrosion than normal ...
Never had any problems with Heli coils.I tended to use blue loctite to anchor the coils or red loctite in a high heat or pressure area. I have used them in automotive and firearms repair and they do very well.
I never believed in penetrating oil until I bought an old Atlas lathe out of a barn in Pennsylvania. The chuck was frozen on the spindle so bad, they tried to turn it off. Broke the top casting in half and gave up. I bought it for spare parts for the one I had and the cast iron legs. I tossed the parts into a tote after drenching it with PB Blaster. Three years later, I decided to see if I could get the chuck off and it came right off without much force. Not everybody has 3 years to spare, but I learned to start spraying ASAP when I know I have a potential issue.
Had a pair of Pliers losted in the dirt. But them next spring. Put them in a pail of diesel. Month later check them. They were stiff and rusty ,but wire brush and a little oil . They worked great.
Adam, you should make your own stud remover except with a closer edge to allow removal of bolts that are broken close to the workpiece. Just copy that design and mill the bottom closer to the knurled piece for jobs such as these. It would make a great Saturday night special video.
My Dad's stud remover is a bit bigger than the one shown here and the cam is right down at the bottom. That does put the cam in single-shear, but I haven't broken it yet.
Great video Adam, especially liked the close up of the edge finder when they tripped (toggled?), nice to see the varying amount of upset to indicate the edge.
I know the old heat and beat, weld a nut one etc methods, easy outs... all different ways that don't always work. Sometimes you have to use what you have available whether that's a gas axe or whatever. So long as it works and the customer is happy does it matter?. Great job as always
I do a lot of small engine work as a side thing/hobby. I've used Heli-coils to repair stripped threads in many places and have yet to have a failure. I'm not sure why there are detractors, or what their application and prep was, but I have zero problems in using them.
Torque Test Channel has a good threaded insert comparison. Project Farm did one also but it was flawed because they used weak bolts that were the failure point for all inserts.
We have used Heli coils on fighter aircraft, these are very very high vibration aircraft and these are used on aircraft some are in the 1 + inch id. No problems occur. Heli’s are good ! 👍🇨🇦😘
A great job, and nicely explained Adam. Never mind the armchair experts who have seen something else on UA-cam, or those who have done something once or twice with one method, and so think it'll be the best method for every occasion. There is nothing like the lessons from prior experience to teach you which particular approach will be the best to take with the job you see before you.
The only heli coils i saw fail was not installed properly. Usually in a wallowed out hole. Usually hand drilled, not straight and oversized. Years ago I saw new aluminum stuff with heli coils. And you wanted helis in there, the first time they saw TQ otherwise. When the bolt came out, the threads came with it.. nothing wrong with heli coils if installed properly.. awesome work. 🎉
I have to admit I’ve only used helicoils a few times. Remembering what it was for it makes sense tge bolt pulled out of the head with the helicoil attached to it. The aluminum just didn’t seem to hold them well for me. You make them look like the original threads and function well. You must have that special knowledge for putting those buggers in Adam. Thanks for the video:-)
Great work as usual I hope the calipers were fully dismantled & cleaned before use because the hydraulic ports were open to swarf (chip) Ingres during the machining .
Adam, please, block the Hydraulic feed holes in the calibers when working with drills or cutters.... one small piece can be trapped inside one of the piston chambers.... that will be a HUGE trouble..
Helicoils are awesome; I started my mechanic career in a dealership that sold both Kawasaki motorcycles and Fiat automobiles in the seventies. Most of my kits are older than Adam (this one, not the other one.)
Thanks for the video. I had a couple of cars in the early 70’s that had aluminum heads. The spark plugs would freeze in the heads and strip out the threads. Heli-coils corrected the problem. I’ve used heli-coils dozens of times since those early days and never had one fail.
