RE: [DMCForum] Re: removing side skirts pain?

["timnagin" <timnagin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I received the response below, in case anyone is interested.

Greg


-----Original Message-----

I got lucky on my rocker panels. I just had two hopelessly rusted-up rivnuts
on the driver's side. However, my bonnet area more than made up for it
because I had to replace almost all of those.

In both rocker panel cases (took off my passenger side in '04, my driver's
side in '06), I soaked the screws in PB Blaster for a few days before
tackling the job.

After the screws have soaked, try a moderate amount of force to release the
screws. If they do not move, do not try to muscle them out! The only thing
you will accomplish is spinning the rivnut in the fiberglass and then you
will be forced to replace the rivnut.

Soak the screws that do not move a few days longer in PB Blaster and try
again. If the screws still do not move, you might as well try forcing them
and see what happens (you have nothing to lose at this point). If the rivnut
spins (as it probably will), you will be forced to replace it.

In replacing rivnuts, I've found that drilling them out doesn't work too
well for me. The rivnut tends to spin on the drill bit.

I use the Dremel with a reinforced cutting wheel to cut off the screw head.
Next I use the Dremel to cut the flange off the rivnut. Then I just push the
bad rivnut up into the fiberglass out of the way.

Go to www.mcmaster.com and look up part number 94020A379. This is the 5 mm
rivnut I use. It is a bit larger in diameter than the original and it has a
knurled barrel. That should give a better bite in the fiberglass and not
spin like the smaller diameter, smooth-barreled ones the factory used.

I always replace every fastener I encounter on the car with a SS equivalent
(except where a hardened part is required). Dealing with rusty hardware is
something you only want to do one time.

Hope this helps. You can quote me if you want :-).


-Brian



> -----Original Message-----
> From: timnagin [mailto:timnagin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 7:49 PM
> To: DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [DMCForum] Re: removing side skirts pain?
> 
> 
> Most of mine were rusted but would turn a little, and some 
> snapped off.  The OEM plastic rocker panels are very easy to 
> rip as I found out.
> 
> You could cut the heads off with a Dremel and then saturate 
> what's left in PB Blaster, let it soak, and see if they will come out.
> 
> A local owner went through this so I will ask and see if he 
> has anything else to offer.
> 
> Greg
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of silverdelorean2002
> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 6:36 PM
> To: DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [DMCForum] Re: removing side skirts pain?
> 
> dam this sounds like a pain in the ass. Im thinking of just breaking 
> off the head and drilling the screws out and tapping new threads. I 
> cant believe it. I have nearly taken out every bold out of the car 
> and none were as hard to remove as these sam things,.
> 
> --- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Martin Gutkowski - DMC Ltd 
> <martin@...> wrote:
> >
> > The problem is not the bolts themselves but the fact that if you
> do 
> > manage to turn them, you'll spin the rivnuts in their holes. If
> you snap 
> > them off, you'll have to drill out the rivnuts. It's the old
> > steel-in-ally argument.
> > 
> > I'm not recommending this but we cheated on 2727 (that's a
> friend's car, 
> > not a customer's!) and drilled a set of new holes halfway between
> the 
> > old ones, and installed new rivnuts.
> > 
> > Martin
> > 
> > Ryan Wright wrote:
> > 
> > >Ah, OK. Those are nice. I may have to buy me a set.
> > >
> > >As far as those rusted bolts go... have you tried PB Blaster?
> > >
> > >-Ryan



 
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