flat bed rivets

S

smitty city

Member
I am restoring a 48 flat bed, and want to put the stake pockets back in with the original style rivets. how do I buck the rivets on the inside of the pockets? how did Ford do it?
thanks, mike smith
 
Just a guess but if you want to retain the rivet appearance, why not modify the head of a carriage bolt to rivet size/shape and the square under the head so it will "bite" in the hole for tightening.
John
 
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When I replaced the back panel on my '49 flatbed, I installed the "bumpers" with rivets I made from 1/4" grade 8 bolts. I turned the head to look like a rivet and used grade 8 nuts on the inside with 640 Loctite on the threads.
Mark
 
The rivets I've taken out of my older trucks, appear to have been Hot rivets, but no idea on the process...I was going to put rivets in the bed of this '42 I'm working on, but geesh, the tool required was near 800 (might be off there...but what ever the cost, not for me) bucks as I recall, that would do 3/16th-3/8th steel rivets.

I'm sure there is "some place" that can do them, but no idea where to look for it.
 
I don't know how Ford did it but, I have used a coupling nut, and a grade 8 bolt and formed the radius in the head of the bolt to fit the head of the rivet, and used it for a buck bar. Then I used an air hammer with the bar in it to form the head on the other end of the rivet. The .401 end rivet tools are available from several sources for different size rivets. Mac's has them. They also have the bucking bar I was referring to.
Reggie
 
Smiity....You are most welcome
Just spoke to Roy today. He is a wealth of knowledge on these Fords and very willing to share it. Great guy and great products. He is one of my go-to guys.
Bruce/CT
 
The carriage bolt method is fine , but if you have the time & patience,
original rivets are the ticket.
 
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