Installating helicoil on riser
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: t-roy
01-Jul-23
Both thread holes for the sight on my Vertix, are stripped out. Looking at trying to install some helicoil to remedy the problem. Anybody ever done this? Any tips or tricks to it? I’m also open to any other options to fix my thread issues……Thanks in advance.
From: Bowfreak
01-Jul-23
Troy,
I assume you bought it new. If so I suspect Mathew’s will cover it.
From: t-roy
01-Jul-23
Yes, I bought it new, Mark. You thinking if I try to fix it with the helicoil, Mathews won’t stand behind it?
From: t-roy
01-Jul-23
A little hard to see.
From: Ambush
01-Jul-23
Does the hole and threads go all the way through? Not a lot of meat there for a Helicoil. Is it a 10/24 thread?
And if you do Helicoil it, I doubt very much that Mathews would warranty it, unless you get permission first, which I also doubt you'll get. But then, I doubt they will warranty the riser for you anyway.
From: Bigdog 21
01-Jul-23
Either re-taping to bigger size are helicoil will require drilling out and there is not enough riser material for either. Is it hollow all. Way through riser where you could use bolt and a nut on other side..
From: Charlie Rehor
01-Jul-23
This website currently has around 20 slightly used Mathews bows. Here’s a good one as an example.
From: t-roy
01-Jul-23
The threaded hole is about 3/4” deep, but doesn’t go completely through the riser. From what I researched, it IS 10/24 thread. I might just have to try a find some longer 10/24 Allen bolts and run a tap in to clean the threads, and see if that will work. If not, I better contact Mathews before possibly going the helicoil route.
I can’t afford a new/used bow, Charlie. Looks like I’m gonna have to pay off my student loans, now!
From: Bowbender
01-Jul-23
Hole is already started. Tap drill for the helicoil will follow it. Drill thru. Tap 1/2” min. Insert 10-24 helicoil. Use at least 3/8 lg insert. You’ll be good to go. I’ve done it several times. And quite a bit at work in aluminum machine bases.
From: Ambush
01-Jul-23
Run in a bottoming tap to gain all you can. Then get bolts a bit too long and trim down for max thread engagement.
I’d contact Mathews and ask about a remedy, just out of curiosity.
If you can’t salvage enough thread, then I’d drill and tap for a 6 millimetre bolt. 13/64” drill size will just clean out your old threads. And being metric will bring you a small step out of the dark ages.
From: Bigdog 21
01-Jul-23
If you get a tap and try chasing threads make sure it's a bottom tap. And if enough threads left in bottom to work...Don't over tighten!! alum. Is soft. If your site keeps coming lose use blue loctite on threads and snug it up and let dry for day. Good luck.. and paying back will work out ok millions have done it ok.
From: Teeton
01-Jul-23
Goggle Loctite form-a-thread. Watch you tube.
Also other companies make this stuff.
From: ND String Puller
01-Jul-23
If it was mine I’d contact Mathews first. If that didn’t pan out, I’d tap threads all the way through. And use a longer screw. If you’re not confident in that I’m sure a machine shop would do it for a very small fee. There doesn’t look to be enough meat to helicoil it. Kind of a weird spot for Mathews to save weight on lol. I’m betting they’ve seen this many times. Good luck you old blow hard !
From: Ambush
01-Jul-23
And get a little push tube of this stuff. It’s specifically for steel bolts into aluminum. It prevents the chemical reaction created by the dissimilar metals. I use it on all bolts going into aluminum that are going to be there for a long time. Marine included.
From: Matt
01-Jul-23
And being metric will bring you a small step out of the dark ages."
The only issue with that is TRT is more expensive than a new riser. ;-)
From: Teeton
01-Jul-23
On my bow I use a lot of places loctite purple. It's the weakest loctite. It's meant for aluminum. It will actually do what a Ambush stated, but by holding fasteners tight. I only have to modestly tighten stuff with it on the threads. Being modest I can get them loose if needed and for year has held tight for me. With them not coming loose threads do get wore out from vibration/being loose. Nothing stops a thread from get stripped from it being cross threaded or plan old pulling the thread out from over tightening
From: WapitiBob
01-Jul-23
Stainless screws are a nice upgrade.
