What to do when t-nuts fall out!?!?

[JeepAndBassXJ]

I use t-nuts to bolt my subs into my box and after pulling the subs in and out a number of times I have had a few t-nuts back out of the wood and just spin. Once they start spinning I can't get the bolts out with out drilling the heads off and letting the t-nut and bolt shank fall back into the box to be retrieved once the sub is out again.

So I need help on figuring out how to avoid this in the future and what would be the best way to replace the t-nuts being the wood is mangled up where the old t-nuts were.

Any suggestions?

[DubNDodge]

Don't use t nuts, or super glue/some other type of strong adhesive.

I used t nuts as well, but I realize they were overkill. I got lucky when I swapped subs out, none of them came out. But I superglued the back when I put the other subs in so I wouldn't have that issue. Next time I build a box, t nuts will not be used just for that reason.

[JeepAndBassXJ]

I liked them up until now, I figure they are better than just screwing into the wood because the wood would strip faster.

[SnowDrifter]

X2

I hate t nuts for this reason. No need to. Spax #14 multi material construction screw. Get them at your local home depot. Never seen one break or strip out

[JeepAndBassXJ]

That would be awesome but I just realized that I have ~1/4" holes from the t-nuts in the box so no screws will thread into that.

[Jessica]

Cut a spacer the same size as the cutout for the sub but make it about 1" or 2" wide. Cut it in half. Glue the two halves to the back side of the baffle. Presto, you now have a place to run screws into.

[alaskanzx5]

reuse the tnuts and glue them in place.

[mbdblue]

if your worried about T-nuts back out, you can double baffle the next box and put them in between the 2 baffles. I worry about using construction screws on a metal frame sub because most of them are countersunk and can widen the holes if you crank down on them....It may not be realistic, but it's definitely something I consider.

After Snowdrifter's suggestion, I checked out Spax's website and it looks like they make a pan head too. I would definitely go with that over a countersunk.

http://www.spax.us/en/multi-material-construction-screws/unidrive-pan-head

But to fix your problem now, you may just have to rip the old baffle off, and make a new one; or you could just add a baffle.

[JeepAndBassXJ]

I want to save this box, I have like $200 into it also its a band pass so working on it is a little cramped and the baffle is inside. But I like the idea of putting them between the baffles, and cutting some trim rings for the back side would act like another baffle so maybe ill do that.

[Tarball]

Here is what I did with my t-nuts

First - don't buy the cheap ones. Get stainless steel t-nuts

Second - when mounting on the pre-drilled hole use CA glue on the tnut

Third - tighten the bolt into it so the it is clamped in place while it dries. An empty basket comes in handy here.

Be sure not to get glue on the threads