Screw inspection = very bad day
- Thread starter silverstoned83
- Start date
I keep saying it. You're not alone. Just like Phantom 2 times, we're here again with stress cracks. This time time with phantom 3. And where are the DJI guys? Avoiding this thread like the plague. It was no different during phantom 2 times and stress crack threads. In threads like these they can't use the textbook "were you using the latest firmware" line. If more folks looked over there they would find cracks. Considering I found 4 cracks in 8 of the side by side arm screw holes, the issue just might be far more prevalent on the Phantom 3. DJI should include crazy glue with the spare bag.
Anyway, forget warranty. Last I checked it's not covered. Unless there is a heads up, check for cracks announcement here in the forums. Which, needless to say, DJI won't be thrilled about cause they know this issue is real. This is why the Phantom 3 has additional shell retention clips.
First thing to do is speak up and I thank you for doing so. Hopefully others do as well. Next you have to make a decision if you want to make that part of your phantom stronger but also impossible to open without sacrificing a 100 buck shell. Look at it this way, it's not a flawless shell any more. It now sports standard DJI approved stress cracks. Your cracks are in the usual middle screw hole locations correct? If so, here is what you do. When holding the end of the arm and twisting it slightly you should see the crack open and close. If it's cracked in one side, the other side will crack soon due to that side now doing all the work of restraining those torsional stress forces. Holding your phantom on its side, run a bead of crazy glue along the upper and lower shell seam from the region of that screw hole over to near the small little end screw area. Goop it on there, no worries. Wait about ten seconds. Maybe less, maybe more but think about giving some time for that super glue getting in there in the seam. Now after those seconds, with a folded over paper towel, quickly wipe the excess in a quick swoop. There will be a trace but 400 grit will remove it. You will barely be able to see the results. Also do add closing pressure in the area. Use zip ties to help you with this. Once dry the torsional integrity of that arm will be restored and will be stronger since the whole end of the arm will take some of the brunt of keeping things together. Also add glue to the stress crack area. It will now not be doing 50% of the work, but it's nice to know it's doing something.
Am I happy with this repair? I don't mind now having a shell I cannot split. But I would be a lot happier if DJI would get on the ball and make phantoms stronger in that area. They added clips, changed the end screw location design and added clips. Couldn't they have thickened the plastic there? Something the far more powerful motors could easily handle when one considers the extra weight some folks were already adding to their phantoms in the form of trackers, gimbal guards and the like. But hell, right now I would be happy if DJI would stop avoiding these stress crack threads.
Good luck Michael.
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That's what I'll do.
I see that DJI uses some blue, what appears to be loctite, too, in the screws. It seems to have crept along the crack. At any rate, duct tape, glue, whatever.
I see that DJI uses some blue, what appears to be loctite, too, in the screws. It seems to have crept along the crack. At any rate, duct tape, glue, whatever.
I posted the link of this thread on the rc group p3 page. Either they will respond or ignore.
Link
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2384430&page=1395#post31988587
Link
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2384430&page=1395#post31988587
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Here is my thread on the DJI forum. Go in there and post your picture.
http://forum.dji.com/thread-22626-1-1.html
http://forum.dji.com/thread-22626-1-1.html
Anyway, my two cracked arms are super glued now. Stiff and no squeaks. Now I'm going to super glue the seams on the other two for good measure. I have no interest in splitting this shell anyway since the only reason for this is for a board replacement. For a motor replacement I would use a new shell anyway. And I would super glue that. Unless I could physically see that the replacement shell was a stronger redesign. Not likely. Maybe not even with P4 knowing MIG. I mean DJI. (pun intended)
Just checked mine and thankfully, no cracks but I will be worried about it every time I throttle hard in flight. I will make it part of my preflight check list also.
There is a rumor that DJI shut down assembly of all P3s to address a design issue. Maybe this is it?
There is a rumor that DJI shut down assembly of all P3s to address a design issue. Maybe this is it?
If this is the case I would really be impressed and, frankly, very happy.
I'll post pictures of the gluing during and post the moment I finish charging my camera and can use the flash. The good news is that the other glued arms are rock solid. More than when new.
I'll post pictures of the gluing during and post the moment I finish charging my camera and can use the flash. The good news is that the other glued arms are rock solid. More than when new.
Here is mine, hard to see because of the crazy glue I dabbed on. I also took 320 sandpaper to it to knock down the excess glue.
So if this is the culprit they better take care of all of us.
This would be like the Takata air bag recall! They would be f!!$!!!! For sure...