From: Coyote 65
01-Jul-23
What I would do would be clean up the hole and use an epoxy based filler to "glue" in a nutsert/rivnut of the thread pattern of your choice. Have fixed airplanes this way.
Terry
From: Murph
01-Jul-23
We’ll TRoy I know this don’t count exactly but dads old wooden riser bear compound that he decided to resurrect into his bow fishing setup didn’t have a threaded Berger hole at all so we drilled the maple riser and put a helicoil into the wood and was able to get a really solid attachment for an AMS rest, long story short it yielded his first paddlefish, good luck, I wouldn’t be afraid to try a few options on your setup but contacting Mathew’s might be a good start, if it was me I have good machinist that would weld the hole shut and start over with clean hole and threads another option anyway
From: fdp
01-Jul-23
You should be able to.run a tap one or 2 sizes larger in there. Re-tap the hole, get the right size screw/bolt and move on. It will void the warranty most likely but if Matthews won't stand behind it does that matter?
And it's for a sight so there isn't any torque involved.
You can do it with a tap, a crescent wrench and some cooking oil.
From: midwest
02-Jul-23
Quit using a 3/4 impact driver to mount your sight.
Judging by your pics, I’d say there’s not enough material left for a helicoil. I’d try to tap as deep as you can with a bottoming tap, as suggested, use a longer screw, then trade in that antique.
PMd you.
From: t-roy
02-Jul-23
Thanks for the input, guys. It’s hard to see very well in the pic, but I think there’s still enough threads deeper, to work with, so I’ll run a bottoming tap in, then try some longer screws, and see if that works. If it doesn’t, I’ll contact Mathews and see where they stand.
Rod…..It might be a good time to convert over to metric, especially with how favorable the exchange rates are right now!
From: Ambush
02-Jul-23
If there are any threads left near the top, you may get lucky with using a 12-24 tap. It's same pitch and the trick is to have the tap engage the existing threads in the bottom. Then use a longer 12-24 bolt. If you have to drill and tap, then do both operations with a press, not free hand.
But the bigger question is: if you actually are a farmer, why are you concerned about fixing it before the morning you really need it?!?
C'mon man, even on Miami Vice they always say "...a kilo of coke.." because it sounds so much more badass !
From: t-roy
02-Jul-23
That IS true, Rod. I’ve even kinda got a Sonny Crockett look going on this morning. Haven’t shaved in three days, and my shirt unbuttoned down to my navel. The cigarette boat’s in the shop, though.
From: Bowfreak
02-Jul-23
I would check with a dealer first. I have never owned a Mathews but I don’t think it is debatable that they have the best customer service in the bow industry. I know the cover stuff all the time that they probably shouldn’t. I know they have covered dry fires when people have said “I dry fired my bow.”
From: Aspen Ghost
03-Jul-23
I wonder if it might work best to epoxy in a 10/24 stud long enough to mount your site by using a nut and lockwasher. Or maybe that's a crazy idea.
From: Cheesehead Mike
03-Jul-23
That might be a good idea, but I would use JB Weld rather than epoxy.
From: Bowbender
03-Jul-23
The stabilizer bushing on my FeatherMax wore out. Drilled it out, inserted it. That was over 10 years ago. Took all of ten minutes.
From: t-roy
10-Jul-23
I checked with the archery shop, and they said the stripped threads aren’t a warranty issue for Mathews. I picked up some longer 10/24 allen screws, and a buddy is sending me a bottoming tap. Like a couple of guys pointed out, there’s not near enough material to work with for the helicoil route. Fortunately, I’m certain there’s plenty enough threads further inside to work with. The top hole wasn’t buggered up too bad, and I test fitted one of the longer bolts into it, and there seemed to be plenty of threads still left to work with.
Thanks for the suggestions, guys!
From: Ambush
10-Jul-23
Good news. Don’t be afraid to drill the hole all the way through if you have to. Just do it under drill press and low rpm.
From: Ambush
11-Jul-23
