Mojave Stripped screw fix

[Ozric]

I got sick of stripping the bumper/skid mount screws so I switched to a hardened cap head (3mm driver)

 

[SrC]

Yeah that's a popular thing to do. Especially in that location.
Socket head screws have a deep hex. Cap Head screws are too shallow.
Very important to do with the motor mount meshing screws also. I change to socket head screws out the box when new. These screws use Blue Threadlocker. Cap head/button screws will even strip out when brand new. Especially if you never use heat first to loosen the TL.

 

[RedOctobyr]

Cap head/button screws will even strip out when brand new. Especially if you never use heat first to loosen the TL.

How do you guys apply heat, in that scenario? I've used a soldering iron tip sometimes. But I also have a small butane torch that I could use, if it was an area that's all-metal, without too much risk of melting nearby items. That seems like maybe a better idea.

 

[slick2500]

Yeah that's a popular thing to do. Especially in that location.
Socket head screws have a deep hex. Cap Head screws are too shallow.
Very important to do with the motor mount meshing screws also. I change to socket head screws out the box when new. These screws use Blue Threadlocker. Cap head/button screws will even strip out when brand new. Especially if you never use heat first to loosen the TL.

Technically they are both cap head screws, you have button cap head and socket cap heads.

 

[Ozric]

Yeah that's a popular thing to do. Especially in that location.
Socket head screws have a deep hex. Cap Head screws are too shallow.
Very important to do with the motor mount meshing screws also. I change to socket head screws out the box when new. These screws use Blue Threadlocker. Cap head/button screws will even strip out when brand new. Especially if you never use heat first to loosen the TL.

These are much deeper that the original for sure.

 

[SrC]

Socket head screws are always deeper than Button head screws. Way less chance of stripping out.

 

[Sandracer_NL]

How do you guys apply heat, in that scenario? I've used a soldering iron tip sometimes. But I also have a small butane torch that I could use, if it was an area that's all-metal, without too much risk of melting nearby items. That seems like maybe a better idea.

Butane torch. I use a piece of aluminium foil to cover surrounding area that had plastic parts.

 

[RedOctobyr]

Socket head screws are always deeper than Button head screws. Way less chance of stripping out.

For applications with the head sticking off the bottom of the chassis (maybe like a motor mount), is that typically a problem? I like the idea of deeper driver engagement, with the head. But if it's going to cause problems with the taller socket heads catching on rocks or similar, that might not be a great trade-off.

I guess upgrading to better quality button head cap screws might help with some of that, if stock hardware wasn't great. Plus, as was mentioned, using heat before trying to loosen the screws should also help.

 

[SrC]

How do you guys apply heat, in that scenario? I've used a soldering iron tip sometimes. But I also have a small butane torch that I could use, if it was an area that's all-metal, without too much risk of melting nearby items. That seems like maybe a better idea.

Heat gun, solder tip or Torch. All will work. Depending what screws you are are working on.
Yeah try not to melt any nearby plastics. Been there. Once the screw is hot enough, you can usually smell the TL softening up.
The other part of the equation is using known quality Hex drivers. In good condition. I never use Red TL on any of my RC rigs. Red is for very large fasteners. Like with Automotive hardware. Arrma has been known to use Red here and there. I think they have slowed down using Red. Just tons of Blue these days. You don't need much Blue TL on fasteners IMHO. More or less depending on the application. Metal on metal only.

 

[RedOctobyr]

Thanks. I just learned about (and bought) some orange Permatex threadlocker. Which is intended to be high strength, like red, but does NOT require heat to remove it. That sounds useful for high-stress fasteners, if needed, like perhaps pinion grub screws. I don't intend to use it unless blue doesn't work, of course.

For helicopters, I would clean the female threads with alcohol on a pipe cleaner, and clean the bolt threads with alcohol on a paper towel. But maybe ground vehicles don't require quite as much Loctite, given less vibration, and hopefully not having catastrophic results if any 1 in a list of bolts comes loose.

I do have some good drivers from previous hobby use, which have worked well for me. My red Dynamite ones have had a tight fit, and helped avoid rounding things off. Are there other suggested brands? In case maybe I'm missing a size.