Silicone on "F" panels..........oops

[Real Time]

Hi all,

My aluminum came back from powder coat and in my excitement, I hastily installed the "F" panels with no silicone.
Would you guys recommend leaving well enough alone or drill out the rivets and do it over.

I don't like the idea of all the abandoned rivet remains left in the tube although I'm sure it really doesn't matter...lol

Curious of what others have to say.

George

[rthomas98]

I did the same mistake I drilled and re-did it. Also don't worry about the remains as when you drill you are putting metal shavings in there anyways.

[JohnK]

I think you could go either way. On the cockpit and trunk aluminum the silicone serves to seal the joints as well as provide additional structural rigidity. With the f-panels there's no concern about leakage, and I don't really see them as being a critical structural element so I'd probably just leave them alone if it were me.

[MB750]

I'd leave it.

[rich grsc]

Take it apart. Do it correctly. It will stop rattles and tin-canning, and it adds more rigidity and strength than you think.

[F500guy]

I second what Rich said. Every frame member will flex and twist to some degree. May not see it next week or first thousand miles but the vibration and flex will loosen the rivets just enough to wish it was corrected when it was easy. See it all the time in items on my race car that I rivet and due not use some form of bonding.

[BrewCityCobra]

Take it apart. Do it correctly. It will stop rattles and tin-canning, and it adds more rigidity and strength than you think.

I'd take Rich's advice - not only is it a relatively easy fix (just drilling out a few rivets) - it will drive you crazy if you don't (at least it would drive me crazy) and it will just get harder to fix as the project goes on.

[csmith]

Consider this: Even if everything is perfectly fine with it, what’s going to happen when you hear a rattle you can’t identify the source of? You’ll remember the time you spent thinking of this, and you’ll want to fix it, but it’ll be a significant hassle and may not resolve the issue.

[runamuk]

Consider this: Even if everything is perfectly fine with it, what’s going to happen when you hear a rattle you can’t identify the source of? You’ll remember the time you spent thinking of this, and you’ll want to fix it, but it’ll be a significant hassle and may not resolve the issue.

This car is not a Tesla, if you hear a loose rivet tail rattling inside the front frame tube, I want to see what exhaust system you're running

[CraigS]

Just be real careful to hold the drill in such a way that it can't grab and pop sideways. If you score up your powdercoating you will be cursing those of us who said redo it. I'd also start on the least visible rivet. Many times the rivet will start spinning before the drill is through. And it will wobble a little and a circle of your coating will be removed that is just a little larger than the new rivet head. Depending on color that could be almost hidden or could stand out like a sore thumb.

[rich grsc]

This car is not a Tesla, if you hear a loose rivet tail rattling inside the front frame tube, I want to see what exhaust system you're running
It's not the rivet tail that you'll hear, it's the panel rattling on the frame or the other panel

[Real Time]

A BIG THANK YOU!!! to all that contributed here.

I will be drilling out the rivets and reinstalling the "F" panels this morning.....WITH SILiCONE!!!....lol

George

[RBachman]

Drill it and do it right.