The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Vent Windows

I drilled the rivet out of the top hinge on the vent windows on my 54 3600 to replace the rubber seal.
When the rivet was removed I noticed that the hole on the movable vent window frame is about 3/16 to maybe 1/4 of an inch and the hole on the stationary frame mounted to the door is about 1/8 of an inch. My worries are that if I use a 1/8 inch diameter rivet there will be play in the vent window due to the larger hole on the moving vent window frame and the window may not seal properly. Any ideas on how to approach this one? Also should I use a aluminum or a stainless steel rivet, I am worried that after time an aluminum rivet will wear.
Thanks in advance.

Ken

Ken,

Is this what you are referring to?

Now that explains what I need, thank you very much Tim.

Ken

Tim, how are those crimped closed?
Thanks.

Ken

Ken,

There is a setting tool on the right at the link above. I have only done this once and it was many years ago. Maybe someone who has recently done this will post information.

Ken -

I clamped a piece of 3/8" aluminum plate in my vice to act as a backing plate for the vent pivot rivet. My wife held the vent window assembly and sat the head of the rivet onto the plate. Then I mushroomed the end of the rivet with a rivet setting tool like Tim showed in his link. They are sold by the same vendors that sell the rivets. It went suprisingly well. Protect the paint on your vent assembly with blue painter's tape.
> Backing Plate shown in Tech Tip
> "Hammering the Rivets" shown in Tech Tip

You may have to find another person to hold your vent assembly. My wife is busy the next couple of weekends.

I used the same 3/8" plate to back up the rivets when I set the rubber seal on the vertical vent divider as shown in the Tech Tip pictures.

Here is a good Tech Tip on vent window seals and rivets.
> Vent Rebuild Tech Tip

FYI - "Achipmunk" made special screws and nuts to replace the vent pivot rivet.
> Alvin's pivot rivet thread

- Lonnie

Wow thanks for the info and thanks for the links (links... I think ) my online purchase of the rivets and the tool to crimp them turned into about 200 bucks by the time I was done their catalog.
Thanks again for all the help, this site is great.

Ken

I have read the instructions in the Tech Tip section called "Rebuild your vent windows", great write up Houston54.
The one question I have is on the fastening of the vertical rubber strip with the rivets, the pictures appear to suggest the crushed end of the rivet is on the vertical rubber strip side, is there a reason for this or does it really matter whether the crushed end is on that side or the door window track side?
Thanks in advance.

Ken

Hi Ken -

Thanks for checking Stovebolt Tech Tips before asking your question. There is a ton of info in the Tips section.

The head of the rivet must sit firmly against a solid backing plate so that it doesn't recoil as the rivet setting tool mushrooms the end. I don't think that you could put a backing plate on the rubber side of the vent vertical divider that would keep the rivet from moving.

Clamp a 3/8" plate in a vice, then sit the fuzzy side of the divider over the plate. The rivets mushroom pretty easily when struck with a setting tool on the rubber side of the divider.

> A recent Stovebolt post about vent rivets

EDIT -
I just noticed that you were the 'Bolter who posted the question that prompted my answer in the link above. My second paragraph in the current thread answers your question.

Good luck with your vents. Don't overthink the process!

- Lonnie

Thanks for the reply LonnieC and sorry about the confusion of the two posts.
I will give it a try today and see how I make out with the process.
Thanks again, you guys are great.

Ken