Why square bits screws? - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

thatguy · 07-30-2016, 10:07 PM

Hello, just trying to decipher why all the screws on the trailer are square bits. Something more universal (like phillips?) Would be more handy especially for the panels you need to remove fairly often (like the panels you remove to lube the cables).

Any thoughts?

If I'm replacing any screws that covered by caulk would I be better off replacing them with the square bits? Or if I go stainless steel phillips would that be more challenging to remove down the road due to the caulk filling up the space?

Thanks for the feedback!

piperjim · 07-30-2016, 11:54 PM

There was a recent discussion on this very topic over on the forum dedicated to the fiberglass RVs (i.e. Casita, Scamp, Parkliner, etc.). which is at: The Fiberglass RV Community. Here's one of the more informative posts:

"The Robertson screws which are as suggested very common and popular in Canada has an interesting history and some of that history some might suggest is why its use has not been embraced in US.

From the Website "The Perfect Screw? A concise history of the Robertson Head"

"So the question remains: Why has the Robertson not managed to secure a stronger foothold throughout the world? Why is its popularity limited to Canada and a small number of specialty industries? When the Robertson was first introduced it enjoyed a great deal of popularity. Each Model T manufactured in Canada was held together by about 700 Robertsons"

"Using Robertsons reduced the production time on each vehicle so significantly that Henry Ford wanted to use them on his American assembly lines as well. Ford, however, didn’t want to just buy the screws, he wanted to buy the rights as well, and when Roberson refused to sell, Ford turned to Philips, and it appears America (and the world) has never looked back. "

Here's more info: http://www.instructables.com/id/When...bertson-Drive/

On the caulk question, some folks don't caulk over the head of the screw. They wrap a small piece of butyl tape over the screw threads, and then drive the screw in. That seals the hole which is what you want, and leaves the screw head open for future work. I like the idea of stainless steel screws, too.

Good luck!

JackandJanet · 07-31-2016, 08:32 AM

I think Square Drive screws are so superior to Phillips head, that I wish the latter had never been invented. And, thanks, piperjim - I didn't know the real name is Robertson.

I cannot count the number of Phillips head screws I have ruined because the screwdriver twisted out of the head. Sometimes, it's my fault. I didn't force the screwdriver onto the head hard enough, or, i had the screwdriver bit at a slight angle which caused the bit to lift out of the screw. Then again, sometimes it's just impossible to perfectly align the screwdriver bit with the screw head.

The Robertson screw has none of those problems. You can have the screwdriver bit at a slight angle and you need virtually NO pressure into the screw to keep the bit seated. I have never damaged a Robertson screw, either during insertion or extraction.

I could say the same for Star bit and Hex bit screws and bolts, of course. They are both superior to Phillips or Flat head screws too.

If I were "Boss of the World", I'd ban Phillips and Flat head screws.

- Jack

retiredcamper47 · 07-31-2016, 09:42 AM

From a production point of view, the square head screws are far superior to the phillips head screws. They will not strip out like the phillips or regular "straight line" screws.

Bob

thatguy · 08-02-2016, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the replies. Very insightful!

KnottyRig · 04-25-2017, 11:19 AM

The reason Phillips screws can be problematic (easy to strip) is...INTENTIONAL!

The Phillips design was intended to cam-out the driver before you break the screw.

Pozi-Drive and Japanese Standard screws reduce this problem.

Thanks for the link to the Robertson Drive history. Robertson is heavily used in the construction industries - deck screws (and steel framing) are often either Robertson or Torx.