Total Chaos Upper A Arm difficulty

mopar · 05-17-2006, 10:10 PM

I wass assembling my Total Chaos Upper A Arm and I snapped the zirk fiitting in the hole. No Problem tried an easy out but the brass is too soft. Ok put it on the drill press and drilled it out. 75% of the thread is excellent Go to look for a 1/4-28 Tap and no one has them only 1/4 20. So I take a grade 5 bolt and try to clean up the threads from the inside up get it 90% through and the bolt breaks. Fu8dge!!!!! I don't dare try drilling out the hardened bolt as my bits suck and will probably walk. Not sure what to do. Of Course this is on the last one all the other 3 are done. May take it to a machine shop not sure of my options. Do zirk fittings come in any thread other that 1/4-28???(thats all I've ever seen) Any tips in the right direction apreciated.

bestatchess · 05-17-2006, 10:33 PM

I think they make 1/4-28 helicoils

*kevdizzle* · 05-17-2006, 11:27 PM

As a last resort you could take like a small dremel cutting wheel and make a slice in it and unscrew it out w/ a flathead.

Ridley · 05-18-2006, 02:14 AM

Don't be a woosie. Center punch that and drill that soft pos grade 5 bolt outta there. Now next time you won't be such a hillbilly and use the right tool for the job

How hard did you look for a 1/4-28 tap? I have like six of them laying around, in left hand too, and it ain't cause I'm a tool whore, but they are like super common. Sears has them. They come in like every tap set. Did ya look for them at the grocery store or something? Better yet, send both arms to me, and I'll take it out and put them on my truck to make sure they work

I'll even pay for shipping.

Vegas04 · 05-18-2006, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ridley

Don't be a woosie. Center punch that and drill that soft pos grade 5 bolt outta there. Now next time you won't be such a hillbilly and use the right tool for the job

How hard did you look for a 1/4-28 tap? I have like six of them laying around, in left hand too, and it ain't cause I'm a tool whore, but they are like super common. Sears has them. They come in like every tap set. Did ya look for them at the grocery store or something? Better yet, send both arms to me, and I'll take it out and put them on my truck to make sure they work

I'll even pay for shipping.

wow, just beat the man while he's down why don't you!! If you have a sturdy drill press, I think you should attempt to drill out the broken bolt and use an easy-out... but if you have only a hand drill I'd take it to someone else. If you don't get the whole drilled right in the middle it will break the easy-out everytime

*ChicksDigEmToo* · 05-18-2006, 07:31 AM

Fudge is all I can say. I had my problems with the TC's grease fittings as well. If it were me...I'd take it to a machine shop and let them handle it in 3 minutes instead of spending a few more hours hunting down the right tool! I sure hope you dont have your truck dismantled yet!

Good luck to you mopar! Just remember if everything was simple to do...were would the gratification of doing it yourself be? We should probably contact Greg and see if he can get a word to Total Choas about this issue that serveral people are having with the powder coating damaging the threads in the arms. After all is said and done it's still a great product to add to your truck!

bestatchess · 05-18-2006, 08:01 AM

I may need to get those TC arms. I need a good excuse to buy a milling machine. Maybe you could rent that jacked up arm out for a week or so. "Look honey, look at this messed up arm. My truck is crippled. I need a milling machine."

mopar · 05-18-2006, 10:50 AM

I got it fixed by an old timer in town with a small shop who did it for $10 with the grease fitting. So the install will be going on as planned this weekend if nothing else gets in the way

mopar · 05-18-2006, 06:23 PM

They're all put together now. That was just a little panic as I didn't want to destroy a $500 part.