fatcodycat Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Evening all! I will be replacing my rear crossmember on my willys Jeep at some point in the future, can i just ask about the rivits that i will need to replace please. I belive that there are seven in total and they are 3/8 inch size, but what depth? anyone got any good hints and tips? and is there a UK sorce for the "snap head" rivits that look a dam site easier to fit! thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hall Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I use Brent Mullins fake rivets. They’re a bolt which has a round head and a round nut. The head has serrations on the underside which grip the bore of the hole and the nut has a hex on the end which shears at a predetermined torque. I nipped up the head tight but not enough to shear. Then tapped the head and surrounding metal with a nylon hammer and then tightened the nut again. I repeated this until there was no slack left and the nut wouldn’t tighten any more before the hex sheared off. I think some use loctite as well but I didn’t think there was any need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 I see, i have seen the excellant looking "fake rivets" and i think that they are the way to go, your experence and descritption confirm my thoughts that they are the ones to use! If you are in the UK could i ask you what the total cost was by the time you go them imported? or..... does anyone know a UK supplier of the snap head rivets? thanks for the reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hall Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I just checked and I spent $47 on front gusset plates and rear x-member rivets. I don’t think I’d have paid any import duties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 ok There must be a UK supplier, they look excellent - i would be very intrested to hear what else anyone else has used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the DT guy Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 saphire are the uk's largest stockist of rivets in variety of seizes and head types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, the DT guy said: saphire are the uk's largest stockist of rivets in variety of seizes and head types. Wow! what a comprehensive website! any idea of the size of the rivets in the rear corss member? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the DT guy Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 no idea on a jeep i haven't had the pleasure to work on one. the hole in your chassis should be the same size or a fraction larger than the rivet you need to put in. if they are 3/8" rivets you'll be able to hammer them over cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, the DT guy said: no idea on a jeep i haven't had the pleasure to work on one. the hole in your chassis should be the same size or a fraction larger than the rivet you need to put in. if they are 3/8" rivets you'll be able to hammer them over cold. Just found out that they are; shaft is 3/8" diameter, and 3/4" long. Hammering them over would be so much easier! any one got any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the DT guy Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 11 hours ago, fatcodycat said: Just found out that they are; shaft is 3/8" diameter, and 3/4" long. Hammering them over would be so much easier! any one got any tips? i have no idea what access you have with it or if you even see the rivets when body is fitted. but have the pre formed head on the least accessible side so you can hit the shank on the easier side. have about 1/4" - 3/8" shank sticking out and hit the shank square on to swell it in the hole, then work around the edge of the diameter of the shank to round it off. i am sure there will be vids on you tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hall Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Riveting is one of those things that looks easy but can take a skill and really needs the tools to do it properly. Hammering the tail can result in a rivet that with effort, could look ok but may not have all the intended strength. The Ford and Willys rivets had distinct tails/heads after forming. This is down to the dolly or reaction bar used. it will be down to personal preference and resources. If hitting with a hammer, you will still need to get a reaction bar/dolly on the head to react to the hammer blows and for rivets this size, it will need to be heavy. I really fancied having a go at making the hydraulic tool on the G503 forum but the cost for simply forming a few rivets was excessive. Had I been doing a number of frames as the G thread were then it would have been invaluable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 thank you all for hte replys, i am not sure i will have the skill to form the rivit heads by hand with a hammer!. I am leaning towards using the M10 button head screws and then filling in the allen key hole with something, it will lok the same from the outside and be simplier to install! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 The riveting is best done hot so that the shank swells in the hole to stop the two chassis parts fretting, this is why they are riveted and not bolted. As a matter of interest, to shape a rivet you would use a tool called a rivet snap, which is like a punch with a semi circular concave in the end, similar tool when using a compressed air riveter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Without going into squeezers. Your size of rivet , you could do the hammer work on the inside of the chassis , just basic flattening to spread. If you wish for say round heads neat at both sides , then it would be best to have a suitable 'bucking-bar' or at a pinch you could use a second snap. There are tables / formula to cut rivet to correct lengths prior to closing. You would need a mate , but two would be best - 1 as rivet heater & the other as the "Holder-up" (he uses the bucking bar). A riveting squad is a minimum of three , could be four if a 'catcher' is needed. At times - a squeezer is not practicable and a pneumatic riveter can't access - in this case two riveters work together - the hammer normally weigh 1.1/2 - 2 lb. shafts vary in length but normally about 30". Rivet hearths are normally on a wheeled trolley lined with refractory bricks , fueled with coke , they have a adjustable air-blast from the bottom. Even for easy jobs where no long cooling distance &/or a catcher is not involved , the rivets are raised to white heat , leaving the heaters tongs they will be like a sparkler. Using refractory bricks as a mini-furnace & a propane torch - I would aim for bright red , just short of white (if not doing it frequently - you can burn the rivets). Dull red is just not right even working fast , forging stage they must be at least bright red. A proper riveter does not just bray rivet heads - he is a team leader with the most colourfull loud language. Always was interesting to watch a good squad throwing & catching rivets using just tongs , a learner at catching , often had a tin in the other hand. Apprentice riveters who were obviously never going to lead a full squad often ended up as platers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 15 hours ago, Richard Farrant said: The riveting is best done hot so that the shank swells in the hole to stop the two chassis parts fretting, this is why they are riveted and not bolted. As a matter of interest, to shape a rivet you would use a tool called a rivet snap, which is like a punch with a semi circular concave in the end, similar tool when using a compressed air riveter. Hello, yes i understand they will tighten up when they cool, but i must ballance the practicality of bashing the rivits (and my inexperence of doing this) and the strength and simplicty of using the M10 button head screws and then fillingin the head later, which will result in the same look externally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hall Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 At the end of the day you will likely have time to replace the button head screws if you decide you don’t like them a few months down the line. What you could do is get the button head screws with a Torx or Allan key fitting, get some of those nuts they use or railings and anti theft items and use them. Once the hex head had sheared off it will look like a rivet tail to the casual observer. https://www.accu.co.uk/en/shear-nuts/390030-HNSH-M10-A2?uk_google_shopping=1&c=3&gclid=CjwKCAiAi_D_BRApEiwASslbJwuoKmHQgz8XnS5YLuqdKeDlm_KSEaHq9oGiX4HTno2eJaSzTvYS3RoCpxkQAvD_BwE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcodycat Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 the shear head nuts are looing good, i can hopefully get into the ends with a dremmel to tidy them up a little after the shear head has sheared! i think we have found a solution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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