Advice on repair or replace shell P3P

[jephoto]

Hi gang,

After spending several days messing with adjusting the focus on my P3p lens - and it is better- I now discover a stress crack the the end of one arm.

Don't want to waste the work- and my P3's are what I have for now, I need to repair or replace the shell.
I have a set of these- UAV Bits Strong arm plates:

1- would you open the Top shell, use Bondic or similar on inside crack, then outside, & add the Strong arm Plates? Would this be good enough for safe flight? That would be least painful solution , or
2- replace whole shell? More expense, and a lot more hassle if I attempt it myself.

And - just how unsafe is it? Everything seems rock solid. Flys fine. No weird vibration or anything?
Opinions???

Trying to balance safety/ performance/expense on a unit that soon will be either for sale or strictly backup when I get a new one - P4P or P5 ( should it ever come out...)

 

[ROD PAINTER]

If it were me I would do a repair. If you use the reinforcing plates make sure you use the right screws.

 

[seaquadrone79]

To be honest with you. I replaced the shell and it was a few voter process. I have the UAV strong bits on mine part shell replacement. I wouldn't use any bonds or glues. I would replace the shell. Yes it's work. No it's not fun. It is worth it. The plastic used on the P3P shells and RCs were absolute crap. I have done a shell replacement and swapped RC battery. Both were complicated due to old plastic moldings. There are so many videos online to help with shell replacement. You can get the body cheap on Amazon and at your for in a matter of days.

If you open the shell and plan to reuse original. Make sure you do very carefully. Chances are very likely you will damage shell. It's meticulous. From the moment I opened the shell I was already glad I had a replacement shell.

I know this is probably not what you wanted to hear. If you're like me you are always up for a challenge and learning skills. If you are in this game of drones long enough it's good to know that maintenance is key and priceless knowledge.

 

[Jayfdee]

My vote, go for the repair, unless you really like tinkering. But you may have to for the full replacement in the future, I think you could easily sell a unit with the reinforce plates, but if you are only using it in future as a spare then a repair is my suggestion.

 

[Alan Russel]

On my P3P I had a couple of stress cracks around the screws nearest the led lights and one on the end of the arm, I loosed tight screws (1/2/to 3/4 turn) and applied a strong bonding plastic adhesive. Yours cracks are worse and right under the motors..maybe a shell replacement.. its your call.

 

[jephoto]

I don't mind buying a shell. Can get one for $59-69. That would be fine.
Just don't want to really screw things up.....
Trying to find someone in Chicago area that knows how ,to assist me - for a fee of course - so I could learn it as I replace the shell.

I just don't want to spend $200 to send it off.

 

[sandman259]

Replace the shell and use plast-aid under where the motor mounts up. Fill the cavity up to the reinforcements pieces. Put back together and you will never have a problem again.

 

[jephoto]

Replace the shell and use plast-aid under where the motor mounts up. Fill the cavity up to the reinforcements pieces. Put back together and you will never have a problem again.

Link for Plast-aid? What is it? And where is it applied- inside or outside of shell?

 

[sandman259]

https://www.google.com/search?q=pla...&ved=0ahUKEwimxOHdxLvTAhVkHGMKHbjADbgQgjYI2gI

 

[sandman259]

It goes on the inside on the bottom part of the shell under the motor.

 

[jephoto]

Thx. I'll check it out.

 

[sandman259]

It's not glue or epoxy, it's basically plastic. There's no better product to use on the phantoms shell.

 

[jephoto]

very cool. I'll try it.
Is it needed on the new P4P's or have they improved the shells since the 3's?

 

[macoman]

very cool. I'll try it.
Is it needed on the new P4P's or have they improved the shells since the 3's?

I hear that the phantom 4 pro and the advanced use another type of material more resistant to cracks and accidents. Not sure if it's polycarbonate, but it's definitely different material than the phantom 4.

 

[jephoto]

It goes on the inside on the bottom part of the shell under the motor.

So, looking at my crack here, would you open the Top, fill in all the spaces around the motor mount screws with plast Aid, no glues needed. That with the UAV Bit plates is enough?

Of course while in there I'd put it around the other arms too.

 

[sandman259]

It would probably be ok, but I would replace the shell and then put it on and I wouldn't bother with the uav bit arms...

 

[jephoto]

Right. Sorry. You did say replace & add this stuff.
Question on shell replacement- are all those little cables hard to reconnect? Seems like several of them could be tricky. That's one of my concerns.

 

[macoman]

Right. Sorry. You did say replace & add this stuff.
Question on shell replacement- are all those little cables hard to reconnect? Seems like several of them could be tricky. That's one of my concerns.

In YouTube there are videos in how to do the shell replacement. But I will not do it. I will rather send my bird to a repair center.

 

[sandman259]

Use your phone camera and take pics as you do it and you'll know exactly where everything goes back. I do this all the time when I'm taking something apart[emoji106]

 

[victorymike]

I started with a used P1 and after about 30 flights had cracks so bad that one arm fell to pieces when I unbolted the motor. I replaced the lower shell and used Plast-Aid to fill the inside of the new Shell's arm ends as much as possible. I even had to Dremel a divit in the Plast-Aid to accommodate the motor shaft that stuck out a tad in the bottom. Then I installed those carbon fiber (3d printed) strong arms with longer bolts underneath the shell. To this day there have been no more cracks...About 20 more flights. Now I have a used P3P (P3A converted to a P3P) and I immediately installed aluminum strong arms on it. 71 flights and no cracks. I have more Plast-Aid on hand and have used it to fix a ton of other plastic breaks on other things. I would do the repairs myself...But I have no factory warranty on any of my birds.