{"id":7330,"date":"2025-08-30T04:59:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T04:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/?p=7330"},"modified":"2025-08-30T04:59:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T04:59:22","slug":"hex-screws-on-rc-cars-love-em-or-leave-em","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/?p=7330","title":{"rendered":"Hex Screws on RC Cars: Love \u2019Em or Leave \u2019Em?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been in RC for more than a minute, you\u2019ve probably had a run-in with screws\u2014stripped ones, rounded heads, or that one stubborn Phillips that refuses to budge. That\u2019s usually when people start talking about swapping to hex screws<\/strong> (also called Allen screws). And honestly? Once you go hex, it\u2019s hard to go back. But just like any hop-up, it\u2019s not all sunshine and roses.<\/p>\n

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The Pros<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The biggest win with hex screws is less stripping<\/strong>. With a proper hex driver, the tool sits deeper in the screw head, so you get way better engagement compared to a Phillips. That means fewer headaches when you\u2019re wrenching on your car. Anyone who\u2019s ever tried to back out a half-stripped Phillips knows the pain.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s consistency and torque<\/strong>. Hex screws can handle more torque before they round off, which is great when you\u2019re tightening down a motor mount or clamping suspension parts. You feel more confident cranking them in without worrying you\u2019re going to ruin the head.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s not forget the pro-level feel<\/strong>. There\u2019s just something satisfying about wrenching with a set of proper hex drivers on a car that\u2019s decked out with hex hardware. It feels more solid, more \u201cserious.\u201d A lot of racers consider it a must-have.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/strong><\/h4>\n

That said, there are a few downsides. First off, tool dependency<\/strong>. With Phillips screws, you can grab almost any random screwdriver in a pinch. With hex screws, you really need the right size driver, or you\u2019re going to round things off fast. If you don\u2019t keep a decent set of tools, hex can be more of a curse than a blessing.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s quality control<\/strong>. Not all hex screws are made equal. Cheaper kits sometimes throw in \u201csoft metal\u201d hex screws, and those can strip just as badly (if not worse) than Phillips. If you\u2019re upgrading, it\u2019s worth investing in a decent hardened set. Otherwise, you\u2019ll just be swapping frustrations.<\/p>\n

Another thing to keep in mind: weight and cost<\/strong>. It\u2019s minor, but hex hardware can be a touch heavier and a bit pricier if you\u2019re buying aftermarket sets. Most hobbyists won\u2019t notice the weight, but the cost adds up if you\u2019re replacing a whole car\u2019s worth of screws.<\/p>\n

So, Worth It?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

For me, the answer\u2019s a solid yes. Once I switched to hex hardware on my cars, maintenance got way easier, and I don\u2019t dread taking the chassis apart anymore. The only catch is you need to commit\u2014get yourself a decent set of drivers and, if possible, pick up hardened screws. If you cheap out, you\u2019ll end up with rounded hex heads, and that\u2019s just as bad as a stripped Phillips.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: if you\u2019re serious about wrenching on your RC, hex screws aren\u2019t just an upgrade\u2014they\u2019re peace of mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been in RC for more than a minute, you\u2019ve probably had a run-in with screws\u2014stripped ones, rounded heads, or that one stubborn Phillips that refuses to budge. That\u2019s usually when people start talking about swapping to hex screws (also called Allen screws). And honestly? Once you go hex, it\u2019s hard to go back. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7331,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[146,130,85],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7330"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7330"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7332,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7330\/revisions\/7332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rcpress.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}