Pickup bed rivets

30A

30A

Senior Member
What is needed to replace the rivets in the metal bed floor? I have an original bed where someone previously replaced some of the rivets with bolts and nuts. I am familiar with conventional rivets but these are what I call blind rivets. Thx Steve
 
I don't think any blind rivets were used, all rivets I have seen on the beds were done with a backup die. I made a heavy bar dimpled with the shape of the head so the rounded head would't get distrorted. The only blind rivets I have ever used were ones with a stem or pop rivets and ones that have gun powder in them called explosive rivets.You put them in the hole and heat them and they explode setting it. These were mostly used in aircraft and are aluminum.I never saw steel ones. G.M.
 
Thanks, G.M.- I am familiar with pop rivets and not sure what you call the solid rivets or how to install them? I am looking for the best way and tools to create a consistently formed head. Do you use a pneumatic tool with a bucking bar (like the one you made) to create a rounded head for the formed side? Do you know who sells the solid rivets that closely match the original ones and tools needed to install? Thx sw
 
I think either Mac Hills or Sacramento Vintage Ford sells complete sets.
I think I got mine from Sacramento Vintage as well as the tool to set them.
 
A solid rivet has a rounded head and the straight end is solid steel say 3/16" OD and 3/8" long. The bucking bar is shaped like the rivet head so it don't get smashed, the straight end is peined or flatened with a hammer or air tool. The peining tool could be shaped for a specific shape. If the end is carefully heated it is much easier to shape. Hydrolic pressure with a clamping device and dies makes the most uniform ends. This is not as easy as you think. G.M.
 
It doesn't appear easy to duplicate the factory rivets. I will try Sacramento Ford for the rivets and tool. Great info...many thanks.
 
I have used Large Pop Rivets then filled the hole with JB Weld, sanded it smooth and looked real good after finishing them. Its about as simple as you can do.
 
I bought my rivets from Mac's they come as a kit. It takes two people to rivet, one to run the air tool & one to hold the buck bar. Not a fun job & to make them look like factory rivets is very difficult. I bought my rivet tool from Harbor Freight #97857 mediocre quality but most of us will probably not use it very often.
Gary.
 
I replaced some panels on a motorcoach a few year ago and they came with pop rivets with a drive in cap that made it look like a regular rivet. I don't know who made them, but a Google search might bring up something.
 
Blind fasteners other than soft aluminum or ferrometal pop rivets were developed for the aviation industry around the time frame of WWII. There are many types available today from Cherry, Olympic, & Huck to name a few.

There is a class of blind rivets developed for the van and bus body manufacture too. I don't think Fo Mo Co used many blind type fasteners until the more modern era. At least not that I'm aware of anyway. Clinch type nuts were likely the first types to be used.
 
When rivets are set and when drilled out the holes in the sheet metal are larger. I took the next size larger rivets and turned the heads down in the lathe to match the original ones. I'm not sure but I think they used to sell this type rivet. G.M.
 
Some of the holes are already larger where the rivet has pulled through on the metal floor flange. What do you recommend for those?

The deformed head is on the inside of the bed - correct?

Should the rivet be heated to bright red before inserting it or heat in place?

Thx sw
 
30A
Here are some answers for you.

Good luck
Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time


2. Rivets are soft steel as used by most manufacturers, unless noted. Ford body rivets were primarily Brazier Head with some Round head in non-visable locations.

3. Body rivets are usually installed cold with a "waffle" tool. Frame rivets are installed hot. Waffle tools are not used on frame rivets.

4. Do not confuse a flat head rivet with a countersunk head rivet, rivet shapes are different from screws.

5. If a rivet is too long, cut it with a saw, if you grind it and quench it. It will harden and you won't be able to install it.

6. When sizing a rivet; add the thickness' of metal to be joined, then add 1 1/2 times the diameter of the rivet to the length to allow sufficient metal to form a regular round head. You may want to experiment to get the best results.

7. Rivet diameters: rivets will expand slightly when installed. If the hole is more than 1/32 larger than the rivet to be used, however, the hole should be welded and redrilled or a larger rivet should be used.
 
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