frame rivets

[Chevyc10572]

Can I put new rivets in the frame

['68OrangeSunshine]

If you have airtools: rivet hammer, bucking bar and a hot forge, then sure, why not?
Most of us replace them with Grade 8 nuts and bolts [not to forget washers and lockwashers, and double-nut 'em if there's room] and call it good.

[CUSTOM/10]

Yes you can, I've done it, but it's not easy !

Gary

[bbcmudtruck]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

If you have airtools: rivet hammer, bucking bar and a hot forge, then sure, why not?
Most of us replace them with Grade 8 nuts and bolts [not to forget washers and lockwashers, and double-nut 'em if there's room] and call it good.

Yep!

[Chevyc10572]

Do you think a frame shop would do it

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Chevyc10572

Do you think a frame shop would do it

Certainly. It's your money. IMHO the Grade 8 bolts are better: you can tighten them up yourself in the boonies, if they work loose. If the hot rivets work loose, its back to the shop.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Certainly. It's your money. IMHO the Grade 8 bolts are better: you can tighten them up yourself in the boonies, if they work loose. If the hot rivets work loose, its back to the shop.

Is "hot heading" a requirement in the aftermarket? Rivets were cold headed in the vehicle assembly plant.

Also - 3/8 bolts were used as a repair for missing/miss hit rivets on the assembly line.

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Is "hot heading" a requirement in the aftermarket? Rivets were cold headed in the vehicle assembly plant.

Also - 3/8 bolts were used as a repair for missing/miss hit rivets on the assembly line.

Keith, was 3/8 the rivet size? They seem a little loose and the shank seems just a touch bigger. Looks like they were in between 3/8-7/16. I bought a box of 7/16 solid rivets for my crew cab build. Figured I would just drill up to the next size as the 3/8 rivets seem to "fall in." Trevor

[71swb4x4]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

the 3/8 rivets seem to "fall in."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rivets expand inside too don't they? I was under the impression that they go in loose, and as the head is mushroomed that also expands the inside of the rivet which pulls everything into proper alignment. What I am trying to say is that as you mushroom the head, you are also squeezing the two rivet ends together which expands the center section of the rivet.

[57taskforce]

I can't speak for rivets but I can say that when I used to work in a couple different body shops once in a while we'd have a truck come in that had a spring hanger or something like that knocked off. We always used grade 8s for the repair.

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rivets expand inside too don't they? I was under the impression that they go in loose, and as the head is mushroomed that also expands the inside of the rivet which pulls everything into proper alignment. What I am trying to say is that as you mushroom the head, you are also squeezing the two rivet ends together which expands the center section of the rivet.

I understand that, but they are quite loose. Not just a push in and spin it loose. Like I said, they make or did make a rivet shank size between 3/8 and 7/16 but no rivet company sells these anymore. The 3/8 rivet you can actually rock it back and forth in the holes, whereas the 7/16 won't go in. Trevor

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Is "hot heading" a requirement in the aftermarket? Rivets were cold headed in the vehicle assembly plant.

Also - 3/8 bolts were used as a repair for missing/miss hit rivets on the assembly line.

OK. You have destroyed yet another assembly line illusion of mine. The truth shall set us free. My point was that the 3/8'' bolt was better than a rivet in the aftermarket.

[desertnick69]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

OK. You have destroyed yet another assembly line illusion of mine. The truth shall set us free. My point was that the 3/8'' bolt was better than a rivet in the aftermarket.

I have repaced the rivetsfor the frame stiffener on my 69 C/20 (trailing arm suspension) and they were 7/16 is .4375 the holes i put rivits in where about 27/64 = .422 so i got an 11 mm reamer ground to .431 and the 7/16 bolt fits great. It's a bit of a pain but worth it!

[pritch]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Also - 3/8 bolts were used as a repair for missing/miss hit rivets on the assembly line.

They missed this one on this 'Burb I parted out. See how the X-member is more straight up-and-down on the driver's side:


This is why-rivet missed the hole in the X-member:

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

OK. You have destroyed yet another assembly line illusion of mine. The truth shall set us free. My point was that the 3/8'' bolt was better than a rivet in the aftermarket.

Sorry bout that.

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something...

Originally Posted by desertnick69

I have repaced the rivetsfor the frame stiffener on my 69 C/20 (trailing arm suspension) and they were 7/16 is .4375 the holes i put rivits in where about 27/64 = .422 so i got an 11 mm reamer ground to .431 and the 7/16 bolt fits great. It's a bit of a pain but worth it!

Sounds like a good plan.

K

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by desertnick69

I have repaced the rivetsfor the frame stiffener on my 69 C/20 (trailing arm suspension) and they were 7/16 is .4375 the holes i put rivits in where about 27/64 = .422 so i got an 11 mm reamer ground to .431 and the 7/16 bolt fits great. It's a bit of a pain but worth it!

Yeah. I think I actually used the 7/16'' Grade 8 bolts in the Front Left Spring Hanger mount. OEM rivet was way loose. PO had welded the bracket onto the frame -- that cracked, ate the rivet hole and -- combined with a bad radial 33x12.50x15LT tire on the front drivers side -- I had the ''dreaded killer death wobble'' on my '71 GMC Jimmy. It was undriveable above 20 MPH.
I'm not sure that rivet was ever bucked on right.
A buddy welded the bracket back together, then I threaded the 7/16 bolts into the holes. It was a tight fit, but 40+ years of rattling around the Southwest deserts enlarged the hole somewhat. No need for the special tool J-5729 Reamer. Although I may have used the 1/2'' breaker bar. I sort of used the bolt threads for a tap. Threaded it thru, then backed it out again and assembled with washers and lockwashers.
Fixed the bracket, new tires and I was back on the road.
Before and After pix below:

[Keith Seymore]

I followed my truck down the line as it was being built. Since I knew I was going to be lowering my truck I asked the assemblers if they would use all bolts on my spring hangers.

They wouldn't do it.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

Keith, was 3/8 the rivet size? They seem a little loose and the shank seems just a touch bigger. Looks like they were in between 3/8-7/16. I bought a box of 7/16 solid rivets for my crew cab build. Figured I would just drill up to the next size as the 3/8 rivets seem to "fall in." Trevor

I'm in St Louis this week (Wentzville, MO: GMT610 Van and Colorado) so I thought I would run down to the chassis line and grab a rivet to measure.

Unfortunately it looks like the frames are received already put together so I didn't see any loose parts down there.

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

K

[CUSTOM/10]

I believe the original frame rivets were 11/32, very difficult to find, not sure if anyone even makes that size any long. So the next size up is 7/16, whether you use rivets or grade 8 bolts. If you go the rivet route there's a couple of rivet mfg.’s that have instructions on their web sites as how to install them.
They need to be cut to a certain length, metal thickness + a certain amount for peening. You also need the tools and an oxygen/acetylene torch. Bolts are much easier, but the rivets done right look factory.

Gary

PS: I bought a big box of rivets and have many left over.