Rivnuts

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

 

I've still got some "housey" type projects on the go but my thoughts (along with the somewhat warmer weather) are already turning to "the build". I went the the Stafford show and marvelled at the tools on offer but am somewhat bewildered as to what to buy and so ended up buying nothing! Of course, I know I'll be needing to buy plenty of Pop Rivets - but what sizes should I be looking at getting? I'm also taken by the idea of using Rivnuts in certain areas (those that I feel I may need to remove at a later date for either maintenance or modifications). Again though, the choice is bewildering. A ray of light though - www.zygology.com - gave me some useful info. I still need to know though whether to go for Stainless Steel, Steel or Alluminium. Also, whether or not I need splined rivnuts? Once I have a better idea of what I need, I'll also be looking for a Rivnut setting tool. I'm sure you guys can advise me on what to get and where to get it all from?

 

Many thanks...

[Guest Guy]

I've got a rivnut tool, very useful and it does many different sizes. As you say it's mainly for things that I may want to take off.

[Guest Andybarbet]

Im using 4mm stainless rivets on my side panels, i decided to go for M4 dome headed allen screws to fix the tunnel panels (as i will be leaving the interior as bare stainless with no carpets etc.) and at the stafford show i purchased some alloy rivnuts, i went for the splined ones for more grip and apparently the stainless ones are very hard to pop when fixing them ? . On my velocity kit the tunnel panels will then be removeable for access to the handbrake adjusters and the speedo cable drive, Just in case !

 

I asked on the locost builders site a few weeks ago for recommended rivnut tools and was pointed in the direction of this one :

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/s.nl/sc.9/cat...it.A/id.8263/.f

 

You can get it for £50 at the shows but it is £65 here (which is still nearly half price) only problem i can see is it is rather large ! As it happens, i have now borrowed one from work on long term loan which is similar design to pop rivets gun and it seems to work fine, saw these for £20 at the show..

 

Good luck......Andy

[Guest Phil Slater]

I've used a mixture of stainless and aluminum rivenuts and a few steel ones in my build . I was advised that you have to be careful using ally ones in stainless as electrolitic effects come into play and the alloy can corrode thereby becoming lose in their holes over time.

 

If you are going to use stainless and maybe even the larger steel ones you need to get a quality tool. IMHO the cheaper £10 - £20 versions are only good for ally rivnuts - the threaded mandrels are too brittle for the stainless rivnuts and have an annoying habit of breaking I went through three of them before I gave in and went for a quality tool: a DFS 211t Tool Kit fromTorque Control. Not cheap but a superb tool. They supply Gardner Douglas amongst others. Very friendly and happy to advise. In fact I liked the tool so much - no I didn't buy the company I bought their DFS 207T Tool kit. This is a much smaller tool good for stainless rivnuts upto about M5. Both tools are relative small and so good for using in tight spaces. Torque Control can supply a range of different stainless rivnuts at what I have, up to now, found is a competitive price.

 

Their only drawback as far as I'm concerned is that unfortunately they don't accept credit cards but if you ring to confirm the final price of your order then send a cheque they generally despatch by return of post.

 

It all depends, I suppose, on how many you are going to use, then you pays your money and takes your choice.

 

HTH

 

Phil Slater

[Guest Andybarbet]

As my chassis is powder coated steel, will i have corrosion probs using ally rivnuts ??

 

When i fit the stainless panels, i intend to use a sealant all around where they meet the chassis..

[Guest Phil Slater]

Not sure about powder coating and Ally rivnuts - obviously you have to drill through the pwder coating to create the hole for the rivnut so there is the potential for metal to metal contact there.

 

I think Battery Bill has experience from the aircraft industry which uses alot of rivets and i seem to remember from a previous thread he mentioned some kind of sealer that is used to prevent this type of corrosion. Unfortunately I don't know what it is or where you can get it from.

 

Maybe he'll see this and provide the info??

 

Phil Slater