VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood Replacing Frame Rivets

The front running board braces on my '37 1/2 ton frame were removed and replaced sometime in the deep dark past. I know this because they were held in place with 5/16" bolts.

Also, the forged/cast fitting that holds the "fixed" side of the front and rear springs needs to be replaced or repared , probably on all 4 corners. This fitting is also riveted to the frame.

I think it's probably important for the fittings to be tightly riveted because of the shock and vibration it has to survive, so I'm faced with the problem of riveting anyway.

Three groups of questions:

1) Does anyone know the best way to go about this? I could either buy tools to drive a few dozen rivets during the remainder of my lifetime, or take the frame and parts to someone to have it done. Are the rivets driven cold or hot? Does anyone know of sources for the rivets and bucking tools? I'll consider both options, any suggestions?

2) Also, the spring bushing hole is elongated in each of these fittings. These holes need to be repaired. I could either have them welded and re-bored, or bore and bush them. The holes don't appear to have much edge distance in the first place, so I think the welding option is best. Does anyone have experience with this problem? Are the fittings cast or forged (which will effect weldability)?

3) One more question. I could probably do all of this myself with a mill and lathe. Since I'm just starting these two truck projects, would it be wise to invest in something like a "Smithy"?

Hey Lenn!

I would like to know this also!

It's funny that quality engineers and design/analysis engineers can actually think alike sometimes!

I noticed your garage, looks like we were thinking alike there also... sheetrock/painted walls, painted floors. I spent a lot / lot / lot of time and money building my garage, now I'll probably do the same thing on these old trucks!

Thanks! They have a website at http://www.bigflatsrivet.com/. The rivet part looks like it won't be that complicated anyway.

Thanks Speedline and Lenn for the info on Big Flats Rivits. I have to re-rivit my floorboard risers to the firewall and hated the idea of using pop rivits. By the way, after all the gunk was sandblasted off my '24 frame, I discovered one of the spring hangar rivits missing entirely as if it was never installed. On the other side, a crossmember rivit was in the hole, but was never peened over! There's enough redundancy that it shouldn't make any difference. At least it doesn't seem to have been a problem for the past 80 years. Guess the guys on the assembly line were going a little to fast!

Hey Speedline! Thanks for the information.

If you have the time and the need, you can modify a heavy vise grip to hold the rivet. Set a small strip, 1"wide of heavy steel, 1/4" thick on a piece of wood and beat the end with a ball peen hammer to form a slight "cup". Cut the cup part off and weld this to the end of one jaw of the vise grip with the cup facing the other jaw. Put your rivet in, vise it, heat it, and peen it.

Brian

Thanks again bigbth and Speedline. I'm going to look up a few fastener suppliers in the valley tomorrow and see what rivets and tools are available locally, however I'm basically stuck until I take care of the problem I have with my spring mounts.

thanks lenn i will put this information on the rivet company in my favorites for future reference thanks