Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

[SunSpectre]

Hey all. I've managed to chew up the threads for the screws that hold the pistol grip to the gearbox shell on am V2 M4 gearbox. Is there anyway I can remedy this? I'd really rather not change the shell, the bearings and have to re-shim the whole thing.

Cheers guys

[G33m4N]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

I've seen this before and had to cut down the pistol grip to get to the damaged screw head, its bad news but £20 - 30 for a new pistol grip.

oh had to dremal a new slot in the head.

if the screw heads snapped off then try one like this http://homerepair.about.com/od/inter..._extractor.htm

[Sidewinderforge]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

Assuming you have got the screws out and the grip off, you could tap out the holes to a bigger size, say M4. Or you could drill new holes on the opposite diagonals and tap the holes same size as original (mostly M3 I think).

SAS

[rjdo]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

I was writing a whole bit asking about the screws, then I re-read what you posted and decided you might be talking about the gearbox threads. If this is completely wrong then disregard the following.

At the moment, I'm thinking that the accepting threads on the gearbox are knackered and don't hold screws rather than the screws being stuck/stripped?

A new gearbox shell would be the easiest, less annoying approach. Any other fixes I can think off, like using longer screws and nuts inside the gearbox bring up other problems that probably aren't worth the hassle.

Rethreading with an existing screw could be a possibility but nothing I've ever had any experience with unfortunately.

If I was completely on the wrong track, I'd appreciate a photo, might help me understand the issue better.

[Figjam]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

yup, retapping the threads isn't going to be too tricky with the soft metal they make shells out of, and tap and die sets are less than £10 on the ebay. Less than the cost of a new shell and you have some very tasty tools to add to your collection

If it is the heads you've stripped, I managed to avoid having to destroy the grip by drilling into the side of the grip just above the heads and then poking the dremel through the hole and grinding the heads off, then when the grip came off I had enough screw left proud to get the needle nosed pliers on them to unscrew the remains.

[SunSpectre]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

Cheers guys. I should have made this in my post but its the gearbox shell, where the pistol grip screw go that has been chewed up. The screws and their heads are fine. Ideally I'd like to do what Sidewinderforge said but I don't have access to a drill. If I go up a size in screws does anyone know what size to get (1mm more than the standard size I assume, so what is that?) If this proves itself ineffective Figjam, could you tell me a little more about "tap and die sets" I haven't heard of them before. Thanks again!

[Figjam]

Re: Help Wanted: Threads for Pistol Grip Screws Chewed Up

Its how screw threads are made, it looks like a drill bit with some vertical grooves in, here is a nice video of someone using one to cut a new thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEpzH8iVvJI