Windshield Light bar install, rivnuts or thru bolt?

[BlueOvalF22]

I've seen enough loose pop (cherry) and bucked (AD rivets) (loose we say "working rivets") on aircraft. Rivnuts hold better but I pulled the inner A piller cover off to see. It looks like something is in the way making it too shallow for the riv nuts I have.

I don't trust that much mass on 6 small pop rivets.

Using six 1/4-20 allen heads with nylocs is my preference.

I've got pilots drilled so I'll see if there on the interior of the pillar if there is a way I can snake in regular nyloc nuts or if its pretty closed off click bond nutplates. I've used a fish tape and string to pull them into position before sometimes pulling a nut plate from access 5 feet fron the hole.

 

[Cody Templeton]

I'd be through bolting something of that size, especially because there's going to be flex.

 

[BlueOvalF22]

I ended up drilling for rivnuts, striping paint just off the edge of the nut.

On the bench I used a scrap piece of sheet metal and a rivnut to practice and get the tig settings right.

Then I put a tig tacks on each rivnut before using the rivnut tool. Then I TIG welded around penetrating just enough to weld the sheetmetal to the bulge of the nut.

 

[Ellison3]

I used riv-nuts to mount my oil catch can. I believe that was the best option in my situation. Used anti-seize on the threads. Would have rather used proseal on the backside that’s exposed to weather inside the cowling, but did not want to risk breaking the plastic cowling cover, or it’s mounting clips.

 

[BlueOvalF22]

I have used them all over things, helicopters, jets, and the truck.

PPG aero fuel tank and other sealants I've used a f*ck ton of that too.

On many areas of the truck I just use a toothpick drop of anti-sieze and whatever silicone or RTV sealant I have around already open instead of any fancy thixotropic paste I may also have in a semkit. Not having any problems.