# How to repair stripped caliper guide pin



## FWBcut (Apr 4, 2016)

Had the problem of a stripped front caliper guide pin and threaded hole in the spindle, and searched for repairs. I found options of : buy a new spindle, and send it to a guy who had a repair kit. 
I found the repair kit here but I wasn't going to pay for it since this should be a one time problem.

I could find plenty of new guide pins such as This
and I could find the inserts like this . I bought single ones for 2.60 each. Search for BGS-148-1 to find the part. 

The kit comes with a special drill bit that has a tip that is supposed to keep you drilling straight, but if you're good with a drill you don't need it. I measured the shank of insert and a 10.8mm drill bit will do the job. I got one for 7euro, while the bit in the case is around 27euro if you buy it single. The kit also comes with a drill guide, but decided it wasn't needed since I was confident in my drilling. 

















Drill

















I don't really understand the copper washer but I just left it. 









I used one of the guide pins to start the insert straight into the hole. I drove the insert the rest of the way home with a c-clamp









Finished product!

The caliper bolted back on with ease, no misalignments!
25.90euro total for me, much nicer than the price of the kit. There is also a helicoil kit for ~50 I believe. It's an odd size 9mm so that must factor into the higher prices. 
Hope this post helps the next guy with this problem. Of course if you aren't to confident with the drill the drill-guide would be suggested.


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

My son recently returned from Germany from a deployment with the U.S. Army. I was hoping that he could visit some junkyards while in Germany and send home (to the U.S.) some hard to find parts for my MKIII Jetta. Unfortunately, where he was stationed there weren't any junkyards.

I don't know what the salvage situation is in Germany, but here in the U.S. car salvage yards are everywhere. A used front steering knuckle costs about $25 from a self-service salvage yard. In the case of damaged caliper mounting holes on the steering knuckle/bearing housing, for us here in the U.S. replacement with a used part makes more sense than repair with a heli-coil or other sort of thread replacement. The caliper mounting bolts are torqued to around 90 ft.lbs which is high for a thread replacement fitting. To me, the more safe repair route would be replacement of the steering knuckle. 

Thanks for showing an alternative to the common steering knuckle replacement method.


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## htr (Dec 22, 2014)

They make a guide pin just for this situation. They can be found at any auto parts store. The threads are just slightly over sized so it can be used when the hole is stripped. It looks just like a normal guide pin.


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## dogdog (Jul 26, 2007)

htr said:


> They make a guide pin just for this situation. They can be found at any auto parts store. The threads are just slightly over sized so it can be used when the hole is stripped. It looks just like a normal guide pin.


yes they are called oversized guide pins if you search them, I have set, from Dorman just in case sets when mine was stripped, I think those are M10x1.25 threads.

or you can get a M9x1.25 heilcoil kit.... the normal thread size for these guide pin are M9x1.25 threads. that was what I did. works for past 12+ years no drama..... didn't needed the oversize guide pins.


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