Tie Rod End Bolt stripped. Help.....

[tucker0104]

I recently replaced my steering gear box. The pitman arm was a major pain to get off of the tie rod end and the steering gear box. Turns out I ended up messing up the first two threads on the bolt for the tie rod end that slides through the pitman arm. I can't get the nut to thread on and I have tried other ones with no luck. I have thought of 3 different things I can do:

1) try to use a die to get the threads back. If you recommend that, where can I rent a die at?
2) cut the first two threads off of the bolt and then try to get the nut on?
3) order a new tie rod end? I have already ordered it but won't be ehre till Wednesday and hoping to have the truck back on the road before then.

What do you recommend?

[shawnb99]

if you have enough length, iwould thin down the first threads to a slight taper, and start the nut, cutting completely off may not be necesary, and i would try to keep the heat down as much as possible.