[Nihon_Ni]

I need some help deciding if this rivet is good enough, or if I should drill it out and replace it. This is the W-413PP inboard aileron hinge bracket, using AN470AD4-11 rivets. The shop heads are a bit small, but the 4-11 rivet was a bit short to start with, although that's what the plans said to use.

Is this head too deformed to provide the proper strength, or is it okay given the thickness of the material here?

Thanks for your input,
Rob

 

[Mike S]

If it fails, will you die??

Will you continue to worry about it, if it is not replaced???

 

[pazmanyflyer]

You have good access now and it's easily removable. If it were me I would remove and replace. If the rivet is a touch to short go with a longer rivet and file away some of the excess to be a X.5 rivet for a better shop head.

 

[DanBaier]

If the question is whether it's strong enough - it appears to be. Building on is certainly one path.

On the other hand, it will never be easier to fix. Even if it's a FUBAR in the attempt, the parts aren't really a big deal to replace. It's probably the way I'd go. There's a thread going on removing rivets - look that over, use a spring loaded center punch, a sharp drill bit, and a slow turning speed to get the head off.

Dan

 

[akarmy]

I would build on with that one if it were my plane. And in fact I have a few of those scattered around for good measure on my plane?

It's about how much perfection are you striving for? I think any very small increase in strength by replacing it, is offset by the chance of making a mess while drilling it out.

 

[KRviator]

If it is strong enough now - and it looks like it is - I would build on. You're more likely to mess up the hole by drilling it out than by living with an already-alright-but-not-quite-perfect rivet.

Somewhere in the manual I read that the strength of even badly deformed and/or cracked rivets were within something like 5% of the strongest "perfect" rivets. Unless you're building a gold lindy candidate or will forever be nagged by it, move on.

 

[paul mosher]

unacceptable

Having been a inspector on the Vought 747 production line I would not only rejected that rivet but would have chastised the person trying to pass it off.
43 13 shows proper (and improper) riveting.

 

[wirejock]

Tape

If are not using anything to protect the area, may I suggest a strip of black gorilla tape.
It looks like your well into the build so you probably already know. Just a thought.

 

[BillL]

You have good access now and it's easily removable. If it were me I would remove and replace. If the rivet is a touch to short go with a longer rivet and file away some of the excess to be a X.5 rivet for a better shop head.

+1 I would just replace it. There is a recent post on rivet removal that you might want to read. ( http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=852120&postcount=17 ) I just drilled out several rivets today that would "pass" but looked crappy (a technical word). With practice, you can do that without any risk of hole damage. Rivet removal is a skill worth perfecting.

Some are in a place that can not be reached easily and are a super pain to get in and even more out. Those may be candidates for leaving. YMMV.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

Done!

Thanks for the advice. I drilled it out this morning and put a new one in its place. Scott's method of removing rivets made this a piece of cake.