Screw holes completely screwed :(

Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
23
Reaction score
0
I decided to open up my P2V+ after my first very windy flight which went perfectly. On close examination I noticed that the area around the screw holes was slightly cracked externally. On opening it up I found that some screw holes on the phantom body were broken off completely and a metal one on the phantom top also came off completely. Why has this happened? I only opened it once to check my ESC and cabling :( When I closed again I applied a drop of thread lock to each screw. Could I have screwed up and maybe overtightened?

What can I do now? :(

BTW The Phantom flew beautifully in Force 6 winds. :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2070.JPG
    IMG_2070.JPG
    466 KB · Views: 580
  • IMG_2071.JPG
    IMG_2071.JPG
    377.9 KB · Views: 587
  • IMG_2072.JPG
    IMG_2072.JPG
    353.4 KB · Views: 561
No doubt! You did that! Now you have to change the shell, and get a new set of screws.
 
What kind of thread lock did you use and what kind of force did you use to unscrew it?
 
knowonecares said:
Could be okay, depends on any vibrations, luckily you didn't break the Motor mounts... And is that a 2.1 ESC? With 2212 Motor?? :?:

I think they are 2312 look at the threading inside the motor In the first picture
 
The cracks around the motor mounts seem to be a fairly common occurrence. Thin, stiff, non-UV-stabilized plastic securing a high-RPM motor. Your's appears to be the point where it's time to re-shell. Around $60 and a couple of hours of work for a new shell. The shell comes complete with a new set of screws.

On the thread-locker, you do NOT want to use regular thread-locker or Loctite on plastic. It eats plastic and makes it extremely brittle. If you get it on plastic, the plastic WILL break. Thread-locker does make a formula specifically for plastic application. You can find it on Amazon. The screws included with a new Phantom shell will already have the blue locking substance on the threads.
 
Yup.
 
I don't see any broken moter mounts anywhere. I see in photo #1 where the loctite melted the shell screw inserts directly behind the motor mounts. But the motor mounts appear secure.

OP - did you remove the motors and add loctite to those screws ever? Or was it just the shell halfs as you have explained? Please clarify.

I still wouldn't fly it until you have a new shell. The thing could fall apart, the motors are probably the only secure thing left.
 
grongu said:
The motor mounts are fine.

So it appears.

The blue glue stuff on the tips of the screws you removed is some type of thread lock, but it seems that anything besides that factory stuff will either soften/melt the plastic in the shell, or make it so brittle that stress fractures quickly form.
At this point your only option is to purchase a new shell and move everything over.

If you every wanted to paint your shell, this would be a perfect time - before moving the innards into the new one.
 
GoodnNuff said:
grongu said:
The motor mounts are fine.

So it appears.

The blue glue stuff on the tips of the screws you removed is some type of thread lock, but it seems that anything besides that factory stuff will either soften/melt the plastic in the shell, or make it so brittle that stress fractures quickly form.
At this point your only option is to purchase a new shell and move everything over.

If you every wanted to paint your shell, this would be a perfect time - before moving the innards into the new one.


Why would I paint the damaged shell ?

I'll try to temporarily repair the places where the screws go in, maybe using some thin fibreglass....can't do more damage now. I'll also try to keep everything together with some unsightly cable ties until I get the new shell.
 
grongu said:
GoodnNuff said:
grongu said:
The motor mounts are fine.

So it appears.

The blue glue stuff on the tips of the screws you removed is some type of thread lock, but it seems that anything besides that factory stuff will either soften/melt the plastic in the shell, or make it so brittle that stress fractures quickly form.
At this point your only option is to purchase a new shell and move everything over.

If you every wanted to paint your shell, this would be a perfect time - before moving the innards into the new one.


Why would I paint the damaged shell ?

I'll try to temporarily repair the places where the screws go in, maybe using some thin fibreglass....can't do more damage now. I'll also try to keep everything together with some unsightly cable ties until I get the new shell.

You wouldn't want to paint your old shell. You won't even want to keep your old damaged shell.

When you get your NEW shell, if you want to paint it, paint THE NEW SHELL before moving the guts from the OLD SHELL into the NEW one. Hope that is more clear?

And I would probably do the same - use tape and and cable ties to keep flying until a new shell arrived.
 
Why would I paint the damaged shell ?

lol
 
That's clear now. I though it was strange :)

Anyone know where I can get a replacement shell in Europe? Many places are out of stock.
 
Sorry, just thought it was funny.... I misread things all the time.
 
Ok I have read before to put thread lock on all screws but they does explain why my last cover went bad so quick. However I bought mine off Ebay and I think it was sitting in a area with high heat. I am putting together my P2 in a nw shell now and glad I read this article before I started applying lock tight again. However I can already see micro cracks so I put super glue around all the screw holes on bottom half if body. We will soon see if thats a good idea or not. But this time...no thread lock!!
 

Recent Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,357
Members
104,935
Latest member
Pauos31