Dry wall screws

chiefhal3 · Post by **chiefhal3** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:44 am

I have seen a couple of posts on here talking about using dry wall screws to mount various equipment. I just want to throw my opinion out to help promote my own personal agneda.

Dry wall screws were made to hang dry wall.

Dry wall screws screwed into carpet are not an effective method of securing equipment, lights, what have you.

Why don't installers like to use the hardware included with most equipment for mounting the equipment?

There are appropriate fasteners for securing brackets to sheet metal, dry wall screws are not one of them.

I feel the use of dry wall screws in an automobile, fire truck what ever are generally the easy and lazy way of mounting something.

Installers, please start using more appriate devices like sheet metal screws, sheet metal clips, nutserts, etc. Self-drilling sheet metal screws do a much better job than drywall screws and don't vibrate loose nearly as easily.

I consider a drywall screw in an automotive application to be like using scotch transparent tape inplace of heat shrink on wiring.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:36 pm

AMEN!!

I hate it when someone uses drywall screws to install radios or other gear. They are not made for that. I would hate to be in an accident with a vehicle full of items attached with drywall screws. It would likely be a pinball game.

Also, drywall screws will easily shear off, they are made a bit more brittle than most screws. Spend a few cents more and get some self tapping sheet metal screws.

eboe · Post by **eboe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:24 pm

drywall screws = not the right tool for the job.

i've done some custom car stereo installations and i even hated using them in particle board. the heads would pop off sometimes as the screw seats itself. very brittle indeed. i don't suppose that would be a problem seating in soft drywall...

hence the name

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:08 pm

I watched a Sears cabinet installer using drywall screws once. And just as you described, the heads will pop off with too much torque.

A drywall contractor told me once that he actually prefers them to do that when you get into something really hard, makes it easy to just mud over the mistakes when the screw hits something hard and the head pops off.

spareparts · Post by **spareparts** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:13 pm

eboe wrote:drywall screws = not the right tool for the job.

i've done some custom car stereo installations and I even hated using them in particle board. the heads would pop off sometimes as the screw seats itself.

There are special screws for MDF / particle board. Very different animals. (Cousin is a Master Carpenter, regularly beats me up on stuff like this)

Martin

eboe · Post by **eboe** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:36 pm

spareparts wrote:There are special screws for MDF / particle board. Very different animals. (Cousin is a Master Carpenter, regularly beats me up on stuff like this)

Martin

i'm definately not a master carpenter (master baiter maybe), but after getting annoyed with the drywall screws, i switched to deck screws. much better for wood, but they still have no business being near sheet metal. self-drilling phillips head screws are the order of the day for me.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:10 pm

Drywall screws????? WTF. What would posess someone to do that? I don't think the thought had ever crossed my mind until this thread and I am far from a 40/hr a week professional tech.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:37 pm

I am sure I helped spark this rant thread.

In my defense, I dont know what they are called for sure, but my friend who used them and got them at home depot said they expand as you screw them in. You can't convince me it was the "wrong" thing to use to secure the dome light to the headliner because that thing is very very secure.

Boy howdy, I'll sure get my terminology right next time.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:17 pm

When I install things to the headliner its with a Sheet metal screw or a Tec screw. ..

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:52 pm

FFParamedic571 wrote:When I install things to the headliner its with a Sheet metal screw or a Tec screw. ..

Be CAREFUL, i know one guy that did that one a fairly modern car, ended up going right through the roof.

On the other hand though, it did finally make him decide on a permanent mount antenna!

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:56 pm

Adam wrote:I am sure I helped spark this rant thread.

In my defense, I dont know what they are called for sure, but my friend who used them and got them at home depot said they expand as you screw them in. You can't convince me it was the "wrong" thing to use to secure the dome light to the headliner because that thing is very very secure.

Boy howdy, I'll sure get my terminology right next time.

You must be referring to Hollow Wall Anchors, you drill a hole, tap em in, and then thread the screw into it.

Nothing wrong with using them to secure items that are LIGHT WEIGHT, and not able to kill in a vehicle accident. When i mount equipment into a vehicle i am only thinking about one thing, safety. You would be amazed at what items can become a deadly projectile in an accident. You have enough to worry about with surviving an accident, the last thing you need is to survive the impact but get beaned by a radio, speaker, or dash light that got free.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:39 am

This was a very light weight nearly all plastic dome light.. they described the screws like they curled as they screwed in?? sounds strange to me.

These are what I'm imagining they are

.. drywall anchors.. but they had to have been very very tiny. I'll just have to find out from him and get a pic if I have to. All I know.. that light was going no where.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:13 am

kb0nly wrote:
FFParamedic571 wrote:When I install things to the headliner its with a Sheet metal screw or a Tec screw. ..
Be CAREFUL, i know one guy that did that one a fairly modern car, ended up going right through the roof.

On the other hand though, it did finally make him decide on a permanent mount antenna!

Thats why you use the shortest screw that will mount it. Dont use a 2" in a headliner. Ive seen that too with the big sky overhead gun racks...

