Odd Rivet

[rocco52]

I noticed what I believe to be a popped rivet. I have attached a photo. It is tight in the hole and can't be pushed in or pulled out further. The odd thing is that it is, unlike all of the other ones, all by itself. It is directly over the wall cabinet over the sink in a 2015 25FB. there are no other rivets anywhere near it. All of the others are in series and on wall or ceiling supports. I would like to know if anyone else has this out of place rivet and if you think that it is necessary to replace it even though it is tight.

[AWCHIEF]

If is tight and not fallen out I would leave it alone. If it bothers you maybe give it a light tap with a hammer and reset it.

[A W Warn]

If it is on a rib or a horizontal support between the ribs, you have two choices - leave it till it shears off, or drill it out and replace it.. My choice would be leave it.

If it is not on a rib there may be no reason for it except to fill a hole left from the build process.

If it is not on a rib, do not hit it with a hammer or you will have a dent.

[Kevin245]

It looks like the installer failed to seat the head of the shank prior to pulling the mandrel. The issue is that the head of the shank needs to bear against the aluminum skin to provide any real clamping force. Maybe they were not paying attention, or it could be that there is an obstruction that prevented full seating.

Once a pop (blind) rivet mandrel is pulled there is nothing you can really do with the rivet short of drilling it out and replacing it in kind. You can try to tap it in which may seat the head, but that will push the bulb end away from whatever it is bearing against, so I would not go this route.

I would drill it out and install a new rivet.

[rocco52]

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I will be doing some close inspection tonight. My concern was that it might be helping to hold up some bracing that the cabinets are mounted to. I am not sure how they are secured. I am one of those people that has a hard time leaving well enough alone.