RE: [DML] Rivnuts

["Marc A. Levy" <malevy@xxxx>]

The rivnut problem may be a combination of improper installation, and the effects of dissimilar metals reacting.

When installing a aluminum rivnut, if you use too much force you will distort or rip the threads out. Because of this, sometimes not enough force is used to install them, which will result in them being more likely to spin.

Putting a steel bolt in to an aluminum ruvnut will cause it to gall. Add some moisture, and this will happen even faster. The added resistance between the bolt and rivnut will transfer the twisting force to the joint between the fiberglass and rivnut. As a result it will either cause the rivnut to spin or in some cases the bolt will simply snap (if the rivnut was installed properly).

On #01860, I had a number of rivnut problems. All four that hold the fan shroud had to be replaced, along with 2 that hold the washer bottle in place- All places that tend to get wet. I also had one spin in the electrical compartment where the back of the rivnut is exposed next to the rear tire also likely to get wet. All of the rivnuts were drilled out and replaced (John Hervey sold me the METRIC tool at a reasonable price, with all of the rivnuts I needed). The bolts were replaced with Stainless Steel and assembledwith never-seize (because SS will still cause the Aluminum to gall). Thiswas all done within the past few months so I can't report on the long termresults, however I suggest this procedure to anyone else with rivnut problems. The only improvement on this would be to use stainless rivnuts. I did receive some leads on sourcing, but ran out of time to follow up.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Strickland [mailto:ihaveanaccount@xxxx]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 1:09 AM
> To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [DML] Rivnuts
> 
> 
> I can't believe that there is not a suitable alternative to 
> the rivnuts,
> 20 years later. We made stealth bombers in less than 100 years of
> flying, why can't get a rivnut that doesn't swivel like my arm-chair? 
> (or do I have to wait another 80 years).
> 
> I replaced one of my rivnuts with a well-nut. it's made of a rubber
> sleeve and a nut; and the sleeve expands to stay in the hole one you
> start screwing in the screw. It seems to be working alright 
> so far....