I love rivet nuts - but need some way to touch up the mistakes :)

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johnwest80

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First, let me just say that rivet nuts rock! I went ahead and replaced the rivets on the front plates on my deck with rivet nuts in prep for installing the trolling motor and electronics. I made mistakes on a couple of bolts, but after that it was great.

I do need to touch up the mistakes, and I'd like to color the bolt heads as well. Do I just use permanent markers? Is there some better, longer lasting product I should get for doing this?

Thx.

1713545515620.jpeg
 
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What are rivet nuts? This something new to me. Looks like you need an expensive tool to install them maybe?

For touching up, just find paint that matches one of the colors. Prob can get some rattle can stuff and shoot a little bit into a jar or something. Auto parts stores also offer touch-up pens in a variety of colors. That would be quick and easy if you can find a color that works.
 
LaqueRatt said:
What are rivet nuts? This something new to me. Looks like you need an expensive tool to install them maybe?

For touching up, just find paint that matches one of the colors. Prob can get some rattle can stuff and shoot a little bit into a jar or something. Auto parts stores also offer touch-up pens in a variety of colors. That would be quick and easy if you can find a color that works.
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Rivnut's are threaded inserts that you can insert into a blind hole, then collapse them and you have a set of threads for thinner materials. They do make a fancy tool to collapse them but you can also make your own from a bolt and a few nuts. I made my own tool, works fine.
 
I’ve actually had such limited success with rivet nuts that I don’t use them any longer. Probably need to tool up. In the meantime I’m getting along fine without them.
 
Still Afloat said:
I’ve actually had such limited success with rivet nuts that I don’t use them any longer. Probably need to tool up. In the meantime I’m getting along fine without them.
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This was my first time working with them - I’d never even heard of rivet nuts before now. What do you mean by limited success? Just hard to work with? They failed after you installed them? I’m thinking about using them for more than just the initial front plates, but don’t want to if they’re gonna be problematic.
 
I hate when you install them, and then the rivnut just spins when trying to remove the bolt. ARRRGH!!!! With thicker materials, they work better, but I always GREASE any bolts I screw into Rivnuts. Otherwise, they lock up and you end up with worse problems.

In the end, I generally use pop rivets. If I need to get into the space, I either drill them out or use a sharp chisel to pop the heads off, and then rivet them back on when I'm done.
 
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I use them on my SidexSide and go thru mud and water. The trick is to put some grease on the threads of the screw and be sure the rivnut is tight !! I found my own tool gets them tighter than the commercial tool. Also be carefull when drilling the hole, it can't be sloppy, better snug fit...
 
johnwest80 said:
This was my first time working with them - I’d never even heard of rivet nuts before now. What do you mean by limited success? Just hard to work with? They failed after you installed them? I’m thinking about using them for more than just the initial front plates, but don’t want to if they’re gonna be problematic.
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They didn’t hold very well. Basically, any stress would pull them out. I certainly would not use them to secure something like a trolling motor mount.
 
Hmm... these are great points i didn't consider.

yeah, trying to take a bolt out and having the rivnut spin would be, uh, less than optimal... i may have to reconsider my thinking on them. when you had this happen, @thill , what did you do to get them out, in case it does happen to me at some point?

@Still Afloat i agree, i won't use them for anything structural because i don't know enough about their strength and reliability.
 
Installation is the key to rivnuts ! If the rivnut goes into the drilled hole with slop, then the hole is to big ! I used 3/8" rivnuts (4) to hold my side steps on my Side x Side atv, people step on them to get in and out and they deflect trees and stumps when you get to close. Been holding for 5 years. They make light duty and heavy duty rivnuts, the light duty are aluminum and the heavy duty are steel. I would not trust the light duty for structural support, but my steel rivnuts have held 250lb men with no problem.
 
I love riv nuts but they need to be snug when installed into the hole before squeezing. If your installing In really thin aluminum I could see them having limited strength. I used them for the t bars and other rod holders for catfish on my last several boats without fail. The drags are buttoned down to whatever a abu garcia 6500 can muster ( 15 lbs i think) when chasing big blues and flatheds they held in my alumacraft for the 10 yrs I had it.
 
Not sure what kind I had, heavy or light duty. Mine was indeed in thin sheet metal, and I'm not convinced that the tool that installed them was that great. Looked basically like a pop-rivet gun. The whole kit, with a variety of rivnuts and dies for them cost maybe $35, if I recall correctly.

After having an issue with at least half of them, I stopped using them altogether. But mine did NOT have anything near 3/8". It may have had 1/4" as the largest. 3/8", installed correctly into thicker, stronger material might indeed be a decent connection.

I would never know, as I stopped using mine years ago. I see it in the toolbox every once in a while, and I shift it aside, looking for real tools.
This being my story, perhaps I'm not the best person to ask about them. It's been years, and perhaps they are better nowadays.
 
Interesting....I was just thinking of purchasing a riv nut tool from HF. It was going to be used for lightweight items on travel trailer, boat, etc. mainly mounting lightweight items to thin gauge sheet metal. Not comfortable with the potential for slipping and causing removal issues. Perhaps sheet metal screws and/or rivets are the preferred alternative for attaching lightweight items in sheet metal. Removal of these is LOT simpler than removing a slipping riv nut.

As far as touch up paint find a color that is close to existing color(s)....a rattle can with paint sprayed into a small container and applied with a small brush seems good. Rustoleum enamel would be my preference.
 
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Still Afloat said:
For touch up of screw heads I’ve had good luck by removing the screws, sticking then through a piece of cardboard and spray painting the heads. It keeps the threads cleans and avoids “gluing” the head to the sheet metal parts.
Click to expand...
Very good advice. This trick has worked for me many times and leaves the job a bit more "professional" looking.
 

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