Shock screws backing out

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Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
How do I keep the shock screws from backing out on a BFX lower arms?

I have to tighten the boys BFX shocks down every other battery run or so. Today I did not do it and on his third run he took a big jump only to have it come crashing down and dragging into the dirt and grass. I lost a lower shock mount screw and two others were loose. I just got done tightening them all down a couple nights ago getting ready for today.
How do you keep them tight so they don't back out of the plastic?

Lynn
 
O

Orange Pedeanaut

Hamster Power Racing RC
Loctite or if you can, drill the hole all the way through until you can put a longer screw on with a nut. Thats what I do with most of mine :)
 
G

Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
I don't think Loctite will work on plastic though.
I may have to try and drill all the way through the arms and get new screws and nuts like you mentioned. Short of getting new upgraded aluminum arms it may be the only option.

Lynn
 
O

Orange Pedeanaut

Hamster Power Racing RC
I use it on just about anything, including plastic. It kinda thickens or gums up over time and makes more friction if nothing else. Good luck :)
 
C

Cummins Driver

Well-Known Member
Seems like I have heard of people using some super glue on the ends of their screws to help keep them from backing out. I havent tried it, but it may work.

Eric
 
C

Cummins Driver

Well-Known Member
Im thinking the super glue wouldnt hold the metal screws extremely tight, but maybe enough to keep them from backing out. Might be worth a try.

Eric
 
MonsterBrit

MonsterBrit

Well-Known Member
If you are screwing into a plastic arm and the screw is backing out it means the plastic around the screw that forms the thread in the arm is flexing, allowing the screw to creep. I'd strongly recommend thru-drilling and using a nyloc nut. If you don't you may find the thread pulls out of the arm completely and you are left with a nice pigtail piece of plastic :)

Been there... done that... got the t-shirt :)
 
B

bpare207

Well-Known Member
My dad did this trick with a bolt he put in a plug-hole that was in the downtube of my exhaust. He took a screwdriver and hammered the screwdriver into the bolt mashing the threads. Said it wud lock the bolt in by mashing up the threads. Might be an idea, not saying the best for being able to take it apart but a simple idea none the less...
 
G

Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
Thank for the tips guys!
I definitely got to do something, the boy didn't even get through one pack tonight and he lost a back shock screw, and I have no more.:bang:-(

I don't think the stock shocks help the problem much either, they are so darn harsh on the dumps that they take a lot of punishment on impact and that doesn't help either. We run them hard on the hills with the bumps and jumps that the screws are getting worked out of the holes.

Lynn
 
G

Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
We drive on some pretty rocky terrain at times that I'm sure does not help with the stock shock set up.

The boy lost a rear upper control arm screw yesterday resulting in a lost flying dog bone. I found the dog bone by sheer luck, but I no longer have any screws to fix the arms with the stock hardware. I'll nut and bolt the upper arms on both trucks now.

I've got new shocks and new aluminum control arms coming for both trucks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130153583423
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110555091269

Lynn
 
G

Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
I got the boy's BFX back up and running. I had to go with 4mm x 18mm bolts and lock nuts to get the UCA's on so I no longer will have the backing out and lost screw problem. I got new aluminum LCA's and new aluminum oil shocks for both the BFX and TD, so that along with some loc tight for the screws, the lost shock screw problem should be fixed as well.
Besides the stock shocks suck big time and it needs something less bone jarring.
Lynn
 
G

Grave Digger1

Well-Known Member
We got all new oil shocks and aluminum arms from RCdamper off of eBay and they are the cats behind!!
They make a world of difference in how the trucks handles and looks!
There is a big time difference in the trucks now.
Lynn
 
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