Rivet material

[STaylor]

Hello All,

Another question from me who is a mechanical imbecile, so go easy on me.

I am retrimming the caterham, I have drilled out the old rivets from the interior panels and dashboard and now reattaching them. The interior panels are aluminum which are connected to the steel frame, which rivet material do you recommend.

if I use steel rivets with the aluminum will they start a galvanic corrosion.

 

 

[timb2117]

I believe a lot of the pop rivets are alloy with a  steel core/ pop part - I've used aluminium pretty exclusively not having thought it through.

I guess you've 2 choices, aluminium which will get some galvanic corrosion inside the (thick) steel tube. Or Steel and you will get highly obvious corrosion against the (thin) alloy panel.

I believe a fair few members spray rust inhibiting liquid in the holes.....

I've got nothing more = would wait for a more scientific answer if I were you :)

[Wrightpayne]

Steel rivets are generally only used where strength is needed like on lowered floors. Steel is also much harder to drill out next time panels need removing.

I'd use ally.

[Beagler]

I built a Westfield in 1995 using alloy pop rivets to attach panels to chassis. Its still running round today for someone as I checked its taxed and MOT'd. I dont think it would have been repanelled ot re chassied. I dont think you need to worry for a while  

[StevehS3]

Great photos!

[Beagler]

[STaylor]

Dear All

Thank you for your advice, I will not worry unduly then but I also like the rust inhibitor suggestion as I am planning to do that on the underside of the chassis so will also do it to the holes. Sounds like a plan

Thank you again

 

[Beagler]

Should have said I did put pop rivets in with silicone sealer more for water ingress than metal reaction.

[SLR No.77]

STaylor - I did a similar interior refresh in late 2007, all interior panels replaced with new powder coated versions. Before fitting the new panels I applied "Dum Dum" to the chassis tubes to reduce water ingress, if I was doing it again I'd use Eastwood's flexible strip caulk or maybe even a Sikaflex product, the Dum Dum was a nightmare to apply!

For the initial fit of the panels I only fitted every second rivet, this enabled me to inject Waxoyl into the chassis tubes as I fitted the final rivets. Again, if doing it now I'd use Bill Hamber Dynax S50 rather than Waxoly which is old technology, there's plenty of better alternatives to Waxoyl available.

I modified my Waxoyl injector with half of a pop rivet which then fitted nicely into each hole to inject the wax, I injected more wax than I initially intended and on hot days it does tend to leak out! I also dipped each rivet in Waxoyl prior to fitting to help reduce galvanic corrosion. In answer to your initial question, all are aluminium rivets except for the ones supporting the floor where I used cadmium plated steel rivets. If I was to do the job again, for the aluminium rivets I'd use a "closed end" version but as yet I haven't found any available in black. I've discovered that in hot weather the Waxoyl can seep out through the core of the rivet between the rivet body and the "nail", if the wax can get out water can get in and I believe closed end rivets will prevent this happening.

Now nearly 15 years later there's no corrosion around the rivets and the chassis still has very few creaks, I think aided by the Dum Dum sealant behind the panels, previously it did make some very strange noises.

Stu.

A few photos of the work:

 

 

 

[rkeywood]

Spalding Fasteners have sealed black rivets in 3.2 and 4mm (and all the other rivets and fixings under the sun!)

https://www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk/3-2mm-metric-aluminium-steel-black-sealed-dome-head-pop-rivets/

[SLR No.77]

... maybe next time  

[timb2117]

thanks SLR. no 77 that's the scientific answer I knew would come up!