Repairing a Stripped Tom Mount

Disco Stu

Senior Member
I'm using an old Sonor Force 2001 kit for gigging. It actually belongs to the keyboard player in my band. It wasn't well cared for, but despite that, it's in pretty decent shape. One problem that needs to be resolved, however, is a stripped tom mount. Unfortunately, it's not the tightening bolt that's stripped, it's the bolt hole on the shell mount.

I did a search and discovered what looks like a good solution, which is to install a heli-coil thread insert. They are used to repair stripped thread holes in auto parts. Unfortunately, a heli-coil set would cost around $100. Any ideas on where I could go to have someone install one for me? I guess most mechanics could do it, but I wonder if they would charge some minimum hourly rate to do so. Perhaps a metalworks or welding shop?

Any other ideas on where to go or other solutions for repair would be appreciated.
 
Here are a couple pics of the mount. It's the bolt hole for the winged tightening bolt that is stripped.

That Pearl mount looks like it could work, but how can I tell if the screw holes will line up with the drilled holes on the shell, and if the tom arm will fit in the mount hole? Do they use universal measurements, or would this require drilling new holes in the shell?

(The tom arm hole on this Sonor mount looks to be about 3/4" or about 2cm in diameter.)

Already did a search on ebay for one of these, but didn't find anything. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place or with the correct keywords?
 

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Just go to a Sonor dealer and have them order the part/mount you need
 
It's stuff like this that made me switch to a modular system. RIMS with Yamaha tom mounts. I've never broken a RIMS, and I've never had a Yamaha tom mount fail.
 
OK, I may end up ordering a new one if I can. But the fact is, there are two mounted toms on this kit, and the bolt holes were stripped on both of them. I only use one mounted tom, so I only need to repair or replace one. But to me, the fact that both were stripped suggests a design flaw. I wonder if I'd eventually end up with the same problem on a replacement mount of the same kind. I suspect the heli-coil I referenced above might actually provide more durable threading. They use those things to secure bolts in engine parts and even the space shuttle. Anyway, thanks for your suggestions.
 
OK, I may end up ordering a new one if I can. But the fact is, there are two mounted toms on this kit, and the bolt holes were stripped on both of them. I only use one mounted tom, so I only need to repair or replace one. But to me, the fact that both were stripped suggests a design flaw. I wonder if I'd eventually end up with the same problem on a replacement mount of the same kind. I suspect the heli-coil I referenced above might actually provide more durable threading. They use those things to secure bolts in engine parts and even the space shuttle. Anyway, thanks for your suggestions.

I doubt it was a design flaw. I'm guessing someone over tightened the screw and got stripped
 

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......But the fact is, there are two mounted toms on this kit, and the bolt holes were stripped on both of them. I only use one mounted tom, so I only need to repair or replace one. But to me, the fact that both were stripped suggests a design flaw. I wonder if I'd eventually end up with the same problem on a replacement mount of the same kind.
Suggests cheap pot metal to me. If you have 2 identical parts that are broken in the exact same place, I'd suspect the 3rd part would give you the same problem somewhere down the road. And this is why SQ2, Delite, and S Classix cost what they cost....and Force 2000 Series cost what they cost. Sometimes you just have to pro-rate cheap parts (I got 5 years good use out of it) and move on. Drum parts break. Cheap drum parts break more often.
 
I suspect the heli-coil I referenced above might actually provide more durable threading

However, the heli-coil may not work in your situation, that IS cheap "pot metal" and I doubt it would stand the strain of being fitted with such a unit.

That is not a block of metal, it is reduced down to just tubes of metal where the bolts are threaded into it. The rest is open air, not much strength there.

Have you tried reversing the two bolts that are in the mount at the moment?? You could epoxy the stationary bolt in the stripped hole and use the somewhat virgin threads for the wingbolt. This of course would depend on if they are of the same threads.
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__________________
Most respect the badge, but all fear the drum.
 
Well, I went to a local motorcycle mechanic who runs a small repair shop, and he installed a heli-coil for me. Took him about 10 minutes, and he charged me $15. He said the coil will be stronger than the original threading. So far, so good. It mounts the tom just fine now. I will post an update if it fails anytime soon, but it seems pretty solid. Thanks to everyone for your input.
 
I'm using an old Sonor Force 2001 kit for gigging. It actually belongs to the keyboard player in my band. It wasn't well cared for, but despite that, it's in pretty decent shape. One problem that needs to be resolved, however, is a stripped tom mount. Unfortunately, it's not the tightening bolt that's stripped, it's the bolt hole on the shell mount.

I did a search and discovered what looks like a good solution, which is to install a heli-coil thread insert. They are used to repair stripped thread holes in auto parts. Unfortunately, a heli-coil set would cost around $100. Any ideas on where I could go to have someone install one for me? I guess most mechanics could do it, but I wonder if they would charge some minimum hourly rate to do so. Perhaps a metalworks or welding shop?

Any other ideas on where to go or other solutions for repair would be appreciated.

you can go to http://www.mcmaster.com and type in heli coil in the search box and you will find very reasonable prices on individual as repair kits that are not that costly.

Let me know if that works for ya.
 
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