View Full Version : Nutserts in plasitc?
japollon
02-04-2018, 10:12 AM
Has anyone had success using nutserts in plastic? A couple of the self tapping screws that go into the heater core plastic on my car are stripped. I guess I could use a larger screw but wonder if nutserts might not be better. Thoughts?
Thanks, Joel
2bking
02-04-2018, 01:48 PM
I've used nutserts in plastic with success. There are several types and the ones that will have the best success are the ones with the large front flange such as these:
80365
They also have a large protrusion on the back side as shown in these pictures:
80366 80367
The ones that don't work so well are the two piece when clenched such as this:
80368
The front flange is small and the hole size required has a tight tolerance. I used hundreds of this one in metal and is my favorite because of the small hole size and little outer flange. But it will pull out of plastic much easier.
There are nutserts made just for plastic and soft materials. They look much like drywall anchors with pedals that spread out more than double the size of the hole. McMaster-Carr carries them as well as other retailers. If you search the gallery for FFR 33 Hot Rod Roll Cage I think one of the first photos in the set shows these on my firewall. I'm in the shop right now so don't have access to a photo. These are the way to go for plastics and thin aluminum where conventional nutserts tend to pull through.
Be careful on getting the old ones out, and don't spin them to much or you will have a big hole . I have done this and used washers on both sides of longer nutsert to fix! You may need to power heater to move flabers to get at inside washer on, and old part out.
adubbelde
02-04-2018, 07:00 PM
I recently participated in some parts of building a Cavalon Autogyro aircraft. The shell is Carbon Fiber and there are hundreds of nutserts from the factory. On occasion one would strip out and we'd have to replace. Nevertheless, many components of an aircraft I flew in over the Rocky Mountains are held together with Nutserts.
cgundermann
02-04-2018, 09:11 PM
Be careful on getting the old ones out, and don't spin them to much or you will have a big hole . I have done this and used washers on both sides of longer nutsert to fix! You may need to power heater to move flabers to get at inside washer on, and old part out.
Just replaced some and a step drill bit will cut through the outer flange first and the smaller tip kept the aluminum hole at its original size. Reinstalled a nutsert and it worked perfectly.
Chris