Broken(?) starboard aft arm, fix it myself (glue?) or use Care Refresh?

FlyawaySOB · 2024-09-07T14:17:35-0400

I did something stupid and my Mini 4 crashed onto a grassy hill from about 40ft agl. Pure gravity, had zero horizontal velocity. When I recovered it, I noticed that an arm (back/left or aft/starboard, whatever terminology you like) was split at a seem in the plastic near the hinge (see attached pic). I can't tell how these two pieces are supposed to be fastened normally, possibly just a friction fit? In any case, I pushed the two pieces back together and tested whether the props would still work... they did, and I even got airborne and everything held together. That said, it separates when I fold/unfold the arm and I don't trust it enough to actually go for a real flight.

I have care refresh but I am hesitant to use it for the following reasons. 1) the hassle of filing a claim, shipping it, waiting for it to come back 2) gluing it would be such an easy & quick fix 3) whatever repair fee I might be charged 4) I recently crashed in an unrecoverable way my Avata 2 & had to use flyaway for that one, just feels weird to come hat in hand to DJI again so soon.

That said, I would like to hear what any of you would suggest and any reasoning about it. Would gluing it somehow void any future care refresh issues? Also, does anyone know how the pieces are fastened together normally? I've attached pics of it when it's bent apart and when I have them pushed together.

mavic3usa · 2024-09-07T15:35:51-0400

j-b weld

Cafguy · 2024-09-07T15:39:26-0400

NO GLUE!!!! If its under care or warranty Send it back You will thank yourself later!
The only way to fix that without it vibrating apart or causing problems is to replace the part. Otherwise you may not get it exactly perfect and your motors will pay for it in the long run. plus if you have to send it in in the future and its glued together forget any warranty.

mavic3usa · 2024-09-07T15:54:24-0400

Cafguy said:
NO GLUE!!!! If its under care or warranty Send it back You will thank yourself later!
The only way to fix that without it vibrating apart or causing problems is to replace the part. Otherwise you may not get it exactly perfect and your motors will pay for it in the long run. plus if you have to send it in in the future and its glued together forget any warranty.

i'm not going to mention on an open forum how to get around any of that; i took it the poster wanted to avoid paying for such an insignificant repair but he cannot actually fly it in that condition. he has care refresh so that will likely be a factor in any warranty claims. in the us, such a repair will not automatically void your warranty just as if you wired your bumper back to your car, you don't lose the warranty. if i glued my arm together and 6 month later i crashed and destroyed the front two arms and the camera and i needed a care refresh, my broken drone would be sent off with no camera, no front arms, and a missing rear arm. just saying. dji care refresh is all about risk.

GFields · 2024-09-07T16:14:14-0400

Use Care Refresh!!!!

Felix le Chat · 2024-09-07T17:33:47-0400

If you're hell-bent on a DIY fix: search for B-7000 adhesive. It sticks like nothing I've ever encountered before and once set, is NOT rigid like super glue or epoxy: it has enough flex to maintain the joint under stress without fracturing.