The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Nutserts

I am investigating drilling out a few broken off bolts in my 49 burb and using nutserts. Has anyone used them and can recommend one brand tool over another. Thanks

No recommendation on the tool. I use nutserts all the time. We have two types. Light duty and heavy duty. I've found that the lighter duty / thinner type will want to spin in the hole or loosen up over time. The heavy duty or serrated edge type work much better but require a little more squeeze effort to install.

I have used the type that has rubber around it for station wagon roof racks and side mirrors.The bare metal nutserts that i have used for window regulators and power door motors used a crimp tool made by Lisle I believe. It crimped it to the door skin like a dry wall molly.Check with some body shops that have been around for years to see what they use.

I've used them some but have no recomendations.

Here are some sources
http://www.rivetsonline.com/rivet-tools/tool-rivet-kits/rivet-nut-kits-with-tools.html

http://www.bylerrivet.com/products/rivet-nuts-inserts.aspx?cat=232

Ive used this one with good results.
Used it on the transmission cover.

Would like to know where you are using and what size threads? Rivnuts (another name for nutserts) are for fairly small threads with light load and low torque. Also what thickness and type of material are you rivnutting? They are not good for "bolts". There are better choices. Try to get a bolt out of a spinning blind rivnut sometime. They are used with aluminum or sheet metal when you can't possibly get behind to use a nut and washer or weld a nut plate in, etc. I have made many plates (nuts) with tapped holes in them and reached them into a blind area. 1/4-3/8 thk plate shaped not to spin in whatever area they are installed. But I don't know your application yet. Also maybe your definition of "nutserts" is not mine. A nutsert is riveted in, there are threaded inserts that are pressed in, welded in, peened over, wedged...
The spin out torque of a rivnut is LOWER than the standard torque of the fastener that fits it. Unless a hex one is used in a hex hole. Never found a place I had to use them yet on a truck. They were outlawed at the aerospace co. I worked for. Only good stories from guys who have used them on here so Go for it.

They make rivet nuts in larger sizes as well. I bought an aftermarket skid plate for my car, it came with some metric rivet nuts that are whatever metric size is approximately 3/8". They griped very well and seemed very strong and well suited to the application.

The smaller sizes may be common but there are lots of other sizes and variations, probably something suitable for anything you'd want a rivnut for.

Grigg

lower left in this .pic.
I believe I used 1/4-20

Someone opened up the holes for a custom cover so I could not use original type screws when I put an original cover back on.

Sorry Dads, I should have been more clear. I was asking poster so I could get an idea what he is doing. Dads: I like everything you do on your truck. It's clean and done right. Sano, as we used to say.

Thanks for your comments.

Your post was clear, I misunderstood.

These inserts may only be good for lightweight stuff,
no door hindge bolts

...used the 1/4 on my door panels where there were no nuts behind the metal. Luckily I have a couple restorations shops in my area and one of my friends that work there brought a nice set by the shop and put them in for me. We were drinking pepsi's in about 15 minutes!!
He had a nice set. I guess they work well for what they are intended. Saved me a lot of uh, shall we say 4 letter words!!