10 replies to this topic

[antcole]

Hello folks,
Im a fair way off fitting headlight bowls but im trying to get all the major bits ordered up.
Just wondered what is the difference between steel and plastic bowls.... or which would you recommend?
Its for a 1990 mini city and theyre going into new heritage wings if thats any use?

Edited by antcole, 24 September 2012 - 04:45 PM.

[Twisty]

steel ones will rot plastic wont rot, thats about the only difference i can think of. i always go plastic when replacing any as they are cheap and last.

[antcole]

Thats what was hoping to hear..... and would the plastic bowls still need a gasket behind them (forgive the possible stupid question)?

Cheers for the reply mate

[mike.]

Yep plastic still need a gasket. They're lighter (I assume) and as above they won't rot.

You should consider fitting them with rivnuts, that way you've got no nasty screw damaging the paint in this exposed area. You can rivet them in, but then they're difficult to remove if you need to.

If your rebuilding the car, the cost of a rivnut gun is well worth it because you can use it anywhere you would normally use screws. I've got my headlight bowls, grill and mirrors held on with them and you can use them on arches too as well as for fixing things to the bulkhead.

[Twisty]

good advice with using the riv nuts i have done this and its one of the most useful tools i have.

[antcole]

Yep plastic still need a gasket. They're lighter (I assume) and as above they won't rot.

You should consider fitting them with rivnuts, that way you've got no nasty screw damaging the paint in this exposed area. You can rivet them in, but then they're difficult to remove if you need to.

If your rebuilding the car, the cost of a rivnut gun is well worth it because you can use it anywhere you would normally use screws. I've got my headlight bowls, grill and mirrors held on with them and you can use them on arches too as well as for fixing things to the bulkhead.

Oooh... sounds like i need one of them in my life, apart from googling rivnut, would you recommend a supplier, or who you bought yours from?

Definitely a good investment id have to agree.

[mike.]

I got mine from car builder solutions, less than £30 I think.

Then since then i've got my rivnuts off ebay.

[antcole]

This sounds like an ideal fix for those screws that hold the vent ports onto the inner flitches.... the one im doing at the moment had rotted through the top half of both sides and all the remaining screws simply snapped off in the captive nuts.... im thinking rivnuts will be a direct replacement in metric and all i have to do is grind off the old rank captive nuts.
Like you both said, theres a ton of other uses for them.

Regarding the headlight bowls, is there a special rivnut for this, like a plastic shrouded one or would you just use steel or even brass rivnut inserts?

Anyway, sounds superb, im getting one asap, thanks a million for the advice.

Edited by antcole, 24 September 2012 - 06:42 PM.

[tiger99]

I think you want an ali rivnut, or maybe stainless, if you can afford them. Ali is fine for lightly loaded things including headlights and miscellaneous small bits. Plated steel is another possibility, for heavier bits.

One very useful application of rivnuts is to eliminate self tappers from certain places such as things mounted to the inner wings (washer bottle, solenoid, etc) where the points of self tappers get you sooner or later when you are working on the reverse side. The blunt end of a bolt is less aggressive. Same for things that bolt through the bulkhead, you don't want pointed screws for things like the wiper motor strap or fuse box to catch you out when you are working behind the dash. And, you don't need to worry about replacing those white plastic bits that the screws go in to.

Don't put a stainless screw or bolt into a stainless rivnut. It will most likely sieze and not come out again. If you want to use nice stainless screws for minor things (never anything structural!), use them in plated steel rivnuts.

[antcole]

Thanks for everything!
Ive just bought a rivnut heavy duty kit on your advice from Car Builder Solutions for 60 quid. Looks just the job!

Edited by antcole, 24 September 2012 - 10:00 PM.

[mike.]

Thats good, because the cheaper gun is only suitable for alu rivnuts. So if you wana put steel ones in you need the heavy duty one.