I have a 1998 fxstc, split tank. I removed the right tank to work on the carb and when I went to put the tank back on I stripped the rear bolt. I'm guessing I ruined the part of the frame that ya bolt the tank to. what do I do?

 

Post a pic. You have options from heli-coil, time-sert, or tapping to next larger thread size. Again, post a pic or a diagram.

 

Yeah, helicoil. Done.

 

Here is another vote for a Heli coil but I'd use some painters tape to mark the drill bit and tap so you don't go too far and drill through the frame.

 

I used a Riv-Nut on my Shovelhead, worked a treat and better than a helicoil as the frame tube walls are pretty thin and a Riv-Nut adds thickness and threads to the solution.

 

I like RivNuts. I use them whenever I need to put something like that through thin wall tubing, fiberglass, etc. I prefer the steel kind over the aluminum. If where you need to fix the threads is not deep enough to hold at least one helicoil, then certainly use a RivNut. Harbor Freight sells a kit, but just with the aluminum ones.

This is the tool you want:
https://www.harborfreight.com/10-in-...kit-58078.html
It will do steel or aluminum. This one:
https://www.harborfreight.com/45-pie...-kit-1210.html
will do aluminum, but is too light for steel work. Mcmaster-Carr is a great source for the RivNuts themselves.

 

I have never messed with them before. The Factory bolt (4014W) is 5/16x24 1-1/4. I was looking on amazon. Is this the right thing to get? Need help figuring out "installed length"

 

You will need the right drill bit too. This kit has all of it:

"Installed length" means how deep the insert goes down. I'm not sure what you are putting that in on the frame. How much metal is there on the frame for the bolt to go into?