engine and drivetrain Chasing Block Threads

[David Bunnell]

Here are a few sots of the block getting prepped and test fitting some bearings on my fresh turned and nitrided crank.This is a real nice thread chasing set.I saw it on Gears.I used taps for ever this is the only way to fly.I lube each one and blow the hole out . I will wash the block one more time before assembley.I have a set of Moroso engine brushes that makes that job a breeze.

Edited May 30, 2013 by catman53

[FB73tii]

Thanks for the post and good timing, I was just starting to look for a set of these. Yours is the Lang 972 "40 Piece Fractional and Metric Thread Restorer Kit", correct?

 

Fred '74tii & '69 (both with engine projects nearing completion)

[Dabliz02]

Thanks for the post and good timing, I was just starting to look for a set of these. Yours is the Lang 972 "40 Piece Fractional and Metric Thread Restorer Kit", correct?

 

Fred '74tii & '69 (both with engine projects nearing completion)

 

 

Craftsman also has a set of them.  I think they have one like his and I have a bigger set I think.

[FB73tii]

Thanks and nice pics of your project. My only suggestion is to attach your shoulder harnesses to the roll bar cross bar, rather than all the way down to the rear floor pan. The shorter the harness straps the better. Of course this won't work if you use the car without the harness bar, I see yours is removable.  Best, Fred

[Dabliz02]

Thanks for the kind words.

 

I will remove the bar once in a while to possible put stuff back there, so that's why I bolted them to the floor (stock seat belt holes).  But either way, how would you mount them to the cross bar?  Wrap it around?  I've seen them wrapped but don't now how they are secured.

 

Thanks

 

-Mo

 

p.s.  getting side tracked off of main topic.. shhhh 

[FB73tii]

Mo--To attach your harnesses to the harness bar you need open strap ends (no sewn-in bracket) and a 3-bar slide plate (2" or 3" depending on your strap width). A graphic of a slide bar and how it is installed is given on pages 24-25 of the following document from HMS Motorsports. Also review sub-strap installation guidelines on pages 15-16. For anyone with non-stock belts that has not looked into safe harness mounting procedures, this is recommended reading....

Competition Harness Belt Installation
http://www.hmsmotorsport.com/docs/Competition_Instructions.pdf

I've known Joe Marko of HMS for quite some time and he knows his stuff on safety. In 14 years of instructing at various HPDE's I have seen many harnesses installed incorrectly, making them far less safe than stock belts. Sub straps wrapped around the front of the seat are common offenders, as are harnesses on seats not designed to use them. A few years ago I had a student in a 2002 with a five-hole seat but the shoulder belts secured to the roll cage hoop *above his head*. I have no idea how he thought this would protect him in an impact, and the car had even passed tech. Since he had removed his stock belts, I told him to go get a harness bar welded in and then come back to the track.

 

PS: Catman, apologies for the thread hijack. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.....Here's an interesting discussion on thread chasing taps vs. normal taps for cleaning threads:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/thread-chaser-tap-237679/

 

Best regards and be safe!
Fred

Edited May 31, 2013 by FB73tii

[ahlem]

I've been fearful of chasing any threads with power tools. Is that what's going on with the Ryobi or is that a brush to clean the threads?

[David Bunnell]

I picked up the set from Amazon they had the best price and it was the Lang not some odd ball for $ 65.00 Thats a nice price. The power tool tapping is not accepted by most people.HoweverI have worked in many big job shops and thats the way they do it on big jobs with alot of repeats bulding painted parts that must be cleaned up and require alot more torque and a big half inch Millwaukee drill and not break off the tap while doing hundreds of paint filed threaded holes. You get alot of practice and it's not such a big deal. Ive done thousands and it is a slow as dirt screw gun not a high speed drill. I would never think of using the method on very fine or small threadsThese ole hands can get pretty cramped up and sore spinning a tap- even a socket on a ratchet works good thats why these are made this way.A clumys- all thumbs kind of guy that breaks alot of drill bits- cant drill a straight hole needs some practice anyway ."If you havent broke a few drill bits and taps you haven't drilled or tapped many holes " The old machinist would say. Oh ! not to say thats you - Whatever youre comfortable with -.It makes quick work of a teadious job

Catman

[tjones02]

A little more harness side tracking....

The 24HoursOfLemons site also has great write up/diagrams of how to install harnesses... And so much more like roll cage info.

http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/usercontent/lemons/Handbook/Handbook_PrintFriendly.pdf

OK, back to chasing threads... I don't chase threads every day, but when I do... Well, lets just say that maybe I'll start using a bit of power. Say, start out with my screw gun.

Cheers and HTH

[David Bunnell]

When I was the TIG welder for Enterprise Electronics in the early 70's I was shown by the plant production manager how to drill and tap threads into 1/2 thick 6061 aluminum plate with a Milwaukee 1/2" hand drill.The machine shop fabbed the radar consoles  the radar dish pedestals and tower bases. I fabbed and weled up everything we made there.You see a color radar picture on TV  they made all or part of the multimillion dollar system.You can check out their site on the web. They are called something else now but the same company sence 1970.I fabbed the 30' dia ring that set on top of a 50' tower-that was on top of the 4 story Channel 4 in Oklahoma city. I also installed it. The ring that attached the 30 foot dia 1/2" alum plate,base on top of the tower. That part held the pedestal and the 12' dish. This was all inclosed in one of the Geodesic fiberglass domes like you see at the airport. I was 21 and had been a certified welder for about 3 years.There were hundreds of 3/8" tapped holes in the base alone all layed out- drilled and tapped about 120 feet in the sky above Oklahoma. They wanted that knocked out and this powered method is how they wanted done. There were 4 high dollar Union Iron workers up there too and a big friggn' crane. Time was money.

I got real good at and have used that metod many times sense -if it suited the purpose. But not foolishly for every thing.There is always another way to skin a cat. You learn something new every day some of it is crap some is sublime.

I thought this might get a rise out of some and maybe share something that could open up posibilities for yall.

Slow speed - torque monster with lots of feel. Hose it down wth your favorite thin spray lube- dont drown it. Chase the hole- blow it out - the bit off and chase it one more time. The feel when torquing everything afterwards is silky smooth. pay attention.No yacking- Focus.. That time cosuming - carpul killing chore will fly by and you can move on.

Thanks guys - Catman