Classic/Antique Car Repair: stripped lug hole, lug bolt, beetle

Question
Tazz,
I have a 71 V.W. Beetle with a stripped lug hole on one wheel, which won't allow me to tighten the Lug Bolt secure. Is there anything I could do outside of buying a new drum or re-tapping the hole that will keep the lug bolt tight ?
Thanks
Kevin

Answer
I strongly recommend retapping the hole, which is not nearly as hard as it sounds, in case you have never done it. It can be done in about 6 minutes and is a permanent repair. This is an important repair and I have had a wheel come off and pass me doing 60 m.p.h.

To answer your actual question though, you can hammer (sometimes a punch helps) the sides of the hole and make it slightly smaller and it will hold better. This too, is only temporary, as it will wear down also.

Look into just buying a new tap and tapping out one size larger. You should not even need to re-drill. Don't forget to buy one larger lug to go in new hole.