I wanted to add some knowledge that may help with wether or not a helicoil job on brake calipers is okay. I think because these are axially mounted brake calipers instead of radially mounted ones the helicoil should be more than fine. Radial brakes are much more common on nicer motorcycles than cars but F1 cars have radially mounted brakes so both definitely exist. Axially mounted means that the bolts holding the caliper on are pointing towards the face of the brake rotor and perpendicular to the force that the bolt will encounter. So that bolt will have a sheer force acting on it and the helicoil won't have much stress. Radially mounted brakes calipers have the bolts pointing in towards the middle of the brake rotor, like towards the axis of rotation, so the force would be pushing/pulling on the healicoil threads. You may have to look up a picture of the difference to understand what I mean sorry if I didn't explain it well. I've also heard that helicoils can be stronger than an aluminum thread (though I'm not sure if that applies to torque forces, bending forces, or both) so who knows if it would make any difference. In all likelihood these helicoils will be plenty strong and probably would be on radial brakes as well, though I'd be more weary of that. Note: I'm not a machinist, just a motorcycle enthusiast
That stud remover is cool as heck. Have you seen the inductive heaters for heating bolts to break them free. They are awesome for automotive stuff when you don't want an open flame damaging cv boots and such. Might have helped in this situation for the home gamer who doesn't have a full machine shop. Though I think the heli coil repair is a good move those heli coils will be stronger than the ones cut into the casting.
In some cases Heli-coils are installed at the factory in aluminum housings and CBI biomass Grinders had big assed ones installed in the rotor housings at the factory. Heli-Coils are good products if used as designed. Cheers
When you realize that a front set of Brembo's for a WRX are $2300...this repair by Adam saves Eric alot! Thanks for the repair, Adam!
I have used many thousands of heli coils when I was in the Air Force.
From #6 up to 1 inch. Heli coils are stronger than the original metal in most cases on aircraft.
Good job Adam.
@@ronnydowdy7432 thank you for your military service.
Im a mechanic in a food plant and i started to use helicoil in all my alluminium parts. the strenght of the threads are way better. Repairs in this video is more than enough. Good job Adam!
I've learned a lot from a lot of people. Some are good teachers, some, not so good. Adam, I sincerely appreciate the way you explain everything. Thank you.
I always start off saying I won't watch the full length of your videos and every time I end up watching to the end. I enjoy watching a true artisan of his craft work and explain what and why he is doing. Thanks! Keep up the great videos.
I was a jet engine mechanic in the NAVY and we had to use Helicoils on fighter jets from time to time, and I used them on my Harley-Davidson engines without one problem!!!
Correct tools, correct equipment, correct preparation, correct instillation, they will never fail!!!
If you’re laying on your back in the dirt, and you’re free handing, you might run into problems, that’s it!
When installing the new insert, I always clean out the hole with brake cleaner to get rid of all the tapping lubricant because I use red Loctite to hold the insert more rigid in durable
Ive been a mechanic , bodyman , home shop machineist 50+ years. But everyone knows more and nobody wants to pay but they still come around. Because they read it I DO IT. THANKS ADAM.
You have done the job 100% correctly !
I was working on ZF Ecomat HP600s in 1986, and their brand new transmission casings had every single tapped hole M6 or larger, fitted with Helicoils.. from the factory.!
Adam, you did the job right, and you thoughts about lubricating the mounting fasteners, before refitting the calipers, are valid as well.
Those broken bolts occurred because one technician had installed the previous fasteners dry.
The extreme heat cycles and hostile environment that the calipers are subjected to, had caused the dry-fitted fasteners to corrode at the alloy/steel interface.
[Dissimilar materials corrosion]
Even medium strength (blue) Loctite would have minimized corrosion at the tapped aluminium alloy/steel bolt thread interface.
Thank you for your wonderful variety of videos involving machining.
I've watched the channel for a while now but I never stop being impressed by this stuff. As someone who works on his own cars and has drilled a few off center holes through bolts, to see you go down that last bolt hole with the end mill and wind up absolutely dead center so you can see the old threads on the side...it's very impressive. For an experienced machinist with the right tools it's a fixable problem but for me at home it's mount Everest. Really cool man. Love the videos, you do great work.
Great repair Adam, your right, Helicoils are used in all types of industry all over the country a lot. If done right, they are a good repair!
Thanks for sharing.
Adam, I realize that a dedication to precision is the hallmark of your profession, and more importantly it’s in your DNA from your father and grandfather, but after many years of watching you, I’m still in awe. Being a farmer, I’ve messed with all manner of broken bolts and helicoils for 60 years but I can’t honestly say I’ve ever drilled one absolutely on center or perfectly straight. Your devotion to perfection is a thing of beauty. If I lived closer to The Panhandle I’m sure I’d be one of your best customers. But as it is, I’ll try to live up to your standard but I suspect I’ll have to learn to live with my wobbly holes.