Max-trac · Post by **Max-trac** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:58 pm

I had to fix some sad installs, guy used 2" drywall screws.
Mounted the radio to the trunk and GAS TANK!!

Them damn things rust out in nothing flat too.

commtek · Post by **commtek** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 9:27 am

Use the right fastener for the job. For proper grounding, for example, tek screws into the A-post are NOT an option. We see and fix an awful lot of crap from the "Professional Installers" at the local "M" shop. You should see how they are butchering up the installs on a new county APCO25 system.

N0RHM · Post by **N0RHM** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 7:39 pm

A local Fire Department received a cruser that was taken out of service. One evening as they put it in drive to go on a call, the car moved forward and then stopped, the drive shaft split in two. A installer mounted the console with long drywall screws, over time as the car hit bumps it slowly cut into the driveshaft. It didn't help that the person who had been using the car as a cruser weighed over 300 pounds.

spareparts · Post by **spareparts** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:53 am

I'm a big fan of through bolting, with fender washers on the back of the bolt for the big stuff like consoles & command centers.
The smaller stuff that I can't get at the back of I use Riv Nuts. BTW, I was able to find the pneumatic tool to do this at an estate sale.

Disclaimer - I don't install for a living, just my personal stuff & few SAR people I have helped with their POV

Martin

kb9suy · Post by **kb9suy** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:27 am

You want to here something even worse. I did a job for a police department that wanted to try an put a center divider in for a 95 crown vic in a 2005. needless to say their was no way in hell it would fit. So they were advised to buy a new that was made for it. One of their captains was insisted he could get it to fit. So he cut the piping down to get it to fit. Sure it fit except you could reach over the top of the cage an smack the officer in the head. an he used deck screws to mount ity to the floor an pillars. needless to say he drilled through the wiring harness to the back of the car an the break lights went out an engine light was on. cost like 500 dollars to get it fixed. IF the proffesional installers tell you it wont fit listen!!

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:13 pm

If it was a Setina It should fit without cutting anything on the cage its self You have to cut down the the tubes that space out the cage legs about 1/2 ". The hardware isnt exactly perfect but it can be made to work. There is a specific transfer kit that will work with those cages. Ive seen it done too.. It inst pretty..

One dealer here tried putting in some plastic rear seats. They drilled through the rear wiring harness. The blamed us of course. We fixed it for them. Then the next car came in the same way. I took pictures of it even before we removed the seat and had the dealers service manager come out and look. You should have seen the back pedal......

1STOPCOPSHOP · Post by **1STOPCOPSHOP** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:18 pm

DIDO ON THE DRYWALL SCREWS. Let me throw you guys my biggest pet peeve. How about installers that use 3" sheet metal or drywall if you prefer on something that maybe only need about 1" of threads to secure.
I guess these guys like to drill through fuel tanks or lines or even transmissions (which i have seen before)

when they use extra extra long screws to mount a m1225 motorola radio. Thanks for letting me stir up another subject.

mikeh · Post by **mikeh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:13 pm

Ok, I read this thread awhile back, and never ever thought that drywall screws were a good option, however...I just was doing a quick repair on a small led (mount drops from the roof at the rear deck) and my sheet metal screws had stripped out (apparently someone grabbed the led mount, and pulled...hard)...I ended up using the drywall anchors...they actually held really well, and were probably the best fit I could find without putting a new hole in the thing, and moving the whole led over an inch. What is wrong with using drywall anchors on something light?

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:50 am

Anchors are fine for fixing oversised holes. Its just a piece of plastic. The problem is the long sharp drywall screws that pierce wire looms and brake lines. I wouldt the anchors for anything heavy..

kenwoodjeff · Post by **kenwoodjeff** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 2:54 pm

Here is one use for drywall screws, this is my ankle as of 7mo ago!!

Wile E. Coyote · Post by **Wile E. Coyote** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:46 pm

Wow!

That is a little off topic, but I admit I am curious what happened.

I hope you are getting around better by now!

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 5:21 am

How prey-tel did you manage to dril backwards up your arm?? That is impressive. What is on the other side?

kenwoodjeff · Post by **kenwoodjeff** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 5:28 am

This happend at an ATV race I participated in August, I am walking today as if nothing happened but kinda stiff in morning (but its all still in there, I can feel it).......and the stuff on the other side is 3 pins and wire to hold the outside of the ankle joint together. We joke with the doctor about there being a sale on drywall screws at Home Depo the day of surgury

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:59 pm

I think I see some confusion here. The post that apparently first started this was refering to drywall anchors, used to screw something into drywall. Like to hang a picture where a wall stud isn't avalible.

The device in question in the majority of this post is a drywall screw, which is used to attach the drywall to the wall studs.

I have to agree, drywall screws are not a very good selection for mounting anything in a vehicle. About the only thing I have ever seen that they are good for is mounting drywall, as intended.

The drywall anchors, on the other hand, I have no problem using to mount a light weight object to plastic trim or a headliner.

Dry wall screws

Dry wall screws

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