Pop rivet sizes

[BlueBDA]

Can anyone tell me exactly what pop rivet size these are? My prior experience is that when I need to replace rivets on my Caterham, the sizes are difference from what I can get at local hardware stores:

 

I need to replace the snap for the tonneau cover at this location, so of course in true Seven fashion I need to disassemble some of the car to get there (to get a washer on the other side of the snap pop-rivet):

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by BlueBDA

[JohnCh]

If no one here has a source for the ones used by Caterham, measure the head diameter (might be metric) then check out the sizes available at McMaster Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/rivets/  Lots to choose from so you should be able to get exactly what you need or at least very, very close.  

 

-John

 

[sf4018]

Should be Fastener Pack ZBC02. It doesn't give sizes on the pack sheet I have except for the rivet - 1/8" x 0.39". Nothing for the buttons and sockets.

[BlueBDA]

3 hours ago, sf4018 said:

Should be Fastener Pack ZBC02. It doesn't give sizes on the pack sheet I have except for the rivet - 1/8" x 0.39". Nothing for the buttons and sockets.

Thanks, but I think you're referring to the rivet that holds the snap on. I'm looking for the rivets in the first picture.

[BlueBDA]

3 hours ago, JohnCh said:

If no one here has a source for the ones used by Caterham, measure the head diameter (might be metric) then check out the sizes available at McMaster Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/rivets/  Lots to choose from so you should be able to get exactly what you need or at least very, very close.  

 

-John

 

I'll try that.

 

I guess:

 

McMaster

Is

Always

The

Answer

 

[sf4018]

3 hours ago, BlueBDA said:

Thanks, but I think you're referring to the rivet that holds the snap on. I'm looking for the rivets in the first picture.

Those are 4mm or 5/32” on mine

[Anker]

I really prefer blind nuts. They hold much better than pop rivets in sheet metal. I have used them to replace several snaps on my car.

[BlueBDA]

On 10/1/2021 at 8:30 PM, Anker said:

I really prefer blind nuts. They hold much better than pop rivets in sheet metal. I have used them to replace several snaps on my car.

Interesting - thanks Anker. I hadn't seen these before.

 

[BlueBDA]

Ok, an update (I did this before reading Anker's post above about blind nuts).

 

I drilled out the rivets that the pink arrow is pointing to:

 

Pried the panel and learned that there are frame members in the way, so to get to that snap location to get a washer there I need to drill out the yellow rivets and pry that lower panel away. Will I be able to get to that hole, or will I still have frame in the way? I figure people who have assembled their Cat might know.

 

So...the rivets I drilled out have a 7/32" shaft. WTF? That's not a thing. Advice anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

[ashyers]

You might try something like the photo below. There's some interesting rivets out there that may work using the existing hole and eliminate the need to pull the panels back.

 

[BlueBDA]

9 hours ago, ashyers said:

You might try something like the photo below. There's some interesting rivets out there that may work using the existing hole and eliminate the need to pull the panels back.

 

Thanks @ashyers. Have a link to those that you can share?

[BlueBDA]

13 hours ago, BlueBDA said:

Ok, an update (I did this before reading Anker's post above about blind nuts).

 

I drilled out the rivets that the pink arrow is pointing to:

 

Pried the panel and learned that there are frame members in the way, so to get to that snap location to get a washer there I need to drill out the yellow rivets and pry that lower panel away. Will I be able to get to that hole, or will I still have frame in the way? I figure people who have assembled their Cat might know.

 

So...the rivets I drilled out have a 7/32" shaft. WTF? That's not a thing. Advice anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

The head of these rivets is around .375" (3/8"), so to answer my own question the only logical explanation is that these are 3/16" shaft dia rivets, and the shaft under the head has expanded due to deployment or my drilling to remove them. So I'll see if 3/16" ones will engage these holes.

 

[ashyers]

As someone started earlier, MMC likely has something that will work.

[ukchris]

I’m in a similar position and need to replace a couple of the snaps, they’ve pulled out of the car and the rear cover. I measured them and thought they were 3/8” diameter but I’m not sure if you measure outside, inside etc. On McMaster Carr they seem to have 1/2” and 5’8”, they’re cheap enough I may as well get 10 of each https://www.mcmaster.com/95691A106/

 

Can I just discard the back piece and use a rivet instead? 1/8”? Anything specific about the type of rivet given the previous ones pulled out? This wide spreading rivets look like a good idea but I have not been able to find those.

 

One last question, my rear trunk cover has no fasteners across the back (that runs along the back of the seats) - are these usually fabric snaps riveted on top or below the bar? 

[JohnCh]

19 minutes ago, ukchris said:

This wide spreading rivets look like a good idea but I have not been able to find those.

 

They are often referred to as exploding rivets.  If you do a search on that term a number of sources come up.  Here is one: https://bryke.com/rivets/exploding-rivets/

 

-John

[sltous]

I have a bundle of the soft bits for sevens sockets and studs if it would be helpful to measure anything on them.  Supplied to me with 0.152" (5/32") rivets, 0.5" long. 

 

@ukchris Based on McMaster Part 95707A130 https://www.mcmaster.com/95707A130/ these are measured based on the OD of the base and not the snap mechanism.  All the spares I have look to be 14mm base, 10mm snap mechanism, which is approximately 0.55" base 0.39" snap mechanism.

 

@BlueBDAA previous owner of my car appears to have installed my sockets in these locations with sheet metal screws into the frame.  I have two snaps in this location, one into the frame one into the skin on the inside of the car.  I would probably drill and tap M3 if I was doing it fresh or M4 if I had to tap out the existing hole into the frame, and will probably put a rivnut in for the other.

 

[ukchris]

@sltous I measured the diameter of the raised portion of the male as 3/8”, ordered 1/2” and 5/8” to be safe. I also ordered exploding rivets from Amazon that are 3/16” diameter. Thanks for the notes, I’ll see how these look and go from there. 

[NSXguy]

updates on this? will be doing something similar on mine this winter.