"I'm a machinist and I don't want to do this kind of damage: I have machines"!
Love you man! Screw the critics on your channel, I'll bet none of them even come close to your years of experience! You're a true tradesman. A professional. You know what you know from doing, not making assumptions. Love your channel, love the sincerity and honesty you put in and honestly, you inspire me to be a better person, and hobby machinist, every single day!
I've learned a ton watching you and listening to your explanations on why you do things a certain way. Thanks Adam!
Roger from Calgary.
BTW, I'm a Master Electrician in Calgary Alberta. I've been a Journeyman for over 30 years. I know criticism, and I also know how to do something correct. Water off a ducks back my friend.
Your critics don't have the balls to start a channel and show their way, so until they do, and teach us all something new, you're the master! Keep it up my friend.
IMHO: Your best videos are simple, honest repair jobs like that. These have the greatest sharing effort of your knowledge and experience. Thanks!
Excellent repair and I will agree with you to add never seize on the bolt or nuts to keep them from galling up !! And yes I have heard a lot of controversy about using heli-coils for repairs.
I've installed helicoils myself on a few occasions and they have always worked out great. Seems to me that helicoils being used on those aluminum brake calipers have to be much stronger than they were originally with just aluminum threads.
Adam, youre a great machinist, I take a lot of your tips and methods to heart. Dont let keyboard machinists get you down.
I've made good amount of pesos doing repairs with heli coils and not ever have I had an issue with them. Great job homie!
These last videos I noticed how good your camera work has become over the years. I already commented on the braising video about the incredible closeups Abby took. And here, always the most interesting angle and scope. Bravo and thank you. These details are so important, especially if done so seamless. When it looks effortless, it probably is not!
Haters hate man. Mostly jealousy. Your a machinist. The haters are hammer mechanics. They tried that repair one time and it failed. Not because the product failed but because the installation failed. So now they hate. You keep doing you and showing us the correct way these things are done.
ppl also lie in the comments, like a lot, and when questioned (a waste of time) they come up w/ even more ridiculous stories... imo it's the same dudes that love to comment 'you're ugly and not funny' on each female comedian video there is...
i've been working on the interwebs for a few decades and honestly the level of bs i've seen in the last few yrs needs to be studied at an academic level :)
Yeah, it's true. Internet is full of “experts” telling you how to do things but most of them don't have a clue. The best thing is to let them be and ignore.
I've seen more than one one manufacturer of aftermarket aluminum automotive parts put helicoils in when they were made to prevent problems later. A helicoil in aluminum is stronger than the same thread in aluminum. Excellent repair! Only thing I would have done different would be to helicoil the last two.
Saved some expensive brake calipers tonight! You are welcome for my assistance...Thanks Adam, nice to see a true Craftsman at work...Thanks for the video
The close-ups of the last caliper look awesome. Thanks for making this in a single video.
I used my first helicoil 45 years ago in an aluminium motor part. Did the job perfect. Nice video Adam.
Rusted /corroded and broken bolts has always been my nemesis! It's what turns a 1 hour job into a entire weekend project 🥴😡🤬. Love watching a successful save ! Great job , Adam !
I have been a mechanic for over 30+ years (recently retired). I can not count the times I have used Heli-Coils to repear stuff, but just like anything else. They have there time and place. For these calipers. It is the right fit. For engine block such as head bolt holes. Then I will use a key locking insert. Other holes on the block I will use Time-Sert on. On sheet metals I will use a Thread-sert. BUT!!!! This is just the way I do it. At the end of the day. If the repair works. It works. Throughout my whole career. I have never had one fail or any other issues after installing them.
Torque Test Channel did a whole thing on stretch and failure strength of various thread inserts. The takeaway? Almost any brand or style is stronger than a grade 8 bolt is. I would feel confident using them in any situation whatsoever.
When your friend said, I know a guy, It's like,we do too.
Thanks for taking us along.
Remember when you got the vise and it still looks new.
I had an automotive machine shop for 30+ years. I did hundreds of caliper repairs and literally installed thousands of Helicoils with no failures. The early aluminum cylinder blocks came from the factory with Hilicoil inserts for the head bolts. The only time that I used the solid inserts was when a customer tried to drill the bolt out themself and drilled it too far off center to use a coil insert. The solid insert was just enough larger in diameter to repair some of the off-center holes.
