Sway bar frame threads.
 

Long story short one of the frame threads for the front swaybar holes stripped out. What’s the best fix? I don’t think it’s thick enough for a helicoil

This topic has been covered at nauseam , learn to do a search.

So oversize thread cutting bolt?

Rivnut.

Ok I searched that and came up with a harbor freight kit. Is that sufficient?

Harbor freight should be ok but probably cheaper material, i get mine from fastenal for about a buck a piece.... can use a normal bolt/washer set up to install, dont need to buy the special tool, especially if you will only use the rivnuts one time.

lots of youtube vids on how to install them without the tool but works eaither way.

you can tap it to the next bigger thread size, but then you will always have 1 bigger bolt, the rivnuts are basically permanent and let you keep the same bolt size.

there was a recent thread on this, i posted a couple vids showing how to install them without the tool.... here ya go. https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...ghlight=rivnut

For the large 1&1/4 front sway bars on later Formula and Trans Ams the factory used Riv nuts. On the Camaros with their smaller front bar just drilled self tapping bolts in the frame.

I believe steve25 meant search THIS forum. This topic has been discussed at length and a lot of good info has been posted on the various repair methods.

If you want to get it down without waiting for parts or tools to arrive, get a telescopic magnet and a 3/8 x 1.25 NC bolt and nut and lock washer drill out the hole in the frame and install, This is what I have done on my 65 with all four is it a hack fix, possibly but I didn't want to buy the Rivnut set and a bunch of wasted time waiting when I could of been driving.

I know what he meant. I searched rivnut cause I had never heard of it.

Are you sure thats the case for all later 2nd gen formula/T/A? I have an 81 WS6 T/A and pretty sure only the frame is tapped, thats the car i bought the rivnuts for, no other threaded inserts inside the frame I could see when repairing the stripped hole. Pretty sure my 78 WS6 T/A is the same but will have to check next time its out.

My 78 and 81 has rivnuts but instead of an allen head bolt like my 78 had small head bolts.
79 Camaro none.

I think rear brackeri just threads.

I will have to double check my 81 & 78, i know the 81 didnt have them when i recently fixed a stripped hole... either someone removed all 4 factory rivnuts & tapped the frame or maybe its a norwood vs van nuys thing?

stick a wrench in the frame and put a nut in there or drop a bolt down with a magnet

Careful with rivnuts. Most people do poor install on them, and they end up becoming an issue. My car for instance, somebody put in rivnuts on stripped out frame threads and 3 out of 4 of them just spin in their holes. My sway bar bushings aren't in too bad of shape so I've just not bothered doing anything about them for now.

yea I always wondered abut that happening. i guess maybe a tack weld woud fix it?

Theres a chance the ones on your car are factory installed based on what skip fix posted.

Now that I think of it, my old 78 T/A i had as a teenager & into my mid 20s had some type of threaded insert in the frame for the sway bar, one side they were spinning so a friends dad put a tack weld on them from the factory side holes in the frame.

I don’t see where I can get to it

I did that on my 71. I kept ripping the threaded inserts out of the frame, so I said screw it and just bolted it in with a regular nuts and bolts.

There's a difference between a rivnut and a thread-sert. Both types come up on searching either of the 2 types, so KNOW what you're buying before you buy.

Have to use steel inserts, and the steel inserts of the rivnuts is what is used, so you can't use the 'plyers' type of tool, it has to be the longer arm type of tool.

I've mentioned this before, but you have to drill the proper size hole, and depending on the size you need, you will most likely have to by a fractional drill bit that's not normally available in sets, or even some hardware stores.

When a rivnut fails (spins), 99.999% of the time is because the incorrect hole size was drilled. Once it spins, you can use the size rivnut you used before, you have to go bigger.

Problem is when you go to a bigger hole, the bolt heads get bigger, and may not fit due to the U bend of the bar bushing bracket.

If you can reach in from the front of the frame horn, you could make a plate with 2 bolts in it, and fish it into the frame, having the bolts drop thru. You can use a steel plate and tap holes so the bolts don't have to be welded, etc.

You might have to take the front bumper off to get to the front opening of the frame horn.

.

Also, rivnuts and thread-sert have different inserts for different materials' thickness. They only compress so far, so you have to make sure you use the correct insert for the job.

Generic ones usually have a wider range of compression, and are in some cases not intended for higher loads. For critical apps, you have to use the most optimal insert.



