Rivet nuts??

[Tiger]

I read somewhere on the forum these could be used to secure the Ruby dashboard.
I have some listed as 5mm which look ok. But how to fix these in the car metalwork ?
Suggestions much appreciated.
Tim

[Ilmoro]

I believe it can be done with a setscrew nut and spanner (search youtube), but I bought one of these (see below) and have now become something of a "Riv-nutter" . The dashboard looks neat and is a joy to remove/replace. I also used them recently to assemble a Sandblast cabinet; would have been a pain using 2 spanners. Only real disadvantage if you are a purist, most of them are metric and it is not easy to get imperial rivnuts, though you could probably run a tap down them if you are really anal.  Hand Rivet Nut Tool Riveter Rivnut Gun Mandrels M3-10Rivet Repair for Furniture | eBay

Ian

[Stuart Giles]

The obvious answer is to set them using a Rivnut tool. Decent quality ones are about £80, but you will be able to set the aluminium ones without a 'proper' tool.

With the Rivnut in place, screw in a bolt of the right size which already has a stout washer and a deep nut on it. Now Hold the bolt with one spanner whilst tightening down the nut with another will spread the Rivnut and secure it in the hole.

BTW, coming across metric fasteners on an imperial threaded vehicle are a pet peeve of mine. You can get 10-32 UNF threaded Rivnuts which are for all practical purposes indistinguishable from 3/16" BSF, if you do decide to use these and can't find a supplier, let me know and I can put some in the post.

[Ilmoro]

Stuart, I agree with you re. metric hex head bolts on an imperial based car, but slot head screws?  Really?

[Stuart Giles]

Stuart, I agree with you re. metric hex head bolts on an imperial based car, but slot head screws?  Really?

Yep. Only one set of 'spare' fasteners to carry in the car's spares kit with the confidence that the threaded hole will be BA, Whitworth or BSF when I need to work on the car at the roadside; not needing to faff about or find that I originally used a hokey cokey fastener which I don't happen to have with me. Re. Rivnuts, I have two setting tools, So if I'm working on partner Sue's Fiat Giardinera it gets the 'right' fasteners as well.



I work on all sorts of stuff here, so by the time I've stocked BA/BSF/BSW/Metric threads and the different formats: machine screws/hex set and caphead in HT and Stainless that's a lot of fasteners; this is only part of the storage here.

[Ilmoro]

Valde Infigo  

[Ivor Hawkins]

Ah Milodon, I’ve spent shedloads on their stuff over the years...but never had a proper rivnut tool!