P500 Skid Plate Install - Rivnuts or Self Tapping?

[futzin]

Which have you done? Regrets?

I've done self-tapping into the tube frame, a few of which keep pulling out. Then again, I hear the rivnuts can spin, bolts break as well.

 

[JenElio]

Which have you done? Regrets?

I've done self-tapping into the tube frame, a few of which keep pulling out. Then again, I hear the rivnuts can spin, bolts break as well.

Zip-ties and duct-tape, no regerts!!.......

 

[JenElio]

I actually have a few self tapping screws in my skid but they are thicker than normal and have held up great for the last few years (on square tubing part)....on the round tube I through bolted the skids where accessible. I don't have a lot of experience with rivnuts so I'm no help there.

 

[trigger]

I actually have a few self tapping screws in my skid but they are thicker than normal and have held up great for the last few years (on square tubing part)....on the round tube I through bolted the skids where accessible. I don't have a lot of experience with rivnuts so I'm no help there.

Probably Tek Screws. They're hex headed and way stronger than a standard self tapper.

 

[futzin]

Probably Tek Screws. They're hex headed and way stronger than a standard self tapper.

🤔.
thanks, I'll look into those, not familiar . . .

 

[The Green Goat]

I just threaded the holes I drilled in the frame. I fully expected some of them to pull out by now since there aren't a whole lot of threads in that thin wall, but they surprisingly haven't.

My backup plan is rivnuts when they eventually let go. I'll probably tack them in place as well.

 

[futzin]

I'll probably tack them in place as well.

Nice!

 

[TripleB]

I used self tappers 6 years ago. Ive had to replace at least half of them with rivnuts. A few every year. I've had to drill out a few of the rivnuts and replace them with new rivnuts. I had to go 1 size bigger on one of them due to rust. I'm assuming before long they will all be junk. Those weld nuts are probably the best option.

 

[futzin]

Those weld nuts are probably the best option.

Yeah, that's well outside my realm...
Sounds like a plan, though.

 

[futzin]

Zip-ties and duct-tape, no regerts!!.......

This guy gets me . . . 😅

 

[JenElio]

This guy gets me . . . 😅

NoMo!!!!

 

[futzin]

...on the round tube I through bolted the skids where accessible.

I've considered this...

 

[futzin]

NoMo!!!!

Hey, I didn't say you complete me!

 

[JenElio]

Probably Tek Screws. They're hex headed and way stronger than a standard self tapper.

🤔.
thanks, I'll look into those, not familiar . . .

I actually use #10 fine thread self tapping screws. I use them for commercial door hardware, I just happen to have them by the hundreds so it's what I use 🤷‍♂️.....#3 tip, I haven't had one come out yet. The screw head sinks into the Honda washer perfectly and doesn't really get beat on when it's rubbing on rocks and stuff. Probably have a half dozen or more like this. When my OEM bolts rust out or snap I just drive one of the self tappers in instead. Works for me 👍

 

[futzin]

I actually use #10 fine thread self tapping screws. I use them for commercial door hardware, I just happen to have them by the hundreds so it's what I use 🤷‍♂️.....#3 tip, I haven't had one come out yet. The screw head sinks into the Honda washer perfectly and doesn't really get beat on when it's rubbing on rocks and stuff. Probably have a half dozen or more like this. When my OEM bolts rust out or snap I just drive one of the self tappers in instead. Works for me 👍

In the round tube framing...?

 

[JenElio]

I've considered this...

I'm not too familiar with the P5s but on the P1K the round tube on the outer sides doesn't really have a lot of support and my aluminum skids at first had a little bit of tension so I didn't trust self tappers on the thin walled tubes. I've since sleeved/reinforced them but I already had the holes so I stuck with the through bolts. Those got nylon locking nuts.

 

[JenElio]

In the round tube framing...?

It's just on the outside, the main part of the skid is bolted to boxed tubing.

 

[futzin]

Green Goat is right; thin walls. Tighter threads sounds helpful...

 

[lee]

I used X nuts and applied gorilla glue to them.
Then I used stainless bolts with anti seize on them.

On a side note, I think the zink plated hardware that all OEMs use have a rare phenomena where in some small percentage of cases the plating corrodes in a way that makes the bolt seize.
In my now 30 years of experience I have only one data point where a bolt was put in at a known torque but broke off at a much higher torque on removal.
Of all the strange things I have needed to explain and make a fix for I have not (yet) figured this one out.
When I do, I will fix it.
In the mean time I have used stainless bolts in non critical areas on my personal buggy.
The stainless has its own issues so I do not use it on critical applications like suspension, drive train and engine parts.

 

[futzin]

X nut? dunno that one . . .