N

NASA515

Well Known Member
Has anyone else had trouble with these four screws?

They are small, 4-40x1/2 cap head screws with 4-40 hex head crimped locknuts. For starters, even my smallest ignition wrenches were too big for the nuts. Pliers and adjustable wrenches were a poor and ineffective substitute. So I clamped the nuts into a vise to allow me to run the screws on prior to final panel installation.

Long story, short - I can't run those screws into those nuts due to the high locking torque, without destroying the nut in the vise or stripping the Allen socket in the screw cap, or both. Plus the screw seems a little long for the application and so requires the locknut to run way down the threaded length of the screw.

This remote switch is a small, lightweight plastic assembly, not needing such a robust installation. And, with a battery inside, needs periodic removal, meaning this is not a one-time heartburn.

Failing advice to the contrary, I plan to substitute non-locking hexnuts with either a touch of locktite, or a serrated or split-ring locking washer.

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
Small screws

I just drilled out the holes on the remote switch box(plastic) to accept -6 allen head screws and riveted -6 nut plates to the mounting surface.
 
I drilled mine out to -6 tap size, tapped the plastic and mounted the unit behind the panel. Of course, if you are building E-LSA, you would have to wait until after certification to do this mod.
 
For what it's worth... I lost two of the tiny lock nuts and used commercial nylon lock nuts on these two screws instead. I also put a drop of Boelube on the screws for the metal lock nuts before driving them in. Like you, I used pliers and a screw driver and that worked just fine for me.
 
I seem to remember breaking one of those little suckers off. Gave me an excuse to visit the hardware store, so all was not lost!
 
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