Re: Rivit Leaks Help
Re: Rivit Leaks Help
This is what I have done in the past and it works. <br />#1- find the leak. With the boat on the trailer, put water in the boat until you can see which rivets are leaking. Don't get carried away and try to fill up the entire boat- water is heavy and will damage the boat/trailer. Just fill it to the waterline. Look at all the rivets that are below the waterline. I have even added food coloring to the water in the boat to help pinpoint the leaky rivets. <br /><br />#2- If the rivet is accessible, you can "buck" it tight again in most cases. Using two hammers, hold one hammer face tight against the stem on the rivet and hit the head with the other hammer. This will expand the rivet further, sealing it against the aluminum. If you can't do it yourself, have a buddy hold the bucking hammer against the rivet while you hit the head. One or two good shots normally does the trick. I've done this while the boat was still full of water- you can see immediately if the leak stops. <br /><br />#3- If bucking the rivets doesn't work, or if you have no access to the rivet, you can replace it with a new pop rivet. Go to a real industrial supply house, (Not Home Depot or something like that) and ask for 3/16" CLOSED END aluminum rivets with a stainless steel mandrel. They will know what you need and can get them for you. You will need a #11 drill bit as well. Drill out the old rivet. You will drill just until the head pops off the rivet. Then use a drift to punch out the old rivet. Use the #11 drill bit the round out the hole for the new rivet. This will give you a press fit- you'll need to tap in the rivet in the hole lightly. You'll then need a H.D. rivet gun- I use a Marson brand setter. Pop the rivet and you'll see that the head sets very nicely. A buff with a pad and it'll shine up great, or paint it to match the boat. It will seal up and be very strong due to the ss mandrel. I have used them for years and they are very effective. I used almost 100 of them doing a rebuild on a 14 footer years ago and the guy still uses the boat all the time. <br /><br />UFM82
