Anyone use a rivet nut installation tool?

1093 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by 289fan, Apr 18, 2001

70sportsroof

Discussion Starter · Apr 16, 2001

It's time to install the rear louvers now. I removed the rivet nuts in order to paint the car and have new ones to install. I have the installation tool sold by AMK, but the tool did not come with directions. How do you install rivet nuts? Do you install the rivit nuts for the outside rear view mirrors in the same fashion?

Thanks in advance for the help.

sure it's fun (most of the time), but it's only a car.

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289fan

· #2 · Apr 17, 2001

I don't know what the installation tool from AMK looks like or how it works but I've used a couple. The rivet nut is inserted through the hole and pulled by a threaded shaft on the installation tool. The nut is made to deform and spread out on the backside. Hold the tool firmly against the sheet medal while squeezing. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, you may snap off the threaded shaft in the nut you just installed and/or deform the surface face of the nut. Many of these tools have an adjustment to the handle to control how must 'squeeze' is put on the nut before the handles close. If you have an extra nut, just try it in a piece of scrap metal in practice and to adjust the handle.

Tom Kubler, Long-time Mustang Enthusiast & San Antonio Mustang Club Founder

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70sportsroof

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 17, 2001

Hey Tom,

Thanks for the reply. The installation "tool" is actually no more than an allen wrench, an allen head screw and a couple nuts and washers. Maybe I'm supposed to put the screw in the rivet nut and thread a washer and nut on the screw where it extrudes from the bottom of the post. Then, slip the unit into the hole in the car body and slowly tighten the screw until it won't tighten any more. This should deform something. Then, I could back the screw out and the nut would fall off into the car and rattle around for the next 20 years and drive me crazy. What do you think?

sure it's fun (most of the time), but it's only a car.

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Jeff_Speegle

· #4 · Apr 18, 2001

Yes the installation is as the other note indicated. I also use (even though the rubber seal is on the hinge and latch brackets) a bit a sealer to reduce (I hope) any rust and add a second level of sealing. Alos (I know its not factory) used staniless steel mounting screws.

If you really get detailed the higes had clear sealant added over the screw heads on 69's .... Only slows done the theives a little bit

Jeff Speegle
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289fan

· #5 · Apr 18, 2001

It sounds like a tool I made up myself to install the rivet nuts for my outside mirror years ago. I used a pair of metal washers between the head of the rivet nut and the allen head screw, separated by a washer made from plastic and coated with a little grease. I used a chisel to serrade(sp- roughen) the surface of the bottom washer where it contacted the rivet nut to prevent the nut from turning as pressure was applied. The bottom washer was a little larger than either the plastic or top washer, but flattened on either side to be just a little larger across than the other washers were across. I held the flats of the lower washer with a wrench as I turned the allen screw. As I tightened, the Allen tightened up, and with a little more pressure I could feel the nut starting to deform and the pressure relieved. As the nut seated itself and pressure started to increase again I stopped at about... moderate wrist tightness 10-12 ft lbs(?). Before I inserted the rivet nut for installation I used a Q-tip to apply a rust nuetralizer/metal prep and after an appropriate drying period came back with a quality red primerto seal the metal edges where the drill passed through the body. Sorry for the delay in getting back to this post. Hopefully the way my home-made tool will shed some light on the AMK do-hickey you have there. Good Luck & post comments on how well or not-so-well your experience is.

Tom Kubler, Long-time Mustang Enthusiast & San Antonio Mustang Club Founder

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