Folks,
I use 1/4-20 rivet nuts to attach the wall panels, cabinets, and shelves to the vehicle’s framework.
Like cross dowels, this allows me to take things apart and put them back together again if needed.
The problem for most is finding rivet nuts at a reasonable price. Local hardware stores charge $
to 1.25 each or over $100 per hundred.
I purchase mine from Jay-Cee Sales. I purchase 500 or 1000 at a time and pay about $13 per
hundred or $0.13 each plus shipping.
I just got off the phone with Kevin at Jay-Cee Sales and he tells me that they will sell as few as 100
for $15 per hundred ($0.15 each) plus shipping. You can order off the website or call.
Rivet nuts come in clamping ranges depending on the thickness of the metal you’ll be installing
them in so you need to make sure you’re ordering the correct ones. If you order two wide a clamp
range then the rivet nuts will just spin in the hole - very annoying and useless.
Most of our work will be installing rivet nuts into the thin sheet metal of a vehicle which is often
about 0.020 inches up to 1/8th inch thick aluminum which is 0.125 inches. It just so happens that
they manufacture a rivet nut that covers this exact range.
For ribbed steel rivet nuts you want to order part number:
RN2520165SLR - the 25=1/4" screw. the 20=threads per inch, the 165 is the maximum clamp
thickness which is a little over 1/8 inch. The SLR - S=steel material, L=the series, R=ribbed.
This will cover the full range you’re likely to need in a normal camper conversion work. these are
available in Stainless Steel as well but at about triple the price. Stainless is not needed for interior
work. If you want to install them where they will be exposed to the weather then you might want
to consider stainless.
These are very high quality rivet nuts with thick walls. They’ll probably last far longer than the
vehicle. Most existing holes in vehicles are 8mm (which is 5/16" US). These rivet nuts require a
larger hole so you’ll have to drill (or drill out existing) holes to 25/64 which just happens to be the
same drill size required for cross dowels - a twofer!
You’ll need an installation tool. There are several on the market. I use an Astro 1442. It comes
with mandrels for installing metric as well as US threaded inserts. M5, M6, & M8 and 10-24, 14-20,
& 5/16-18
You can purchase other mandrels if you need them. I added a 3/8-16 to my kit for installing the
hex rivet nuts into the hex holes punched in the cargo area of many vehicles.
There are several versions of the Astro tool. The different model numbers usually designate what
mandrels come in the kit. The 1450 has extra long mandrels for installing both rivet nuts and
PLUSNUTS. I don’t use PLUSNUTS so I find the extra long mandrel annoying. The 1452 is for
larger rivet nuts up to 1/2".
I’ve found the Astro 1442 is available anywhere from $65 to $75 depending on the vendor. Here’s
the Amazon listing.
If you decide to use rivet nuts instead of sheet metal screws for attaching things to the framework
of your vehicle purchasing the the proper installation tool will make installing rivet nuts simple and
fast.
As always, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask,
Lex