Rivnuts for tailgate access panel?

[JJMaine]

I need a way to put screws back into my tailgate access panel (threads mostly stripped out) and am thinking that rivnuts would work well. I've never used them before and not sure which size to use?

Has anyone used them for this application and what would you recommend? Thanks!

 

[RobbieD]

I don't know how the 2011 tailgate metal is stamped out. On my older 1984 tailgate I got around missing and stripped stamped nut inserts by cutting a slot so that nut clips (J-clip, U-clip) could be used:

The problem on my older truck was the big square holes where the nut inserts were. Again, I don't know what you are having to deal with on a 2011, so I don't know if the holes in yours would be small enough to work with rivnuts.

 

[SenorNoob]

Before I went that far, is there enough material to drill and tap a size larger?

 

[JJMaine]

Robbie then ones I need to fix are the bolts that hold the cover on behind the tail gate handle.

I thought of just re-tapping them but the metal is so thin that you only get 2 threads to screw into if you are lucky and I guess thats why they pull out so easy? Have you guys had luck drilling and tapping them?

 

[Sharky]

I think you will be better off with nutserts. the metal is to thin for threads.......

 

[pentode]

By the time I got my truck those had already all been replaced with oddball screws- I'd suggest just finding something marginally bigger than the existing holes that you like the look of and driving those home. Like you said, it's just sheet metal and the damage is done already, so not much point in going to a huge amount of trouble there.

As in some short self tappers.

Edit:

They did deduct 10 points at the last car show though.

 

[JJMaine]

I was thinking the same thing Sharky. That's how my truck came as well but by the time I got home only two of the oddball screws remained

I think the atrocious suspension rattled them out as well as my front skid plate. That'll be next on my "drill and re-tap" schedule.

 

[pentode]

If you find some screws that have a thread pitch about 2 thicknesses of sheet metal and barely bigger than that hole, they'll grab really good. And since it looks like you have spray on bed liner, you could even hit them with a little bit of black and they'd blend right in.

 

[pentode]

I was thinking the same thing Sharky. That's how my truck came as well but by the time I got home only two of the oddball screws remained.

Mine still only has 4 of 8. I replaced with the 4 non-matching ones that came with the truck with 4 matching ones, then got tired and had to take a break for a couple years.

 

[JJMaine]

I know what you mean, Im gathering my strength to fix mine.

 

[RobbieD]

Sorry that I misunderstood what kind of carnage you were trying to correct.

For that issue, both of the previous suggestions would work fine.

On the nutserts, they'll have a thin collar left on the outside, so I'd look at using some thin closed-cell foam tape around the inside perimeter of the cover panel, to seal it better and eliminate rattles.

On going up a size on the original type screw fasteners, one tip is to take a blunt round punch and judiciously tap the stripped sheet metal threaded hole, and slightly countersink it. This will slightly reduce the hole diameter, and it will also give a better "push" against the screw threads, instead of the hole edge being bent in the "pull" direction. Another tip would be to look at SAE spec fasteners versus metric spec, for a diameter size which is just larger enough, instead of a much larger next metric size.

 

[JJMaine]

Thanks guys, and good point about the rivnuts leaving a gap. Maybe I'll just thread in some oversize screws like you guys suggest and can always change them in the future if they fall out again.

 

[RobbieD]

Or you could always get some REAL LONG bolts, run them all the way through the tailgate and put some nuts on 'em.

 

[pentode]

Or you could always get some REAL LONG bolts, run them all the way through the tailgate and put some nuts on 'em.

Should I be wondering if my workmanship is in question here?