Rivnut vs Pop Rivet ... and what metal

DefenderAdventuresUK · May 10, 2019

Wondering from experienced overlanders what they prefer, and why, for pop rivets or rivnuts?
Internal and external.
Secondary question... May sound silly, but I am new to this - what material? Stainless or aluminium? I'm not sure what different parts of the defender are made from.

Thank you

tottot · May 10, 2019

Rivnuts or pop rivet, rivenut for larger jobs, pop rivet for smaller ones. Defender body's are mostly aluminium.

DefenderAdventuresUK · May 10, 2019

Is the bonnet and wings aluminium? I thought the bonnet was steel at least?

tottot · May 10, 2019

All older models have aluminium bonnet skins on a steel frame. I know that later models like yours will have steel door skins but not sure about bonnet. Wings are ali.

Wimblowdriver · May 10, 2019

Test your panels with a fridge magnet. As far as I know all rivnuts are ally (correct me if not so). Try and avoid having stainless in contact with ally, the ally will corrode especially in winter when the roads are salted and in coastal areas.

Turboman · May 10, 2019

Wimblowdriver said:
Test your panels with a fridge magnet. As far as I know all rivnuts are ally (correct me if not so). Try and avoid having stainless in contact with ally, the ally will corrode especially in winter when the roads are salted and in coastal areas.

All good, except you can get steel rivnuts.

300bhp/ton · May 10, 2019

Most of the Defender bodywork is an aluminium alloy called Birmabright. Bulkhead, foot wells and door frames are steel. The Puma bonnet is steel too I I believe.

jamesmartin · May 10, 2019

300bhp/ton said:
Most of the Defender bodywork is an aluminium alloy called Birmabright. Bulkhead, foot wells and door frames are steel. The Puma bonnet is steel too I I believe.

defenders never used birmabright ,it was finished by 1980 iirc which is why later series and defender panels oxidise more

lynall · May 10, 2019

Pop rivets are great, but in any high stress area they will loosen, at least with rivnuts you can retighten the bolt or reset the rivnut, but they have their own drawbacks if not clamped/set properly and the bolt not greased when assembled.
The alloy rivnuts seem to have a larger head than the steel versions.
A proper setting tool is a must, Avdel make a good hand held one, plus of course you can reset the rivnut in service.

A good tip when pop rivetting is to put a thin smear of silicone selaant between the two bits of metal, this will allow some movement but not enough to make the rivet come loose.
Cheap rivets are just dog ****e.
Also the drill bit needs to be the exact size of the rivet, even slightly to large is a recipe for futyre failure.

Monobolts are really good, but the tools to set them are several hundred quid.

ogb · May 10, 2019

Rivnuts! Hate 'em. Useful and sometimes the only way to get a firm fix in a blind hole, but can you guarantee that it's set tightly enough? Having to cut/drill them out when the screw "spins" them is a sod....

DanClarke · May 10, 2019

Older Land Rovers and Defenders are made from lovely steel and Birmabright.
Newer JLR models are apparently made of Cheese and recycled egg-cartons

Completely bio-degradable if left out in the wet for any extended period.

Turboman · May 10, 2019

ogb said:
Rivnuts! Hate 'em. Useful and sometimes the only way to get a firm fix in a blind hole, but can you guarantee that it's set tightly enough? Having to cut/drill them out when the screw "spins" them is a sod....

Shouldn't be a problem if the hole is accurately drilled and dry, and you use a quality rivet and setting tool.

As for removal, as with most things on a landrover, small cold chisel and a lump hammer works wonders, and is quick.

jamesmartin · May 10, 2019

DanClarke said:
Older Land Rovers and Defenders are made from lovely steel and Birmabright.
Newer JLR models are apparently made of Cheese and recycled egg-cartons
Completely bio-degradable if left out in the wet for any extended period.

defenders arent made of birmabright neither are later series

DanClarke · May 10, 2019

jamesmartin said:
defenders arent made of birmabright neither are later series

Sorry, I thought Most of them were Birmabright. Silly Me.

My Old Landy · May 10, 2019

I believe it was changed to 5251 as Birmabright was a trade name of Birmetals that went bust in 1979..........
Still, as others have said, use ally rivnuts on aluminium and steel on steel.

Oldseadog · May 12, 2019

Rivnuts are easily available in alluminium, mild staal, stainless steel and if you are very rich, you can get them made of Marine Bronze, although I can't remember the specific grade, but they were horrendously expensive as they are also used in explosive atmospheres.
If inserted correctly, they will last for many years and should never need drilling out to allow chamges of component parts, unlike easily fitted pop rivets or even standard rivets (which not many people know how to fit nowadays)

Rivnut vs Pop Rivet ... and what metal

DefenderAdventuresUK

Member

tottot

Well-Known Member

DefenderAdventuresUK

Member

tottot

Well-Known Member

Wimblowdriver

Well-Known Member

Turboman

Mab An Gov

300bhp/ton

Well-Known Member

jamesmartin

Well-Known Member

lynall

Well-Known Member

ogb

Active Member

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

Turboman

Mab An Gov

jamesmartin

Well-Known Member

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

My Old Landy

Keep breathin'

Oldseadog

Well-Known Member

Similar threads