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Here is the result of gluing the seams on the ends of the arms with crazy glue and then scuffing with the dry erase pads. Anyway, now this shell cannot be taken apart without sacrificing itself. But when the cracks are there it's a busted shell anyway. Gotta do something to keep these old (2 weeks) phantom 3s going 
Thanks DJI.
Thanks DJI.
My P2V+ showed cracks after ten flights, on all arms. I was told by the dealer that the shell is not covered. This poor QC and the stupid 'locked in' battery tech means this will be my last DJI product. Real shame, because they're very nearly excellent products.
I agree. Found a spider crack under one of the motor mount screws last week. I would be their #1 customer if it wasn't for this obvious flaw. So I opened the shell and inspected with a bright LED flashlight, no other cracks were found around the other mounts. I purchased some 30 min epoxy which I plan to apply to all the surrounding internal cavities for strengthening the motor mount structure. I think it will do a good job of preventing future cracks from taking place. That said, DJI needs to address this or they're going to get a terrible reputation that transcends their customer service "issues." People won't drop this kind of coin for an inherently flawed product that needs a replacement shell every 25 flights.
And still not one word in this thread from anyone connected to DJI. If this were a gimbal isn't level, unintended CSC, firmware thread they would be in here quick putting in their two cents. When it's cracks it becomes kryptonite to them. They avoid these threads like the plague.
Well not on this page, but Tahoe Ed over in the rc group said he will pass the word along to DJI. I'm sure they know...
I glued it with Loctite Plastic epoxy. They are tiny, so this is mostly a superficial fix, but hopefully it will arrest the cracks. Bah.
We are aware of it and will pass it along. That's all we can do, we're not HQ.
No worries Tahoe Ed. We understand you guys are not HQ. It's just that some of us who have experienced cracks since P1, sometimes within days of purchase without any crash whatsoever, tend to feel that this little issue seems to get very little attention when compared to gimbal misalignments and the like. But for us folks, are we are many, maybe much more if folks bothered to look, feel like new boat owners with hull delamination while the gelcoat is still fresh. To a lesser degree, of course, but the same kind of feeling. For me personally, hull integrity, shell integrity, is paramount. I personally lost two phantoms to GPS loss but never said one word about it in these or any forums. I view those as a part of dealing with avant garde technology and in all honesty I manned up both times. Simply because there were clear signals on both instances of being a bad GPS connectivity days. I ignored those warnings and paid the price. I manned up and bought new craft the same day and chalked it up to a mixture of unfavorable conditions that sometimes no technology can overcome. After all, planes go down every year for the same circumstances. Hell, my mother survived an airplane crash on 3/11/1967 in Brazil so I will never, ever post in here regarding any issue as a result of over reliance on the instruments. But hull integrity, shell integrity, fuselage integrity, there is no new technology to this. This is as old school an issue as it gets and would be extremely easy to adress by just a matter of material thickness. Even issues related to screw torque can be rectified and become non issues, by again, material thickness. I've stated before that shells never crack around the battery area or really anywhere inwards of the lights on a phantom. Anyone who has ever opened a shell has to admit that the shell is disturbingly thin near the motor area. DJI has had two generations following phantom 1 to adress this. The new upper/lower clips aren't enough. If I sound at times a little angry it is because I am. I bought two phantom 3 craft because I expected cracks to come again. After two weeks I actually started thinking it was in haste until someone here, the first poster, showed his cracks. Cracks of a nature different than the usual P2 cracks. These mainly around the side by side screw hole area. A still very thin area. It must be improved. I love DJI's products and am a loyal buyer. But the arm attachment area must be improved by material thickness because cracks like this on uncrashed craft is unacceptable. All my flights are logged and can be verified for lack of crashes. I've never crashed any phantom. I want no new shell. I want no new craft. In fact I'm willing to pay 2 grand right now for a phantom 3 whose arms do not crack. And no, I don't want an inspire. If it were about price I would not have bought two craft. What I and others want at this point is a phantom that maintains structural integrity when flown as advertised. It's expected but still not delivered. As of now the ends of the arms on my P3 are glued on the seam. They feel stiffer than new. I will report back on the results. While some will not accept not being able to split a shell, I don't think DJI wanted the P3 to be opened anyway. Hence the torx screws this time around. Besides, I'm willing to replace a tired shell if I needed to replace a motor. Light bridge componentry is in the back of the craft externally anyway. Thanks for passing any info to DJI Tahoe.
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