Mystery of the Exploding Rivets

[reinergirl]

Trust me, you want to replace.... I wish I had pulled the entire two stacking windows and started from scratch. It would have been so easy if I had done it at the right point in the restoration.... that picture where the rivets are too short Must have leaked like a sieve!

The moral of the story....always be suspicious of areas that had dents, mine had been in a previous accident, repaired with exploding rivets and
leak-wise is the bane of my existence. Had it leak tested this fall with a professional ( sealtec) and even knowing where it was leaking, couldn’t find it.

Time to break out the bucking gun

[safari62]

Originally Posted by reinergirl

Trust me, you want to replace.... I wish I had pulled the entire two stacking windows and started from scratch. It would have been so easy if I had done it at the right point in the restoration.... that picture where the rivets are too short Must have leaked like a sieve!

The moral of the story....always be suspicious of areas that had dents, mine had been in a previous accident, repaired with exploding rivets and
leak-wise is the bane of my existence. Had it leak tested this fall with a professional ( sealtec) and even knowing where it was leaking, couldn’t find it.

Time to break out the bucking gun

Yes this looks like the only way to go. Time to check the rivet inventory.

I knew we had leak issues and even more embarrassing mice damage in the front panels. The damage is removed but floor and one outrigger it the step is too far gone. Now that the front is opened up I am considering a spare tire compartment under the front belly pan. The list gets bigger every day.
Thanks for the input. I will report back went we begin the replacements.
Thanks again
Gary

[safari62]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Well regardless of what they are, are you going to replace them with solids?

I don’t think I have a choice now. One of my concerns is oversized holes after removing the Exploding (repair) rivets.
I’m using The VTS 5/32 oversized buck rivets but worry about rivets that may have exploded and caused the already drilled out hole to become even larger.

Or am I worrying too much? I guess I won’t know until we start removing them.

So yes I am now going to replace, but we will fix the floor and some frame issues and then address the rivets.
Thanks again for the advice.
Gary

[safari62]

I am including a few more photos of the Exploding rivets. As I mentioned before one of my concerns were how well they set in the aluminum. All of them seem tight although some are shallow and flush with the surface while many have long shafts with bulbed ends.
Also another surprise....the Airstream Sign next to the door had these rivets.

The photo at inside corner could be insulation blown away when rivets exploded. Maybe.

I think this trailer came from the factory like this. But why it has three corners panels and the model sign with these rivets???

[Aerowood]

Well, your trailer also has history. Some repair shops will overlay a new panel over a damaged one. I personally am not a big fan of this repair method. You also have corrosion on the inside surface of the skins pictured.

[safari62]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Well, your trailer also has history. Some repair shops will overlay a new panel over a damaged one. I personally am not a big fan of this repair method. You also have corrosion on the inside surface of the skins pictured.

History for sure, I only wish I knew what it was!

Any suggestions for the corrosion? We need to clean all the adhesive and I assume these corrosion areas where nests and urine from creatures

I’m thinking TSP cleaner but my personnel favorite was mineral spirits and will also try a high concentration vinegar cleaner.
Then paint? Or fluid Film spray?

I don’t like the idea of double layers also.
Thanks
Gary

[Aerowood]

bead blasting would be best
https://www.amazon.com/Sandblaster-P...6792552&sr=8-2
then there is mechanical
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3m+roloc+...b_sb_ss_i_1_22

[safari62]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

bead blasting would be best
https://www.amazon.com/Sandblaster-P...6792552&sr=8-2
then there is mechanical
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3m+roloc+...b_sb_ss_i_1_22

Thanks Aerowood, I will try both since I already have many of these tools.
And thanks for the links.
Just have to figure out a way to contain medium.

On a side note, I contacted the maker of my aluminum conversion plate so I could update my old brass black tank valve to a Valterra valve.

When I removed the black tank (something I never pictured myself doing on our trailer) the face of the plate the connected to the New Valterra valve had serious corrosion deep into the plate. Since the gasket is simply a rubber seal it would eventually leak.
The maker of this part said he only had seen this one other time And suggested sand blasting that area then applying JB Weld metal epoxy.

So now I have to find where I put that sand blaster.

[featherbedder]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

bead blasting would be best
https://www.amazon.com/Sandblaster-P...6792552&sr=8-2
then there is mechanical
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3m+roloc+...b_sb_ss_i_1_22

Any kind of blasting on THIN aluminum will severely warp as all blasting creates heat. I did a lot of blasting with all media never found one that did not create heat.

[Aerowood]

If done with low pressure and fine media, like baking soda, on isolated areas he won’t have any problems. I have also done this for many years on thin aluminum

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by safari62

...

On a side note, I contacted the maker of my aluminum conversion plate...
The maker of this part said he only had seen this one other time And suggested sand blasting that area then applying JB Weld...

I made a plate from a chunk of plastic plate. No worries of pitting.

[Foiled Again]

Idiot idea - or serendipity

Couldn't you use a small curved snip, and snap off the back side of.an exploding rivet? Or how about a sharp putty knife to whack the back of the rivet? I know marring the outside of a.skin is a big deal, but the inside? Just push the rivet head out through the front.

Paula, avoiding really doing vintage stuff.

[safari62]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

If done with low pressure and fine media, like baking soda, on isolated areas he won’t have any problems. I have also done this for many years on thin aluminum

They are relatively small areas and I would like to try baking soda. Thanks.

[safari62]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

Any kind of blasting on THIN aluminum will severely warp as all blasting creates heat. I did a lot of blasting with all media never found one that did not create heat.

I will keep this in mind this when I try it. I’ve owned a small hand blaster for twenty years and really never used so I do have some tool guilt and this may help with that.
They are small areas and I will be especially careful on the inside (exterior) skins.
I will also test other mechanical methods with air tools.i know they produce a lot of heat too.
Thanks Gary

[safari62]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Idiot idea - or serendipity

Couldn't you use a small curved snip, and snap off the back side of.an exploding rivet? Or how about a sharp putty knife to whack the back of the rivet? I know marring the outside of a.skin is a big deal, but the inside? Just push the rivet head out through the front.

Paula, avoiding really doing vintage stuff.

Too tight to snip, but those bad little rivets have nice little holes I can drill a small pilot hole through from the inside. I also have a rivet removal tool that (mostly) works. Then there is that spinning rivet thing, so I’ll be careful about that.
Thanks Gary