Dry wall screws
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Dry wall screws
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.
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.
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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.
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.
Duct tape is like the force, it has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together.
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
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
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
"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce and brave man, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain
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.
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.
Duct tape is like the force, it has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together.
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
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- Batboard $upporter
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There are special screws for MDF / particle board. Very different animals. (Cousin is a Master Carpenter, regularly beats me up on stuff like this)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.
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.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
"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce and brave man, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain
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.
"I'll eat you like a plate of bacon and eggs in the morning. "
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eBay at it's finest:
Me: "What exactly is a 900Mhz UHF CB?"
Them: "A very nice CB at 900Mhz speed!"
- Some loser on rr.com
eBay at it's finest:
Me: "What exactly is a 900Mhz UHF CB?"
Them: "A very nice CB at 900Mhz speed!"
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.
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
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Be CAREFUL, i know one guy that did that one a fairly modern car, ended up going right through the roof.FFParamedic571 wrote:When I install things to the headliner its with a Sheet metal screw or a Tec screw. ..
On the other hand though, it did finally make him decide on a permanent mount antenna!
Duct tape is like the force, it has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together.
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
You must be referring to Hollow Wall Anchors, you drill a hole, tap em in, and then thread the screw into it.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.
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.
Duct tape is like the force, it has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together.
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
"I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own!" - Adam Savage
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.
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
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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...kb0nly wrote:Be CAREFUL, i know one guy that did that one a fairly modern car, ended up going right through the roof.FFParamedic571 wrote:When I install things to the headliner its with a Sheet metal screw or a Tec screw. ..
On the other hand though, it did finally make him decide on a permanent mount antenna!
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.
Tim Hofbauer
Director Platte County Emergency Management
Columbus Nebraska
Director Platte County Emergency Management
Columbus Nebraska
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Mobile Equipment Installs - The Right Stuff!
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
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
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
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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......
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......
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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.
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.
"IT'S UNWISE TO PAY TOO MUCH, IT'S WORSE TO PAY TOO LITTLE. WHEN YOU PAY TOO MUCH YOU LOSE LITTLE MONEY-THAT IS ALL. WHEN YOU PAY TOO LITTLE, YOU SOMETIMES LOSE EVERYTHING. BECAUSE WHAT YOU BOUGHT WAS INCAPABLE OF DOING THE THING IT WAS BOUGHT TO DO"
I did it...
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?
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- What radios do you own?: The best that low bid can buy.
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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
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- What radios do you own?: I can't enter that much....
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.
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.
brett "dot" kitchens "at" marel "dot" com
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