As you read this review, you might think to yourself "why write a review on a screw kit? Isn't any old screw good enough?" The answer is maybe, if you're a minimalist, and could care less about what advantages better screws may offer.

There are several companies out there offering aftermarket screw sets for the various vehicles you'll encounter on the market today. These sets vary in their characteristics and properties, with some being better suited for some applications than others. A good example of this is the fact that stainless steel offered some advantages in corrosion protection, but suffered the disadvantage of being softer than hardened black oxide screws.

I've personally been a fan of hardened black oxide screws myself, but am well aware of the fact moisture can cause them to rust or corrode. At first you might be tempted to say that your vehicle is only used at the track, why should protection from moisture even matter to you? After all, it's not like you're running in the mud or snow. That's a valid point, until you consider the fact that most tracks see a lot of water during the course of a race. The same water that helps make the track's dirt tacky, can make your screws rust.

With that in mind the guys at Hexcrews began thinking. How could they make their popular lineup even more appealing? The answer, a zinc/nickel based alloy coating on their popular screw kit lineup. This coating would allow them to continue to offer the durability of their hardened black oxide screws, which boast more strength than even titanium, but yet provide protection from the elements as well.

I have to admit though, when I was first approached about this review I tried to stack the deck against Hexcrews a little. It would be easy to use one of their kits as replacements from a basic stainless steel set included with many models. Instead, I opted to review a set intended for the Traxxas Revo. Why you ask? Well, since the Revo already comes with some good hex head hardware from the factory, I would have to look harder for reasons to upgrade the screws on the Revo. Everyone knows the advantages of a hex head vs. a Phillips head, so I wanted to focus on other things the screw set might have to offer.

The Hex Head AP (Armor Plating) conversion set from Hexcrews is a complete set of screws for the intended application. You'll find each size separated in a small resealable bag that's labeled for easy identification. Each screw is plated with a mix of zinc and nickel, providing a very nice looking and attractive finish. This plating provides tough resistance to the elements. So tough, in fact, that Hexcrews boasts the screws are twice as corrosion resistant as cadmium plated parts used by the U.S. military.

I set out replacing the screws in my Revo and, after reading some of the benefits, I knew just where I wanted to start. On my Revo, one of the screws for the front left-hand side rocker doesn't stay in place anymore. The threads have become worn, and during the last race I ran the screw had nearly backed itself out as the pushrod moved the rocker back and forth.

Hexcrews claims the plating makes for a tighter fit, and I thought this may be just the thing to cure my woes. So I started with this rocker, and noticed the screw did indeed fit into position with a more snug fit that the stock screw. Later, as I drove the truck, I kept an eye on this trouble area and noticed that the screw did indeed stay tightened down. While I'll still pick up a new set of rockers for the race season next year to be safe, my little experiment showed that the screws themselves do offer a tighter fit.

While working on the truck, I noticed how well the screws worked with my Hudy hex drivers. They fit the tips very snug, providing a positive hold on the screw as I ran it into place. I also appreciated the fact that the screws where still able to be picked up by a magnet, as a couple of times I dropped a screw into a hard to reach area. The magnet allowed me to fish the screw out with minimal effort, where aluminum screws would not have this characteristic. In fact, stainless steel and titanium screws lack this ability as well. If you've ever fumbled and dropped some screws during a late-night wrenching session, you can certainly appreciate this characteristic of the Hexcrews kit. After all, underneath the zinc and nickel plating, the screw is still a tough as nail black oxide fastener at heart.

You may notice that the Revo set doesn't include any button head screws, while the stock Revo set does. Hexcrews avoids the use of button head screws, and substitutes socket head screws in their place. The reason is the fact that button head screws are typically used to provide a more finished look, at the expense of reduced strength in clamping force. In addition the socket depth is reduced as well, decreasing the surface area for the hex driver to grip which in turn increases the chances of the head stripping. Both of these drawbacks are a result of less material on the screw's head, and are cured by the substitution of socket head screws.

Along the same line of thought Hexcrews uses machine threaded screws as well, avoiding self-tapping screws. While none of the stock Revo hardware uses self-tapping screws, this is something that bears mentioning due to other vehicles utilizing them. Self tapping screws have fewer threads which results in less surface area contacting the part in which it's screwed into. This results in less tension and a screw that is more likely to back out. The finer threads of machine screws offer the exact opposite trait, and provide a much more securely tightened fastener.

Following the screw swap, I took the Revo out and beat on it at the local track on several occasions. The strength of the Hex Head AP screws shone through as they held up well. Even after several wrenching sessions on areas of the truck, the heads themselves showed virtually no wear, and provided a good surface for my hex drivers to grip into. The fact that these screws are heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of 43 helps in this aspect, which is something that stainless steel kits simply can't offer. If you're looking for strength, the Hexcrews Hex Heads AP delivers the mojo they promise!

If you're looking for a good replacement screw set, or just want a good stock of spares to have on hand, the Hexcrews Armor Plated screws should be a primary consideration. They offer substantial benefits over even basic hex head screws that may be included with your model, and definitely surpass the cheap Phillips head screws that are included with many models. Their strength far surpasses other options out there, and the heads resist wear associated with normal maintenance. If you're looking for an elite set of screws to match your elite ride, then look no further than Hexcrews.