I've been a channel subscriber for over 12 years, Adam, and if I've learned one thing, it's that if someone criticizes your methods, I feel confident in ignoring their criticisms. 🙂
Auto manufacturers/dealer service centers use Helicoils for spark plug thread repair in aluminum heads. Have done for years. They work and last just fine. Never seen one "pull out" if they are done right. Love the channel.
engineering wise, helicoils are stronger due to the larger thread. Corrosion possibility are reduced because the steel bolt is not in contact with the aluminum. Your experience supports your opinion. Great job.
In my opinion you can ignore the hate. You are my go to channel when I have a new job I haven't done before. You have a great channel, very well done, never have steered me wrong. Thank you again for the great content!
That was impressive, what a great job. Your attention to detail is mezmerising. Adam and Abby, you rock, exellent video. Thankyou for sharing. Have a great 2025 both.
Excellent work as always. Fell in love with machining due to this channel!
Two things I love about this episode. While I have seen Adam remove a lot of broken bolts and / or repairing threads, I've been watching a long time. Great to see it again for new viewers. Some things at the machine shop are just common jobs. Second, as soon as I saw that OD Green on the planer jack, I knew it was a Lufkin. They made good machines tools back in the day.
Love your work Adam, very professional. Well executed repair and saving the integrity of the calipers, helicoils saved my equipment from being rendered useless, still working today. I've got to get me one of those vises.
I've been a tool and die maker for for over 40 years and I just learned a few tricks. Thank you Adam.
Haters gonna hate. This was a precision repair done with excellence Adam. Great camerawork (Abby?)
I wish manufacturers would put inserts into threaded aluminum holes right from the start. It wouldn't prevent stuck and broken bolts but it would certainly reduce the number of times it happened.
I have heard it is common place in aerospace applications. As they know it is stronger than a cut thread into aluminium.
Some do and they charge accordingly. For example some high end electronics manufacturers (HP, IBM, Tektronix to name a few) have steel or brass inserts installed at the factory. I have seen some brake calipers, Porsche for example, that have thick steel inserts permanently installed on the alloy calipers. Some use unthreaded holes and have a steel bracket with threaded holes in the steel bracket.
Some manufacturers do fit inserts as standard in aluminium and magnesium alloy components.
Nicely done sir. Interesting to see all the "experts" who obviously never used nor understand how Helicoils work calling inferior repairs stronger and better. 😆
But inserts are great if the threaded hole is too big for a helicoil. I use both inserts and helicoils depending on what is demanded by the repair job.
I’m an aircraft mechanic. Every single spark plug hole, on every single piston aircraft engine ever made (100’s of 1,000’s of them) has a thread insert of some type in them as the cylinder’s are all aluminum. Yes there is a steel sleeve inside where the piston runs, but not where the spark plugs are. So heli-coil nay sayers…take a Prozac 😊
Looks like you were spot on with the centring to get that slinky thread. I put a helicoil in my car 15 years ago still good. Love the close ups you do
I have used helicolis years back, never had any trouble. great video, i learn a ton :-) I like the stuff you do. Cheers from Denmark
Adam I really don't see anything wrong with it, what if you maybe would have been better if you would have lock tight in them. The repair is 100% good, I wouldn't worry what other people say. In my option you know what your doing. Keep up the good work.
Seized Bolts for Abom isnt a challenge, always a great video Adam keep them up!!
Great job Adam. I suspect when a helicoil is installed by a professional they last. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks! PS! Love the slinky - now that is precision work right there.
I have great luck with helicoil. I've been w professional motorcycle mechanic for 30 years and have been fixing motorcycles and vehicles all my life. I do loctite them in where I deem nessary. I once helicoiled a big block 454 head bolt hole in a boat that ran on nitrous and made 600hp. It never failed.
When I was in the FAB shop at the Air Guard in Balto. MD, the unit was still flying the F-86 H Saber jet. We had a Heli Coil set in a metal box like I have never seen before or since. It had just about every American thread known and it included the taps, inserts and Go No Go gauges. I bet that was extra expensive due to it being a military purchase. Granted, it did not have sizes used on bridges but it did cover every bolt used in aircraft or darn close to it.
