Frame Bolt Hole for Front Right Sway Bar Bushing Bracket Bolt is Stripped….. Options?

[Kale D]

I was gonna take pictures but not much to see. Had some weird ”chatter” lately from the front right, so I investigated today and noticed my sway bar end link on the right side was fairly loose with a lot of play up and down. Upon closer look, one of the sway bar bushings bracket bolts had come loose, causing abnormal movement in the sway bar and link.

Noticed I could not tighten it and the bolt kinda moved freely in the bolt hole, could only get it so tight before it popped loose again.

The bolt itself does not appear to be stripped, so the hole itself must be. Not sure how it happened. I took both brackets off the sway bar, cleaned everything up, wire wheeled and brushed any rust off, sprayed rust converter and made everything all nice. Got everything all buckled up again except that one bolt. It’s all snug enough for now but it will loosen itself.

Whats the best fix? Just use a slightly bigger bolt and call it a day? Or is there a better way?

These are the brackets(photo of the Dorman product)in case someone needs the visual

 

[blert]

So many ways to repair threads. Choose one...
https://www.google.com/search?q=thread+repair+kit

 

[Kale D]

So many ways to repair threads. Choose one...
https://www.google.com/search?q=thread+repair+kit

Gee thanks. If you don’t have an answer better to just not reply. I like to see what others have done here.

Let me rephrase this then, who has had this happen in this situation and what did you do?

Fish a nut in from the top, tighten.

Tap and die. If you don’t own a set, expensive.

Bigger bolt, just tighten it in there.

Loctite it and worry about it for next time.

All googled stuff. My first thought was slightly bigger bolt but was curious what others did

 

[DILLARD000]

...chatter” lately from the front right
...sway bar bushings bracket bolts had come loose
...moved freely in the bolt hole
...bolt itself does not appear to be stripped, so the hole itself
...took both brackets off...cleaned everything...sprayed rust converter
...buckled up again except that one bolt...will loosen itself
...bigger bolt and call it a day? ...better way?

Unsure; would need to put my eyeball on it.
Couple years ago replaced SwayLinks with heavier homebuilt versions;
did retorq all the bolts, didn't notice any issue on the SwayBrackets,
but don't have RoadSalt here eating everything like your Canada probably does.
If frame metal is still strong; I'd be tempted to go with bigger Class8 bolts if possible,
then a couple of coats of rustoleum & axle grease over everything.

 

[swshawaii]

Only saw useful answers, but to prevent any further conflict I've deleted three posts.

@Kale D
You're not the first that's had front sway bar frame bolt threads stripping. Ford had a "flag nut" repair kit available at one time but I'm coming up empty. IMO, your best option is retapping the stripped hole in the frame one size larger using a new bolt. Individual metric taps can be bought separately at most larger hardware stores.
https://www.google.com/search?q=exp...ABAIgBAJIBAJgBAMgBBcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

 

[Kale D]

Yeah the frame is still in pretty good condition, which is why it’s weird the 1 bolt unseated itself and caused some stripping in the process. Only thing I can think of is possibly over torqued it however many years ago and something jolted it and it popped.

The bigger bolt was my first thought, as I don’t own a tap and die kit. Could get one but it probably wouldn’t see much use.

It looks like a M10 but I’ll have to pull it out again and double check. Not sure what the thread gap is, tried looking for the ford bolt spec but couldn’t find much other than it’s probably 10mm. Without having a bunch a bolts in front of me, not sure what size to get. Does one just buy a m12 and muscle it in?

Edit: Posted same time as you @swshawaii Sorry about that, I just find when people answer “google it “ it’s kinda ignorant. Just don’t reply. Sometimes it’s nice discussing it and I didn’t see a post n these forums.

Yeah I looked at a few tap kits, was hoping to avoid spending $50 for 1 bolt fix.

 

[swshawaii]

FPG page inked below. Thread size and pitch usually listed. Keep us posted.
https://www.fordpartsgiant.com/part...ssis/front_susp_arms_stabilizer_x_member.html

 

[DILLARD000]

If you dont have a thread gauge, best to pull that bolt & take it to your local hardware, use their gauge.

 

[mcarroll02]

Take bolt to parts store and get one about 3/4" longer and get a nylock nut. If that's not an option due to access, then drill and tap to next size larger bolt( dont have to stay with metric, go sae if its what is just a smidge bigger) last resort, drill and tap to larger size and use a helicoil. Which the helicoil kits come with the drill and tap that you would need. Not talking about the spiral wire ones, the solid steel ones. I have repaired 8 blown out sparkplugs on my old 5.4 f150 that way....worked great till it started blowing them out too...

 

[Kale D]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah I’ll take the bolt to the fastener shop, they’ll have anything.

I’m asking around to see if anyone I know has a tap and die but I guess if I have to, I’ll buy one.

Hoping to do it this weekend.

 

[Todd Z]

I know some one who used a construction hollow wall anchor ( Butterfly type) Drilled hole a little, used that and done....

 

[Kale D]

Shoot, thought I replied to this lol

So as a last try, I took all the bolts out again and tried them all in different holes. Strangely enough, the one bolt that wouldn’t tighten was fine in the other 3 and all 3 of the others were fine in the “stripped” hole.

I tightened them all up and they’ve been tight since.