Boot Floor fixings etc

[red vtec]

My Boot floor is in one piece, I'm going to chop this in half so that I can get to parts easier in the future, but having looked at it. It looks like mine is a bit "bodged" I'm going to refibreglass the bolt holes where they are broken to allow me to redrill them so there neat. But what sort of fixings shouuld I have? i.e nut and bolt or something along the line of a tappered screws. I would think it is something like a screw to allow easy removal from above. Also should there be a rubber seal of some sort around the floor to stop water ingress?

Thanks as always

[mike40]

The original fittings were Rivnuts, captivated nuts held in by a collapsible aluminium frame, with a screw holding the floor panel to the body. Rivnuts easily obtained from Steve at SJ Sportscars, amongst others. Don't know what seal, if any, was fitted on assembly in the factory, but mine was siliconed all round! I fitted foam sealing strip when I put it back.

Mike

[red vtec]

Thanks for that. I'll have a look for some fixings tomorrow. and get some sealing foam.

ta

[Simon350S]

SJ's are probably very pricy (although I have not looked so could be wrong)

Take a look on e-bay... I'm sure there'll be loads on there.....

Simon

Found some on e-bay already.....

Simon

Edited November 14, 2007 by Simon350S

[red vtec]

Cheers for that, as I say mine is bodged and has bolts etc... I gather that the tube goes in the lower panel and then the rivetnut goues through the top and pulls the two together?

Edited November 14, 2007 by red vtec

[mike40]

Simon, those aren't the same as the Lotus rivnuts. The ones on ebay are designed to be GRP'd in on build, they're not the collapsible ones. The collapsible nuts are much easier to use as they grip the rear of the holes in the body and captivate the nut.

Mike

[Simon350S]

Eh...???

Rivnuts are exactly that....???

Rivet Nuts.... designed to be used ideally with a pop rivet type stylie hand gun.... or a bolt n washer.....

They look right to me, yes a different design but they should still collapse and crimp the fibreglass....

Quick question the the seller would confirm.....

Simon

Some more.....

Simon

On closer inspection these look exactly like the ones I've cut out of my Esprit, you can get the ones which spread open into 4 x little wings and spread the load a little more I guess but these little babys crimp up all te way around like the originals......

O'h yeah..... I'd get alloy ones if it were me not plated steel..... easier to work with, just my opinion though..

Simon

[bigsi]

yes they are ok but your better to get the aluminium ones and get the ones with serrated edges on the top, i had a few bags of different types and the aluminium ones are the best and easy to fit with a little home made tool

just remember to use copper grease on the bolts when you tighten them up for ease of removal in the future.

[wiseraven]

Yep, they're exactly like the ones I have. They just squish up (not too technical? ) just like pop rivets (hence the name).

[Jonathan]

Finished making mine today.

Prob with rivnuts is they eventually slip - unless they're stainless steel they're pretty useless over time, esp on fibreglass.

You might find (as on my car) the holes are WAY too big (think mine are about 12mm) so they wont fit anyways.

I made a small track underneath with a series of nuts welded onto it, in stainless - stick it to the GRP, problem solved.

[fjmuurling]

I used nyloc nuts and bolts (StSt.) in conjunction with large washers for spreading the loads. Like said before the rivnuts will eventually come loose again. As for a seal use a thin wide singlesided adhesive foam seal. The only disadvantage is that you need help when unbolting the nuts and bolts.

Freek

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

All this effort and there's no need. If you have holes too big or your rivnuts are knackered then here's your answer. Also there's no need to a nut and bolt so avoiding two people to undo a bolt or try and lock a set of mole grips underneath your car then climb into boot to undo the said bolt only to find the mole grips have fallen off!

This is the animal you need. You can get them to fit 10mm and 12mm holes. They are stainless steel M6 bolts into a rubber shank threaded at the end with brass. As you tighten it up the rubber bulbs out. These are similar to the fixings that hold your shelves in place over fuel tanks except these are longer so pull up more rubber and grip better! I used them in my detailing for metal roofing & cladding. You should be able to buy them from screwfix or a roofing merchant.

I've used them to fix my rear centre exit cheesegrate valance and the OEM is mounted to a bracket inside the bumper. I've also used them for some of my undertray panel near the radiator. You can get different lengths and diameters to suit your application. I recommend you use 35mm long overall X 10mm rubber shank, M5 bolt. Rubber shank is 25mm long. You may be able to get 20mm so you are not nipping up the bolt for ever until it tightens up. I got a bag of these free of one of my clients.

Note:- Fixing comes just like the photo which means it already has a stainless steel with rubber sealing washer, so no need to seal around the hole as there's nothing coming past this fixing!

Edited November 15, 2007 by superdavelotus

[bigsi]

the reason why you use aluminium rivnuts is that you get the serated edged ones and these also bite into the edges of the hole, so it cant slip, and the benefit of ali rivnuts is the heads are easy to remove and the shank will just pop out. also to double make sure they dont turn you can smear the underside of the flange ring on the top with an epoxy if need be.

if fitted correctly they dont slip.

[lotusshaney]

The 4 legged nuts Lotus use are called Jack Nuts. Rivnuts have a solid body.