Fasteners

[Kevin wright]

My class c holiday rambler has a thin aluminum roof. The vents and other stuff up there are fastened on with rivits. Question is what is best way to refasten a replacement vent after you have taken off the old one by grinding out the old rivets?

[Lakota Wolf]

Besides grinding them off,, drill them out as to not burn the surrounding metal, and RE-rivet with aluminum rivets.

Using a simple pop rivet gun. Just use drill bit same size as existing rivet insert.

[Kevin wright]

Thanks for the reply. I had a suspicion that a pop rivet gun might be the way to go. But never have even seen one so didn't pursue the thought. I will check it out and learn something about them.thanks again

[Lakota Wolf]

Pop riveting isnt rocket science. When my daughter was young she would get a blast poppin in the rivets cuz it made a pop noise. I would drill the holes to the two pieces of aluminum and she would follow behind poppin em in.  You don't need an expensive pop rivet gun to get the job done

(if ya goofed, ya just drilled the head out and it would fall out leaving a clean hole and ya do it again).

I recommend aluminum pop rivets, they are easier to work with and won't rust like a body style steel rivet. You don't even need to see the backside of the rivet to install it, thats what makes it nice also.

[Kevin wright]

That's why I didn't think about rivets, cause you can't get to the backside of em putting in a roof vent. But if your daughter could pop them in, I might have a chance myself of getting it done! Thanks again and I will have a cup of coffee with you someday on the road.

[Lakota Wolf]

You betcha,, Coffee is a definite. As ya draw the handle down on the rivet gun, it draws the 2 pieces of metal together tight before ya hear the pop. You can practice on a piece of metal to get the jist of the concept of how it actually works. 2 small pieces of tin,drill a 3/32 hole

(most rivets are 3/32 or 1/16). slip rivet in the gun, insert in hole, rachet down the handle and you will see it gripping and pulling the rivet assembly together and when its tight the rivet *pops ,meaning the rivet is set. (those aluminum foil pans at local dollar store bent in half work great to practice on.).  Hope this helps a lil fer yas,,, happy travels.

P.S.     Rivets come in 3 sizes,, try the smallest to the next largest to get idea of the depth,

Rule of thumb, is a rivet depth twice the size of two pieces of metal being adjoined.