Guys, I had the same problem with some of the rivnuts in my car. If they are not too loose (too wide a hole or damaged hole) in the fiberglass body part, there is a way to get them tightened again: - Use a bolt of the same thread and of sufficient length (approx 1.5 inch would do), a washer ring and a nut; - Turn the nut on the bolt until is is close to the bolt head; - Put the washer on the bolt; - Turn the bold into the loose rivnut until it is against the collar of the rivnut; - Keep the bolt in place and turn the nut towards the rivnut; N.B.: This should tighten the rivnut again. Prevent the rivnut from turning while screwing in the bolt by placing the head of a screw driver under the rivnut's head (edge). Welmoed. --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Jake Kamphoefner <jakekamp@...> wrote: > > > > Andy, > > If it's the brake access panel, I've also had decent luck holding the spinning riv-nut from the under side with a pliers or similar, and then having a helper unscrew from the top. An impact screwdriver will help a lot also. > > After they are out, they can be replaced with a special tool that works in the same style as a pop rivet gun, and I think Hervey has the metric sizes. If you are careful, you can probably just run a tap through them to clean the threads and use the existing nuts. Be liberal with the anti-seize on re-assembly, and I second Joe's advice to replace them with phillips-head screws. > > I've also found it most helpful to do this type of job in Marty Maier's garage, with a two-post Rotary lift and every tool known to man readily available. :-) > > Jake Kamphoefner > 1063 > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Joseph Kuchan <josephkuchan@...> > To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:27:56 PM > Subject: RE: [DML] Spinning screws in trunk > > > > Are you sure the rivnuts aren't spinning in the fiberglass? That is much more likely than all the screws being stripped. BTW, those screws are all posidrive. A regular phillips driver will "cam out" of them faster than you can say "cam out". (Ask me how I learned this!) Unless you have a posidrive bit of the correct size, when you finally get this issue resolved I would consider using phillips head screws as replacements for the originals. > > Joe Kuchan > > To: dmcnews@yahoogroups .comFrom: Soma576@aol. comDate: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:44:33 -0400Subject: [DML] Spinning screws in trunk > > Hey Group,A semi-local owner trailered a non-running DeLorean?to? my house for basic restoration i.e. get it running again and reliable.? Nothing I haven't already done on my own car.? However, on this car, nearly all of the screws that hold the brake cylinder access panel to the trunk floor are stripped and spinning in the rivnuts.? I can turn them with vice-grips but the rivnuts are frozen to the screws.? I suppose I will have to grind off the heads and drill out the rivnuts, but how does one replace the rivnuts?? Is there a special tool?? Haven't had to deal with this issue before.Thanks, Andy Lien[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > ------------------------------------ To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnewsYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/