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1976 coupe
I am getting ready to install the spare tire carrier on my car. I need to fasten the lower tray to the Y-strap with rivets.
Does anyone have any pics of what the rivets should look like on the outside of the Y-strap? Is there a special tool to install them? I am used to rivets with stems. The ones I have as replacement parts look like they just get smashed w/hammer.
1976 coupe
I am getting ready to install the spare tire carrier on my car. I need to fasten the lower tray to the Y-strap with rivets.
Does anyone have any pics of what the rivets should look like on the outside of the Y-strap? Is there a special tool to install them? I am used to rivets with stems. The ones I have as replacement parts look like they just get smashed w/hammer.
Mike
I completed a similar task on the carrier of my 78 back in the fall and kept notes of what I did from rivet selection, cleaning the tub to installing the rivets. I used my air hammer with a rivet setting bit to peen the rivet. I did not nor could I find the right type of buck to use on the flat side but improvised, which worked for the most part. I practiced and destroyed several rivets until I got it near correct...probably much more attention that at the factory. But then I did it once...those guys did thousands.
The rivet flat side faces to the outside
Use the aluminum rivets (soft) that Paragon or Dr Rebuild sells.
Buy the long rivets and cut off the protruding stem length. I think I cut at 5/8" for the tube.
Use a rivet setter that is a piece of carbon steel rod, "domed out" with a drill. I used an air hammer and rivet setting bit.
Buck the rivet's head from the back side and use an air hammer/chisel to peen.
The alum. rivets work the best and like mentioned above you can cut them to length. An adjustable air hammer can be purchased at Harbor Freight along with bits. Practice and keep the air pressure fairly low. As you peen the rivet head move the gun in a circle motion to obtain good results. Good Luck
r
The bit in the gun is an off set bit I had to order but you can get straight ones also.
Hope this helps
r
For the rivets to have adequate holding power, they need to be made of the same material as the originals... AND ...the heads need to be 'upset' so that the shank material is swelled to entirely fill the remainder of the hole where it fits. Just pounding the head over doesn't create a proper rivet.
Rivet installation
