Topic: Skid plate mounting (More of my new found hate for Rust!)

[SDWE61988]

Hello everyone,    Well I think I see some light at the end of the tunnel as far as my sring upgrades go.  The 2.5 in lift kit is on, SS brake lines have been installed in place of the leaking old rusted ones, and the exhaust is about to go on tonight.  When I removed the skid plate yesterday, the last bolts that mount it to the frame came out with the threads of the frame frozen to them.  I stripped out the threads to the frame. There in some rust at the openings of the other 4 mounts. It looks like they are close to doing the same thing ( More of my new found hate for Rust!)  Has anyone repaired something like this before.  Is there something like a helicoil insert that someone can be used successfully?  I have a neighbor who has some pretty good welding equipment, some i am loooking for the best possible permenant solution that won't cost an arm and a leg. 

[Jeffy]

There are a few ways to fix it.  One would be to remove the 'nut' and have a new one welded on.  You could also tap that nut to the next size up.  Or add a helicoil.  I've seen people remove the nut then insert a slug with a threaded hole then weld that into place.  I have also see more extreme cases where they remove all of the nuts then weld a strip with the nuts on them to the underside of the frame.  The last option and not my favorite would be to drill a hole on top then use a LONG bolt with a nut on top of the frame.

[SDWE61988]

Thanks for the Ideas.  We ended up drilling the hole enought to insert a nut into it and welding it.  Seems to have worked.

[brokenwrist21]

yeah i had two or three of mine do that, i just drilled and tapped to the next size up