it sticks up

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I have this rivet...

It sticks up and that worries me. The gap under the head is about two business cards thick. The rivet is firm and does not wiggle at all. This rivet joins two sheets and goes into a rib. I know I can put vulkum under it, but it sticks up... could I take my riveter and work it down? Maybe a 4x head instead of 3x to pean it over more? Should I just leave it alone? I want to try and drive it down, but do not want to make it worse. If it does not work, it could be drilled out and replaced with an Olympic. What do some of you more seasoned restorers think I should do?

[overlander63]

There looks like a gap under the rivet. I'd drill it out (no putty knives), put some Vulkem in the seam and in the rivet hole, and re-rivet it.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I have this rivet...

It sticks up and that worries me. The gap under the head is about two business cards thick. The rivet is firm and does not wiggle at all. This rivet joins two sheets and goes into a rib. I know I can put vulkum under it, but it sticks up... could I take my riveter and work it down? Maybe a 4x head instead of 3x to pean it over more? Should I just leave it alone? I want to try and drive it down, but do not want to make it worse. If it does not work, it could be drilled out and replaced with an Olympic. What do some of you more seasoned restorers think I should do?

It has lost it grip. It needs replacing. Do not drive it back in it will bend the rib.

[jayray5]

Will you be happy with a marginal repair? I thought not.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I will not be happy with a marginal repair, you are right. I am in way too deep to do anything marginal. However, I think the best solution is the one I will take.... The possibility of removing the entire interior again, removing all the interior skins to re rivet one rivet is just not realist. If I were to do that,well, I hope someone would commit me. I think I have heard the "best" solution and that is to drill it out and replace it with an Olympic. A five minute repair or a two week long repair, those are my choices. This has kind of become a no brainer.