Tapping Die for 51mm Strut Housing?

[funcrew]

I have a 51mm (325i) right-side strut housing with bad threads. I can screw the KYB gland nut in about half way, then it sticks. Does not appear to be cross threaded. No obvious dents or damage to the female threads in the housing. Gland nut looks perfect. Do they make a tapping die to dress the threads on the strut? It's a 65K strut on a 65K car; I'd rather not replace it if it's repairable.

Housing probably got damaged because gland nut loosened off gradually, and the strut banged around in the housing for a few weeks until I had a chance to pull it out and inspect where the noise was coming from.

Thanks!

[haggardfab]

they sell files with teeth profiles cut into them, you MAY be able to find the correct metric pitch and try one of them by hand if the threads just have dirt/rust scale in them

i dont know what thread the strut is off hand but something that big, and metric, will likely be EXTREMELY expensive, especially for one time use

[RedReplicant]

Yes, but they are like $250.

[funcrew]

Thanks for the information. I will source a replacement strut.

[LJ851]

Clean/straighten the threads with a thread file. They are cheap and a handy tool to have anyway.

[Balleristic31]

I bought one for about $95 to tap threads on the housings in order to be able to shorten them without sectioning. Worked great, but took a lot of time, effort, and patience to cut the threads nicely. I think I bought the tap on amazon.

[raudonis]

I once had female thread (steel) that had bits of male thread (aluminum) stuck dead to it. They were oil pipes for m20 oil cooler. Cleaned up by hand using an awl with a sharply bent tip.

[808e30325i]

Just take it to a reputable machine shop and do it right.

[FredK]

It's M48x1.5, if you want to get a tap.

[LJ851]

It's M48x1.5, if you want to get a die.

ftfy.

[Mr. Tasty]

ftfy.

it is a tap though. Unless referencing death.

[LJ851]

it is a tap though. Unless referencing death.

Taps are for internal threads, Dies are for external threads.

It's a Die that OP wants.

[Mr. Tasty]

Taps are for internal threads, Dies are for external threads.

It's a Die that OP wants.

Weird, my housings had internal threads.

[LJ851]

Haha! My mistake, i've been working on too many other cars recently.

[Mr. Tasty]

Haha! My mistake, i've been working on too many other cars recently.

:up: