Scuttle Panel Bolt spinning

[Tomej]

Hi All,

I'm trying to remove the scuttle panel off my SP6 and the n/s bolt is just spinning. I'm guessing the plug that it goes into has come loose but the plug or whatever is still attached so I can't get the bot out.

Can anyone help as to how I can get to the plug in order to remove the bolt? I'm guessing via the wheel arch but it seems quite a way from the nearest point of entry.

Thanks

Tom

[Tanguero]

If you mean the panel just under the windscreen (the F1 panel) then I am afraid you wont be able to get to it from he wheel arch without cutting your way through the inner wing. You really don't want to do that as there is all sorts of wiring running through there on the N/S and you would need to fibreglass up the hole afterwards.

The threaded insert that the screw goes into is just a rivnut so once it starts spinning there is not much you can do to stop it. If it were me I would pull firmly while turning the screw so the rivnut wears away its hole and eventualy works its way out of the body. You can either then put a larger rivnut in the same hole or fill and redrill the hole for the same size rivnut.

Trying to jam it from turning with anything is likely to cause more body damage than working it out of its hole.

Edited by Tanguero on Thursday 16th August 15:10

[Tomej]

thank you very much.

I have tried pulling but it just dooesn't seem to want to play. I think I might just drill the nut out and get some new ones in after.

Many thanks for your help.

Tom

[Tanguero]

I have found if you keep turning the thing while pulling it will eventually grind its way out of the fibreglass with fairly minimal damage. I suspect if you try and drill it, that it will just spin anyway but its worth a try.

[Tomej]

Sorted!

Thanks again Tanguero

I managed to do it with a wrecking bar and drill to lift the screw/bolt.

thanks again

[Tanguero]

Glad you got it sorted. I ended up replacing both the rivnuts for the F1 panel and all 6 for the front panel in the engine bay so I sympathise!

[Tomej]

Where did you get the replacements?

[Tanguero]

There are loads of people selling them on eBay. You will need a tool to set them. The £12 tools work fine with aluminium rivnuts but will destroy themselves if you try to use them with stainless steel ones. Ideally you want large flange M6 rivnuts like these and a tool like this

The rivnut needs to be a reasonably close fit in the hole before you set it, so if it has enlarged because of spinning then you will need to do something to fill and re-drill the hole or the new one will only spin again. If you haven't used one of these before practice on something unimportant before doing the ones on your car - you will mess up the first few until you get the tension setting right on the tool.

[Tomej]

Brilliant,

Thank you VERY much!

[pmessling]

I hate rivnuts

[Tanguero]

They certainly have their limitations but here aren't many other solutions to putting a thread in a blind hole in fibreglass.

A few dabs of epoxy round the hole before you compress the rivnut helps stop it from spinning later, but the best way to avoid problems it to always use anti-sieze on the threads of whatever you screw into it.

[sweeper]

After having had a spinning rivnut as well I decided to change them all over. To allow tool-less removal of the scuttle panel and F1 cover I went for these winged bolts:

[Tomej]

oo, very nice, where did you get those from?

[sweeper]

Tomej said:

oo, very nice, where did you get those from?

I've got them from my local indy. But there are plenty of them if you do a search for wing knob or thumb screw, eg found a few on ebay and the RS site when I searched for them.

[pmessling]

I replaced some with knurled thumb screws, although i brought, them, but have since made some more on the lathe, as i lost one

[Tomej]

Thanks Chaps,

I searched for wing bolts, wing nuts and got a few results but not what I was looking for, then hit the nail on the head with Wing Knob.

Thanks

[GT6k]

From a previous thread the link for knurled bolts is
http://www.c4mc.co.uk/products/Metal%20Hand%20Scre...

[Jhonno]

Tanguero said:

There are loads of people selling them on eBay. You will need a tool to set them. The £12 tools work fine with aluminium rivnuts but will destroy themselves if you try to use them with stainless steel ones. Ideally you want large flange M6 rivnuts like these and a tool like this

The rivnut needs to be a reasonably close fit in the hole before you set it, so if it has enlarged because of spinning then you will need to do something to fill and re-drill the hole or the new one will only spin again. If you haven't used one of these before practice on something unimportant before doing the ones on your car - you will mess up the first few until you get the tension setting right on the tool.

Bump..

Would you fill and re-drill or just fit larger rivnuts? What would you use to fill the enlarged hole?

[Tanguero]

I filled with polyester bodyfiller and re-drilled the holes then set in new rivnuts. All seems to be holding together fine so far, but doubtless in the long term they will be equally prone to spinning if they are overtightened or seize.

[Jhonno]

Cheers!