Fireteam Fireteam body washer/solution?

[Graycat]

Looking for ideas for repairing/securing the body panels back on the chassis. Inevitably after a good bash session I have nearly half of the screws pulled out of the body panels. The dimples on the panels are formed so it’s hard to fit a washer recessed in there? Solutions/thoughts?
Thanks!!

 

[KevinC]

I’ve had good luck so far with my body panels not pulling past the screws……but that will be short lived me thinks. Have you reinforced your body panels with the shoo goo treatment yet? That will help to some degree but I think this is unavoidable regarding body panels vs one shell body.
If you prefer function over form, try some bigger washers….that might help..

 

[chilly81]

I used this product called 'instamorph'. It's a hard white plastic - tough like tupperware - probably tougher (tough like won't crack, you can drill it, etc). You put it in hot water and it turns to a clear putty like silly putty consistency and you can mold it into whatever you want, and it will harden back up when it cools. It's awesome stuff.

Anyway - made a little ball, pushed a screw through, and screwed it like 1/2 way in (if you tightened it all the way, it would squeeze all the instamorph out). Then when it hardens, just snug up the screw a bit more, and by nature of it's being clay, it will form a nice flat surface under the washer/screw head. Plus you can smoosh it with your thumb to spread it out even wider than you would be able to with a washer.

The good news? It worked great. The bad news? Instead of the screw heads tearing through the body panels, the screws ripped out of the frame.

This is my second try. Same approach, but I used #4 - 1/2inch - either sheet metal or wood screws, I'm not certain. But they are pointy and coarse thread have much more bite than the tiny fine threaded machine screws Arrma thought was a good idea to put in a plastic hole and self tap. Plus at 1/2", they just barely go all the way through the frame and let you leave a good thickness of this instamorph "washer" behind it. Just did this second try today, and haven't smashed it around yet, so we'll see how it goes.

You could do a neater job I'm sure, but I'm just trying things out now. I have the front end wrapped in canvas and a beer can on the rear end we'll see what works... I'm intent on keeping the cage body, but the panels suck so gotta figure something out.

 

[parcou]

I used this product called 'instamorph'. It's a hard white plastic - tough like tupperware - probably tougher (tough like won't crack, you can drill it, etc). You put it in hot water and it turns to a clear putty like silly putty consistency and you can mold it into whatever you want, and it will harden back up when it cools. It's awesome stuff.

Anyway - made a little ball, pushed a screw through, and screwed it like 1/2 way in (if you tightened it all the way, it would squeeze all the instamorph out). Then when it hardens, just snug up the screw a bit more, and by nature of it's being clay, it will form a nice flat surface under the washer/screw head. Plus you can smoosh it with your thumb to spread it out even wider than you would be able to with a washer.

The good news? It worked great. The bad news? Instead of the screw heads tearing through the body panels, the screws ripped out of the frame.

This is my second try. Same approach, but I used #4 - 1/2inch - either sheet metal or wood screws, I'm not certain. But they are pointy and coarse thread have much more bite than the tiny fine threaded machine screws Arrma thought was a good idea to put in a plastic hole and self tap. Plus at 1/2", they just barely go all the way through the frame and let you leave a good thickness of this instamorph "washer" behind it. Just did this second try today, and haven't smashed it around yet, so we'll see how it goes.

You could do a neater job I'm sure, but I'm just trying things out now. I have the front end wrapped in canvas and a beer can on the rear end we'll see what works... I'm intent on keeping the cage body, but the panels suck so gotta figure something out.

View attachment 231377

View attachment 231378

Not a bad attempt, something new I have not seen! Keep us updated on the durability. I read and watched so many reviews before I even bashed my FT I drywall taped and E6000 each panel and added larger washers behind the panel screws.

Go thread for future owners.

 

[RobG]

I'll try washers first. What I really want to do is make a new roof out of thin aluminum, but I dunno how well that will go as I have no tools for bending panels. Anyway, under the assumption it works, I'd maybe drill through the cage and put a nut on the end with another washer. I dunno. I've only had the thing for two days so I'm probably talking out of an undesirable orifice.

 

[parcou]

I'll try washers first. What I really want to do is make a new roof out of thin aluminum, but I dunno how well that will go as I have no tools for bending panels. Anyway, under the assumption it works, I'd maybe drill through the cage and put a nut on the end with another washer. I dunno. I've only had the thing for two days so I'm probably talking out of an undesirable orifice.

Washers, I think are a must-have it WILL pull through the body being stock. I added some as well

 

[RobG]

I've already had one screw pull through... it's right where the first crack appeared.

 

[parcou]

I've already had one screw pull through... it's right where the first crack appeared.

I watched a lot of videos before more arrived. I used drywall tape on the inner panels to help prevent the cracking as well as the screws pulling through. Washers as posted earlier. It's an option...

 

[RobG]

Oh I like that!!! I'll have to pick some of that up. I already added washers to mine.. that will reinforce it nicely.

 

[RCbuzz]

Hmmm Rubber?...

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Rubber-Washers-Inner-Diameter/dp/B07M6S44VT

I was looking at nylon/plastic washers but I don't think they will bend enough to work on the small 6-7mm holes in the body plastic.. As for paper/fiber, I could only find 3mm in red.

 

[ribka]

i use rubber washers. it actually helps, but not forever.
many of the screwholes are just too close to the edge of the panels, it will eventually snap.