Rivets Or Bolts

[Guest jetskijase]

HI All

On the drivers side tunnel panel being removable i'am using m6/20mm nuts and bolts through the floor and clinch nuts on top, as most others have done, but on the other side are rivets ok for floor and side's , all over basically?

 

Thanks chaps

 

Jase

[Guest daveg]

Jase

 

Rivets are ok...but I started using bolts all over. I now tap the holes in the chassis so I can remove panels when ever I want.

 

I found rivets were damaging the paint...

 

Dave

[Guest Ant]

I'm happy with rivets for strength when the force is at 90 degrees to the axis of the hole, but not when its parallel to it. ie at the top of the tunnel panels then I think rivets are fine, but for tunnel to floor I'd still use set screws, all beit stainless ones which aren't load rated. This is unavoidable in other places though, so for example I have 4.8mm rivets through the floor into the cross tube by the speedo cable hole.

 

Personally I wouldn't tap into the chassis for anything taking any kind of load. It's fine for trim, but you only get 1 or 1 1/2 threads at most in the 2mm wall thickness. Three threads are a minimum for any kind of strength against thread stripping.

 

Ant

[Nigel Rogers]

Have a look at the following websites, there are some good ideas as to what fasteners are available. I know they may not be that easy to get hold of in small numbers, but they may give you some new idea's. ps Roy Hopwood is in the UK (Stockport) Don't know if they are trade only though!

 

TextronRoy Hopwood