Tiny Rivets

[Chuck]

What are these little rivets that hold the hinges onto the window frames? the heads look like the bucked rivets, but they're much smaller than the one's holding most of the trailer together. from the other side of the hinge, they look like a pop-rivet, with a hollow stem that has been expanded outward to grip the hole in which it sits. How do I replace these? what kind of tool is used to install them?

I found a couple of loose one's recently when I removed my front window to replace the gasket. I could easily replace them with pop-rivets, but it would just look "wrong". Olympic rivets would be way too big.

these are on all the window hinges, and I think also on the fridge-access panel door. actually, on that door, someone put a steel version of the same rivet, so they've rusted. they should be changed out, too.

[59toaster]

Originally posted by chuck
What are these little rivets that hold the hinges onto the window frames? the heads look like the bucked rivets, but they're much smaller than the one's holding most of the trailer together. from the other side of the hinge, they look like a pop-rivet, with a hollow stem that has been expanded outward to grip the hole in which it sits. How do I replace these? what kind of tool is used to install them?

I found a couple of loose one's recently when I removed my front window to replace the gasket. I could easily replace them with pop-rivets, but it would just look "wrong". Olympic rivets would be way too big.

these are on all the window hinges, and I think also on the fridge-access panel door. actually, on that door, someone put a steel version of the same rivet, so they've rusted. they should be changed out, too.

Rivets come in all sorts of sizes. Sounds like just a different style or possibly a Olympic style rivet with a small head.

Hit this link to Airstreams web site and they have a whole selection of different sized rivets they have avalable.
http://www.airstream.com/shop/parts_maintenance.html

[markdoane]

It's possible these are "semi-tubular" rivets, I found a few near the door of my Tradewind. They install like a bucked rivet, but are hollow about halfway up the shaft and smaller than usual head diameter. They use a special bucking tool. I would GET RID OF THEM if possible, but sounds like you're in a tough spot.

[Chas]

Chuck,

Those rivets are called 'buck" rivets, they are factory installed and are similar to the factory skin rivets that we commonly replace with olympic rivets. I guess you need a special tool to install them, some sort of pneumatic hammering device and a backup support, two people I guess or a special riveting jig in the case of the window frames. Maybe someone who has been on a factory tour can elaborate?

I have replaced some of them with small truss headed stainless steel screws and nylon locking nuts.

Chas

[sandgrubber]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

Hit this link to Airstreams web site and they have a whole selection of different sized rivets they have avalable.
http://www.airstream.com/shop/parts_maintenance.html

Does anyone have an update for this link . . . it now leads to a page not found. I need an ABC of rivets.

[AWCHIEF]

Check out vintagetrailersupply.Com.

[markdoane]

The tiny rivets referred to in this thread are actually Dupont exploding rivets, which were not made after about 1970.
The hollow end of the rivet was filled with an explosive which expanded the end of the rivet when the head was heated with a tool similar to a soldering iron.
I don't think you can buy them anymore. They were popular in WWII and used in trailer manufacturing for a few decades after.


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