Repairing a Cast Aluminum Output Bearing Retainer (True Spirit #33)

The output shaft bearing retainer on my old New Process 435 had a stripped and broken bolt hole. I have no idea what alloy it is, and I'm not much of a welder, but I tackled it anyway.
Thread repair/Helicoil kit: amzn.to/3ty4PrS

[@42Goopy42]

Turned out nicely! Its hard to hate on fixing up a part that would have ended up as scrap in most garages. It'll probably function better than it did!

[@BlindBatG34]

Nice work Yoshi!

[@jts9120]

Awesome job! Should last forever

[@damnimcooltom1]

The most important thing to remember is that it's only for Chris.

[@YoshimoshiGarage]

Truth!

[@chevybeaglenox2402]

Very nice job

[@michaelnoyes4817]

Everyone experiences bad casting every so often, it turned out good for what it was

[@67cudaksa34]

next time heat the vast area with a torch before tig welding. also every crack should have been drilled at the end to stop firther cracking. the cracks should have been ground with with a v shape.

[@seanhammon6639]

The problem with it not being machined flat is when tightening the bolt it's going to stress and crack somewhere else...

[@YoshimoshiGarage]

Certainly possible, but it's fairly flat, and the transmission mount that bolts to it is stamped steel, which is going to flex a bit as well. Also, the original didn't look to be machined at all, just the surface left from the casting, so it was never high-tolerance anyway.

[@jts9120]

Simply add a flat shim