stripped bolts on exhaust

[elwood]

well I went to clean my spark arrester a few days ago and broke 1 of the 3 bolts off flush the other 2 had half the threads filled in. So I drilled the bolt out and tapped it, put a new bolt in, on the other 2 bolts only one tighted up good and the other stripped out. The one I tapped out stripped out. I just left it. Then yesterday I here a wierd sound when I was putting the kids around the yard and yep the other 2 bolts fellout. So now I gues I'll have to drill the end of the muffler out to fit bigger bolts. Should I just do all 3? Should I use some locktite on them? here is a pic of the rear, you can see the 2 top bolts and there is one centered on the bottom that you can't see in the pic. What about using rivits? Any ideas would be great, I don't want to mess it up anymore than it is.

 

[warriorkid23]

I would try the rivet route. You can always drill them out and re install when you need too. That alum is soft and it will keep stripping out every time you re tapp it.

 

[geeessfore]

My FMF has rivets in there now and I have no problems.