Steps to Remove and Replace a Loose or Slipped Rivet Nut

Rivet nuts (also called rivnuts or threaded inserts) are extremely helpful for creating threads in thin materials, such as tubular metal. However, they can sometimes slip, become loose during installation or tightening. This article provides a step-by-step guide to remove and replace a loose rivet nut and achieve a secure installation.

Why Do Rivet Nuts Slip or Come Loose?

Rivet nuts can slip or come loose primarily due to improper installation. If not correctly compressed during insertion, they won't create a strong hold in the material. This can happen if the installation tool isn’t aligned properly, or if insufficient force is used during tightening. Additionally, over-torquing the bolt can cause spinning or deformation, weakening the grip and causing slippage.

How to Remove a Loose Rivet Nut?

1. Evaluate the situation: If the rivet nut is loose or spinning freely, you need to remove it without harming the surrounding material.
2. Drill out the rivet nut: Select a drill bit slightly larger than the internal diameter of the rivet nut’s threads and carefully drill through its center. This will cause the nut to collapse and lose its grip.
3. Extract the nut: After drilling, you should be able to pry or gently tap the nut out of the material using a punch or screwdriver.

How to Replace the Rivet Nut?

1. Prepare the new rivet nut: Select a rivet nut that matches the size and thread pattern of the original.
2. Insert the new rivet nut: Use a rivet nut tool to insert and compress the new nut into the hole. Ensure the tool is properly aligned and apply steady pressure to prevent future slippage.
3. Tighten properly: Once inserted, use the appropriate torque to tighten the rivet nut, avoiding overtightening which can cause it to slip or spin later.

Following these steps will help you achieve a secure and durable installation, preventing issues related to loosening or slippage in the future.

Friction Drilling, the Rivet nut Alternative

Flowdrill offers a reliable alternative to conventional fastening methods by overcoming many of the challenges encountered with rivet nuts. For example, a Flowdrill connection cannot spin or wobble, can easily provide a flush finish, and as it is the parent metal that forms the connection, there is less waste than drilling out a pre-hole to insert additional fasteners.

The benefits of Flowdrill

Why is friction drilling a better choice than blind rivet nuts, weld nuts, and press nuts?

Stronger Connection

Friction drilling creates a stronger and more durable connection by deforming the material without removing it, unlike blind rivet nuts, weld nuts, and press nuts, which can weaken the material.

Better Pull-out Strength

Compared to other fastening methods, friction drilling offers comparable or superior pull-out forces and momentum resistance, ensuring a more secure and long-lasting connection.

Cost Savings and Efficiency

Friction drilling allows for thinner, lighter materials without sacrificing strength, reducing material costs. It also speeds up production with shorter setup times and fewer manual tasks, lowering overall costs and minimizing production errors.

Reduced Waste and Faster Production

With its precision, friction drilling generates minimal waste and reduces the risk of errors. Faster cycle times—often as quick as 2 seconds—combined with automated thread tapping, accelerate production and improve efficiency.

No Need for Extra Parts

Friction drilling eliminates the need for additional components like rivet or weld nuts, simplifying the process and reducing material costs, while also ensuring there are no loose or missing parts during assembly.

In short, friction drilling is a faster, stronger, and more cost-effective alternative to blind rivet nuts, weld nuts, and press nuts.

Many connections with one tool

Under optimal conditions, with proper clamping and operating settings, a Flowdrill tool can produce up to ten thousand holes. Utilizing the standard tool along with our flowtaps offers numerous advantages over rivet nuts.

Holes ranging from M2 to 32mm can be produced in steel material thicknesses from 1.0mm to 10mm. In some cases, a frictiondrill hole can replace nutserts by providing enough material for a self-tapping or thread-forming screw, further lowering manufacturing costs. With Flowdrill, two styles of hole finishes are available: the standard finish, which creates a small collar upstand similar to certain nutserts, and the flush finish, which provides a flat surface on the workpiece.