STUARTQ

We have used rivet nuts for various jobs on vehicles normally when you need to make a fixing in a box section and providing you are using a good tool to fit them they have worked out to be very successful. And the smaller they are, the easier they are to fit.
With out knowing the exact applications, it's difficult to say if they would be ok to use, but it sounds like you may not have a choice.
Unless you are a real expert with the welder, rivet nuts must be the way to go.

robt964

Thanks Stuart, if the car was elevated more I might actually stand a chance of being able to do it. Trying to hold the new thread in position with one hand, the mig in the other, whilst laying on my side with the welding mask on I just can't see what I'm doing or where I'm positioning properly. Anyway, I've decided to go the riv-bolt route and ordered them today. I'm pretty confident they'll work and hopefully never need any future attention as I'm going with the stainless ones. I had a few in the draw already so tried one out and appears to work really well. Once in place I can also put a tiny spot weld each side for the added confidence if required as I don't have to hold it in position to do so.

freedman

Be interested to see how these work out, something that could be of use to a number of us I think

I'd not seen the bolt version before, and I know I have a few missing under the car (and my indie has replaced with screws going the other way)

robt964

>my indie has replaced with screws going the other way

Yeah, the PO had done this on a few also. Not happy with that as a solution as it opens up the tub to rot.

VR6-er

The correct way to repair these is by using a spot welder the old threaded stud remains are ground off and the new stud is put into a spot welder and single side welded back on. Any bodyshop can do this for buttons.

STUARTQ

And, if you don't have a spot welder?

robt964

Thanks VR6, I did wonder how it was done. Unfortunately my issue is that the car is virtually completely stripped, sat on 4 axle stands with no wheels and only half the suspension. Not quite so easy to drop it in :-) The car will be going to a bodyshop but only after I've finished the underside and mechanicals. I don't want to wait until then as I won't be able to paint the underside or sills and fit the rest of the stuff that would prevent.
The supplier I was getting the rivbolts from informed me yesterday they're not in stock and won't be for a bit so I've opted for stainless rivnuts instead. Shouldn't make much difference as I'll just threadlock a piece of stainless threaded studding in once installed. That way I can replace the thread with ease should it ever become necessary. The rivnuts arrived today so I had another tester on a piece of sheet the same gauge as the car. I got it pressed in but busted my installation tool on the last squeeze! Grrr Have a more heavy duty professional one arriving tomorrow at work all being well. To finish it off I put a tiny weld each side of rivnut flange. I put a bolt in it and gave it a fair bit of abuse. It wasn't going anywhere so I'm as convinced as I can be it'll work. It better do as I've drilled them all out on the car ready now :-)

Lemass Automotive

You could always just weld a thread/stud to the car?

robt964

Hello peebs :-) Its been a while but progress has been ticking away behind the scenes.
With the exception of the bolt studs that are used to secure the centre tunnel cover, all the other protruding screw studs have been cut-off, drilled out and replaced with stainless rivenuts. These have now been properly sealed in. Have to say I'm very happy with the job. Once I'm done with the underside I'll screw the stainless studding into them with a drop of threadlock. I bought a professional inserter tool which makes light work of the stainless inserts. Trying to insert them with the regular cheapo 'plier' type was almost impossible.

In far more exciting news, I've put together the remainder of the front suspension. Again, all new nuts bolts and joints. I opted for the usual stainless brake lines and made up the short sections of hard-line that connect up to the calipers. Disks are waiting for the proper 'brake grey' paint to turn up.



The sharp eye'd among you will notice the trackrod end not connected to the hub. I was planning on doing this last but annoyingly the adjuster on the base of the KW3 shocks prevents the fitment of the trackrod whist the shock is in place. Bit of a design flaw if you ask me as it will mean having to disturb geo just to change trackrods which are consumeables. Anyway... hopefully that won't have to happen for some time.



The fuel pump hatch is now all repaired and the tank back in with new in/out rubber hoses.



Looking back up the tunnel. No fuel lines in yet. I'll refit them once rear suspension is done.



The underside of the tub is now repaired and prep'd as far back as the rear jacking points but only painted as far back as the gear stick (ran out of paint!)



Haven't fitted the Rothsport shifter yet as the gear linkage has a lot of play in it so I'll make some modifications here to. The easiest is the forward gear linkage. This has two plastic ball and cup joints that are very worn. Instead I've purchased two 10mm stainless rosejoints and will fab up a tube with one of these each end to replace it. I know you can purchase off the shelf from the states but 180 dollars plus tax and delivery is a heck of alot of money for a 73cm thin guage steel tube that I can replicate with about 2 hours work. The rear linkage needs addressing too as the plastic bushes in the UJ has some serious play and fractures appearing around the nose of the small casting where the gearbox rod is inserted.

<edited to say> Eeesh, Sorry these pictures are terrible quality...

LM964

Looking tip-top Rob...

robt964

Thanks :-)

I made up the forward gear rod this evening.



...and a new mounting plate and spacer that will attach the forward end of the rod to the front suspension subframe as before. I've cut off and carefully drilled out the stainless ball that was pressed into the bottom of the rothsport shifter, and will replace it with a stud and spacer to accept the rose-joint.

Vandit

That looks awesome! This is turning out super clean. Very impressive.

ECS Tuning

This is looking superb !! Keep up the great work

STUARTQ

Do you fancy doing another one when you're finished?

robt964

Ha! I'd love to jack-in my profession and do this kind of stuff for a job instead. Infinately more enjoyable and rewarding :-)