Macomb, MI
Quoted from brenna98:Get a tap and die set. Very affordable at harbor freight.
You will need a male and female 3/8" - 16 thread.
When picking up a new game: Make a note of any leg bolts that don't come out smooth.
Tap those holes when you get home.
Check the bolts: the threads on at least one of those is messed up. Run it through the female tap to clean it up.
Note: You can run all the bolts through in a hurry with an impact drill and socket.
When reinstalling the bolts, if you get something hanging up; STOP! Back it out and try again. Don't be the ass that cross threads.
Yup. The plates and their female threads are made of a harder material than the bolt are. Quite often there are screwed up threads in the plates the will continue to destroy the threads on any bolt you put in it. Its designed that way. I run the tap through the plates on any game I buy (especially NIB). It avoids damaging bolts and further damage to the plate nuts. Some are beyond repair due to cross threading.
Its hard to believe how many NIB games I bought had poor quality plate nuts causing this problem. It is a shame that so few people are aware of this. I'm sure it is another example of cheap overseas production quality. I never bought a NIB B/M game so I have no idea how they were, but its quite common on Stern's. My NIB JJP games have been fine.
Everybody should buy a quality 3/8-16 tap and use it on every game that comes in. It can't be more than $10 at a quality auto parts store and there are plenty of ways to turn it from an open end wrench to a 12 point socket. You should always try to start them by fingers anyway. But the T wrench or the special tool for it from the tap set does make it easier and accurate indeed.
