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Closed End Pull Rivet to repair oozing tank Rivet

edclee

Well Known Member
Patron
Has anyone used a closed end countersink pull-rivet to fix an oozing rivet? If so what rivet did you use? I have one oozing and have tried numerous times to use Locktite 290 and a syringe with rubber ring on the end so as to pressurize the Locktite into the rivet. So far I havent gotten it to work.
Ed
 
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I would try it if one were available. However, I am guessing that you will struggle to find one in a 3 size. It might be possible to drill it up to a 4 and countersink it. Just find a tool to get proseal into the inner area of the hole. Strength of the rivet shouldn't be a real issue if it is just one. If you don't care about cosemetics, you could just drill out to #30 and put the 4 rivet in. It will just sight proud of the surface. You could also grind it down flush with a dremel.
 
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I did this, worked fine. Scott at Vans sent me a closed rivet to use.

Drill out the rivet, push the tail up into the tank, force some proseal into the hole, insert and "pop" new rivet.

I did drain the tank and let it air out for a couple days to make sure the proseal had a dry surface to seal to, and just pushed the old rivet tail up just enough to clear the hole----idea was the new proseal would capture the old rivet tail and keep it from roaming around in the tank.
 
I can’t find the part number right now, but you can buy the -4 rivets from Spruce and with a little finessing with a countersink bit on a debuting handle, it fits fine after up-drilling the hole. Really didn’t take very long, and hasn’t seeped a drop since the fix. Lower rivet BTW, so less visible - but also more likely to leak!

Paul
 
Closed End Rivet

I would try it if one were available. However, I am guessing that you will struggle to find one in a 3 size. It might be possible to drill it up to a 4 and countersink it. Just find a tool to get proseal into the inner area of the hole. Strength of the rivet shouldn't be a real issue if it is just one. If you don't care about cosemetics, you could just drill out to #30 and put the 4 rivet in. It will just sight proud of the surface. You could also grind it down flush with a dremel.

You are certainly right about not finding them. I have searched the internet, Spruce, McMaster Carr, etc and find closed end pull rivets 1/8" or larger but nothing 3/32". I have sent an email to Vans asking about them. Hopefully they will know of some. The plane is polished and putting an oversize rivet will be obvious and using an open rivet will also be obvious and I would worry about sealing it as well..
Ed
 
Ed-

We did this on a leaking rivet on the -10 a couple of years ago. I'm pretty sure it was a -3 rivet ... let me see if I can track down the part number. Came from Spruce...

Thomas
 
Rivet

Ed-

We did this on a leaking rivet on the -10 a couple of years ago. I'm pretty sure it was a -3 rivet ... let me see if I can track down the part number. Came from Spruce...

Thomas

Spruce has several grip lengths of the 1/8" rivets, but no 3/32 that I could find.
Ed
 
The part is the AK-41H rivet, available at both Spruce and the factory store. There is no 3/32 version, just the 1/8 as others have mentioned. Shouldn't be a problem to carefully countersink to the larger #30 hole, by hand in a deburring tool.
 
Ed-

It was the -41H, for some reason I thought it was a 3/32 rivet. My leaking rivet happened to be under the wing walk, so it is not something that is noticeable / visible.

Thomas
 
Aircraft Spruce doesn't appear to have the AK-41H, but they have the AK-42H, which is the same one Vans carries. Is the 1/8" grip length too long for this application?
 
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You don't really have to use a "closed end" rivet. I've built quite a number of fuel tanks with standard pulled rivets. Pro-Seal will seal them just fine.
 
I think I may have seen some huck or cherry rivets that fit this description. I’ll look in the hangar in the morning. 3/32 closed and structural.

Checked and they are not closed but are huck 3/32 structural. 2 out of three ain’t bad��
 
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