Flared wing bolts

[Crudders]

I have 2 new front wings to fit but CURSES! the small bolts holding them in place are all seized into the rivnuts, which are turning. I used oodles of Copperslip in the assembly of the car, but must have fitted the wings on an off day. Either that or winter use has undone the good work.

 

Anyway, the rivnuts in the engine bay I can deal with, but several are concealed by the cockpit side panel.

 

Options suggested so far are:

 

1. Drill off the bolt heads, remove wing, drill out rivnut with a depth stop on the drill, fit larger rivnuts & larger bolts.

2. As above but leave existing rivnuts in place and fit new ones adjacent.

3. Drill out all rivets holding the cockpit side panels, remove panels and start from scratch.

4. Fill the holes in and fit cycle wings.

 

I'm discounting (4) because I like the flared wings and anyway, have already bought new ones.

 

Options 1 & 2 will probably be hindered by the honeycomb sandwich in the cockpit sides, while Option 3 is one hell of a lot of work. And all that drilling out of rivets will leave the car rattling like a tin marracca.

 

Anyone done this?

 

How did you do it?

 

Is there an Option 5?

 

Help/wisdom much appreciated.

 

Regards

 

 

 

 

 

Crudders

 

P.S. If you didn't use Copperslip on your wing bolts (front and rear) do it now or you'll be up brad pitt creek like me when you come to change them!

 

Edited by - crudders on 12 Jan 2002 12:08:32

[Graham Sewell]

I didn't use coppaslip, but I did 'upgrade' to s/steel bolts so they shouldn'y rust in place.

[I.Mupferit]

Crudders,

 

Not really any help now but maybe for the future.

In my factory, we use a lot of Rivnuts in Aluminium and are well aware of the problem with them sometimes coming loose when you try to undo the screw.

For the last 5 years now, my fitters use a drop of Loctite around the shoulders of the Rivnut prior to pulling it up tight. This seems to help enormously with keeping them from turning later on when the screw starts to corrode in place.

Having said that, it is still a good idea to use the 'Copaslip' as a preventative measure.

 

Good luck with it thumbsup.gif

 

Brent

[Harry Flatters]

Crudders you have E-mail.

 

Steve Mell

PTM 88

[EFA]

Richard,

 

You can drill out the old rivnuts sithout damaging the hole if you are careful.

 

I've got the tool to put new ones in if you need to borrow.

 

When would you like to borrow it??? 2005?

 

Fat Arn

The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[CHRIS CLARK]

I think drilling off the bolt head so you can remove the wing with the stub left sticking out is favourite.

This will probably enable (note I said "probably"!) you to centre 'pop' the rim of the riv-nut to lock it enough to remove the stub with a small pair of 'moleys'.

 

BE CAREFUL. If the screw start to turn while drilling its head off then the fun really begins.This happens due to the action of HSS drill bit on steel creating heat etc. Mind you, if the old wings are really to be scrapped then you could cut/break the sections away and carry on with the centre-pop routine!

 

Good Luck

 

[Crudders]

Thanks guys.

 

After posting this it occurred to me that a search might be a good idea and for anyone else reading there is some archive advice on this subject under "rivnut" (I'm a dedicated follower of the "when all else fails read the instructions" rule).

 

Graham - s/s bolts will help but stainless is still cathodic relative to ali and the latter will corrode in the presence of a suitable electrolyte, i.e. salty road water. Copperslip would still be a good idea to stop the electrolyte getting in there (I knew that building materials module on my degree course would come in handy one day smile.gif).

 

Brent - I like the sound of Loctite as a helping hand, ta idea.gif.

 

Steve - Thanks for the mail and call. I shall be replacing the bolts with Polyamide, and the nuts/washers with stainless. Thanks for the offer. Sounds like you've sold quite a few sets so there should be a fair bit of dosh in the direction of NtL too thumbsup.gif.

 

Arnie - Thanks for the offer of your rivnut setting tool and while I'd like to argue the point about my timing, I know I'd lose. Well, you know me, I just don't like to rush things wink.gif. Wings have moved up in priority though - no longer just a cosmetic job as the engine needs to come out and those big old flared wings make the job really back breaking. Any chance of liberating the tool at Dormansland tonight? Oo-er, just had a bit of a Carry On moment there.

 

Chris - I might try this if I come across any loose rivnuts but the bolts are SERIOUSLY seized. I can't even shift some where I can get a mole grip on the rivnut eek.gif!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crudders

 

Edited by - crudders on 15 Jan 2002 07:45:01

[allen]

Crudders

 

Think Arnie has inferred it by offering a loan of the tool, but option 5 is to carefully drill out old rivinuts and replace with exactly the same size rivinut and bolt.

 

Regards

 

allen