Corrugated Plastic bottom rivets, not screws

[toolman.dustin]

I need to locate a water leak under my travel trailer. It's coming from the high pressure water distribution lines. It was caused by an expected freeze a couple of weeks ago.

The problem: The corrugated plastic bottom is riveted, not screwed to the frame. (They are actually metal fasteners fired into the steel frame with a .22 caliber "gun". It came this way, not something that was added later).

I don't see any way to easily remove them or the bottom material without really damaging the corrugated plastic.

Has anybody found a way to remove these rivets and replace them with screws without causing a lot of damage?

Thanks.
Dustin

[toolman.dustin]

Post number #24 on this thread has a photo of my fasteners and a couple of suggestions on how to remove these fasteners.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...-127074-2.html


Dustin

[toolman.dustin]

Turns out these Ramset fasteners are fairly easy to get out. Here's how:
1. cut the plastic star shaped "shock absorber" away. It's there to soften the impact of the fastener at installation. Since is crushed plastic it's very easy to cut away with the tip of a knife blade.
2. Using a drill or impact driver with a 1/4" nut driver socket spin the fastener while you slide a thick cold chisel under the corrugated cardboard and the flat washer.
3. Pry just a bit with the chisel while spinning and they will spin right out.
4. I had a couple that wouldn't come out so I knocked the head off with the cold chisel and then using a punch pushed the shaft of the fastener up through to open the hole.

Hopefully I can now use these same holes to drive in 1" #14 self taping screws.

Dustin

[toolman.dustin]

Originally Posted by toolman.dustin

Turns out these Ramset fasteners are fairly easy to get out. Here's how:
1. cut the plastic star shaped "shock absorber" away. It's there to soften the impact of the fastener at installation. Since is crushed plastic it's very easy to cut away with the tip of a knife blade.
2. Using a drill or impact driver with a 1/4" nut driver socket spin the fastener while you slide a thick cold chisel under the corrugated cardboard and the flat washer.
3. Pry just a bit with the chisel while spinning and they will spin right out.
4. I had a couple that wouldn't come out so I knocked the head off with the cold chisel and then using a punch pushed the shaft of the fastener up through to open the hole.

Hopefully I can now use these same holes to drive in 1" #14 self taping screws.

Dustin

I replaced all the ramset rivets with #14 x 1" stainless steel self tapping screws and 1/4" x 1" EPDM backed stainless steel washers. It was fairly easy to drive these self tapping screws into the much smaller "pilot" hole left by the ramset rivets. Wear safety glasses, lots of metal comes flying out.
I got these screws and washers on Amazon.

Here are the screws:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1?ie=UTF8&th=1

and washers:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1