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The cheap eBay kind

I bought a threaded insert kit of ebay, similar/same as rivnuts but quite cheap. Link here
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/141469061617 ... EBIDX%3AIT

Comes with M3, M4, M5, M6 and M8 inserts in steel and aluminium plus an installing tool with all the right madrels. The kit is quite cheap (and it shows in the rivet gun!) but I figured it would be pretty hard to get the threaded inserts wrong, and if the tool was rubbish it didn't really matter because you can install them without it anyway, albeit a bit slower.

Turned out the tool was quite cheap looking but it still worked fine, it doesn't require alot of force to pull the inserts in anyway so I'm happy enough with it. The inserts themselves are very good, steel ones have the same zinc finish as the new bolts kit I bought of ebay.

When it comes to installing them, probably the most important thing is to drill the correct sized hole. If it is too big I can see the insert losing its grip and spinning around in the hole. For the M5 inserts I measured their OD at 7mm so I used a 7mm drill which is the perfect size. I tested one to see how much torque you needed to spin it around, and I rounded off the bolt head first So for the applications I can see these being used (i.e replacing self tapping screws) they are more than strong enough. They also work on curved surfaces; I used a couple to replace the self tapping screws that normally hold the interior light in the roof of my wagon which bolts onto one of the ribs in the roof. The holes are right near the edge of the rib where the steel curls over but the inserts went in no problem at all, and plenty strong enough to hold up my roof console

I got these sort of as an experiment but having used a few today to replace crappy old self tapping screws, I have realized how absolutely brilliant they are To get a strong, permanent machine thread in thin sheet metal is the best thing ever. I think I'll probably be using alot of these from now on

you are tempting me ...been impressed with these items for some time, and felt very lacking when I met a mum that had these installed on the side of her Troopy - she was so impressed with them when she saw them being installed she bought her own kit !
Thanks for the review The steel inserts would be the harder to pull tight eh ? Like aluminium V's steel rivets ...

Do it Jonno, You'll wonder how you lived without them

The steel ones are marginally harder, still not very difficult though.

We use them at work. M6 stainless.....yeah its pneumatic! We even modified it and fitted an air screwdriver to the back of it so after you clamp it you can unscrew the gun faster then a lizard drinking. Little tip, if you get the hole nice and round and the right size, some thread sealant or even locktite on the nut pre crimp will seal it water tight.

Regards

Doug

Been wondering already for years how been doing without - not for long though
And there is no way anyone can borrow a rivnut set coz it dont come back quite complete.
Extra earths could be an idea with these with a bit of a paint scratch

I've used them for the door cards ...



The 'Tap' is used to help align & clean out thread afterwards ...



Think I used M6 Hex S/S countersunk screws from memory ( don't have them on me atm )



Something like this ...

Cheers, Bantum ...

should also help make some installations - mounting brackets etc, look original to casual observers

woohoo ! Got mine

Nice instructions - toss ....

Any idea what the nuts are for Sam ?

I would also have expected a drill size chart for each size 'nut' . Maybe I should have also ordered a new digital vernier. A disclaimer - the box featured is not the box they come in, I modified one of my system boxes to take these. Tactix from the big hardware joint - although seem to be available seasonally not all year 'round Space for the TBA drill sizes as well

Gonna try the smaller ones in some plastics and see how they go ...

thanks for the review Sam

oh, and i think ally is interpreted as silver zinc to insert into aluminium projects- not aluminium base material of the insert

Nice one I've already used quite a few in the wagon this week. I was thinking the same thing about keeping the drills in the box. They all seem to be nice easy sizes e.g 7mm, 9mm. I'll measure all of mine with my vernier and make a list. No idea what the nuts were for either

Oh by the way if you haven't already used them, when you put the different sized pullers into the tool with their ally adapter thingy, they all thread in counter clockwise, reverse.

going by the chart on the ebay listing, the lower three sizes are add 2mm , and the M6 and M8 add 3.0 mm for dig the hole size

if the nuts were marked as say ... M6 1.0 mm you'd read their inclusion as a thread sizer

and yep, left hand threads always catch my eye before my brain

I think you'll find that having a dedicated set of drill sizes will be good for THOSE rivnuts. Once you get a replacement set, unless they're the same brand as what you're using now, there could be size changes between brands - slight, but enough to need a different drill.

And you don't want to be drilling a hole that's too big for these either!

Cheers

Bennie

even in plastic !

made hanging this so much easier

Definitely going to ask Santa for a rib nut kit.


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Pfft, you and your fancy tools

well, thanks for sharing ....now !!

He's using a cordless rattle gun in that pic...I call that a fancy tool

"All I want for Christmas is a riv-nut set"

Yes Riv-nut not rib nut whatever that is. Curse you iPhone spell corrector.


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A bolt, nut and a couple of spanners has let me use these for years.
Great short cut, but not good for heavy sideways load, especially if it vibrates.