Glue or other extra protection for CTI 38mm motors?

[billdz]

Hello,

I had a CATO last year with a CTI 38mm 6XL J595. The plastic rear closure broke free of the casing at ignition and some of the grains fell to the ground. I believe the closure was properly installed, it was not cross-threaded or stripped.

I've read on this forum that, with 54mm CTI reloads (where a metal rear closure is used), some recommend gluing both the front ejection module and the rear nozzle to the plastic liner. I'm wondering, would this also help with the 38mm motors? Obviously the threads can't be glued to the casing, but would gluing to the liner help at all? And is there anything else that can be done to reduce the chance of a blowout? I've successfully flown other CTI motors since the CATO but I'm always worrying it will happen again.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[billdz]

No replies so I decided to go ahead and epoxied the ejection module and the nozzle to the liner. Not sure if it will help but hopefully can't hurt.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Bill,
Sorry I’m late, but yes, the burn through problems have been see for both 38 and 54 xl reloads. Epoxying as you did wouldn’t hurt.

 

[cerving]

The 38mm CTI motors are way too easy to cross-thread, or to even strip some of the plastic threads without cross-threading if you get some dirt in the casing threads. I've taken to cleaning out the threads with an old toothbrush... it seems to help a lot. Another trick with the 38mm CTI loads is to use a spacer to push the liner in all the way before you screw in the nozzle... you want all of the case threads to be exposed beforehand.

 

[seth_cooper]

Another trick with the 38mm CTI loads is to use a spacer to push the liner in all the way before you screw in the nozzle... you want all of the case threads to be exposed beforehand.

That's a great idea.

I think the oft cited "cross thread" problem with CTI 38mm loads is actually the threads getting stripped using the aft closure to force the liner all the way in.