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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:34 AM
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Default Rivnuts question

I am replacing lower rad support/front impact skid plate, and requires 3 rivnuts to attach the air dam, my question is, how does one get the rivnuts to expand in the hole ? Obviously it is a blind hex hole and no way to hold it, unless, the rivnut is a snug fit in the hole and screw a bolt into it and hopefully it expands from there ? I have never used them before and they ain't cheap, so i don't wanna mess it up.

Tia Al
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:39 AM
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The make a tool that looks like a rivet gun or you can take a bolt and nut along with a washer. Put the nut on the bolt, the the washer, screw it into the rivnut and then turn the but and hold the bolt and it will pull it up and seat it.

This shows with or without a tool.


Last edited by timd38; Jan 7, 2016 at 08:43 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:50 AM
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 09:22 AM
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so what you are saying on the 2 nd one, just screw the screw in to the bottom and it will expand itself and the hex hole will hold it from turning ?
if that is the case, thank you very much.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 09:32 AM
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You need a bolt that fits the rivnut and a regular nut and washer that fits the bolt. Screw the nut on the bolt and install the washer. leave enough thread to screw the bolt into the rivnut. Then hold the bolt so it can't turn and turn the nut so the nut and washer presses against the front of the rivnut. Keep turning the nut until the rivnut collapses enough to be tight in the hole. Harbor freight also has a tool for about $20 that works well.

Last edited by Xtremespeed; Jan 7, 2016 at 09:40 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Xtremespeed
You need a bolt that fits the rivnut and a regular nut and washer that fits the bolt. Screw the nut on the bolt and install the washer. leave enough thread to screw the bolt into the rivnut. Then hold the bolt so it can't turn and turn the nut so the nut and washer presses against the front of the rivnut. Keep turning the nut until the rivnut collapses enough to be tight in the hole. Harbor freight also has a tool for about $20 that works well.
ok i think i have a handle on it.
from the 1st video, looks like the bolt has to be long enough to thread all the way through, instead of just a few threads ?

thank you.

Last edited by walleyejack; Jan 7, 2016 at 10:19 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 07:38 PM
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It doesn't have to but the farther the better because it's the center that crushes so you need the threads to grab pretty deep.

Last edited by Xtremespeed; Jan 7, 2016 at 07:39 PM.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 07:44 PM
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Harbor freight has a riv nut installer for like $20. Worth every penny to me.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by schpenxel
Harbor freight has a riv nut installer for like $20. Worth every penny to me.
I have the Harbor Freight for the small sizes and an Astro one for the big sizes. Used it when I installed the front tow hook.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by schpenxel
Harbor freight has a riv nut installer for like $20. Worth every penny to me.
well not to me when I need to use tomorrow and $20 plus 45% plus shipping turns out to be $100 but then I use it once. so it ain't worth it .
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by walleyejack
well not to me when I need to use tomorrow and $20 plus 45% plus shipping turns out to be $100 but then I use it once. so it ain't worth it .
The exchange rate is killing you up there. Don't know if you do business with Performance Improvement or Johnson Research, but the price of our oil is selling for 50% more than in the US.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:14 PM
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Yeah def. not worth that much if you're in Canada. Ah well.. bolt+nut will do the job
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by schpenxel
Yeah def. not worth that much if you're in Canada. Ah well.. bolt+nut will do the job
yup, it worked well, except i didn t have enough nuts.
if i get the horn nut in, its good, the rest are for the airdam, can do that anytime.
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by walleyejack
yup, it worked well, except i didn t have enough nuts.
if i get the horn nut in, its good, the rest are for the airdam, can do that anytime.
Back 25 years ago, I put a roof rack on my mini van and had to install 8 of the, did it the bolt way and it took about 20 minutes.

I was poor with two kids, so I didn't buy the tool either!
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 05:59 PM
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Default Princess Auto

Originally Posted by walleyejack
well not to me when I need to use tomorrow and $20 plus 45% plus shipping turns out to be $100 but then I use it once. so it ain't worth it .
try Princess Auto just west of Thickson,south of 401 in Whitby
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Old Jan 9, 2016 | 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by irok
try Princess Auto just west of Thickson,south of 401 in Whitby
I got them from GM dealer. Easier than chasing around.
Thank you
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 04:58 AM
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I had to use them to install my front tow hook also and from that experience I can say, "I hate rivnuts!" LOL! Yeah took some time, especially while lying on my back, but finally got them seated. I watched all the videos that I could on YouTube, and I thought it was a simple process, but still took forever and even had me saying "How'd I get them to seat?" By the time I was done. Just glad I finally did it. LOL!

Last edited by Magik; Jan 10, 2016 at 04:59 AM.
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Old Jan 10, 2016 | 03:37 PM
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Default Riv nuts

[QUOTE=timd38;1591274340]I have the Harbor Freight for the small sizes and an Astro one for the big sizes. Used it when I installed the front tow hook.[/QUOTE
Astro tool here:

Last edited by 05 Wreck; Apr 5, 2016 at 10:15 PM.
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Old Jan 11, 2016 | 02:48 PM
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[QUOTE=05 Wreck;1591292522]
Originally Posted by timd38
I have the Harbor Freight for the small sizes and an Astro one for the big sizes. Used it when I installed the front tow hook.[/QUOTE
Astro tool here:
Not sure if I will ever need to use the rivnuts again, but if I do, I think it may be good to have the install tool. Doing it without, kind of just seemed hit and miss. I had to try it several times before it finally took. For such a small job, it seemed kind of frustrating.
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