I agree with you that a Heli-Coil is a great repair. I have installed many and had trouble with one due to my not knowing how to properly install them. If the thing winds out or in, I would bet anything that the end of the thread was not a full thread in or there was some dirt or metal or some other contaminant involved. When done right, they will not cause you any issues. It they were as bad as some say, airplanes would be falling out of the sky.
I like the fact that Adam acknowledges the scrutiny he receives for some of his bolt removal methods.
Being in the automotive machining industries for many years I can attest to the accuracy of his methods and techniques.
I have friends that are tradesmen and craftsmen themselves. The subject of broken bolt removal seems to drive itself to a rigid set of standards more often than not.
“Weld a nut to it! Works every time!” Hear that all the time.
“ Heat that part up! Works every time!”Hear it all the time.
That and a few others. They’ll bring these mindsets into the shop, yet they’re in the shop because those methods didn’t work out for them this time.
Worst is when they snap off easy outs then try to hammer them down to the bottom of the hole. Ends up hurting carbide mills.
What makes it worse is when they call and ask what to do and not to do and you explain it ahead of time. The “works every time” mindset tells them they’re right and they march forward with their stubbornness until a $50 bolt hole repair takes $300.00 worth of carbide end mills or EDM charges.
I also agree about power tapping aluminum. Especially cast aluminum that’s exposed to high heat under normal operating conditions. Things happen not worth debating. Just hand tap the hole and use your sense of feel.
I’ve found myself involved in some very strange machining predicaments way above my head. It’s the not knowing you’re in over your head part that hurts most.
Not understanding just how easy titanium can catch fire in a lathe. Lesson learned.
Not understanding valve guides float in Duesenberg heads by design.
Not understanding how difficult work hardened cast aluminum can be to machine.
Those are among the most troublesome moments in my years. All of them serving notice that thinking outside the box is necessary.
Be patient and do not get too “dug in” on approach with methods.
Out of those three major learning moments I obviously lived through them. Two of them were resolved at very little to no additional cost.
The work hardened cast aluminum part proved very costly. Not only did I hurt tooling, I managed to damage a machine that we relied on hourly through our day to day operations. Taking two full work days to repair. It’s the not knowing.
Reason Why I always love watching a real machinist ! More than one way to fix anything. Keep up the Great work!
A good breakfast, a big cup of coffee and the new video, what a great way to start a Sunday :)
G'day Adam. I've used Helicoils many times over the years, which have worked well, & saved many thousands of $$'s to clients as well as myself.
Jobs well done, & a good Tutorial Video.
Ted
Everyone has a trigger. Mine is not a helicoil. I am a diesel mechanic and use them all the time. Properly installed, they work! If you are a helicoil hater, you are neither a mechanic nor a machinist. Sure.....OEM is the goal. On a $4K combustion head with a stripped exhaust port hole, it gets a helicoil every time. So throw your hate my way. I have no feelings and will be ok. I, like Adam have never had a customer come back with a failure complaint.
Amen brother.
Well said that man there.
Steel bolt in a steel helicoil eliminates the corrosion issue.
When I was a machinist for the Air Force we used helicoils all of the time and they are better than the original threads.
@@ronnydowdy7432 Fact!
There was a top fuel guy that did a test with timeserts and heli coils. The heli coil was stronger. Both are proper repairs. The only other way would be to weld them up then drill and tap new holes.
Excellent repair Adam. I would have done it the same way. This could be used as a training video on how to do it correctly.
I have seen lots of Helicoils (and Keenset, Quicksert, etc) fail over the years but like Adam I have never seen or heard of one of the ones I install fail. I have never seen a factory installed one fail either. The most successful installs are ones where you have a solid setup with the correct tools. Unfortunately most mechanics and auto repair shops don't even have a drill press. The other problem is access to the hole that needs to be repaired on a vehicle. Most customers are unwilling to pay to have an engine or cylinder head or whatever removed in order to have a single spark plug hole, exhaust stud, etc... repaired. So the bolt or stud gets removed somehow and then a hand drill gets used in some awkward position and angle. Note the last hole where the hole was misaligned when they tried to drill it out and Adam had to use an endmill to clean it up. Fortunately they stopped there and set it Adam before they buggered up any more holes.
