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Technical A riveting experience

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 13, May 20, 2016.

  1. I'm going to attempt to re-attach the hub cap clips I've removed from a donor set of wheels, and am wondering if anyone else has tried this, and what rivets were used. I'm assuming steel dome-type rivets, but have also considered pop rivets or grade 8 nuts/bolts. Thank you
     
  2. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,407

    alchemy
    Member

    Probably not a lot of clearance on the backside of the wheel. I'd bet a regular compressed steel rivet was originally used. Can you install the same again?

    If not, maybe use some steel pop rivets with the heads on the backside.
     
    13 likes this.
  3. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Look at some of the body/frame rivets Model A Ford sellers keep in stock. Best done with an air hammer and a helper.
     
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  4. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    One of the most important first steps is observing what you are removing...steel, aluminum, bucked or pull/pop style. What side head is on. Hole size is also important. Then go searching. You must make sure you do it correctly as you don't want to lose a cap and potentially ingure or kill somebody. Sounds extreme but always consider worst case scenario. Minimum you need is what was there to begin with or equivalent. As Alchemy said check clearance. Use correct length. As Highlander said buck riveting a bit more work with a higher level of skillset but doable with the right tools.
    As mentioned car suppliers, Hanson rivet. Aircraft Spruce.
     
    13 likes this.

  5. It did have the domed steel 'buck' type rivet originally, so I will most likely go that route. I'm thinking it might be best to heat the rivet cherry red then install using a bucking bar and air hammer. I would hate to lose a hub cap because the clip system failed. Safety first! Thanks fellers....
     
  6. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    In my experience they don't like the heat deal. It worked way better cold, and especially for a small rivet like that. The heat prevented the shank from expanding as needed for a tight fit.
     
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  7. 3quarter32
    Joined: Dec 10, 2010
    Posts: 498

    3quarter32
    Member

    I did that years ago using 1/8 pop rivets on Moon disc. People thought I had them riveted to the rim. Used 8 rivets, grouped in 2s in four places.
     
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  8. Good point. Now I need to find a source for a handful of rivets
     
  9. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Rivets aren't too hard to find. Sometimes you can find some sizes at ag supplies for riveting the sickle blades on sickle bars on mowers. I never found his tools for doing that but my grandfather did that here where I live for a lot of years when he had a sickle bar mower on his tractor. You might look in those boxes above the bolt bins at Ace hardware too as there are a lot of stuff like that in
    Having bucked rivets while working in an airplane factory I can say there is a bit of skill to getting a nice square bucked end on it. Eastwood has a set of tips to go in an air gun to drive them that are pretty reasonable.
     
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  10. patterg2003
    Joined: Sep 21, 2014
    Posts: 864

    patterg2003

    I agree that rivets are easy to drive with an air tool & die. Any one that repairs aircraft would have the right tools. I just happen to have a set but buying a die for an air tool would make it more expensive than it is worth unless going for concour standards. Using steel rivets in a press is an economical manufacturing process.

    Given that no one is going to see them. If it was mine then it would be stainless steel screw, thin nut just so a thread shows up & then peen it so it will not come off. A thin nut would be about the same as a rivet shop head. Could touch the head with a grinder if you wanted a finished flat look. Easier than looking for something special.
    Glenn
     
    13 likes this.
  11. Kind of was thinking that, but using grade 8 UNF hardware, so I could really torque down the locking nuts. Maybe even finish off with a couple tack welds on each clip for extra security?
     
  12. patterg2003
    Joined: Sep 21, 2014
    Posts: 864

    patterg2003

    The equivalent diameter of the original rivet in a quality fastener should be the same strength or better the original rivet. Gr8 definitely will do it but the system is only as good as the clips. The OEM rivet diameter is likely more than needed to keep the rivet from bending in the press operation to be able to form the shop head quickly. Efficient production is money so they made them fail safe for an efficient set operation. Undersized rivets bend & drilling them out is not an option in a high speed production.
    The mechanical strength to hold the caps is a fraction of the rivet diameter. The hub caps spin and do not affect the wheel balance so other than holding the hub cap on there is not a whole lot of stress or force at play. If there were huge centrifugal forces or imbalance that caused hub caps to fly off then it would be a concern. The forces are balanced and at rest. The spinning hub cap does not exert a lot of force the same as the spinning plate on the stick. It is the spring tension of the clips that holds the cap on or the caps would be screwed down if the forces were different. A car may drop a hubcap if it hits a pot hole or bump which is an external force that sheds the cap off the clips.
    Glenn
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2016
    13 likes this.

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