The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rivets

During the restoration on my one ton, I've found the original rivets GM used, but I haven't found what kind of tool GM used to set the rivets, does anyone out there have any idea of the tool GM used and where I can find one? Thanks in advance.....Clint

I have installed dozens of frame rivets in sizes up to 3/8" diameter.
This thread explains how I do it with the tools I have available. https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...g&topic=0&Search=true#Post380215

There is a chance that the original ones are set cold with a huge press or cold riveting machine (anyone know for sure?). Unless you have one of those, and can take your frame to it, installing them hot is the way to go.
Check the link above.

Grigg

Grigg knows what he's talking about... good advice.

I would speculate that they were "squeezed" rather than driven at the factory. It would be faster, the results would be consistent, they could be set without heat, it would only require one worker and the noise level driving rivets with a gun would be insane.

During my years in the aircraft industry I've driven more rivets than I can remember but never anything like a 3/8-inch steel one. I'd plan on practicing a lot, they are not going to go down without a fight.

Unless you are intending a "restoration" I'd recommend just using bolts... that's essentially all a rivet is anyway.

Watch this if you have a fast connection. Its part of a 1937 film from Chevrolet. You can see how they rivit the frames together. Watch the other parts too, its really cool. Joe

http://www.archive.org/details/MasterHa1936_4

Thanks Joe,
That's really neat.
And as I suspected, the rivets are set cold with substantial riveting machines. I priced a modern machine (new) to set cold 3/8" steel rivets, over $20,000 and takes up about as much shop space as my milling machine...

Grigg

That is too cool. Still a lot of hand work used in those days.

Kinda neat watching that old video. Similar to how it's still done in aircraft. The larger rivets, and when possible small rivets, are installed using a devise similar to shown in the video. There are a huge number of smaller rivets that are hand driven with a gun & bucking bar and yes Czechman the noise is insane. Hearing protection is required. With the advent of fibertow composite body sections the riveting days in aircraft are numbered.

Has anyone else experienced rivets that are stretched or pulled on the top of the transmission cross-member. On my 1950 3600 the very top rivet set on both sides were either stretched or the bracket cracked. Frame flex in that area?

I'm not sure that frame rivets were cold rivets. They sure look like hot rivets. I am in the trucking business and we repair and rebuild our own trailers. We use aluminum rivets, but I have set 3/8 hot rivets with our riveter. It is like an air chisel with a .498 shank size. We also use Huck bolts. This is a little more expensive. A puller costs around $3000. There are also some ribbed shank siderail to crossmember bolts that are available at trailer companies. The whole idea is to use something that fills up the whole hole. A bolt only squeezes two pieces of metal together. If you are not worried about retaining everything original looking, the ribbed shank bolts would work fine. They are available from Trailmobile or Wabash or any dealer stocking dry freight van parts. I would weld a patch over the cracked hole, drill it 3/8, put in a rib shanked bolt and it will probably last another 50 years.

The rivits are cold, if you watch the video, you can see the guy holding them in his hand. Joe