Trim Screws

OLEJOE

OLEJOE

Active member
While looking the TT over the other day, I noticed some of the trim screws on the exterior loose. You know the ones with the square drive head. They also have slots on four sides but I have never had luck with Phillips head screws. I took one of my old Phillips head bits and ground it down on the pointed end until the center part was the right size to fit the square drive part of the screw. This modified bit gets as good of a hold on the screw as a socket would on a hex head screw. Just thought I would pass it along.
 
Wayne said:
Our trailer has lots of square drive (Robertson) screws so I bought a set of bits and leave it in the trailer.

Who would have known there are so many different kinds of bits:

List of screw drives - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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I have an assortment of bits in the trailer also. I was at home with access to my shop and wanted to see if I could make something that would hold the screw head better. It worked better than I expected.
 
OLEJOE said:
I have an assortment of bits in the trailer also. I was at home with access to my shop and wanted to see if I could make something that would hold the screw head better. It worked better than I expected.
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Picture? Having a hard time visualizing what it looks like.
 
Wayne said:
Picture? Having a hard time visualizing what it looks like.
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I’ll try to get a picture of it.

It gets a good enough bite that I wouldn’t use it on an electric driver. It would probably strip out.
 
I came up with this accidentally. I found a screw loose and was going to make a square bit for it and the square section in this bit is the right size. I checked the screw head to see if it had cross slots and it did. It worked better than I expected.

IMG_1984.jpeg


IMG_1983.jpeg
 
OleJoe. next time you are in a Harbor Freight get a box of these. I think it is 5 or 6 dollars. Most RV's use those square head screws.. a Phillips sometimes works but only when you can easily reach the screw... :)


IMG_0480.JPG
 
ahhh the good ole Robertson! As a Canadian these are everywhere. I hope the poor bugger who buys my house has one. I have used them everywhere on things... :devilish:

Just my $0.02
 
OLEJOE said:
I prefer to use Torx screws
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I've had great luck with Torx and Robertson (square) screws not stripping the head out under high torque, I like both. I have learned to dislike Phillips, because they strip too easily and hate slotted, as I can't find a single good thing to say about them.
 
if you look at the history of manufacturing, you realize th phillips head is the first attempt at developing a fastener head that will stay on the tool more easily... the torx and the square heads are preffered today because they stay on the end of the tool and don't strip so easily. I'm a fan of either.
 
What do you do when the Robertson screw falls out due to stripped metal flashing? I've tried to crimp the hole closed so the screw can bite into the flashing but now the original screw hole is too large. Thanks in advance...
 
BoiseRules said:
What do you do when the Robertson screw falls out due to stripped metal flashing? I've tried to crimp the hole closed so the screw can bite into the flashing but now the original screw hole is too large. Thanks in advance...
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next size larger screw size and don't overtighten it.. or a pop rivet if it isn't something you normally take apart.
 
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