The floor on my car had some rust holes.I cut out the rusted parts out,grinded everything to the bare metal.Now i need to cover the holes with some 3 mm thick steel plate.What should i use to bind it?I have an arc welder and i have pop rivets (blind rivets) It has to be one of these two optiones.
Not so sure,since wikipedia sais "Blind rivets are often avoided for critical structural joints because they generally have less load carrying capability than solid rivets. Furthermore, because of the mandrel they are more prone to failure from corrosion and vibration." Which one should i go for?Welding or riveting?Any other tips?
2007-10-19 04:45:58 · 7 answers · asked by Art Vandelay 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
welding is the only choice...you can use a few rivets to hold the patch in place while you are welding but that is about all they are good for
2007-10-19 05:01:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say if you are worried about the rivets then weld the structure. The arc welder has a tendency to burn through thin metal, if you are a good welder tho I would weld it since it bonds the two pieces together better than just a rivet. The panel will have to be sealed either way from the bottom for rust so I ould weld it.
2007-10-19 04:57:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why so heavy ? 3 mm is 1/8". You should be using 14 or 16 gage metal. Welding is ok but remember it will warp if you continuous weld.
2007-10-19 05:12:28 · answer #3 · answered by tronary 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you try to arc weld it you will most likely burn through and have a bigger problem, I would use the rivits they are easier to use, and you will not have a problem with corrosion or vibration in your cars lifetime, sounds like this repair will make your floorboards better than the rest of the car. I would use some silicone underneith the seams if you use the rivits though. That should be more than enough to hold it and keep out moisture.
Hope this helps.
Chad
2007-10-19 06:27:16 · answer #4 · answered by fz5zx2 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Welding is always better than riveting.
2007-10-19 05:41:14 · answer #5 · answered by kwhotrods 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Weld it, riveting isn't nearly as strong as welding. I don't even see why there was debate, welding is better hands down.
2007-10-19 04:58:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem on a 1980 Chevrolet and used pop rivets which worked very well. If you fear structural failure, use more rivets.
2007-10-19 04:52:19 · answer #7 · answered by Alanrt1 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