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Wallowed out rivets on front fender

  • Thread starter Thread starter jdion81
  • Start date Start date
J

jdion81

Guest
The rivet holes on the front chrome fender on my 82 850GL are slightly larger than the rivets holding the fender on. Because of this the fender seems loose.

Any ideas on how to fix this without it looking like a hack job? I thought about drilling the rivets out and putting stainless bolts in place. I don't like the idea of seeing a bolt head where the rivet should be.
 
I'll tell you what I did. I just wedged a piece of rubber (actually it was an o-ring) between the fender brace and the fender. This was on the underside of the fender about in the center. I think I pushed it in with a screwdriver or something. Mine used to rattle as I was riding. I guess you could call it a hack job, but you can't see it.
 
jsandidge said:
I'll tell you what I did. I just wedged a piece of rubber (actually it was an o-ring) between the fender brace and the fender. This was on the underside of the fender about in the center. I think I pushed it in with a screwdriver or something. Mine used to rattle as I was riding. I guess you could call it a hack job, but you can't see it.
Click to expand...

That's not a hack job... I'd call that an easy inexpensive fix. Pretend it's on the parts fiche as a "bushing" or a "cushion" and call it a day...
 
If you can get to the hollow part of the rivet and its not filled up with anything, I have used a center punch to tighten. support and protect the head of the rivet, use the center punch in the middle of the rivet, gie it a couple good wacks and it will expand and tighten back up. This works even better on stud type rivets
 
I had the same problem with my wife's fender. I removed the fender, put the inside of the rivet on the anvil and gave the outside of the rivet a few "taps" with a hammer. That smashes the rivet, forcing the middle to expand, filling up the available space.

That was several years ago, have not had to repeat the process (yet).
 
Like Steve said, a repeen can possibly tighten up a loose rivet...it still leaves me questioning how it got loose in the first place, but I guess it can happen.
If that fails I'd look into the next size larger rivet or a nut/bolt combo. If you have a local cold heading factory, they could sell you a few plated rivets(nickle would work for chrome shine) or plain steel if they need to be painted over.
 
Maybe drizzle a little epoxy in there if possible before the repeen. That way if the repeen wasnt 100% tight the epoxy takes up the slack space.
 
Do you know anyone with a Huck bolt installing rivet tool. Those are strong and they look great. I use them a lot, the stainless Huck Bolt rivets can be polished in a drill before install.
 
metalfab said:
Do you know anyone with a Huck bolt installing rivet tool. Those are strong and they look great. I use them a lot, the stainless Huck Bolt rivets can be polished in a drill before install.
Click to expand...

You made me go look it up....lol.....neat set up. Kind of like a rivnut.
My only question would be is how much of that is left sticking out towards the tire after being fastened?
 
80GS850GBob said:
You made me go look it up....lol.....neat set up. Kind of like a rivnut.
My only question would be is how much of that is left sticking out towards the tire after being fastened?
Click to expand...

There is a wide variety of shapes for the collar and the rivet head. I have been using them for many years. A lot of aircraft mechanics have the tools to set the Huckbolt rivet, Peterbilt trucks are assembled with them too. A rivnut sets into sheet metal then a bolt screws in, the Huckbolt rivet has a piece that looks a lot like a bolt, what looks like threads are not sprial like threads on a bolt. The Huck gun crushes a collar onto the body of the Huck bolt rivet with several thousand pounds of pressure. It is a strong fastener that wont come undone.
 
Just re-peen the rivets with a couple of good whacks and they'll be fine. I've done this on a couple of GL models. For some reason this only seems to affect the chrome front fenders.
 
80GS850GBob said:
You made me go look it up....lol.....neat set up. Kind of like a rivnut.
My only question would be is how much of that is left sticking out towards the tire after being fastened?
Click to expand...

After I drilled out my rattley old rivets I used something like these

8mm-button-head-bolts-2-pack-m8-x-40mm-a2-stainless-steel-socket-allen-key-dome-head-bolt-screws-free-uk-delivery_3570090.jpg


I just cut the to a suitable length and there is plenty of clearance with the tyre.
 
I think I'll try to repeen the rivets, and if that goes south I try the button head allen bolts.
 
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