Could someone point me in the direction of the individual who decided that hex hardware on racing buggies was a good idea? I'm going to kill them.

Just why is hex hardware considered better? I have to buy a complete new toolbox, even though I have every size allen key in existence. The allens are just not good enough. Give me screws any day.

Now that I've finished moaning, the point is, when trying to take apart my (centre) diff with a precision allen key (and after trying the one that came with the kit), it still stripped the hex because neither was a perfect fit...so now I can't get the hex screw out, and therefore my centre diff is destined to have useless poxy grease in it the rest of it's days. I'm also worried of course, that I'll never be able to get it out now...

So, obviously, I'm off to buy a decent set of hex wrenches from the LHS tonight (more money!). Will I still be able to get it out do you think if I have a tool with the perfect hex fit? If not, anyone got any bright ideas, short of drilling it?

If you have any imperial allens then they may fit the oversized hex. Other than that it's a dremel or total strip down of the buggy just to get there.

Phillips head screws are great ...if your hanging sheetrock.
Once you have the proper hex drivers life will be so much easier.
I just built my new SP1 with Tony's Screws...could'nt stand the idea of assembling such a fine kit with the half arsed screws that are included.
With all the money invested in toy cars, $20 for good hex drivers is mere pocket change.

the same thing happened to 4 of 6 screws on a spider diff i ordered for my buddy. i decided to leave it alone because he has had real bad luck with everything (r/c related) he has put his hands on so far. if he decides to pursue it further, i am going to cut slots in the screws with my dremel so i can get the screws out with a flat-head screw driver. unfortunately, that grease in the center diff pretty much makes the buggy front wheel drive.

Yeh, I'm just hoping that a decent hex driver will stil have enough purchase to get the damn thing out, if not, i'll try the dremell, then if that fails, I'll just have to get a new diff. Bollox.

Well try and get some that have holes in the handles, so you can put another through and get some force and leverage on them.

You could also remove the OTHER 4 screws that hold the whole diff assy in and then turn the uprights top crack the screws.

That's a damn good idea....2mm hex, the diff screws, yeh?

By the way, just to clarify, 'cos it sounds like you might be thinking I'm talking about the mountings or summink, I'm talking about the screws that hold the two halves of the diff together, to keep you out the gears, I'm sure you understood that, but just wanted to check?

Mmm, crimp the gase in some large pliers or a vice to take the tension off the screws.

If all else fails, drill the heads off the screws and scrap the plastic case... better than cutting slots in the spur gear.

A tip to prevent this in the future, as my entire car is loaded with stripped screws (I bought it used that way, unfortuately). For any screw on that car other than the motor mount screws that go into the bottom of the chassis:

1.) Buy straight line allen drivers (not L bend ones) i.e. the ones with handles NOT the ones without.

2.) Only tighten them in as far as you can by hand (this is why NOT to use the L bend wrenches, as they give you too much leverage for such small bolts). Do not add prybars, extensions, or whatever. This 1/8th scale car here, these aren't two inch lugs to hold a tractor toghether.

3.) If the screw comes out, use BLUE (not RED) loctite. Or, if you are the paranoid type, just loctite everything in advance. Blue is for light to medium duty applications like this. Red is for bonding high temp. high stress stuff. It is designed to be damn near permanent, which is bad on a car that most people will take apart at least 10 times.

You shouldn't strip screws unless you are trying to tighten them too tight, or if you are lazy and you stuffed the wrench head in the bolt while it was full of dirt therby not getting the full ammount of sidewall to grip the wrench, causing it to slip, and strip. Either way, its generally not the screws or the tools fault. Its usually operator error.

Mmm Plastic? Nah these diffs have aluminium cases.

get JB weld and put some in the hex head then put your wrench in and put a little more around it to make sure its going to hold well. Let it set overnight and take the screw loose in the morning. Good tip I read in a magazine and its the only way to take out stripped screws holding the head onto your motor.

Don't get ball tiped wrenchs either. They don't give you a solid fit because the surface area thats in the screw head isn't as big as a non ball tip allen driver. If you do have the money its not a bad idea to get a set of ball tipped wrenchs because there are some screws you can only get at on an angle but try to avoid using them.

Thanks for the tips boys, don't worry I wasn't trying to overighten it or anything, it was just that the allens are not as good a fit as they are supposed to be.

I bought the Team Associated hex drivers...expensive, but wow, it was like it hadn't been stripped at all, and it came right out first try... lucky... It's amazing what a difference using the correct tool makes... thanks again folks, emergency over, and I am now more tolerant of hex hardware...