predator drain plug replacements

#1
I am looking for suggestions on replacing my drain plugs on my Predator. It is going in a Barstool and the engine plate is mounted below the frame so the fore and aft movement is limited because of the drain plugs. They are a 10 X 1.25 thread. I want a button head allen to replace them but no one makes one that you can buy. I found a pack of 1,000..... Not happening. I can buy all the 10 x 1.5 thread button heads I want. I googled this and found a thread on a Machinist's forum that suggested drilling and taping for a 7/16 button head. What do you guys think or do you have another suggestion????? Of course the easiest thing would be to find the correct thread in a button head but it does not look promising.

I did a little research and the 10 MM bolt hole is .3977 and the 7/16 hole needs to be drilled .3906 to be taped. I am tempted to try it and see. But... and there always seems to be a but..... It is almost as hard to find a 7/16 button head as it is the 10 X 1.25 button head but you can find them.
 
#3
Very simple i shave the head off on mine than took a grinder and made a cut in it to tighten with a screw driver .gave me extra inch of room to move motor


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#5
Kenny, the problem with a set screw is that it has to have something to bottom out against......

Greg, I considered cutting the head off and slotting the surface for a screwdriver but just didn't care for the idea. A good last resort though...

Here is what I have decided to do. Since you can buy all the 10 x 1.50 button head bolts you want at your local hardware store. It dawned on me to just Heli-coil the hole for the 10 x 1.50. Since I am not changing the 10mm size, just thread count, its a no brainer. I will install the Heli-coil with some red Loctite and let it sit for the required 24 hours before I reassemble everything and it will never come out. In the end it will be better than the factory threaded hole that I will probably have to fix one day anyway when I overtighten the drain plug......

Thanks for the replies and suggestions guys.
 
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