93camaroLT1

So I started putting my car back together yesterday and when I got to the hub I originally was trying to use a harmonic balancer install tool but the threads on it were far from long enough to get through the hub, so then I took a look at the haynes manual which just said to use the crank hub bolt with a large washer to get the hub back on but that bolt was just long enough to just start threading into the crank, so I just started threading the bolt in which was going in pretty much effortlessly so after I got the hub moving onto the crank I pulled the bolt back out to pull off that washer and to just put the normal washer that was with the bolt back on and the first four threads on the bolt came out silver and stripped, So today I just pulled the hub back off and sure as $hit, around the first four threads in the crank are stripped (looks like less than a 1/8 of the bolt)..

So what do I do now? Can I just drill the first four thread out of the crank with a 1/2" bit (the balancer bolt is 7/16" fine threads) and then it would just start threading normally from there? Or should I drill all the way through with the 1/2" bit and then tap in 1/2" threads??

Also would a thread insert be an option? (to keep it at a 7/16" thread.)

pontiacfireTAWS6

ttt for ya. I believe I did the same thing....