8 replies to this topic

[Deano89]

I'm looking into using rivnuts when I get round to securing the arches to the bodywork and have had a look at previous posts on here. The general consensus is that the budget tools that you can get from the likes of amazon for about £10-£15 are pretty flimsy and only really work for smaller gauge aluminium rivnuts (which the reviews on amazon itself also suggest!ha ha). I live right on the coast in Scotland so stainless steel will definitely be getting used!! M4 probably.

 

Can anyone recommend a decent affordable riv gun for stainless steel that won't break after second use??

 

Cheers

[jedduh01]

How many riv nuts are you planning in doing?   I've built 2 roof racks with wood slats.  Took 34  rivs per rack.  Cheap tool worked.   I was using steel rivs too.   Got the job done .  Now not needing to do more why buy a tool that is more than the need.  Tool is still around if I do still need. 

[Deano89]

I've got 24 in total to do but I've read a lot of reviews of budget guns where the tool has bust after only a couple of uses. I really wouldn't want to waste another 5 days waiting for a replacement because the first broke so easily.

[Tamworthbay]

I have had a cheap one at work for years, must have done 500+ with it. It cost about £20 with a selection of rivnuts. Of course, just because one cheapish one has lasted doesn't mean another will.

[Yoda]

Middle of the range Eclipse has done me fine for years,

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...X-/250939764803

 

Shop around though, i think you can get cheaper prices elswhere, maybe CPC tools or other specialist tool suppliers.

 

You need to practice with these, you have to get the pressure just right, too hard and the tool WILL break, too little and the rivnut will spin when you try to undo a corroded bolt. I would also make sure to apply a lubricant to the bolts before fitting the arches and sealing the back of the rivnuts with panel sealant or similar.

 

Most important, use bolts that do NOT go right through the rivnut. This ensures minimum chance of corrosion when you come to undo them.

Edited by Yoda, 22 September 2013 - 01:17 PM.

[Deano89]

There are the odd positive review of the budget tools but the majority have been pretty negative which is why I was wondering if there was an alternative. Just getting so close to the end of the project and first mot that I would hate to have to waste more time ordering a second tool.

 

Was thinking that a little body sealant might be a good idea, and definitely going to be using copper slip on the bolts.

[jpw1275]

i got a cheap one off fleebay and had no probs.... like as been mentioned you need to practise.... i kept pulling the tool out and stripping the threads, i kept changing my mind regarding arches so ive put 4 arches on and off about 5 times now... used them to fit my dash.... fitted the clips to hold my wheel tool in place, fitted my grill using them and the list goes on.... superb little things

cheers james

[Deano89]

If I'd of known about these at the start of the project I would of used them on everything as well! They seem like a great invention.

I've noticed there are a few variations out there I.e. splined, solid bodied, flat head, reduced head, countersunk etc
Is there any advantage/disadvantage of using one over the other?

[ibrooks]

I use them right left and centre on all sorts of stuff. I have a King-Klik tool that's well over 10 years old and has been lent out on numerous occasions - I've only ever had to buy 4 replacement M4 mandrels for it and at least one of those was down to a clumsy operator (think I've still got 3 in the box mind you).

 

http://www.rivetings...x?ProductID=280

 

 

Regarding the nuts themselves. It depends on what you are doing. Stainless nuts take more effort to pull up and I wouldn't use them in a steel panel as galvanic corrosion will make things worse than using a mild steel nut and keeping the water out. If you must use stainless then I'd say M5 is about the practical max for this type of tool (and beyond the cheap ones of this style) M6 and upwards in stainless needs the type where you wind them up with a spanner (there are a couple of variations). I would suggest avoiding the splined nuts in M4 or below - they don't tend to pull up straight (cheap ones are worse then decent ones) and at those sizes the mandrel tends to bend rather than forcing the nut to follow a straight path which results in snapped mandrels and bolts that go in p155ed.

 

Iain