License Plate Bracket Fasteners

I broke the front license brake bracket off of my '97 Ranger this winter by driving into a snow bank. I purchased a new bracket on the Web. The fasteners left in the bumper are not conventional screws, but appear to be something like rivets. There is no conventioal slot or receptacle for a tool in them. Can anyone give me advice about these fasteners, and how to remove them and use them to mount the new bracket. I would not be opposed to replacing these fastener with something like self-tapping sheet metal screws.

Thanks.

Jonathan

Reply to
NHYankBoy
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If they're the ones I'm thinking of, they're kind of like reusable pop rivets. you need to pull the center out of them, then withdraw the whole thing. If they're really munged up, I'd probably set some rivet nuts in the bumper and use small machine screws.

something like this:

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if you only need a couple you don't need an insertion tool, you simply tap them into a hole, take a machine screw the correct size/pitch, thread a nut and washer onto the machine screw, thread that whole mess into the rivet nut, hold the head of the machine screw still while running the nut away from the head with a wrench. That takes a little longer than using the right tool, but then you don't need to buy the tool if you're only inserting a couple fasteners. I like having them around because they're also handy when you have a hole through thick sheet metal that originally had a machine-type screw through it, and the hole has been worn out/pulled over the years (e.g. coil bracket on the firewall of an old Studebaker, or lots of window regulator applications. I also used them on my screen door when the pneumatic closer ripped itself off of it...)

Another alternative would be to check with your local dealer, the "correct" fasteners might not be all that expensive.

good luck,

nate

Reply to
N8N

Just in case someone might be looking for the correct rivet nut (aka rivnut, aka threaded insert) tool, there is a place in Canada that has them on sale right now (April 8-20, 2008). At Princess Auto

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do a search for 10" Multi Purpose Riveter (part number 8150716). This riveter handles both regular pop rivets and rivnuts. Their regular price is $24.99 and it is on sale for $12.99 (Canadian). Other places may have the same type of tool at a better price but I just knew of this one off the top of my head (just bought two today to set aside as stocking stuffers for my sons this coming Christmas). Anyway, just wanted to mention this in case someone was interested.

Cheers... Lawrence

Reply to
lmcclaf

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