AE86 Tech #86-12: Taps/Chasers

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It's not a tool used very often but it's nice to have. Kinda like insurance, you'll have the confidence you know your covered. There will be times that you'll run into a boogered up thread or need to clean out rust and junk in your threads. There will also be times that you'll be at the track and your set is at work. Because you didn't think you'll be running into that situation.


Here's a trick I learned a while back. It's not a 100%, but it might just save the day.

Take a file and a bolt with the correct thread needed for the job.


File perpendicular to the threads like so.


If you've got a dremel or air tool with a cut off wheel, your job has gotten just a little bit easier.

Now wasn't that easy? Do about 2-4 grooves. But don't be doing this on all your bolts and calling it your tap kit. It's always better to get the right tools for the job. Don't cut steak with a butter knife.


As ghetto as this may seem, even the next door neighbor mechanic event used it successfully. I should charge him a consultation fee.

Since those days i've already own a tap and die kit. But I actually still use these to chase out holes with dirt and other garabage in them. It actually works quite nicely. No sense in wasting a tap for just clean up.

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