Bed support rails rivet or weld?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 101
Likes: 5
Bed support rails rivet or weld?
I'm looking to replace my bed support rails and instead of welding them I was wondering if I should rivet them instead. Has anyone else done this or have any comments on if it'll work well.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
I'm assuming you mean pop rivets. You'll end up popping them loose or breaking them when using the bed. Best to use a spot weld cutter and then spot weld the new supports on. The special body panel adhesive the autobody industry uses would probably be better than pop rivets.
For cutting the spot welds I have found the spring loaded spotweld cutter to work best. Drill a .050" or so hole from the topside through the center of each spot weld. Then from the bottom side drill with the spot weld cutter. The spring loaded point will pop the bed metal up when the cutter breaks through the support. You don't want to drill through the bed bottom with the spotweld cutter.
For cutting the spot welds I have found the spring loaded spotweld cutter to work best. Drill a .050" or so hole from the topside through the center of each spot weld. Then from the bottom side drill with the spot weld cutter. The spring loaded point will pop the bed metal up when the cutter breaks through the support. You don't want to drill through the bed bottom with the spotweld cutter.
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 101
Likes: 5
I'm assuming you mean pop rivets. You'll end up popping them loose or breaking them when using the bed. Best to use a spot weld cutter and then spot weld the new supports on. The special body panel adhesive the autobody industry uses would probably be better than pop rivets.
For cutting the spot welds I have found the spring loaded spotweld cutter to work best. Drill a .050" or so hole from the topside through the center of each spot weld. Then from the bottom side drill with the spot weld cutter. The spring loaded point will pop the bed metal up when the cutter breaks through the support. You don't want to drill through the bed bottom with the spotweld cutter.
For cutting the spot welds I have found the spring loaded spotweld cutter to work best. Drill a .050" or so hole from the topside through the center of each spot weld. Then from the bottom side drill with the spot weld cutter. The spring loaded point will pop the bed metal up when the cutter breaks through the support. You don't want to drill through the bed bottom with the spotweld cutter.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 14,284
Likes: 2,192
my thoughts on this based on using rivets on helicopters and fixed wing turbo prop (high load and vibrations)....is that its probally just as good as spot welding. any tow hitches bolt to the frame so there is no torsion loads on the bed from towing. the spot welds or rivets are just there to hold the braces in place during installation....actual weight of the bed+ compression from bed bolts preload the cross braces...meaing...once a bed is installed.....the spot weld or rivets contribute nothing to the load carrying capability of the cross brace and torsion loads are handled by the bed bolts. You could probally use plastic body panel plugs just as well to hold the braces in place during installation, if you can drop the bed straight down.
I do have a 4 method welder (flux, stick, tig, mig, ) which can accept a spot welding attachment......but even so...I probally would not spot weld them.
I do have a 4 method welder (flux, stick, tig, mig, ) which can accept a spot welding attachment......but even so...I probally would not spot weld them.
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 101
Likes: 5
my thoughts on this based on using rivets on helicopters and fixed wing turbo prop (high load and vibrations)....is that its probally just as good as spot welding. any tow hitches bolt to the frame so there is no torsion loads on the bed from towing. the spot welds or rivets are just there to hold the braces in place during installation....actual weight of the bed+ compression from bed bolts preload the cross braces...meaing...once a bed is installed.....the spot weld or rivets contribute nothing to the load carrying capability of the cross brace and torsion loads are handled by the bed bolts. You could probally use plastic body panel plugs just as well to hold the braces in place during installation, if you can drop the bed straight down.
I do have a 4 method welder (flux, stick, tig, mig, ) which can accept a spot welding attachment......but even so...I probally would not spot weld them.
I do have a 4 method welder (flux, stick, tig, mig, ) which can accept a spot welding attachment......but even so...I probally would not spot weld them.
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