Interior Door Panel Fastners

[Steve Strain]

Has anyone any advice on alternative interior door panel fastners?

Until now I have used self tapper screws, but over the years having had the panels on and off a few times the screws are past being tight enough.

I guess I could fill the screw holes and re drill them.
I have discounted using rivnuts as these can easily work loose and then turn in the fiberglass.

What fastners have others used?

Thanks

Steve

[strat6v]

Steve,

I have used Rivnuts but in a different way. Instead of direct through the fibreglass, i fitted an m4 rivnut in the middle of a thin strip of steel (around 30mm long) then drilled a hole in each end of the steel to take a pop rivet. This was then rivetted behind the door panel, using countersunk rivets, giving a captive fastener. Before you say 'you can buy those ready made' , i know, but look at the price each!!. I used some thin steel strap banding from a pack of bricks which was about 12mm wide and a half mm thick, snip them to length with the tin snips then drill the holes. Hey presto, loads of captive fasteners at a fraction of the price. Must have made about 100 of them!!

[Chris J]

you can buy those, ready made

[chris.richard]

you can buy those, ready made
:D :D :D

[strat6v]

I know you can buy em ready made. But not for the price i made them for!!

[Steve Strain]

Hi John

Thats a great idea. Hadn't thought of that although thinking back I used the same principle to mount the rear spoiler. In that case I used stainless steel strapping across the edges of the spoiler and riveted the strapping to the spoiler.

Thanks

Steve

[Chris J]

I know you can buy em ready made. But not for the price i made them for!!

I know, I'm pulling your leg!
Don't set Ralph on me next time I'm down there!

I think the floating anchor captives are better value, because you can't make them. You're right though, they are expensive and you tend to order exactly the right amount that you need for a job because of that.

[mudhut]

May I suggest these things. They are Alfa part number 14202782, min qty is 20 and the cost is about GBP 0.18 each, including VAT. They are used in loads of places on the 164 (and less so on other Fiats, Lancias). On the 164 you can find them retaining some of the screws holding the front wheel arch liners amongst others. Easily found on ePER and available quickly or pul some off your donor car if you have it.

The head is 11mm square with a 1mm thick flange. The panel cutout required is 8mm square. Looks to have beeen designed for a panel thickness of up to about 2.5 to 3mm but seems to have a slight wedging action when fully pulled up tight so I think will hold in thicker GRP.

Haven't tried them yet but I'm reckoning to use them for the door linings, under-arch headlamp pod covers, and headlamp surrounds as well as anything else I can find. Much prefer these to rivnuts and riveted solutions. Will go well with a flanged head self tappping stainless screw.

[chris.richard]

Domed socket headed bolts look better than self tappers, IMHO

[Arthur]

Guys,

I did a similar thing - basically having loads of aluminium strip from holding the panels together, and being up to my oxters in Sikaflex most of the time, I drilled ally strips, set rivnuts in them, and sikaflexed these behind the panel, remembering to put a hole in the panel.
They work fine, but are not totally immune from coming loose, especially when you've used stainless dome head allen head bolts for the look of the thing. Stainless and ally have problems together.....where I've had to drill the buggers out, I've replaced using stainless stud bar in the hole, with stainless nylock on the top. Usually loctited the studs in, as well. At least that way the twister and the twisted-against are both then stainless.

For the rest, I loosen them off around about once a year (when I can be bothered) and grease them up. Seems to be working fine to date.

To get the sods out, I use a drill that just sits in the socket depression in the dome-head, a generous dab of drill lubricant, and go for it. I do this just as soon as I know the rivnut is turning, and before I rive it loose as hell. By the time the head gets loose and turns blue, the heat generated has generally loosened the threaded section, and it turns out with a pair of pliers. Sometimes need to renew either the rivnut plate, or the nut itself. Not a problem once the fastener is out.

Arthur.

[colin artus]

Why not use aly capheads such as those available from Wurth (which is what most rally teams use in these sorts of applications) ?

[Sando]

Hi Steve
These plastic trimscrews are ok for door panels, both types hold firm. The screw type ones knock in and then unscrew if you need to remove, so could be re used, but at a few pence/cents, they are easly replaced. I got a bag full from a Show at some point, can't remember who from, but a quick search found them here too. May be worth a look.
components direct (http://shop.comdir.co.uk/Products.aspx?intGroupID=917)
I agree with Colin on the Ally screws, especially for the the dash and instrument binnicle. I think mine came from a Bike supplier for fairing screen screws.
cheers
Rob

PS Strat6v.....You can buy them ready made :p :D

[strat6v]

Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!!!

Get of me case guy's.

Don't need any more pressure/stress/hassles while i re-invent the wheel. :D :D

[chris.richard]

Stainless and ally have problems together.....
Arthur.

In dinghy spar fittings we used stuff called Duralac paste between ali and SS to prevent corrosion. I've still got a tube, so I've been using that. like this (http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/1341/groupID/10/categoryID/93/v/1f138d1f-223c-4a2e-9c41-9e4efa630d66)