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Date:         Tue, 6 Sep 94 17:55:37 ADT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: Engine compartment door hinge

>Anyone know of a good way to effect repairs on a hinge whose mounting holes >have stripped out? (the ones in the body, not the door)

Try drilling it out with several small drills. There are two tricks here, 1) get it started in the dead-centre of the remaining threaded-in bit, the time spent here is worth it, centre punch it to start. 2) don't break the drill or you're really done for.

I think these were countersunk screws, so you may be able to pilot the hole with a large diameter bit first, then drill using 1/8" and up sizes. Usually if all goes well you end up with loose curls of threads which you can pick/blast out. A tool called an Eze-out is available, it is a reverse thread tapered screw that you tighten into the partly drilled out bolt and thereby twist out the rusted remains. This helps if your drilling went astray, I've had mixed results with them. Neat drilling works well, puts a lot of heat right into that stubborn little bugger too, without torching the paint. Use ample WD-40. Use lower RPMs and vary the speed so you don't 'glaze' the drill hole. Clean up the threads with a thread tap if you can beg/buy one. A set of thread taps is also useful, overdrill the hole and tap the next size larger thread into it, when desperate. Welding requires weather seal removal, followed by lots of fun body work/paint to fix the scars!


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