A number of rivets around the generator door & front of my Breakaway have let go, I have been to the local rv place but any rivets he has won,t go into the material behind the skin. Am I looking for something special here or any suggestions would be helpful thanks

https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...rum_scope=9331087061
https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...=488107113#488107113

The misspelling of the new thread topic will throw-off future searches.
I cannot find the name and contact info for the company from which I obtained a small bag of sample stainless rivets.
This isn't it, but a good site anyway:
http://www.cherryaerospace.com...uct/blindrivets.html

Paul, give me a call. I have a supply of aluminum rivets with aluminum mandrels. That is important because you don't want to set up corosion between aluminum and steel. Is the material you are going into, steel or aluminum.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim and Tere:
Paul, give me a call. I have a supply of aluminum rivets with aluminum mandrels. That is important because you don't want to set up corosion between aluminum and steel. Is the material you are going into, steel or aluminum.

I doubt the mandrel makes much difference. The sheet material and substrate or structure sure does.

Don"t use steel mandrel rivets (They are stronger, but...)

The dissimilar metals will cause increased corrosion, with the steel corroding worse. So much for the extra strength and you may even get rust stains.

Once the steel corrodes, the rivet will leak into the compartment.

If you ever do have to remove them, they are a real PITA to drill out. The drill bit will skid off center unless you first drive out the mandrel (not always that easy, either)

Most of mine are 3/16" dia with about 1/2" grip needed. I have replaced all of them on the port side compartments, water heater, generator and furnaces. About 150 so far, some left to go on starboard side.

Many of them were apparently factory steel mandrels. Some had corroded to the point where the aluminum heads came off. Worth checking on any Barth, since many of them are old enough to vote!

I was able to find them at my "better than average" local hardware store. Others have had trouble finding them. Good luck!

But the professional aerospace rivets, such as the Cherry SST Bulb Rivet, have stainless steel stems and expanders.
https://bizpartner.cherryaeros...3841845204802D858E13

They also have all aluminum, self plugging:
https://bizpartner.cherryaeros...page/9000/CR9163.pdf

quote:

Originally posted by Larry kiteboardman:
Here is an extreme example of what happens on a Barth when you combine steel screws,with aluminum in the presents of moisture. This is the aluminum floor pan above the storage hatch. I would try to use aluminum fasteners on the exterior panels.

However, in your photo there is little or no corrosion where (rusty, steel) SCREWS attach the poly flex conduit to the sheet metal. The severe corrosion appears to be where the sheet metal is against steel angle iron (or other steel structure) above.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry kiteboardman:
I was able to find them at my "better than average" local hardware store. Others have had trouble finding them. Good luck!

What do you mean by better than average? I am using aluminum pop rivets that are sold at Home Depot or Lowes. I think Arrow makes them. What specifically should I be using. They are 3/16" with 1/2 inch Mandrel. If you have ever tried to rip out an aluminum rivet there is very little question about it being strong enough to hold anything you might run into on this motor home in my opinion.[/QUOTE]

I think you want 1/2" grip range, not 1/2" mandrel. Yes, aluminum rivets can be strong, but draw tighter with a stem, mandrel and expander made of something with more tensile strength. There are various sources for rivets specifically for aluminum skin RV's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7EUXOA9d78
https://store.airstream.com/pr....php?products_id=611
https://store.airstream.com/index.php?cPath=52

The Airstream site says what they are made off (alum).
https://store.airstream.com/pr....php?products_id=146
Airstream exterior repair rivets are Olympic, like those from Vintage.

The Hanson Rivet Company sells all kinds and sizes of rivets -aluminum with steel or aluminum mandrels; open end and closed end; steel with steel mandrels; countersunk heads, flush heads and large "button" heads. The problem with the Barth rivets is they were aluminum, open end, steel mandrel type. It was not galvanic corrosion that led to failure, it was rust of the mandrel, then a leak, and the head breaks off. This is particularly evident in the roof area and hinges of the compartment doors. Barth used Red-Green duct tape to separate the aluminum skin from the steel frame. The tape disintegrated with time and heat/cold and because it was a fabric it held moisture. Here come the corrosion! You can't stop the corrosion without pulling the skin and putting a new barrier between the metals. You can now buy a zinc spray coating that is sold to the railroad industry as a corrosion protection. When you see the pinholes it is the underside gone, and no amount of bondo will fix it. When you see loose ricets around the trim ar the front and rear bumper splash pans a close inspection will show the 1" square tubing has rusted away. You have to replace and startover in those areas. We saw this in compartment hinges, support rails under the lip of the doors; in the strapping that holds the fresh water tank up; and the doors themselves. As for the rivets just get closed end aluminum rivets with aluminum mandrels and you will be watertight. A 7/16" depth will handle the 040" skin and the 1/4" to 3/8" frames. There is no downsize to installing the next larger diameter rivet to better seal the hole in the skin.

Good post, Tom.
The Hanson site is another very good resource. http://www.hansonrivet.com/know-your-rivets.htm

Maybe it was from them I had obtained a bag of blind rivet samples.

By "better than average" I meant the store, not the rivets. A store that still sells nails by the pound, no blister pack hardware, sheet metal, glass, plumbing, etc cut to order no charge. Family run, wide range of stock, great service, hires local kids and trains em, donates to school and local charities.

(McClean's Hardware in Kalkaska)

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:
By "better than average" I meant the store, not the rivets. A store that still sells nails by the pound, no blister pack hardware, sheet metal, glass, plumbing, etc cut to order no charge. Family run, wide range of stock, great service, hires local kids and trains em, donates to school and local charities.

(McClean's Hardware in Kalkaska)

such places are wonderful, but nearing extinction it seems.

And not many companies expect people to preserve, protect and defend their coaches from the ravages of time! So they might have never thought these would,last, and last, and last.

Hi Jim thanks for the offer of various size rivets I would likely see if you were home on my way south anyway but will try to source the correct rivets here as I may be wintering in Silver City New Mexico this year Paul