HELICOIL REMOVAL
Sometimes when machining and repairing different things, it is necessary to remove helicoil inserts that have been previously installed. Without any knowledge of how to do this can make a simple repair seem like a complete disaster. From my experience, helicoil inserts are not really particularly difficult to remove. Tools needed for this operation include a small center punch with a sharp point, a medium sized ballpeen hammer and a decent pair of needle-nose pliers. The first step is to take the center punch and position it on top of the thread insert 85 degrees from the end of the insert. Then strike the punch lightly with the hammer. The idea here is to get the punch behind the insert which will bend it in towards the center. Once the insert is bent into the center of the hole, use the needle nose pliers to back the insert out. If done correctly, the insert will come out with minimal effort and frustration.

Ben Hoitink
Hughes Engines, Inc
Washington, IL
August, 2017