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Since everyone has been so helpful so far, I thought I'd just ask one more question: I have to replace the front attachment brackets on my side exhaust heat shields. I have the parts but I'm not sure how to attach the new brackets to the heat shield. The brackets attach with two light-weight rivets on each side of fairly large size (for a car). Is there a special tool that installs these type rivets? They are solid shank, not "pop" type that pull from the outside. Maybe someone has run across this problem before and found a solution. I look forward to hearing from you. This message page is great!!
Having worked on airplanes for many years, I can shed some light on this.
This type of rivet requires the appropriate size set that fits into an air operated hammer. I am unsure if the air chisels currently used for cutting metal and mufflers, etc. can be used for this. The one I used was of similiar construction to the air chisels, but the pressure could be regulated. I guess you could use a regulator on a chisel and make it work. You use what is called a bucking bar to back up the rivet. The combination of the pounding and the pressure on the back of the rivet swell it and if done properly looks very nice. Better find some scrap aluminum first and practice a little.
The sets and bucking bars shouldn't be very hard to find. Others more wise and experienced than me may have other ideas.
Byran is right. The best thing to use is a impact riveter and bucking bar. I bought a cheapie impact chisel and have used that along with a bucking bar to replace many body rivets on my project car. You will need to get or make the correct tool for the air chisel to rivet with. If the rivet heads are flat, then you'll need a flat tool, if rivets have a round head then your tool will neeed to be concave to match the rivets head. A bucking bar can simply be a block of steel that fits in your hand that is pressed aginst the headless part of the rivet as you operate the air chisel. Practice first on some scrap. Good Luck, Scott
Terry, As a second thought, if you only have a couple of rivets to install you might be able to get by with using a rivet set. It is a punch with a concave end that fits over the rivet. If your local hardware store doesn't have one, Long Island carries them for around $10. You will need to use a good size hammer too and be able to provide solid support to the opposite side of the rivet that you are hitting.
Terry I believe you have aluminum rivets which are very maleable. I see no need to use air power or specialized tools. Support the head of the rivet and use a ball-peen hammer to compress and shape the end. Several gentle taps should do nicely. It's an awkward piece so an extra pair of hands will help. Zip or other supply house can supply additional rivets should you want to perfect your technique. Good luck
I used a hammer and a steel backing plate. The only problem was configuring a way to hold everything in place while I installed the rivets, which came out just fine. TBarr #24014
Did this one myself with a MARK I ball peen hammer and a backing set tool that I bought from LICS (everybody sells 'em). The backing tool appears to be just about the same diameter as the aluminum rivet. The way I stabilized the guard for installing the bracket??....I wired the top to a nail in my basement rafter and used the flat part of my vise as a backstop for the rivet head. It looks great, about as I remember for a factory-installed set.
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