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Rivnut Replacement

Lt Dan

Well Known Member
Performed a search. Could not find it. Please direct me to the right place if it's been covered before. Possibly because I'm not even sure what to call this, but I think it's a rivnut.

This is under the gear-fuselage intersection fiberglass fairing. It spins and spins when you try to insert the screw to hold the fairing in place. Does anyone know how to go about replacing one of these? I am mechanically inclined but have no experience with these.

Thanks!
Dan
 

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Drill two small holes (1/16"), 180 degrees apart, in the flange of the rivnut, without penetrating the underlying skin.
Then, using an offset snap ring pliers as a spanner wrench you can keep the rivnut from spinning while you drill it out.
Use Boelube, or equivalent, on the drill bits and step through sizes until you get the rivnut to break. The secret is to go easy so you don't require more torque resistance from the "spanner" than it can provide.

When you install the replacement, use a rivnut with the barb under the flange, and install with red loctite
 
.... Does anyone know how to go about replacing one of these? ...
Hi Dan, yes, that's a rivnut. I'd remove the cover to the left in your picture and see if you can get some 90° needle nose pliers on there, then drill it out. Another way is to get some vice grips on the outside flange, and drill it out.

I'd replace with a normal nutplate, which you can install by pre-drilling the rivet holes from the outside, then positioning it with a magnet until you can get a cleco on there. Then pop rivets. I used this trick here - sorry I don't have more details.


img_9213-5-1024x1024.jpg
 
You can also use a length of safety wire to pull the replacement nutplate into position for CS blind riveting.
 
Brilliant

Performed a search. Could not find it. Please direct me to the right place if it's been covered before. Possibly because I'm not even sure what to call this, but I think it's a rivnut.

This is under the gear-fuselage intersection fiberglass fairing. It spins and spins when you try to insert the screw to hold the fairing in place. Does anyone know how to go about replacing one of these? I am mechanically inclined but have no experience with these.

Thanks!
Dan

Mine does the same thing.
Now I have the fix.
Daddyman
 
rivnut

i have used those a lot. There is a rivnut with a key, but you can take a small triangle file and file yourself several keys around the inside circumference of the rivnut hole and they won't slip unless your cross threaded. AS far as removing you might try one of those pointed grinder stone in a dremel kit and see if get the top of the rivnut off.

Keith
RV7
N60KR
2022 donation
 
Or just try re-setting it. Use needle-nose pliers to keep it from spinning while you thread in a riv-nut tool (ACS has various kinds) and re-pull it.
 
Nutplates are a superior and durable alternative.

Hi Dan, yes, that's a rivnut. I'd remove the cover to the left in your picture and see if you can get some 90° needle nose pliers on there, then drill it out. Another way is to get some vice grips on the outside flange, and drill it out.

I'd replace with a normal nutplate, which you can install by pre-drilling the rivet holes from the outside, then positioning it with a magnet until you can get a cleco on there. Then pop rivets. I used this trick here - sorry I don't have more details.


View attachment 19143

My first thought too. I tested some genuine rivnut parts (~ok) and HF, (junk) and the nut plates - -the nut plate way outperformed the others. There are flush set 3/32 pull rivets from Hanson that can be used for a flush surface. 1/4" hole within 10" of the desired location can be used to insert the nut plate. No modification of the nut plate is needed.
 
Use a countersink

Grip it with something so it does not spin, put a counter sink in your drill and run it into the head carefully until you take enough of it off where it can be pulled out.
 
But...

What do you do if you can't access the area to get another riv-nut or plate nut in there? I just ran into this on my plane during my inspection and it looks like it's in the area below the floor.

-Marc
 
One solution

I had a similar situation on something one time. I make a very small hole on each side and injected some epoxy into the area of no access with a syringe so it would flow around the back side. It locked the "nutty nut" in place.
I used to have a Rivnut kit and threw it away complete because they are a poor practice tool for aluminum applications.
Use tons of them in another life on steel though. Seemed to work good there.
Your luck may vary Art
 
If you riveted a nutplate to a strip of aluminum, could you slide it into the cavity behind where you drilled out the stripped rivnut?
You could stabilize the aluminum strip with pop rivets in a more accessible location.
 
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