blade_runner Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Hi all, I had a bit of an incident on track a couple of weeks ago where my rear wheel ingested a cone and ripped off/smashed the offside rear wing. As seems to happen in this situation its pulled the rivnuts through the side skin leaving a larger hole. So my question is firstly what size rivnuts are used as standard (M5 or M6?) and is it possible to get rivnuts with a larger outer flange what will span the hole ripped in the side skin, or have I got to effect a repair with standard rivnuts and penny washers. My car now is rather tatty, due to being over 10 years old and its had quite a lot of use on track, so I'm only looking to make a mechanically sound repair not a rolls royce job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7TOM Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Hi not sure on the size but if a 10mm head on the bolt then there be 6mm if 8mm head then 5mm. If you can't nut and bolt I would suggest making backing spacers/washers out of alluminium to avoid contact corrosion 😶🌫️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 ..and don't forget to use plastic bolts to re-attach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted April 1, 2014 Area Representative Share Posted April 1, 2014 They are M5. However, if you are after a mechanically sound fix, why not simply drill a few new holes in the gaps between the existing ones. The wing will cover all the old ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ford Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Yes, M5. You can often tap round the hole with a ball pein hammer to close it up again so you can put a new rivnut in. If not, use a new hole as Nick suggests, or use an M6 rivnut (though that's messy IMO as you'll have different bolts in different holes) or perhaps a rubber well nut which work on a similar principle but are rather larger. You could only use a penny washer with a rivnut if you can get behind it (in the boot or below it). But if you can do that you might as well use a simple nut rather than a rivnut. Edited by - Roger Ford on 1 Apr 2014 21:38:42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thanks for the replies guys, I bought a nylon bolt kit around 5 years ago, but never got around to fitting it... Doh! Didnt think of drilling new holes at a different spacing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Hi Steve. Did you get my email last week? I think I've got a few M5 rivnuts knocking about from when I fitted my rear wings recently, as well as a rivnut tool if you need one. I used a socket and a few smacks with a hammer to close up some of the enlarged holes and they seem strong enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3MCJez Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 The nylon bolts are almost always too strong to save the rivnuts. The benefit of nylon nuts is that they don't get rusted in to the rivnuts, so you can usually get them out again. If you want nylon bolts to break in a contact, then you need to saw half way through them first. Personally, I have gone the other way now, and use all 10 bolts without sawing - most small "knocks" when racing now break the edge of the wing (which can be taped up) rather than remove it. Jez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Crudders Posted April 2, 2014 Area Representative Share Posted April 2, 2014 Just to add, rivnut designs vary a great deal. The originals on my car were slender, smooth and with a very small flange. The replacements (still M5 threaded) were fatter, ribbed and with a broader flange, so needed to be set into a much larger hole. The ribbed design also gives a lot more grip against the ali skin. I'm also a nylon screw convert, not for track bash convenience but to avoid the inevitable corrosion between steel and ali. Cruds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ford Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Quoting Crudders: The originals on my car were slender, smooth and with a very small flange. The replacements (still M5 threaded) were fatter, ribbed and with a broader flange, so needed to be set into a much larger hole. The thinner ones were probably steel. I'd recommend large head aluminium ones. Large head so they grip better, and aluminium because they're easier to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 Thanks for the replies guys. Mankee, I wish I'd seen your post earlier as I bought a Rivnuts tool and fixings last night online! Doh! Oh well I've got one now, and you can never have too many tools. I got your e mail, things have been a bit manic, but I'll drop you a reply later regarding the wing. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Riches Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I had small off some years ago, partially detached the rear wing. I made some Ali discs about 2 inches diameter. Flattened the damaged rivnut area and riveted these discs in place to fit new rivnuts. Could send pic if you wish, let me know. Regards Nigel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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