HELP NEEDED - Stripped a Bolt Hole

[blown240]

I was just out in the garage making sure my Red Beast didn't have anything coming loose. I discovered that one of the bolts on my fork is stripped!

Or should I say the crown is stripped!

Here is a picture:

I've ridden this bike really hard, so I'm not super surprised. BUT, I am leaving Thursday to go ride Bootleg Canyon, and this bike is going to get pushed WAY harder than it ever has! So I need to fix this ASAP.

The crown is aluminum, the bolt is steel.

I figure I have a few options:
1. Helicoil the crown and put the bolt back in.

2. JB weld the bolt back in

3. Get the next size bigger bolt (5/16) and re-tap the crown for a bigger bolt. This will probably be the strongest, but it will leave less "meat" on the crown.

4. Move the bolts to the forward hole and give the fork more rake.


What do you guys think?

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Helicoil would be my vote, that way the bolt is running in steel...

Luke.

 

[mikeeebikey]

The strongest will be a thread insert.
Not hel-i coil!
Then the next bigger size, which will make the clearence holes have to be enlarged.
If you are any good with a drill and tap: go 2 sizes up, drill and tap, insert grade 5 bolt with loctite, cut off excess and file it smooth. Transfer punch, drill and tap for original bolt.

 

[mikeeebikey]

Does that left bolt hole have a crack!?
What do you guys think?

 

[blown240]

The left bolt hole isn't used. Buts that's not a crack, it's a grinder mark.

I'm going to go look for some thread inserts.

 

[blown240]

So I went to 3 stores and couldn't find the right size helicoils. So I came home and drilled and tapped it. Actually this turned out to be the best because I was obviously not thinking when I made this crown. The shoulder bolts weren't sunk into the shoulder. Just the threads were in.
Not there is a nice 5/16 fine thread bolt. I think I may do the other side like this too.
Pics:
The longer bolt is the new one:

Nice and put together:

 

[B607]

The strongest will be a thread insert.
Not hel-i coil!
Then the next bigger size, which will make the clearence holes have to be enlarged.
If you are any good with a drill and tap: go 2 sizes up, drill and tap, insert grade 5 bolt with loctite, cut off excess and file it smooth. Transfer punch, drill and tap for original bolt.

You're going to drill and tap a grade 5 bolt? How hard is that? Have you done it before? Gary

 

[mikeeebikey]

You're going to drill and tap a grade 5 bolt? How hard is that? Have you done it before? Gary

Not near as bad as a grade 8!
Or, you can buy inserts that're pre made.

 

[aratman]

They sell "helicoil" type insert kits at Harbor freight cheap. That should have some type of insert you can do it now or when you have a longer stripped hole.