Anyone crush soild rivets?

[Mike S]

 Has anyone rebuilt their steering rag joints using solid rivets as supplied in kits? I have a 20 ton press at home and was wondering if I could successfully crush the solid rivet supplied in the rebuilding kits and if any special blocks are required. I want to keep the factory look instead of using the other kit that uses nuts in place of rivets.

Thank You,
Mike

[HawkX66]

Has anyone rebuilt their steering rag joints using solid rivets as supplied in kits? I have a 20 ton press at home and was wondering if I could successfully crush the solid rivet supplied in the rebuilding kits and if any special blocks are required. I want to keep the factory look instead of using the other kit that uses nuts in place of rivets.

Thank You,
Mike

I'd love to know the same thing. I still have my original, but I can't run it because the flex part is ripped. I'd love to rebuild it.

[TODD]

Got a pic of what it looks like? Rivets usually need expanded quickly to prevent the material form work hardening. So a rivet gun or a pneumatic rivet squeeze work best that is for aluminum and steel rivets.

[HawkX66]

Bad pics of mine, but here's a pic of the front and one of the back.

[TODD]

You mean these rivets?
these are at very large 3/8" inch or so?
I would guess they used a large pneumatic squeeze for those and the rivet sets are probably made specific for those configuration. They have a large stem on the opposite side.

[TODD]

Just my opinion:
These are a safety item I wouldn't take it on. Not unless I wanted to buy some expensive tooling to properly install those types of rivets, you can't really call those rivets, it's an unset stem on a safety tab of some sort.
I understand the desire to do that as an NOS rag joint is $500 that's crazy?

[HawkX66]

Here's a couple better shots of my original. IMO, there's no reason that these can't be rebuilt. I'd love to say it could be done with our 20 ton presses, but I'm not sure. It's not exactly an intricate design.