Did you use Riv Nuts, or Plus nuts, and would you do it again?

Did you use Riv, nuts or Plus nuts and would you do it again?

  • Riv nuts, and glad I did

    Votes: 52 46.8%
  • Plus nuts, and glad I did

    Votes: 32 28.8%
  • Riv nuts, but if I did it again I'd use plus nuts

    Votes: 6 5.4%
  • Plus nuts, but if I did it again I'd use Riv nuts

    Votes: 3 2.7%
  • I used one or the other, but think using both would have been ideal

    Votes: 18 16.2%

  • Total voters
    111

Rtarannum

Member
I bought a whole bunch of 1/4"-20 25/64" 0.027" to 0.165" but when I drill hole the size of 3/8th, its too small for the rivnut to go. What drill size did you use?

1/4"-20 25/64" 0.027" to 0.165" is what you want

1/4"-20 is the most standard thread. 1/4-28 is a fine thread and not as commonly available for buying bolts from the hardware store (20 thread per inch vs 28 threads per inch)

The .027"-.165" grip range will be what you want for almost all the interior sheet metal on the Sprinter.
 

Montucky

Active member
I bought a whole bunch of 1/4"-20 25/64" 0.027" to 0.165" but when I drill hole the size of 3/8th, its too small for the rivnut to go. What drill size did you use?
Whoever makes the rivnuts will usually specify the bore size needed for a proper fit. For the 1/4-20's that I ordered from MCMaster, they spec a 25/64" drill size which has a decimal equivalent of 0.390. That's about 0.016" bigger than your 3/8".
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
For thin sheetmetal (walls are thin, floor is thicker), I suggest a two step process. Drill to the nearest common size (usually 1/32 or 1/16 under the final size). Then finish with the correct size, usually at a higher speed. This results in a cleaner hole, and less chance of distorting the hole.

When drilling into the wall structure/ribs, use a stop to prevent punching through and denting the body skin (or damaging under floor items). A piece of pex tubing cut to length works fine.
 
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opselite

Active member
I used 1/4-20 plus nuts. Drilled holes with a size W bit .0368 size. I did paint the hole but only to prevent rust. Turned until it was tight.

Sent from my GM1917 using Tapatalk
 

galvinize

Active member
Rivnuts have been satisfactory, and if you only need to install a few, you can avoid purchasing a bulky RivNut tool by using a (hardened!) nut-and-bolt.
McMaster has a different RivNut design (see pic below) which takes less "pull" to install, and is therefore less likely to spin after installation.
 

Attachments

marky

Active member
I use twist resistant rivnuts from McMaster-Carr. For 1/4" use a 25/64" high quality bit. I set them with the lever action tool, occasionally have used wrench driven tool if there is not enough room for the big lever action tool. With the serrated rivnuts I get little resistance when the serrations meet the hole, just give it a good push and it goes in. That resistance is a good thing.
 

owenfi

2020 Sprinter 2500 170 4x4
Wife and I did some of both plusnuts and rivnuts (both 1/4-20) over the last few days.

I bought the Astro 1442 and tried to get the extended mandrel for it to also do the plus nuts, but that turned out to be for a different tool since the tool-side threading was a bit too large. (Have an outstanding order for what I think is the right mandrill to try later on.)

Of our 8 rivnuts, all seated properly and seem to work well. Of our 5 plus nuts, 2 are spinners. I think I'll be able to clean them up with JBWeld and make it work, but I was under the impression plus nuts could be wrenched on pretty tight and were relatively forgiving (and seem so much beefier than the corresponding sized rivnut). I was using the trick where I choked up on my socket all the way so I figured I wasn't overdoing it. Could something else be the reason for the spinning plus nuts?
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Could something else be the reason for the spinning plus nuts?
It may just be luck .... or the tool at hand.

