Rivets for top

[emac]

I bought a bag of rivets from CCOT for my hard top. It seems the rivets are a little bigger than the ones that came out. Is it common to have to drill out the holes a little?

 

[emac]

anyone?

 

[brian]

they used to claim they did that so you could drill the fiberglass to get the holes back to "good" fiberglass. and that the heads were larger, because the glass was brittle in its old age.

 

[emac]

thanks Brian, i wish they made that claim in the description! I think I am going to cleco it together in a few spots and redrill the holes. Nothing ever goes as expected on these rigs.

 

[MickTLC]

The larger rivet makes sense for strength but I hesitate to drill a larger hole in the channel. I believe the original ones were 1/8 inch so I ordered some from McMaster Carr

McMaster-Carr

I plan to install them with the river head in the channel and use a rivet squeezer

Boulderfly 1" Yoke Rivet Squeezer - Squeeze Action Clamps - Amazon.com

I just ordered these parts so I won't know until I try installing them next week. I'll post an update and pictures...

 

[emac]

Well, since I had a helper today. I cleco'd the drip rail and drill all the holes to 3/16. My assistant placed all the rivets and I rolled around on a stool and used a hand crimper to seat them. It turned out better than I expected. Here are the links to the tools I bought. PM me if you want to borrow them.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005VR85WM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Aircraft Tool Supply Squeezer Set Mix (6 Pieces) 1/4": Squeeze Action Clamps: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[MickTLC]

Very nice. Glad to hear the rivet squeezer tool worked. I wasn't excited to use a punch and hammer on a fiberglass top...

Appreciate the offer to use the tool. I already ordered one. Looking forward to getting it finally put together after 10+ years.

 

[Patrick mahoney]

1

 

[1969FJ]

Well, since I had a helper today. I cleco'd the drip rail and drill all the holes to 3/16. My assistant placed all the rivets and I rolled around on a stool and used a hand crimper to seat them. It turned out better than I expected. Here are the links to the tools I bought. PM me if you want to borrow them.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005VR85WM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Aircraft Tool Supply Squeezer Set Mix (6 Pieces) 1/4": Squeeze Action Clamps: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific


View attachment 1224421

Did you drill additional holes for the cleco and then insert rivets ?

 

[okieshan]

There is a great thread here somewhere where an air hammer bit was ground with a concave head to match the stock rivet size. That’s what I did and worked great with McMaster Carr rivets.

 

[emac]

I used 3/16 clecos in the stock holes.