.

Difference between a Thread-sert & Rivnut tool:


Blue = 'plyer type tool'

Red = 'Long arm type tool'



.

You can use a center punch and 'pin' around the hole to tighten them up. But in some cases is only a temporary fix.

Make sure you have a bolt in the hole before you start pinning.



.

The rivnuts I mention & show in that other thread are steel from fastenal, they have a thin flange to avoid problems with the bracket.

Im not sure of the size of a 64gto sway bar bolt but if they are the common 3/8 size used on most 70's cars they use a standard 9/16 drill bit for the hole, they can also be installed with the bolt/washer/nut set up as shown in the vid links posted in that thread.

Reaching in from the front of the frame may be an option but removing the bumper or nose on some cars is a lot of work... and some cars you cant get a wrench in the frame to hold a bolt. Use a good rivnut and whatever tool you prefer but the bolt/nut tool works great, just gotta be sure you tighten the rivnut to compress it fully. The other suggestions will work too, rivnuts just seem to be the easiest option.

I knew a guy that had nothing but trouble with this. I believe that he kept making the hole too large or oval’ed out. So he ended up welding a stud to the frame.

It really depends on who makes the rivnut, the RIVETKING ones I use spec a 17/32 drill size.

Will stand by: Be SURE to use the correct size drill bit for the rivnut you use, from the same manufacturer.

.

Fastenal also recommends a 17/32 drill size:

https://www.fastenal.com/product/details/0125626

https://www.fastenal.com/content/pro....RFH.YZ.06.pdf


.

I agree it depends on the brand/type of rivnut/nutsert... never questioned verifying the hole size, always confirm that.

Some sources say 3/8 rivnuts use a 9/16 hole, some say 17/32 yet some say its a range of size depending on how tight you want the nutsert in the hole and that its best to measure the OD of the rivnut to determine size as they can vary.

When I asked the guy behind the counter at fastenal what size drill bit for the rivnut I bought, he blurted out 9/16 without hesitation, but the fastenal link does say 17/32. If it does require a 17/32 drill bit, general purpose ones are like $5-6 and easy to find at common home stores or hardware stores so thats not really a big deal.

https://yardandgardenguru.com/nutsert-drill-size-chart/

When I take my subframe off this winter, I'm welding in nuts on the inside of the rails. The nuts and bolts work fine, but I figured while I'm in there, I'll make it permanent. I hate the threaded inserts.

It's an interesting feeling when you throw your car hard into a corner, and the front sway bar decides to stop working lol

The last subframe i built the bolt hole threads were good but i still dropped in from the inside of the frame grade 8 allen head bolts torqued and loctited them in and used grade 8 nylock nuts to finish the 1.1/4 bar and poly bushings off with..... A bit of finesse and work but a lifetime of knowing there after no loose inserts no pulled threads nothing but confidence

I've made thick plates with both holes for sway bar. Then tack welded them in place with sub frame off.

A lot of very GOOD info in HWYSTR455's post above.

You will have to remove the Front Bumper to do the job correctly.

If you install something WRONG you can't blame the hardware used or the parts used.

Never had an issue with the HO Racing "BIG FRONT BAR" WHEN you install the proper parts correctly using the proper tools.
Been on the car for many years without an issue.

I have a spare 1-1/4 bar if someone need one.

Tom V.

Local fab shop is gonna put threaded plate where the holes are. Apparently this is a problem with Factory stock jeeps

Hope their "fix" will do the job for you at the end of the day.

Tom V.

I didn’t think of this idea. I called our local fab shop thinking it would be $$$$$. He said that they had actually done this quite a few times just not on a 64 Pontiac. I will be Autocrossing a little in Clemson and I was mostly concerned about a failure.

Local Jeep fab shop drilled out the holes one size bigger, dropped bolts down thru the frame and tacked the bolts in place for 15 bucks. Now I have sway bar studs LOL. Just gotta put it back on

Good to hear, but what's going on with your power steering issue?

We have not heard a peep about that in 2 weeks.

On the 64 frame horns, is there an access hole to tack them? Maybe a bumper bolt pass-thru?

Just curious.

.

Yes there is an access hole. Belt squeal stopped with a new belt just like magic.

That's how ya do it! Sometimes the strongest fixes are the most simple.

I did the same on my TA. It's rock solid.

We drilled a hole on top of the frame and used a long bolt to reach the sway bar mount.