Fasteners for body panels

[thall818]

Found these on McMaster Carr. I plan to use them under the car to attach fiberglass using 1/4-20 rivnuts.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#90015a410/=10kzmsw

The head is about the thickness of a washer (.110") and the head diameter is .755". Seems like the way to go for fiberglass.

Maybe add a little purple loctite for good measure.

[FFRSpec72]

Found these on McMaster Carr. I plan to use them under the car to attach fiberglass using 1/4-20 rivnuts.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#90015a410/=10kzmsw

The head is about the thickness of a washer (.110") and the head diameter is .755". Seems like the way to go for fiberglass.

Maybe add a little purple loctite for good measure.

You may want to throw a nylon washer on so the nylon is against the fiberglass

[insurance guy]

I am using riv nut for all panels
I used 10-32 but would use 1/4 if I had to do it again.
the 1/4 are easier to align when taking on and off.
the 10/32 threads are tricky and I had to replace many of the riv nuts that loosed when taking on and off.
I purchased a good riv nut tool and the installation is super easy

[Frank818]

AKA Sidewalk bolts. Good idea, I'll take a set similar from Fastenal (McMaster doesn't sell outside USA).

Good idea on the nylon washers, I was worried a little about the bolt directly on the fiberglass. The only downside is that the nylon washer adds thickness.
PTFE (teflon) could also be an idea.

[FFRSpec72]

I had to replace many of the riv nuts that loosed when taking on and off.

This is one reason I went with Nut Plates and not riv nuts

[thall818]

I thought the nylon washer was a great idea as well. Went back to McMaster and found these:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#90295a455/=10lgt8n

.281" id

.734" od

.064 +/- thickness.

Total height would be under 3/16"....not too bad

[FFRSpec72]

I thought the nylon washer was a great idea as well. Went back to McMaster and found these:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#90295a455/=10lgt8n

.281" id

.734" od

.064 +/- thickness.

Total height would be under 3/16"....not too bad

yep those are the ones that I used with my 10/32 nut plates and body is solid

[Mitch Wright]

Nut plates and 10/32's are what I will be using, my nut plates just arrived from Pegasus.

[FFRSpec72]

Nut plates and 10/32's are what I will be using, my nut plates just arrived from Pegasus.

Nut Plates (not cheap either) require and little more work and can't be used in blind areas but with a little planning these are great and provide maximum ability to hold

[Scargo]

I have said some of this before (this post on my build thread) but here's some food for thought, especially for an R.
I have cut the sail material off that wraps underneath the frame. I have raised the sails to be flush with the frame. That's about 3/16" which you might say allows the whole chassis to be lowered by that much more, if you work off the lowest point of the car body. Raising it also gives a bit more clearance for the tires.
I have tabs welded to each side of the frame. I bought the Speedway 60 piece tab kit. Then I just have the two rows of screw heads and nylon washers protruding below the pan/frame, by 3/16".
I am using these McMaster-Carr .55" d. button flange socket head screws with 3/4" OD nylon washers and nylock nuts. A nylon shoulder washer might be the cat's meow.
High-quality-of-nylon-shoulder-washer.jpg Then you won't have threads digging into the sides of the hole in the fiberglass.

I thought about Dzus or other fancy options on the bottom and just didn't see that I'd have the need to access anything on the sides that fast. With the locknuts I don't have to overtighten anything against the fiberglass.

[insurance guy]

I never heard of nut plates before. Just watched a video on them and installation
That is a lot of work 2 rivets for each plate
Three holes for each screw
Swiss cheese

[FFRSpec72]

Swiss cheese

I guess the commercial air liners are Swiss cheese then. Nut plates require removal of less material than riv nuts and provide more fastening than riv nuts

[insurance guy]

Lol
I just ordered some

[Scargo]

Can be spot-welded or tacked in place; then just one hole. Some are sold specifically for that purpose.
Buy bare tabs, like I linked to, with hole in them. I guess I forget that most have beautiful powder-coated frames they don't want to mess up.

[svanlare]

How close should the body connectors be? I'm a ways away from this step but assume it will be a good number I'm drilling

[Frank818]

I thought the nylon washer was a great idea as well.

.281" id

.734" od

.064 +/- thickness.

For same ID-OD, you could get half that thickness with teflon ones. That's what I'll try.