What type of rivets?

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What type of rivets?

Postby Justin1983 » Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:33 pm

My trailer walls are steel framed. I will be skinning the trailer in aluminum. What type of rivets do I use to mate these dissimilar metals? Steel, aluminum, or stainless rivets?
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby dales133 » Sun Feb 07, 2016 7:13 pm

Stainless , but it will still likly react eventualy
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby Treeview » Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:00 pm

Closed end blind rivets for sure.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/32i9GcSAqoL.jpg

Material...stainless sounds like a good choice.
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby MtnDon » Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:21 pm

You can minimize the galvanic action with a tape between the steel and the aluminum skin. Use Google
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby GuitarPhotog » Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:32 pm

Galvanic/cathodic corrosion is pretty slow if the surface isn't constantly exposed to salt water. My aluminum skinned trailer is attached to its angle iron frame with aluminum rivets. The trailer was built in 1948 and I am seeing a few (~10) failures due to corrosion. Several of those have occurred in the last 2-5 years.

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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby greygoos » Mon Feb 08, 2016 9:42 am

I have built food carts using stainless and aluminum over steel framing. I almost always use stainless steel in the shop. Just keep in mind that using a hand rivet gun and stainless rivets can be a task. I use an air powered rivet gun or occasionally for repair work a 2 hand rivet gun for the stainless. Aluminum rivets are a lot easier to pop and can be done with an inexpensive gun.
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby Redneck Teepee » Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:19 am

This might shed some light on a preferable way to get the best long term results. :)

http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/fabrica ... lar-metals
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Re: What type of rivets?

Postby Justin1983 » Mon Feb 08, 2016 4:44 pm

Thanks guy's! Looks like sealed stainless rivets are the best option for corrosion purposes. I will have a barrier between steel frame and aluminum skin. The trim will also be coated.
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