Using Truck & Trailer Body Blind Rivet Fasteners
The first patent for a blind rivet was filed in 1916, a mere eight years after the debut of the Model T. These mechanical innovations have a long and intertwined history, and this particular type of rivet remains integral to the construction of motor vehicles. If you find yourself asking how exactly are they important, we at BlindRivetSupply.com have the experience and authority to answer your questions. Here is some information on the potential uses of blind rivets for the trucking industry at large.
Structural Repairs
Perhaps the biggest benefit of using blind rivets over other types of rivets is that you can fasten large panels and heavy materials together in instances when you do not have access to the other side. As you can imagine, this can come in handy when working on repairs for a highly complex, vehicle that weighs several tons. If you want to remove and replace a single panel without taking apart the entire truck, then blind rivets are your quick and simple solution.
Removing and Replacing Panels
One example of these repairs would be securing a layer of sheet metal or even a slip-on panel over one of your vehicle’s panels. For smaller trucks and even smaller automotive vehicles, you could take care of these issues with some spot welding. That is not the case with substantially heavier trucks, such as buses, semis, and 18-wheelers. Their panels are much larger and would be much more difficult to remove. Blind rivets are excellent for making this large-scale project far more manageable.
Truck Structuring
There are many uses for blind rivets in trucks — including tractors and their trailers, as well as heavy-duty pickups. This is by necessity: while cars can be quite heavy and difficult to disassemble for a task like riveting, trucks are even more so. For instance, many semi-trucks need large metal panels to hold the truck exterior together. When you need to assemble them and the other side is inaccessible, blind riveting can do the trick, while also providing excellent durability. Additionally, you can use these rivets for truck and trailer flooring on the interior.
Exhaust Systems
This one can apply to both trucks and automobiles. All motor vehicles, or at least those that run on internal combustion engines, have an exhaust system. Someday, you may need to replace certain parts, like the muffler or the pipes. Of course, being in the undercarriage of the heavy vehicle, it would not be easy to remove the whole system. This even goes for trucks, where the exhaust system is more visible and apart from the body than in cars. That is where blind rivets come in. All you would need to do is get under the vehicle, insert the rivet body, and break off the mandrel. On that note, if you ever wish to replace a rivet, you must simply drill it out through the center and remove it.
Other Important Components
Blind rivets can do much during the assembly of a truck, but they are not the only parts required. Lockbolts are also vital as vibration-proof fasteners. Some, like those in the HuckBolt line, deform upon their fastening with the goal of becoming a permanent part of the machine as a whole. U-bolts are specifically used for securing pipes and tubes. Threaded inserts can accomplish a variety of manufacturing tasks, from creating threaded holes on thin materials to lending durability and strength for a softer material. All of them serve similar purposes: keeping separate parts together and creating a unified machine.
Blind rivets can be highly versatile in how you apply them and open up new possibilities for simpler, better fastening. BlindRivetSupply.com is devoted to providing all the automotive rivets and tools you may need to keep your vehicle in tip-top shape. We offer heavy-duty fasteners like Huck power bolts, threaded rivets, Keensert kits, and more from trusted manufacturers like Arconic, Marson, Atlas, and more. Feel free to check out all of these products and the rest of our diverse inventory today.