So I believe that most fail because of improper installation. The mechanic wallows out a hole, taps it with the correct tap, but the hole is too large and therefore the insert isn't properly seated and the hole strips out and or the insert unscrews every time the fastener is removed.
In this video Adam did it perfectly as evidenced by the snug fit of the go-nogo gage. In fact, that hole will be stronger than the original holes and more durable for subsequent use.
Thanks, Adam. Very nice closeups, btw. They really help a lot to understand what's going on.
Great work, Abom79. I have to do this routinely on a smaller scale, like 1.5mm to 4mm holes on firearms and optic plates that folks use way too much torque on the screw! Though this particular problem is a bit different...steel bolts against aluminum threads in a high-torque application.
I thought I over torqued a 6mm thread on an expensive Holley Fuel Regulator! ... I had used blue Loctite, so i just left it (on my own vehicle ) ... and it didn't leak or loosen off!! :) ... 6 months ago now.
That's the smallest ones, I have considered putting in .. the tiny ones must be pretty difficult!
Another great job. You have to have the tools but also the skill & experience. It is a fairly easy job but without the tools it could have gone bad!! You make it look easy!!
Where were you back in the 80's when I was in a GM dealership and had to rebuild all those Corvette calipers that were leaking. They finally came out with stainless steel sleeved calipers to replace the leaking ones. Okay yes I am retired and old. I have ran into those aluminum caliper mounting bolts that were seized. Good job. I think the heating up and cooling down that brakes do on a daily basis help cause more corrosion than normal ...
I've used those coil systems many times and they are a real life savor on my 62 classic head and other projects..good job!
That’s some amazing technique in that bolt that the threads drilled right out in one coil. Well done.
Never had any problems with Heli coils.I tended to use blue loctite to anchor the coils or red loctite in a high heat or pressure area.
I have used them in automotive and firearms repair and they do very well.
I never believed in penetrating oil until I bought an old Atlas lathe out of a barn in Pennsylvania. The chuck was frozen on the spindle so bad, they tried to turn it off. Broke the top casting in half and gave up. I bought it for spare parts for the one I had and the cast iron legs. I tossed the parts into a tote after drenching it with PB Blaster. Three years later, I decided to see if I could get the chuck off and it came right off without much force. Not everybody has 3 years to spare, but I learned to start spraying ASAP when I know I have a potential issue.
Exactly......I usually warm it a bit, than soak it, then let it sit overnight. Time is your friend with that stuff.
Had a pair of Pliers losted in the dirt. But them next spring. Put them in a pail of diesel. Month later check them. They were stiff and rusty ,but wire brush and a little oil . They worked great.
I just finished a project where I had to install 2mm Helicoils in a part made from PEEK plastic.
Thanks for using thè proper term 'galled" and not "galded" as so many do.
Adam, you should make your own stud remover except with a closer edge to allow removal of bolts that are broken close to the workpiece. Just copy that design and mill the bottom closer to the knurled piece for jobs such as these. It would make a great Saturday night special video.
My Dad's stud remover is a bit bigger than the one shown here and the cam is right down at the bottom. That does put the cam in single-shear, but I haven't broken it yet.
I agree with you about the helicoils I have been using them for over 50 yrs . the only failures were not installed properly or were misapplied.
Great video Adam, especially liked the close up of the edge finder when they tripped (toggled?), nice to see the varying amount of upset to indicate the edge.
I know the old heat and beat, weld a nut one etc methods, easy outs... all different ways that don't always work. Sometimes you have to use what you have available whether that's a gas axe or whatever. So long as it works and the customer is happy does it matter?.
Great job as always
We use them all the time for Aluminum and Plastics, they work great.
Very informative Adam, enjoyed it too. Keep doing what your doing buddy and I hope you get the land cleared/house built soon 👍🏻
I do enjoy the content, well done and a good save!
"Stud remover" is such a nice name for a "tool" though! 😂
I do a lot of small engine work as a side thing/hobby. I've used Heli-coils to repair stripped threads in many places and have yet to have a failure. I'm not sure why there are detractors, or what their application and prep was, but I have zero problems in using them.
Torque Test Channel has a good threaded insert comparison. Project Farm did one also but it was flawed because they used weak bolts that were the failure point for all inserts.
