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First off, this isn't related to my G35 but my wife's 2007 Altima. It's a general mechanical repair question so I hope that's cool. You guys have helped me a lot in the past and I know I can find solid advice here.
While installing new rear struts I noticed that one of the mount fasteners was stripped out. I tried to install a helicoil kit but noticed that the hole had already been drilled out to a larger size. I suspect that the mechanic I had do the work last time had installed a coil and I must have pulled it out while taking out the old struts. I tried to just add another coil in there and thread into it but that quickly popped out. I've been considering just tapping the hole for a larger bolt but I'm afraid I'll just be making the problem worse. There also isn't a lot of room in there for threads. Right now I'm considering fishing a fastener through the hole down from the top and JBWelding it in place so that I can secure the strut with a bolt similar to the other side. Any thoughts?
I would add another fastener from the top. The JB Weld should work just fine to hold it into position for the future. I would use a grade 8 fastener just because, and make sure to use a fender washer on top to distribute the load.
Thanks. It was a real challenge getting it in place without JB Weld smearing everywhere. I was also afraid I was going to drop the fastener inside the body somewhere and have it rattle forever. Either way, I've got it curing now. Probably going to wait a few hours before putting the strut back on. Then I'll drive it tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.
For the future, if you DO ever drop a fastener into the body like that just take some globs of silicone and squirt it down into the cavity (yeah it'll be a little awkward on that one, they make flex tip nozzles for caulk tubes. Then the fastener will be trapped with silicone and won't rattle.
As I got in there, I realized that the wheel well was too contoured to achieve good contact between the fender washer and the fastener. I attempted to glob on the JB weld to fill in the gaps but it wasn't really working. Once I realized what I was working with I used PC-Metal epoxy (link below). This is like a putty that I was able to roll into a playdoe like snake and line the surface and edge of the washer. It also held it shape which made it a lot easier to apply successfully in that small space. It also didn't get onto the threads which was definitely an issue with the JB weld. Ultimately I'm very happy with the results. I got the strut back on and I think it's A LOT more secure than it was before. Thank you all for your help!
