SORRY i BOUGHT 600 RIVITS IN A BULK BAG SAID 1/4 RIVETS THEY WERE NOT THEY ARE 3/16.I HAVE BEEN USING THEM ON THE BARTH AND THEY SEEM TO WORK WELL. NOW I HAVE 600 RIVETS THE WRONG SIZE
LENNY.

I bought the same swivel head tool, also, and it even said on the web site that it would do 1/4" rivets. It won't. Tere will send a pic of the REAL 1/4" rivet tool that we bought. It was around $35.

Here is a pic of the box.

I replaced a whole lot of rivets on mine with rivets off the rack in the hardware store. I don't remember any 1/4" rivets, & even if there were some, none required much structural strength; all were lightly-stressed sheet metal fastenings. As long as they cinched down & didn't pull through, I was satisfied. I don't even remember needing to put any washers over the shank before I pulled them down.

Few of us will use these coaches long enough to suffer corrosion of any rivets we replace. It's a matter of repair vs. restoration. You restore collector cars; you repair RVs you plan to use for some time.

Often you cannot find identical replacement materials so you do what is needed to make it work. It is easy to get into expensive overkill if you try to be too perfect. Of course, I'm not a perfectionist, just an overgrown farm boy who turned int a fair-to-middling shade tree mechanic who liked to get things working.

We didn't find any 1/4" rivets either except in the most unusual place, the running lights. The hole in the running lights was to large for a 3/16" rivet, and of course, the hole in the aluminum cap was the same as the one in the base of the lights, 1/4". There was no way to put a washer behind the rivet, so we just bit the bullet and bought aluminum 1/4" rivets. From a strength standpoint, there was no reason at all. It was just to fill up the hole. And you don't want to know how much I had to pay for all aluminum rivets. Let's just say that if anyone needs some all aluminum rivets, just let me know and I'll send you some

Guy's, Just new to the site. I'm in the same boat. large hole. little rivet gun.
I was thinking I'd try a flush riv nut and see how that works. I'm on the grainger site now and I have alot more uses for threaded fasteners than big rivets.
Scotty

The fit of the rivnut in the hole is important. If the fit isn't perfect, go up the next size. At work, I saw a lot of rivnut failures. On my own projects, I am always sure to use only keyed rivnuts, and I make a little slot with a Dremel or a swiss file to engage the key to be sure it does not rotate.

Some rivnuts have ribs (or knurling) that look like they might hold pretty well, but I haven't tried them.

Thanks, Well grainge is closed. Harbor freight is open. Going to see what is available. Besides making the whole tight I was thinking of
putting a little smutz on it to keep some grip. Maybe a little anti siese so the screw doesn't lock up. rain comin' today. I'll get all my hardware and do it tomorrow. Lots of scraping to be done they were generous with the prc sealant and roof coating.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott and Debbie:
they were generous with the prc sealant.

PRC?............... EEK!

Not 1422, I hope.

Well its the same consistancy and color. I know what the tank divers feel like without the resperator or closeness!
I have some shelf life expired stuff to put back up there. Hopfully none of those led's I'm putting up there burn out ever

Bill, Just read your post about the biobor. I'm glad I assumed you knew what tank divers were.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott and Debbie:
Bill, I assumed you knew what tank divers were.

Sadly. But, I keep trying to forget.

We have 1/4" rivets on the dock light bezels, the zip dee awning hold downs, the entire front cap and a couple of other places. I also drilled out some of the elliptical 3/16" rivets which hold the door on the front of the bus which allows me to access the generator and replaced them with ALL ALUMINUM 1/4". Man, do they hold! I got my rivets & tool at Fastenal in NY a couple of years ago when we were passing through.

Before I squeeze them down I pry up the sheetmetal a bit a stuff butyl tape underneath after scraping out the old sealant. Seems to work great.

things have been busy these last three weeks. trying get pideley things done before her first weekend gtg in dc.
the rivnuts worked well on the mounting of the cab clearence lights. I have to say thes led lights are the way mr barth should have lit the front of this coach. Still lot's to do. Some won't get done this week but have been put on the schedule.
the lights were grounded by the forward mount rivet. I mounted the ground to the rear rivnut as I crimped it in the hole in the skin. sealed lights with some expired proseal 870b1/2. Looks good if do say so myself.
look forward to meeting every one next weekend. We'll try not to be in too late DC traffic and all.

One of the rivets on my awning bracket has come out, and another few look like they are about to.



My 3/16" are not big enough. I'm thinking 1/4".

I looked at the local Home Depot and Ace, and looked at Hansen's and The Rivet Gallery online, and no one lists 1/4" closed end all aluminum rivets. Grip length looks to be nearly an inch to me, as the bracket is pretty thick.

Does anyone have a source?