# Replacing Wheel Rivets



## nobbyv (May 18, 2001)

Anyone actually bothered trying to replace these? I have a nice vintage set of Fittipaldis that I re-polished the lips on using the DIYs and other info from here (thanks guys!). But they've got these chrome-plated wheel rivets that are starting to flake on a few, so I figured I'd go all out and replace them. They are NOT plastic, they are actually some kind of cheap pot metal. I was hoping an Allen might actually help break the glue that is holding them on, but it stripped them immediately. Tried grabbing some of the ones that would allow a set of wide needle-nose with ridges for grip to get in there, but this just stripped the chrome off. Tried drilling one out, and the bit went through them easy enough, but the head is still sitting there. 

Any ideas? They're otherwise in great shape (now); I'd hate to let some crappy-looking wheel rivets let them down.


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## 87vr6 (Jan 17, 2002)

You need a punch and break off the head, and push the remaining rivet out.. Or, to really do this nicely, grab a tap and die set, find a tap that you think is a little bigger than the existing hole, use the appropriate drill bit, drill out all the rivets, tap them all, put nice bolts in the holes.


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## nobbyv (May 18, 2001)

87vr6 said:


> You need a punch and break off the head, and push the remaining rivet out.. Or, to really do this nicely, grab a tap and die set, find a tap that you think is a little bigger than the existing hole, use the appropriate drill bit, drill out all the rivets, tap them all, put nice bolts in the holes.


I think I'm going to try the "nice bolts" approach; short SS socket cap bolts are MUCH cheaper than buying the plastic chromed fake rivets (amazingly). Thanks for the tip!


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