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Cargo bay strut rivets broke

December 08, 2018, 03:16:37 pm

Hi all,
Lifted up water heater bay door today, and noticed right side strut rivet bracket pulled out.
Only saw strut cartridge replace ment threads. Any ideas.  Thanks

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #1 – December 08, 2018, 05:01:17 pm

Just find out hole size and pop rivet back. I have had to do this before.

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #2 – December 08, 2018, 05:26:16 pm

And if you have to use 1/4" diameter pop rivets Harbor Freight has the tool, if you don't.

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #3 – December 08, 2018, 09:28:33 pm

Thanks for the replies.  I saw Barry had a a write up from several owners. Thinking JB marine weld
And 1/4" rivets glued in possibly.

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #4 – December 09, 2018, 10:59:16 am

Looks like it might be a good candidate for a rivnut?

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #5 – December 09, 2018, 11:04:33 am

We got pop rivets from ZipDee that looked like these.  They grip very well.
Bulb Tite Blind Rivets | Rivets In Stock

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #6 – December 09, 2018, 04:29:49 pm

Jr, thanks for reply.  I've read about rivnuts, just leary about going into fiberglass? Don't they need special rivet gun?
Roger, also read about the 3 claw type rivets, but I'm going into thin fibreglass and then styrofoam

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #7 – December 09, 2018, 06:05:41 pm

You can get any size or type of rivets at a Fastenal Store.

Find a Local Branch | Fastenal

jk

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #8 – December 09, 2018, 06:14:03 pm

I think rivnuts would be iffy in thinner fiberglass.  The three leg rivets spread the load out over a pretty big area so they would likely work well.  I fixed some door latch brackets by putting on a piece of aluminum plate (bigger than the latch) with 3M VHB tape and a pop rivet in each corner and then mounted the latch to that.  A bit of adjustment at the pin and it was good.  for these struts, I would try the three leg pop rivets first.  Try the simple stuff first, you can always make it more complicated later.

I do not see the three legged pop rivets at the Fastenal site above.

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #9 – December 09, 2018, 06:44:14 pm

The three leg rivets Roger is discussing are called wide grip blind rivets.
John M.

Special Rivets for Soft Materials - YouTube

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #10 – December 10, 2018, 11:33:59 am

You're welcome Tom, I believe a rivet and the rivnut both would grab the back of the fiberglass once installed, but I have not used the one Roger refers too yet. I have them in several areas of the basement through the thin fiberglass. I also had to install 4 on the 2000 watt inverter/converter hanging from the ceiling in the basement (carrying about 70 lbs) That factory steel angle iron the inverter sits on carries the auxialry compressor also. The the ones (with lines) In the video is the same ones I use, and that same tool I got from napa auto, they're a little over $100.

Nutsert - YouTube

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #11 – December 10, 2018, 06:56:34 pm

Call ZipDee and see if you can buy a bag of them.  I'll bet you can.

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Re: Cargo bay strut rivets broke

Reply #12 – December 11, 2018, 08:46:50 am

I bought these two..

Surebonder Threaded Insert Tool | Northern Tool + Equipment
Smittybilt Nutsert Tool Set - 2834 | 4wheelparts.com

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