E-Clips? I'd rather be shot in the eye with a nailgun!

[desfjr1300]

Are we finally beginning to see the end of E-Clips? Have you noticed several of the newer models have gone to a captured pin design and done away with the dreaded clips altogether? Some manufacturers, however, continue to torture us with these ghastly little buggers and I for one feel it's time to make a great big ol' stink about it. We, the r/c community at large, must stand up and make our voices heard! Or at least whine, beg, and whimper alot. :rolleyes: I don't know about you, but I'm tired of walking thru my workroom hearing the crunch of long lost little metal clips on my way to get another beer. Getting beer should be crunch-free!

We all know these things fly into space more often than Nasa, so why isn't our space agency using them for stellar exploration? Forget about propulsion! Just build a nice little 3-seater e-clip, squeeze it between a giant pair of needlenose, and that sucker will be at Pluto in no time!!

At least it won't be in my hair, which is where they usually end up!

The reason for my rant? I've built almost 80 kits in my r/c career but until recently never succumbed to the "mini" craze. However when I ran across a guy selling a basket case Mini-T for $10 I could'nt resist. All the parts were there, even the stock electronics, but it was really nothing more than a pile of parts in a box. (He told me he tore it down to rebuild it with hop-up parts and ran out of money) Well hey hey, I love kits!
Or maybe I should say not so much, after that nightmare. Not only does this thing have twice as many clips as a standard 1/10th, they're HALF the size! 5% got squished during assembly, 60% shot off to regions unknown, a few dozen I threw out the window in sheer desperation, and 1 or 2 actually made it on to the vehicle.

You see my point, yes? You KNOW what I'm talking about! Stand with me brothers! MAKE A BIG STINK OF YOUR OWN!! :D

If we're all stinky enough, maybe they'll finally listen!!

[primuswoostinkinhoo]

e clips do very much INHALE BRISKLY

i know i hate them with a passion, but i also hate the lil grub screws that AE and LOSI use on outer hinge pins

[khigerd]

Suck it up, nobody likes a whiner :rolleyes: ;) :D

[Tim'sLosi]

Down with e-clips, down with e-clips...err...did they stop making them yet??? Maybe a petition?

[atm92484_3]

I've never had any issues...

[slat26]

theres a secret trick to them that makes it easy! :rolleyes: ;) :p

[TC3Racer]

I'm an e-clip hater as well. Words come out of my mouth that i can't describe when i'm trying to squeeze one onto a hinge pin, slip and then its gone....

I do appreciate the captured hinge pins on my T4. I'd much rather deal with set screws or small cap screws to secure the hinge pins.

Is this an end for e-clips? Possibly. I think it will become more common to see new kits in the future with some kind of captured hinge pin design. One thing i also appreciate are the hinge pins on my HB L2 Pro. They have a little flat cap on one end of the hinge pin and it slides through and stops at this cap. This at least allows me to only have to worry about one clip to go on the inside.

Overall i can manage e-clips and with some gentle needlenose usage they aren't much of a problem. They do seem a bit outdated tho and i'm glad to see improvement.

[SteveK]

Eh, I don't mind 'em so much. The Associated ones aren't bad at all, but the tiny HPI ones can be a little tricky sometimes.

[MORTER MAN]

Yeah associated ones are a little bit softer then say, tamiya's. I guess I am lucky because on my MGT, for hinge pins it has basicly real long phillips head screws. Oh well suck to have e-clips! :D

[darncars]

Ive posted this hint before but everyone just says duh...huh????. Look carefully in your local great hardware store and find push-on stud clips. They are round with little tangs in the middle. They push right on and stay on. Use on all hinge-pins etc.

[darncars]

Ive posted this hint before but everyone just says duh...huh????. Look carefully in your local great hardware store and find push-on stud clips. They are round with little tangs in the middle. They push right on and stay on. Use on all hinge-pins etc.
See?

[DraconicPenguin]

A few weeks ago I built my first kit that had them, a HPI rs4 3 18SS. The other kit I had built was a Tamiya mini cooper. It didnt have any of those evil, evil clips. When building the 18SS, I had no idea what they were and it took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to get them on.. i hated them so much. I did manage to built the entire car without loosing any clips, and after a few clips, I pretty much figured out how to get them on quickly.

[leoboy254]

A few weeks ago I built my first kit that had them, a HPI rs4 3 18SS. The other kit I had built was a Tamiya mini cooper. It didnt have any of those evil, evil clips. When building the 18SS, I had no idea what they were and it took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to get them on.. i hated them so much. I did manage to built the entire car without loosing any clips, and after a few clips, I pretty much figured out how to get them on quickly.
i also recently built a rs4 3ss. i hated the eclips, did you have a problem making the diff. i just use pliers to put them on. i think someone should make a tool for puting on e-clips

[DraconicPenguin]

Yep. The diffs.. fun times. I also used pliers. It was the best way I could find to do it.

[Giant655]

ah you all are just a bunch of whiners, e-clips are a snap ( no pun intended) maybe you all just dont have what it takes, as i can pop em' off and right back, with the blunt end of an allen wrench no less!!!
maybe its just a lost art on all you folks, but I know I can do it with very little stress, and maybe if you cleaned your pit area you wouldnt have to hear any crunching during b double e double r-u-n BEER RUN!!!!!

[josh222]

there not hard, once your good with them all i need is a knife to take them off and needle noose pliers to put them on:)

[Tim'sLosi]

Ever have one of them penetrate you skin and stick there in your finger? The worst I have dealt with are on my nitro mt in the diffs. Once the diffs are shimmed you basically have to bend the dang things to get them on and then they sometimes get bent too badly. Better off without them whenever possible. Looks like DarnCars wants some attention for his tip.

[atm92484_3]

I'm really curious how you got an e-clip jammed in your finger. That seems like something you'd almost have to try to do.

[josh222]

lol i hate when they stick to your finger when working with them

[metalry101]

I'm really curious how you got an e-clip jammed in your finger. That seems like something you'd almost have to try to do.
ROFLMAO...I'd have to agree.

[TEM]

I used to have big issues with E-clips... Instead of getting frustrated, why not think of a solution???? I take them off with a jeweler's small flat head screw driver with a magnet at the tip. Instead of having the eclip pop off and fly into the 4th dimension, it sticks to the magnet. To put them on, slide it onto the groove on the shafts and finish it off with a pair of needle nose!

[ososlow]

I used to have big issues with E-clips... Instead of getting frustrated, why not think of a solution???? I take them off with a jeweler's small flat head screw driver with a magnet at the tip. Instead of having the eclip pop off and fly into the 4th dimension, it sticks to the magnet. To put them on, slide it onto the groove on the shafts and finish it off with a pair of needle nose!
Thats exactly what I use. They usually give these stupid little screw drivers away at home shows all the time, so I grab a few of them. :D I just use a small pair of plyers, or use the magnetic end of the screw driver to place it and then pop it in with the blade.
I have yet to loose one by it flying into space. I can usually find it if I look hard enough. When you have the patience to re-wind a recoil spring for an outboard motor, just to have it explode and having to do it all over again (4 times) helps too. :D I pretty much enjoy re-winding recoil springs I have done so many :D

[Tim'sLosi]

I pretty much enjoy re-winding recoil springs I have done so many :D

Can I have your address for future reference when my pull-start pops! JK