About the Rivnuts

[ehansen007]

I saw a post on drag week talking about the rivnuts and I also had a question from a customer on them because they were coming loose or spun in the holes. Make sure when clamping those things that you do it twice. By that I mean that once you squeeze it, make sure to turn the back knob on the tool in a second time (now that the nut is shortened) and squeeze again. You have got to squish/crush those things so they anchor and do not spin or move at all, especially on the top! Just making sure everyone knows this.

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[OnlyAndy]

I am getting close to using rivnuts for the first time. NO experience,,, have tools and nuts etc but worried I may get a "spinner". I like the idea of a second squeeze as mentioned here. Is there any advantage to using a dab of epoxy adhesive or something else to add another element of success?

[NAZ]

There are rivet nuts that work better in thin aluminum than the ones supplied by FFR. When I'm using a rivet nut in aluminum I typically use these from McMaster-Carr: 94430A336 (https://www.mcmaster.com/94430A336) . They have a serrated edge on the rim that grips soft metals better than the plane style.

[JimLev]

That's for that bit of info NAZ, I've been putting star washers on them.
Will have to order some of those good ones.

[cgundermann]

There are rivet nuts that work better in thin aluminum than the ones supplied by FFR. When I'm using a rivet nut in aluminum I typically use these from McMaster-Carr: 94430A336 (https://www.mcmaster.com/94430A336) . They have a serrated edge on the rim that grips soft metals better than the plane style.

Naz is spot on, those work much much better!

Chris

[Svtfreak]

I've been using a dab of loctite on mine when I install them.

I also invested in a better rivnut tool than the one ffr sent. I also give the extra squeeze. Haven't had a problem yet.

[AJT '33]

There are rivet nuts that work better in thin aluminum than the ones supplied by FFR. When I'm using a rivet nut in aluminum I typically use these from McMaster-Carr: 94430A336 (https://www.mcmaster.com/94430A336) . They have a serrated edge on the rim that grips soft metals better than the plane style.

Also make sure that the grip of the Rivnut is correct, the ones from FFR are for the steel tubes but do not always work on the fiberglass well. I went out and got longer ones and made sure that the backside is flat and parallel to the front on the fiberglass parts, if not they drift to one side even with a washer. I also use a washer that has a slightly smaller hole than the rivnut, then drill it using the proper bit size to get the best fit. No problems so far.

[NAZ]

For fiberglass I normally use rivet nuts made for plastics such as these from McMaster-Carr: 97217A359 (https://www.mcmaster.com/97217A359)

I mostly use these in 10-32 and 1/4-20 and will sometimes use flat washers on the back side to spread the load a little better than just the expanding pedals do. But even as designed, for them to pull through the glass would require ripping out a hole in the base material the size of a quarter.

[33wanabe]

since I don't have a lot of muscle I finished clamping with a c clamp to finish closing tool.

[65 Cobra Dude]

33,

I use extension pipes on the rivnut tool handles and clamp at least twice. Never had a spinner yet!

Henry

[wibby]

I also use extension pipes on the handles.

Wibby

[HVACMAN]

I've already broken one handle using the "cheaters" so be careful.

[DS9941]

For the hardtop on the back of the body I put my rivnuts into an aluminum plate all the way across the back under the body so my studs for the top go through the fiberglass body and thread into the rivnuts in the aluminum plate under the body so it is very solid