Farmer_Terry Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 A track day at Snetterton started well (photos here) but then an errant cone left out on the Esses hit the rear wing and pulled out the first three rivnuts leaving three huge holes. ☹️ There are photos of the damage here and, as I have no idea how to start to repair this ( ), I wondered what (if any) options I have - I can’t possibly be the first person to have this problem. Is it possible to weld aluminium this thin and put some plates on? If not, is glue an option? Any and all suggestions received very gratefully. Farmer Terry (and his car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Terry you can normally tap the aluminium back flat and refit rivnuts. A fair number of us now use rubber rivnuts and nylon bolts designed to do less damage to the skin in the event of a coming together. Used to be a guy on here (sign on Kaytee) selling a fittings pack, might be worth doing a search for his e-mail address Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 As Mark says, you can carefully tap the aluminium reasonably flat and provided the resulting hole isn't too big, an alternative to the rubber rivnuts is to use slightly bigger standard type rivnuts and nylon screws. RS Components do Rivnuts which although still an M5 internal thread, are a bigger outside diameter and grip far better than the standard CC items. If you let me have your address, I can post you a few. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 It may not be any consolation but those holes are not that big, I have seen many worse. When I did mine the holes were so big we had to remove the inner skin and put large washers in place to cover the holes 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Crudders Posted June 13, 2006 Area Representative Share Posted June 13, 2006 Have to agree with Graham, I think you got off pretty lightly Terry. I can also vouch for the quality of Brent's rivnuts, and have depleted his stock quite a bit during my rebuild 😳 Thanks mate 😬 Crudders P.S. If I can find my vernier I'll post up the shank diameter of the super duper M5 rivnuts. It's certainly a lot bigger and I reckon they'll fill your stretched holes. As it were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Terry Posted June 13, 2006 Author Share Posted June 13, 2006 Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. I don’t think these are likely to knock flat – there is very little “funneling” to flatten. They just look like a bl**dy great holes! If you let me have your address, I can post you a few Brent. I have sent you my address separately – thank you very much – can I make a donation to NtL? You say they come from RS (did they used to be Radiospares when I were a lad?). Can you give me a contact? I have a couple of businesses here, (although neither of them electronic related) and I might be able to get a account. Are they difficult? I see you live in Cloud Cuckoo Land. Have you seen my brother there recently? He, too, moved there some time back, declaring it an all round better place to be than here. Of course. If there are a great many people there, you might need a photo. He used to answer to the name of Neil. Farmer Terry (and his car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Terry Glad you are enjoying the car. Damage is very superficial and easy to sort out as others have said. if you get a bit stuck give McMillan Motorsports a call and they'll soon sort it out. They probably do at least half a dozen of these every race meeting MikeW Mega Grad Race No 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Terry Posted June 13, 2006 Author Share Posted June 13, 2006 Mike I have to be honest - phoning someone else is more my kind of answer. My co-pilot, who normally looks after these things, is highly stressed elsewhere at the moment, so if Brent's super rivnuts won't do it, I might try McMillans. Thanks for the tip. Will you be at the Swan tomorrow? Farmer Terry (and his car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesElliott Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 As everyone has said: - Knock flat with ball end of pein hammer (preferably) - Insert new rivnuts (you will need a rivnut tool - I'm sure someone near you will lend you one) - Re-attach wing Don't worry, it is very simple and you won't notice it was ever gone. You may also need to knock back a few of the intact rivnuts if they have 'pulled' the aluminium - in order to get the wing sitting flat against the car. Or take it to Bruntinghorpe and get Andy to sort it Charles --- My SuperGraduates 2006 diary My SuperGraduates 2005 diary, My Caterham Academy 2004 build and race diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Crudders Posted June 13, 2006 Area Representative Share Posted June 13, 2006 Terry, the Chiswick/RS M5 Rivnuts are designed for a 7.5mm hole. If that's too small you could go up to M6, which require a 10mm hole. An M6 screw should fit your wing hole OK as they are made a little oversize to provide a limited range of adjustment. Hope this helps. Crudders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Terry, Cruds is right so I will put a few of both sizes in the post and you can just choose which ones will suit best. