Rivets
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
Re: Rivets (foundvettelifeisgood)
I've done quite a few of these lately, and have found it easier to have two people. The "head" side of the rivit MOST OF THE TIME goes on the "Soft" side of the two pieces your joining. (fiberglass side) Have someone press a heavy hammer (3lbs or more) on the head, while you slowly start :smash: on the other end using moderate force. Watch so you don't bend the shank over...rather, try to "mushroom" it evenly. Once you've got that mushroom pretty even...hit that sucker :smash: Using a flat faced hammer helps. (not one that's all banged up) Those aluminum rivits are soft..so not much force is needed to mushroom evenly.
I bought the "Rivit Kit" from Ecklers. It contained a few tools to aid in the install. Don't waste your money. Nothing in that kit works to satisfaction.
Practice on one first....you'll get the hang of it.
Eddie
I bought the "Rivit Kit" from Ecklers. It contained a few tools to aid in the install. Don't waste your money. Nothing in that kit works to satisfaction.
Practice on one first....you'll get the hang of it.
Eddie
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Re: Rivets (Silvr77)
Corvette Enthusiast magazine, February 2004, page 56, has an article on installing these soft aluminum rivets.
An air hammer used with a rivet setting shank is best. You need to trim off the end of the rivet so that only 3/8" of the shank protrudes. The back of the rivet needs to be firmly supported. The riveting shank's face is "dished out" so that the shank of the rivet mushrooms out when it is struck.
An air hammer used with a rivet setting shank is best. You need to trim off the end of the rivet so that only 3/8" of the shank protrudes. The back of the rivet needs to be firmly supported. The riveting shank's face is "dished out" so that the shank of the rivet mushrooms out when it is struck.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,858
Likes: 0
From: A 12/8 man in a 4/4 world
Re: Rivets (mapman)
Corvette Enthusiast magazine, February 2004, page 56, has an article on installing these soft aluminum rivets.
An air hammer used with a rivet setting shank is best. You need to trim off the end of the rivet so that only 3/8" of the shank protrudes. The back of the rivet needs to be firmly supported. The riveting shank's face is "dished out" so that the shank of the rivet mushrooms out when it is struck.
An air hammer used with a rivet setting shank is best. You need to trim off the end of the rivet so that only 3/8" of the shank protrudes. The back of the rivet needs to be firmly supported. The riveting shank's face is "dished out" so that the shank of the rivet mushrooms out when it is struck.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas
Re: Rivets (mapman)
I made a rivet set by cutting the end of a air chisel off. I then drilled a small dish into the end.
I put this in my aair chisel and ran it at about 30 - 40 PSI. The rivets went in real easy. Just make sure you back them up good and hit them a second or two after they are flush to make sure they are tight.
MANY people insist (and I belive the evidence supports it) that the factory hammered on the head side while backing the "pointed" end. I tried this bay drilling a dish in a piece of plate steel and putting it between the hammer and the rivet. My experience was that this didnt work better than the "wrong" way of ahmmering on the pointed end.
[Modified by noskillz, 6:45 AM 12/26/2003]
I put this in my aair chisel and ran it at about 30 - 40 PSI. The rivets went in real easy. Just make sure you back them up good and hit them a second or two after they are flush to make sure they are tight.
MANY people insist (and I belive the evidence supports it) that the factory hammered on the head side while backing the "pointed" end. I tried this bay drilling a dish in a piece of plate steel and putting it between the hammer and the rivet. My experience was that this didnt work better than the "wrong" way of ahmmering on the pointed end.
[Modified by noskillz, 6:45 AM 12/26/2003]
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Rivets (foundvettelifeisgood)
Found, I got the same rivit problems, and I think the good idea is using that gorilla snot glue like the newer sharks, and abandoning those stupid rivits...no need for duplicating a system that proven poor....
GENE
GENE
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Re: Rivets (foundvettelifeisgood)
Jay, the head of the rivet goes on the soft side (the fiberglass in this case) and this is the side you back up with the head of a hammer or piece of metal stock (bucking bar). The shank extends through the metal piece that is being attached and this is the end that is struck to mushroom it over. I used aircraft rivet sets that I got from an aircraft tool supply (The Yard Store) that fit in a 0.401 shank airchisel. They're cheap at less than $10 and you can get a 0.401 airchisel these days for $20-$30. I also like noskill's idea of modifying and old air chisel bit. I think that would work well too.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,119
Likes: 213
From: Pittsburgh PA
Re: Rivets (LemansBlue68)
Is Gene's solution the only one that will work without disassembling the entire front end? I had the hood off, the radiator and its support out, and there still would not have been access to most of the rivets. Are we talking about pulling the headlight assemblies, horn, vacuum canisters... :cry
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Rivets (foundvettelifeisgood)
I've replaced several of these rivets with stainless steel pop rivets.
The trouble is that the holes that the aluminum rivets go into are slightly
larger than 3/16" - so you need to use backer washers with them.
Of course, adhesive helps too. I used both.
Here is an old thread that I posted, which has many pictures of how I did some:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=510409
Here's a couple pics:
:seeya
The trouble is that the holes that the aluminum rivets go into are slightly
larger than 3/16" - so you need to use backer washers with them.
Of course, adhesive helps too. I used both.
Here is an old thread that I posted, which has many pictures of how I did some:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=510409
Here's a couple pics:
:seeya
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas
Re: Rivets (NHvette)
I just question if pop rivets are as strong as the solid ones? Seems like the pop rivets are weaker in everyway. I admit to using pop rivets in some tight areas where I could not get a bucking bar or the air chisel in. Seems to have gone in string - I will have to see how they hold up.
Of course, the WHOLE front clip and firewall are held to the birdcage by about 2 dozen pop rivets so the gotta be at least decent.
Of course, the WHOLE front clip and firewall are held to the birdcage by about 2 dozen pop rivets so the gotta be at least decent.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Rivets (noskillz)
I just question if pop rivets are as strong as the solid ones? Seems like the pop rivets are weaker in everyway. I admit to using pop rivets in some tight areas where I could not get a bucking bar or the air chisel in. Seems to have gone in string - I will have to see how they hold up.
Of course, the WHOLE front clip and firewall are held to the birdcage by about 2 dozen pop rivets so the gotta be at least decent.
Of course, the WHOLE front clip and firewall are held to the birdcage by about 2 dozen pop rivets so the gotta be at least decent.
stainless steel rivets with a hand gun, and you will be very sure of how strong
they are.
ps - anyone in NH/MA need some aluminum (stock type) body rivets ?
