Threaded Inserts: Which ones are best? And why?

Was looking at some threaded inserts, do these look good? the outside threads seem a bit small to grip well but I’m not sure.

i would use at least M4.

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You use the m3 ones? Was looking for something for my trampa board and you guys have this handy thread here! Thanks :grin::grin:

I agree with @mmaner m4 is a good inbetween size.

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As for screws that go into the inserts, I was thinking to choose ones that are ~3mm longer than the inserts to account for enclosure and gasket and countersunk washer thickness. Seem about right?

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Exact ones I use.

Yeah m3 x 6mm.

No other way to know except trying. I ended up using 10mm but depends if you use padding in between.

Mine goes

screw - spring washer - regular washer - enclosure - 1mm foam - insert

Total of 24 screws.

I used m3 as opposed to a larger size because I wanted to take out as little plastic as possible from the enclosure but who knows. probably doesn’t matter.

Also I drilled m4 holes into the enclosure. You would have to be some kind of alignment wizard to be able to use m3 holes in the enclosure and align them perfectly to 20+ m3 inserts. m4 would give a slight leeway.

Be interesting to hear other peoples thoughts.

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I use the self tapping SS hard wood inserts and they dont come out very easily. I dont reccomend epoxing them to the deck because if you strip one then you are SOL. I have stripped one and if i used epoxy it would had been a nightmare.

Could you fill with epoxy, drill it out and tap a thread into epoxy?

You could, but epoxy is WAY less strong than metal, and also less wear resistant, so that’s a rather terrible idea overall.

Using epoxy to repair a hole for a metal thread insert, maybe. But I certainly wouldn’t trust fasteners threaded straight into an epoxy hole.

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Could you not retap the stripped hole?

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I’ve had luck using the SS m4x8mm uxcell inserts off amazon. Hole size is of paramount importance as others have stated. Feel like I’ve got it down now. Drop of gorilla glue in the hole, insert and thread a bolt in and out while wiping off with a rag a few times before glue completely cures to keep threads clear.

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Do you guys use locktite between the screw and the insert?

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Recommended if you offroad. I’ve lost one screw after a off-road session. :blush:

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I use half the amount I normally would of blue

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I’ve read that some people use a rubber o-ring too? Anyone care to chime in on that?

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Timo does that in his bergmeister wheel rims (not talking about the valve stem). Vibrations only hurt so I say do it.

they are indeed extremely difficult to remove but if you rest a soldering iron tip inside the thread area of the insert it will degrade the epoxy enough to start twisting it back out.

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not the heavy stuff, the lighter stuff like the blue 242. You’ll twist out your inserts if you use something too heavy.

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Hell, I don’t even use loctite on inserts for this reason honestly. I use some some of those nylon washers underneath the sexy little fender washers. They help to give tension.

Sure, you need to tighten them every once and a while, but you definitely won’t pull out your inserts. Been there, done that.

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squishing some wet silicone into the threads when putting the screws in works well too. Keeps them from falling out and doesn’t give your hex key any grief.

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