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan7 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I had similar problems when I replaced my rear wings. Why not try anchor nuts held in place with 2 x 3mm rivets. I got them from Trident Racing supplies.here M5 fixed anchor nuts = 69p each M5 bolts = 8p each M5 nylock nuts = 3p each all +VAT How do you get the dead flies off your teeth....... 😬 R5AAH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesElliott Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Although anchor nuts will just make a very big hole if you get the wing ripped off again. A big problem for us racers you know 😬 Charles --- My SuperGraduates 2006 diary My SuperGraduates 2005 diary, My Caterham Academy 2004 build and race diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Terry Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 More great ideas. Thanks again. There is an element of presure here as I have a bunch of old schoiol friends coming up this weekend, and some are going to want a ride in it, so I might give McMillans a ring in case the rivnuts don't work but (newbie that I am) is "Andy at Bruntinghorpe" the same as "McMillan Motorsports" and can anyone give me a number? Nothing in Google, and nothing in Low Flying. Farmer Terry (and his car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 You can also get the rubber rivnuts and the plastic wing bolts from Redline. Got mine from there after my nearside rear wing had an argument with a local cat which decided to get on the road as I drove past it. I already had the plastic shear nuts fitted, so virtually no damage to the alloy skin or the wing itself. they just parted cleanly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen grant Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Another for the rivnut/plastic bolt combo. It's really simple to fit, even for a noddy like me. If you really want to minimise damage next time, I hear that some of the racing folk even cut little nicks in the plastic bolts to make them shear more easily, but that sounds a bit dicey to me! stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregory Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Farmer Terry: You can contact McMillan Motorsport on 01162 799077, but be quick, the Grads are racing at Oulton Park on Saturday (& testing on Friday). They are just south of Leicester at Bruntingthorpe airfield. HTH, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Terry, a selection of both M5 & M6 Rivnuts sent by 1st class post today. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesElliott Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Sorry, yes. Andy at Bruntingthorpe = Andy McMillan = McMillan Motorsport Charles --- My SuperGraduates 2006 diary My SuperGraduates 2005 diary, My Caterham Academy 2004 build and race diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Terry Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 What can I say - a HUGE thank you to everybody. 😬 I will look forward to receiving those rivnuts Brent, and thanks everyone else for all the other recommended places to get this stuff. It is very reassuring when one is a) very old and b) a total beginner in these things to have such a store of knowledge and reassurance available. In the event, because of the pressure to get something running by Saturday if at all possible, I took it over to McMillan where Andy looked at it and said “no problem” and within 5 minutes it was all back on again. Fantastic. I also realised what people had been talking about here. He then fixed two other small problems, advised on two more, and said that we had the front wheels set to the wrong camber angle for use on track days. Then he faced me with the bill. Nothing. Zilch. Free. No charge. I couldn’t believe it. What a place. The car will be going over there for a complete going over at the end of the season. All in all then I will be much better equipped then next time it happens, both in terms of knowledge and kit. Thanks again everyone. *thumbup* Farmer Terry (and his car) Edited by - Farmer_Terry on 14 Jun 2006 18:00:19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan7 Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Pleased you've got it sorted How do you get the dead flies off your teeth....... 😬 R5AAH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Glad you are sorted. The guys at McMillan are always really helpful and do a great job It's why we depend on them so much every race weekend MikeW Mega Grad Race No 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesElliott Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Glad that Andy and the gang delivered again - as usual 😬 Charles --- My SuperGraduates 2006 diary My SuperGraduates 2005 diary, My Caterham Academy 2004 build and race diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruff seven Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Has anyone a link for the rubber rivnuts, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Crudders Posted June 15, 2006 Area Representative Share Posted June 15, 2006 They're called Rawlnuts RS - you should be able to find them in hardware shops, builder's merchants or even the dreaded B&Q, but if not then RS do a good range here Crudders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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