cdeerinck
Well Known Member
This is a very painful post for me. I think I have gone through a few trapdoors that I might not be able to come back through, and I am really hoping someone here can give me some advice.
In an effort to make my floors "removable", I elected to put Rivnuts in under the floors. I thought it all went well. When I had finished up all of the wiring under the floors, I figured I could put in the floors, because I could take them out later. During the process of doing that, I "spun" two of the Rivnuts. Meaning that they were spinning in their holes, so I got not get the floor screws to go in further, nor take them out.
Picture one: This screw was halfway in, so I figured I would cut the top off, so I could lift the floor over it. It would eventually be behind the side panel, so I could live with it.
Later, when the second rivnut spun, I drilled a small hole next to screw, and put in some lock tight, locking the rivnut in place. That worked, and I was able to take out the screw, then put it back in. I can put a dot of paint over the hole, so again, I could live with it. Here it is:
Since I planned from this point on not removing my "removable" floors, I riveted in the rear baggage floor, since it was under the floors. Crisis averted, or so I thought.
Then today, realization hit me, when I was reviewing future steps. The flap fairings were not yet riveted on! And since I can't remove the floors without risking spinning more rivets, I was maybe hoping I could pop rivet these.
In my despair, I looked for more holes, and found these:
As best as I can tell they are for the rear seat lap belts, which are installed and riveted (Quick build). I'm not sure why the factory didn't put these other rivets in, but they didn't. The plans (DWG 74) call for AN426AD4-4 rivets. The factory also didn't dimple them.
So I have these 10 holes (5 on each side), that need to be riveted, but I have no access from the inside without drilling out the rear baggage floor, then removing all the screws in the main floors, possibly spinning more rivets, and having a floor become completely unremovable, and unfixable.
So I'm looking for any and all advice on how to proceed (other than drinking a lot, because I don't drink).
I would love to hear if anyone has a technique for getting a screw out of a spun rivnut, with no access to the back of the rivnut. Is drilling a side hole and adding lock tight the only or best method?
Also, any advice on drilling out pop rivets in case I do need to remove that baggage floor? With a steel mandrel and aluminum edges, I don't imagine they drill out easily (which is why I used the rivnuts in the first place).
Needless to say, not a good building day for me...
In an effort to make my floors "removable", I elected to put Rivnuts in under the floors. I thought it all went well. When I had finished up all of the wiring under the floors, I figured I could put in the floors, because I could take them out later. During the process of doing that, I "spun" two of the Rivnuts. Meaning that they were spinning in their holes, so I got not get the floor screws to go in further, nor take them out.
Picture one: This screw was halfway in, so I figured I would cut the top off, so I could lift the floor over it. It would eventually be behind the side panel, so I could live with it.
Later, when the second rivnut spun, I drilled a small hole next to screw, and put in some lock tight, locking the rivnut in place. That worked, and I was able to take out the screw, then put it back in. I can put a dot of paint over the hole, so again, I could live with it. Here it is:
Since I planned from this point on not removing my "removable" floors, I riveted in the rear baggage floor, since it was under the floors. Crisis averted, or so I thought.
Then today, realization hit me, when I was reviewing future steps. The flap fairings were not yet riveted on! And since I can't remove the floors without risking spinning more rivets, I was maybe hoping I could pop rivet these.
In my despair, I looked for more holes, and found these:
As best as I can tell they are for the rear seat lap belts, which are installed and riveted (Quick build). I'm not sure why the factory didn't put these other rivets in, but they didn't. The plans (DWG 74) call for AN426AD4-4 rivets. The factory also didn't dimple them.
So I have these 10 holes (5 on each side), that need to be riveted, but I have no access from the inside without drilling out the rear baggage floor, then removing all the screws in the main floors, possibly spinning more rivets, and having a floor become completely unremovable, and unfixable.
So I'm looking for any and all advice on how to proceed (other than drinking a lot, because I don't drink).
I would love to hear if anyone has a technique for getting a screw out of a spun rivnut, with no access to the back of the rivnut. Is drilling a side hole and adding lock tight the only or best method?
Also, any advice on drilling out pop rivets in case I do need to remove that baggage floor? With a steel mandrel and aluminum edges, I don't imagine they drill out easily (which is why I used the rivnuts in the first place).
Needless to say, not a good building day for me...