Pneumatic rivet nut setting tool

[Zeyneb]

Hi there,

How about pneumatic rivet nut setting tools? Aren’t they very useful to install nuts in thin sheet metal like a car firewall. Of course not a critical structural part, but for something like a bracket to mount the coolant reservoir or P-clips for mounting a portion of the wiring harness.

I’m considering a pneumatic rivet nut tool for purchase and I’m sure many people here have experience with these tools.

My main goal is to be able to install steel M6 rivet nuts on the body of my car and M8, M10 would be nice too. For M5 and below I have a manual rivet tool. But I do not have the force to pull steel M6 rivet nuts in so therefore I’m looking for a pneumatic.

What might be interesting is that I managed to buy countersunk rivet nuts. See below:



So they almost have no flange and they can be installed flush with the surface of the sheet metal. Isn’t that nice. Ok, sometimes I do want the more common flanged rivet nuts, I do have these also.

As for the tool. At first I thought the gun style would be the best for me:


Amazon ASIN B09Q8MRKD6
UPWOOD UW-NR400

As you might know, there are many brands that offer this design rivet setting gun. You can also find these on Aliexpress for example.

After I placed the order on Amazon I took another look at a demonstration video of this tool and I realized this tool screws the rivet nut in. Manual and other pneumatic rivet nut tools just pull the mandrel in with the rivet nut attached. And considering my countersunk rivet nut, screwing in might not work as there is too little of a flange to pull against and the nut would simply spin with the mandrel in the hole. Do you think this is a valid concern too?

I cancelled the order for the UPWOOD UW-NR400. And at this point I think I might be better of with a tool like this:


Amazon ASIN B01CYD2NUU
Astro PRN1

I also need to check if the air pressure at my DIY car repair shop is sufficient for this tool. But do you think the pull action that Astro PRN1 provides might be more suitable for the countersunk rivet nuts that I have?

[langwadt]

you can also set them with a screw, nut, and two wrenches

[coppercone2]

I  think a firewall is pretty critical if its supposed to survive a car crash and still prevent a fire

[nctnico]

you can also set them with a screw, nut, and two wrenches

You'll need hardened bolts for that purpose. The force on the treads is quite high. Especially on larger nuts.

[Zeyneb]

But do you think the pull action that Astro PRN1 provides might be more suitable for the countersunk rivet nuts that I have?

[SeanB]

you can also set them with a screw, nut, and two wrenches

You'll need hardened bolts for that purpose. The force on the treads is quite high. Especially on larger nuts.

Yes have gotten kits that supply a single high tensile bolt to set 4 rivnuts, and the bolt normally is only good for 5 before it is worn out and stretched, so I got the cheap manual tool instead, and a selection of M4 to M8 to use with it. As I only really do M6 for things like fasteners into aluminium doors and such, this is fine for occasional use.

[Alti]

Hi there(..)Of course not a critical structural part, but for something like a bracket to mount the coolant reservoir or P-clips for mounting a portion of the wiring harness.

My old VW car has such rivnuts in various places, M6.
Maybe these work well when new but once the thread seizes or sticking out bolt rusts a bit a tiny bit, the bolt spins with a rivnut and it is game over. They used those rivnuts as inserts for front belt framing that holds radiator, headlamps, it is glass fiber thingy, 1.5m by 0.5m component. Forget about heating the rivnut embedded in glass fiber to loosen a bolt in it.

Stay away from the cars with rivnuts that hold "a bracket to mount the coolant reservoir or P-clips for mounting a portion of the wiring harness."