Setting Body Rivets?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 147
Likes: 16
From: GA
Setting Body Rivets?
I have not worked with Body Rivets yet, What is the best tool and procedures to set rivets?
I am about to change the #4 body mounts on a 70 convertible, any help would be greatly appreciated. If I need to have access to the back side of the rivet, I might be SOL. The spring for the Conv hatch is in the way. Ecklers has a tool #41775, is it worth getting?
HELP!!!
Thx
Buddy
I am about to change the #4 body mounts on a 70 convertible, any help would be greatly appreciated. If I need to have access to the back side of the rivet, I might be SOL. The spring for the Conv hatch is in the way. Ecklers has a tool #41775, is it worth getting?
HELP!!!
Thx
Buddy
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Take the hatch off, and remove the springs, and use stainless 1/4 inch bolts/kep nutz, and have over with it.....I even filled the extra space of the mount with fiberglass resin after it was on the frame and bolted down.....rust THAT....damnit....stainless bolt too....
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Buddy,
If you want to maintain an original appearance you do need to be able to get at the head end of the rivet to hold it from moving and use a setting tool to peen over the shaft end of the rivet. If you use a rivet make sure you have an appropriate length so you have enough but not too much shaft to peen and thus hold the bracket you're riveting tight.
Regards,
Alan
If you want to maintain an original appearance you do need to be able to get at the head end of the rivet to hold it from moving and use a setting tool to peen over the shaft end of the rivet. If you use a rivet make sure you have an appropriate length so you have enough but not too much shaft to peen and thus hold the bracket you're riveting tight.
Regards,
Alan
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
You will have to remove the springs and hinges which is not a fun job, but necessary to do it right . I made a tool for my air chisel and have someone hold a metal bucking tool on the other side of the rivets. On some of the rivets on other areas of the car, you can do the riveting and hold the bucking tool yourself.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: barkhamsted ct
counter intuitive
a counter intuitive thing about setting factory soft alumin rivits is that the dead stop dolly should be stopping the shaft already through the fiberglass hole and the hammering should be on the side with the approx 1/2" diameter flat head.
That's a poorly worded version of what came with a bag of vette rivits I have yet to use.
Makes sense after a while if you think and think about it.
-90% Jimmy
That's a poorly worded version of what came with a bag of vette rivits I have yet to use.
Makes sense after a while if you think and think about it.
-90% Jimmy
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 187
Likes: 12
the rivot should come through app. the dia. of the rivot another words if the rivot is3/16 dia. then cut the rivot to protrude through the materials 3/16 in.Set the rivot first with the tool in your air chisel that fits the head of your rivot then hold the bucking bar against
the other end and hold it flat now finish it .It doesn,t take much of a hit so be easy on the trigger those rivots are soft ,at least the ones i got from zip products were.
practice on some scrap first its very easy.
the other end and hold it flat now finish it .It doesn,t take much of a hit so be easy on the trigger those rivots are soft ,at least the ones i got from zip products were.
practice on some scrap first its very easy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Rivet length should be 1-1/2 times the thickness of the items it passes thru. For a proper buck the tail of the rivet will be 1-1/2 times the original diameter. ( Those are aircraft specs from the AC 43.13)
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 583
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Is it necessary to use rivits. Seems to me that the disimilar metals cause greater problems. I was thinking about stainless like mentioned in an earlier post. Is there an advantage to rivits or was it a production thing. Thanks, Jack
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 6
From: Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
This picture may help you a little when riveting the support cage on the #4 mount.
I was able to used the standard OEM style rivets for all but the upper left rivets.
There was simply no room to swing a hammer or get the air tool in there so I had to use pop rivets for those two holes.
I was able to used the standard OEM style rivets for all but the upper left rivets.
There was simply no room to swing a hammer or get the air tool in there so I had to use pop rivets for those two holes.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Jack,
I don't think the different metals are an issue in this case.
I've always thought the rivets were used for speed of production and $. I would think the installers got pretty quick at working on those underbodies.
Regards,
Alan
I don't think the different metals are an issue in this case.
I've always thought the rivets were used for speed of production and $. I would think the installers got pretty quick at working on those underbodies.
Regards,
Alan
