Stripped out the trani drain housing. Helicoil or thread repair or other. Help and thanks!

 

I've only had one experience with Heli coil. A few years ago a roommate who is a mechanic accidentally stripped the threaded hole for the spark plug on a Suzuki 650. I believe the heads were aluminum. He used the Heli coil but it wouldn't solve the problem and I had to get a new head eventually. So, in aluminum it didn't work.

 

It would be better, in order to prevent oil loss, to oversize the hole and drain plug. there are kits out there to do this.

 

That's a bad one. No loctite for sure and a helicoil is not the best choice. You first might see if Harley has a self tapping drain plug (common in automive). Basically it's oversize and when you screw it in it taps a new thread. On the helicoil, though it would work, they tend to come out when you take the plug or bolt out. I guess you could use some thread lock on the coil, but there would be no guarantee. If Harley doesn't have a self tapping plug, your best bet would be a Keensert (if they make them thst large). It's like a helicoil, but it has two wedges that you force in mechanically that lock it in place permanently after insertion.

 

IMO the best repair is with a Timesert. Its not a Slinky type thread repair. Its a solid bushing. Use ATF for running the Timsert tap in and it prevents galling.
http://www.timesert.com/

 

+1....

I have never used one personally but have a friend who swears by them as a much better alternative to a helicoil....

 

.helicoil in aluminium is better than the original.. but get it done properly by someone who knows what they are doing and has all the right tools.