We have used Heli coils on fighter aircraft, these are very very high vibration aircraft and these are used on aircraft some are in the 1 + inch id. No problems occur. Heli’s are good ! 👍🇨🇦😘
Great Video Adam..video work A++
A great job, and nicely explained Adam. Never mind the armchair experts who have seen something else on UA-cam, or those who have done something once or twice with one method, and so think it'll be the best method for every occasion. There is nothing like the lessons from prior experience to teach you which particular approach will be the best to take with the job you see before you.
Great video production/discussion/mentoring on this repair(s)…..❤
I learned a lot, as always. Thanks for sharing. I suspect that those that say the Helicoil failed probably installed them wrong.
Great skills. It’s always great to watch your work. Well done.
The only heli coils i saw fail was not installed properly. Usually in a wallowed out hole. Usually hand drilled, not straight and oversized. Years ago I saw new aluminum stuff with heli coils. And you wanted helis in there, the first time they saw TQ otherwise. When the bolt came out, the threads came with it.. nothing wrong with heli coils if installed properly.. awesome work. 🎉
I have to admit I’ve only used helicoils a few times. Remembering what it was for it makes sense tge bolt pulled out of the head with the helicoil attached to it. The aluminum just didn’t seem to hold them well for me. You make them look like the original threads and function well. You must have that special knowledge for putting those buggers in Adam. Thanks for the video:-)
Great work as usual I hope the calipers were fully dismantled & cleaned before use because the hydraulic ports were open to swarf (chip) Ingres during the machining .
Adam, please, block the Hydraulic feed holes in the calibers when working with drills or cutters....
one small piece can be trapped inside one of the piston chambers.... that will be a HUGE trouble..
That closeup of the helicopter going in was awesome. Thanks for that!
Helicoils are awesome; I started my mechanic career in a dealership that sold both Kawasaki motorcycles and Fiat automobiles in the seventies. Most of my kits are older than Adam (this one, not the other one.)
The material in the Helicoil inserts is way better than the aluminium. This is an improvement.
Haters gonna hate Abom. I have used helicoids with great success.
You have some pretty amazing tools & gear! Thanks for making engineering content again
Thanks for the video. I had a couple of cars in the early 70’s that had aluminum heads. The spark plugs would freeze in the heads and strip out the threads. Heli-coils corrected the problem. I’ve used heli-coils dozens of times since those early days and never had one fail.
I wanted to add some knowledge that may help with wether or not a helicoil job on brake calipers is okay. I think because these are axially mounted brake calipers instead of radially mounted ones the helicoil should be more than fine. Radial brakes are much more common on nicer motorcycles than cars but F1 cars have radially mounted brakes so both definitely exist. Axially mounted means that the bolts holding the caliper on are pointing towards the face of the brake rotor and perpendicular to the force that the bolt will encounter. So that bolt will have a sheer force acting on it and the helicoil won't have much stress. Radially mounted brakes calipers have the bolts pointing in towards the middle of the brake rotor, like towards the axis of rotation, so the force would be pushing/pulling on the healicoil threads. You may have to look up a picture of the difference to understand what I mean sorry if I didn't explain it well. I've also heard that helicoils can be stronger than an aluminum thread (though I'm not sure if that applies to torque forces, bending forces, or both) so who knows if it would make any difference. In all likelihood these helicoils will be plenty strong and probably would be on radial brakes as well, though I'd be more weary of that.
Note: I'm not a machinist, just a motorcycle enthusiast
I’ve been installing heli-coils in an automotive engine setting for over a decade and never had one fail that was installed correctly.
That stud remover is cool as heck. Have you seen the inductive heaters for heating bolts to break them free. They are awesome for automotive stuff when you don't want an open flame damaging cv boots and such. Might have helped in this situation for the home gamer who doesn't have a full machine shop. Though I think the heli coil repair is a good move those heli coils will be stronger than the ones cut into the casting.
Learned much about helicoil today.
Great job Abom enjoyed the video.
Great camera work. Very professional.
Excellent video for tapping Adam. ❤
The lesson learned on these types of things it to use some anti-seize wherever heat, corrosion, or incompatible metals are involved.
In some cases Heli-coils are installed at the factory in aluminum housings and CBI biomass Grinders had big assed ones installed in the rotor housings at the factory. Heli-Coils are good products if used as designed. Cheers