When i bought my Sprinter, i had the dealer install the rear door grab bars. They used RivNuts, and one is a spinner (so i cannot firmly tighten that one bolt :thumbdown: ).
When i did my "conversion", i chose Plus-Nuts ... and acquired the manual tool (a hardened bolt and a special "washer").
The "washer" is the magic ... it has sharp raised spines (teeth) on the face that is placed against the PlusNut.
As you tighten the bolt (expanding the PlusNut), the spines bite into the PlusNut and prevent it from spinning during insertion.
None spun.
A hydraulic tool that simply does a straight-pull during the expansion phase wouldn't need such teeth, but a turn-the-bolt expansion certainly benefits from them.

--dick (can i find either the tool or the photo i have of it? Nooooo....)
 

owenfi

2020 Sprinter 2500 170 4x4
It may just be luck .... or the tool at hand.

The "washer" is the magic ... it has sharp raised spines (teeth) on the face that is placed against the PlusNut.
As you tighten the bolt (expanding the PlusNut), the spines bite into the PlusNut and prevent it from spinning during insertion.
None spun.
Thanks!

yeah, ours was fairly loose (the first one we chalked up to holding not tight enough against the wall during the upset)—we had regular washers so maybe finding some of the sharp ones might do the trick.
 

Turbo4

New member
Hey guys, I had a quick question on this topic. I have to install four fasteners in my Sprinter. I was given free Plusnuts for this by the vendor. The Plusnuts came with a very basic tool to install them called a Hexcap that works in conjunction with a longer bolt with partially smooth bore.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this free and basic installation tool. And if so, if you had any tips to help make it work correctly.

I would hate to have to buy the expensive tool just for four fasteners.

27417980-C6E9-4242-8A4D-95BD39EE808C.jpeg
 

220629

Well-known member
...
I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this free and basic installation tool. And if so, if you had any tips to help make it work correctly.
...
I've used similar tools. They work if not many fasteners need to be installed.

Tips.
Keep the tool threads oiled. (For me that is SOP for all tools.)
I haven't tried this, but consider using a drill driver to save twisting time. You may still need a real wrench for the final compression to properly set the fastener. Experiment on some scrap pieces before the actual installations. You'll be able to observe how the fastener expanded.

vic
 

JIB

Well-known member
I was happy with that tool for 1/4-in plus nuts I was not happy with 5/16 it was little bit too much work. It worked well for both though.

Jack
 

Turbo4

New member
I was thinking about using a power tool such as my little M12 impact gun to drive the bolt and expand the Plusnut, but then I figured maybe that was the lazy way and it would screw it up. I’ll definitely give it a try first if you guys think it’s best.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Hey guys, I had a quick question on this topic. I have to install four fasteners in my Sprinter. I was given free Plusnuts for this by the vendor. The Plusnuts came with a very basic tool to install them called a Hexcap that works in conjunction with a longer bolt with partially smooth bore.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this free and basic installation tool. And if so, if you had any tips to help make it work correctly.
That's how i placed 25 PlusNuts in my "conversion" (1/4-20 sized)
I just used hand tools open-end or box wrench for the "tool", 1/2" drive socket for the bolt. Mine had a hardened bolt (grade 8?).
I didn't (even think to) oil them during insertion...
I *did* fully assemble the PlusNut, wrenches and tool and applied just a tiny bit of bolt-twist (to firm up the "sandwich") before i pushed the PlusNut into its hole ... this guaranteed the "tool assembly" was really pushing properly before it got into place.

Mine differed from Matt Foley's photo in that the middle (Hexcap) piece was also hardened (black, not shiny)

PlusNutTool.jpg

--dick
 

Turbo4

New member
I see you guys have a couple washers on the bolt, that makes sense since they work like bearings. But the instruction sheet I posted above doesn’t show anything about using washers with the included Hexcap tool.

So should I use the washers or no?
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
I see you guys have a couple washers on the bolt, that makes sense since they work like bearings. But the instruction sheet I posted above doesn’t show anything about using washers with the included Hexcap tool.

So should I use the washers or no?
I'd certainly say "yes", since it helps the Hexcap (and PlusNut) stay stationary as the bolt turns.

In my case, the soft steel of the washer also served as "malleable lubrication" between the two hardened steel (bolt and Hexcap) pieces.

--dick
 

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