What to do with cross threaded skid plate bolt?

bigwebb83

New member
So I was going to install the new man-a-fre skid in my garage but my wife couldn't help me position it under the truck. So I figured I would take it in for an oil change since they have to remove and replace the skid anyway and just have them put on the new skid. So I got the oil change and noticed it was taking longer than it should've. The guy comes out and tells me that the two bolt holes at the rear of the skid plate have been cross threaded and he can't start the supplied bolts with his fingers so he doesn't want to force them in there and create a bigger problem blah blah blah. At this point I'm just thinking, "can i take this truck anywhere and just get ANYTHING done right the FIRST TIME?". Anyway he told me the thread needed to be retapped. What is involved in this? Is it hard? how expensive is the tool? Another thing I don't understand is, he told me that the supplied two bolts that came with the skid (why didn't they include 4?) were to short for the rear holes and that i would need longer ones anyway. He also mentioned that I should get some rubber bushings so it wouldn't rattle. At this point I wondered if he knew what he was talking about. Why would it rattle if it was tightened down? And if it was a problem why wouldn't the manufacturer include said bushings? I'm so annoyed right now. All I've done to my truck is a spacer lift and bigger tires and now I'm trying to do a friggin skid plate. I have been all over hell's half acre trying to get this stuff done and it's just getting annoying. :redbrick:
 
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Tap+thread cutting oil should do the trick. Make sure the size and thread pattern is correct and you should be fine.

If you cant re tap the hole maybe you could check into a Heli coil kit for it. I use those sometimes at work when bolts get stripped out of aluminum.

Threaded insert - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Worst case scenario you'd have to drill it out and go up 1 size but that would be a last resort.
 
You also can rent a "thread cleaning" kit from autozone for free...I've used it before for some VERY boogered up threads. Might be a free fix. If that won't work, as mentioned, you can get a tap/die set that will cut new threads.
 
So I was going to install the new man-a-fre skid in my garage but my wife couldn't help me position it under the truck. So I figured I would take it in for an oil change since they have to remove and replace the skid anyway and just have them put on the new skid. So I got the oil change and noticed it was taking longer than it should've. The guy comes out and tells me that the two bolt holes at the rear of the skid plate have been cross threaded and he can't start the supplied bolts with his fingers so he doesn't want to force them in there and create a bigger problem blah blah blah. At this point I'm just thinking, "can i take this truck anywhere and just get ANYTHING done right the FIRST TIME?". Anyway he told me the thread needed to be retapped. What is involved in this? Is it hard? how expensive is the tool? Another thing I don't understand is, he told me that the supplied two bolts that came with the skid (why didn't they include 4?) were to short for the rear holes and that i would need longer ones anyway. He also mentioned that I should get some rubber bushings so it wouldn't rattle. At this point I wondered if he knew what he was talking about. Why would it rattle if it was tightened down? And if it was a problem why wouldn't the manufacturer include said bushings? I'm so annoyed right now. All I've done to my truck is a spacer lift and bigger tires and now I'm trying to do a friggin skid plate. I have been all over hell's half acre trying to get this stuff done and it's just getting annoying. :redbrick:

Check this link.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/32297-skid-plate-bolts.html

It happened to me and this is what I did. I've been meaning to get this info up on my site as it comes up often enough, but no time to do so right now. Good Luck.
 

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