Did my LBS rip me off?

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TrailHead
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TrailHead
Edited Date/Time 3/27/2016 8:20pm
So i have a pretty good relationship with my lbs, but recently i stripped the threads in my fork post mount. So i took it to them and the dude said he can fix it by re-tapping it with the SAME size (M6). I didn't even think of it. But when i tried it, it was absolutely the same. I went back and told them that it didn't work and they didn't even say anything. How could you think that re-tapping totally stripped threads would work? Charged me $10. I still like them, but i just think that wasn't right. Kinda like they tried to get an easy buck. So bought a heli-coil kit and fixed it and i'm good now.
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wsmac
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wsmac 3/26/2016 9:19am
3/26/2016 9:19am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2016 9:23am
Sounds like all the wrench actually did was to chase the threads... which is NOT re-tapping them... never worked in a machine shop I suspect! When you tap threads... you create them (either rolled or cut). Chasing threads is just twisting a tap into the hole hopefully moving loose material back out when you remove it (and blow the hole with air), and straightening up the threads that remain (but which are in good enough shape to straighten back up)
.
When running the same size tap down the hole over the same size threads, you can clean up some chips, maybe straighten threads a little bit... but you are not re-creating new threads, and you are definitely NOT fixing threads that have been partially or completely removed.
.
Stripping threads is COMPLETELY removing them from their base. Cross-threading is damaging them by 'cutting' through or mashing them with the harder bolt threads because the angle of insertion is all wrong (...that's what she said!...), but not actually stripping the threads away from the material they are formed on.
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Heli-coil in the right hands... a good thing! Wink
.
What's it worth for the basic wrench to take the time to actually learn about threads?
There's plenty of really important and interesting information about what threading is... how threads are created... why they are cut in certain pitches... why you have some taps with pointy ends and some with flat ends, the importance of using cutting fluid when inserting a tap or twisting a die, etc., but then you'd look and sound like some sort of geek.... lol
.
.
OH.. right... you asked a question! Wink
.
It's up to you whether you feel 'ripped off' or not.
I see it as...
1. A customer who understood they actually did strip the threads
2. A wrench who doesn't understand basic metal work, uses the commonly misused terms of such, and possibly thought they were actually doing something that might work.
3. A customer who seems to have known the wrench was going to just chase threads and went along with it.
My opinion is... you paid to have him run a tap down the hole and he/she did.
.
Glad you are savvy enough to be able to use a heli-coil! Good on ya!

Smile

TrailHead
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TrailHead 3/26/2016 8:29pm
3/26/2016 8:29pm
wsmac wrote:
Sounds like all the wrench actually did was to chase the threads... which is NOT re-tapping them... never worked in a machine shop I suspect! When...
Sounds like all the wrench actually did was to chase the threads... which is NOT re-tapping them... never worked in a machine shop I suspect! When you tap threads... you create them (either rolled or cut). Chasing threads is just twisting a tap into the hole hopefully moving loose material back out when you remove it (and blow the hole with air), and straightening up the threads that remain (but which are in good enough shape to straighten back up)
.
When running the same size tap down the hole over the same size threads, you can clean up some chips, maybe straighten threads a little bit... but you are not re-creating new threads, and you are definitely NOT fixing threads that have been partially or completely removed.
.
Stripping threads is COMPLETELY removing them from their base. Cross-threading is damaging them by 'cutting' through or mashing them with the harder bolt threads because the angle of insertion is all wrong (...that's what she said!...), but not actually stripping the threads away from the material they are formed on.
.
Heli-coil in the right hands... a good thing! Wink
.
What's it worth for the basic wrench to take the time to actually learn about threads?
There's plenty of really important and interesting information about what threading is... how threads are created... why they are cut in certain pitches... why you have some taps with pointy ends and some with flat ends, the importance of using cutting fluid when inserting a tap or twisting a die, etc., but then you'd look and sound like some sort of geek.... lol
.
.
OH.. right... you asked a question! Wink
.
It's up to you whether you feel 'ripped off' or not.
I see it as...
1. A customer who understood they actually did strip the threads
2. A wrench who doesn't understand basic metal work, uses the commonly misused terms of such, and possibly thought they were actually doing something that might work.
3. A customer who seems to have known the wrench was going to just chase threads and went along with it.
My opinion is... you paid to have him run a tap down the hole and he/she did.
.
Glad you are savvy enough to be able to use a heli-coil! Good on ya!

Smile

Yea, thats what it was... chasing the threads. I honestly thought they would fix it by chasing the threads. I dont know that much about threads. What do you mean by "wrench?", a mechanic i'm guessing.
wsmac
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wsmac 3/27/2016 8:20pm
3/27/2016 8:20pm
Sorry... I come from a Harley Bike background (before the Harley Yuppie Davidson days... Wink ), a wrench is a mechanic.
Too bad it couldn't have been a simpler fix, but hopefully you got it this time!

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